Top 20 Most Violent Video Games Ever
#20: “Phantasmagoria” (1995)
Although Sierra On-Line was primarily known for family friendly adventure games, “Phantasmagoria” stood out as a blood-soaked nightmare. It utilized the brief FMV fad of the time to follow an author who had recently moved into a demonic mansion. By exploring, players would experience twisted visions of the mansion’s past while dealing with the demon tormenting them. Naturally, seeing such violent content with real actors, including a rape scene, drew a lot of controversy. Australia refused to rate it while some American retailers refused to carry it. Still, it was a financial success, prompting Sierra to release a sequel in 1996, “Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh.”
#19: “No More Heroes” Series (2007-)
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In this over-the-top, anime-infused series, Travis Touchdown uses a beam katana to slice through foes, resulting in comical geysers of deep red. Throwing a monkey wrench into the Wii’s family friendly image, the original “No More Heroes” tasked players with murdering their way to the top of the world’s greatest assassins. When not removing limbs from goons, you’d be confronted with consistently more insane boss fights. Its sequels have only managed to increase the levels of violent absurdity. “No More Heroes II” gave Travis an even greater number of assassins to work through while the third entry put him up against actual superpowered aliens. No matter the enemy, though, their demise was always brutal.
#18: “Splatterhouse” Series (1989-2010)
Released during the boom of the arcade beat ‘em up, “Splatterhouse” stood out among the rest thanks to its gruesome content. In it, players fused with an ancient, sacrificial mask to go on a murder rampage against hordes of disturbing monsters, using whatever weapon was at their disposal. It received two, equally violent and unsettling sequels where you could continue raging against some seriously gross creatures. However, the blood really got to shine after games went HD. 2010’s reboot received mixed reviews, but the violent content was in full force. In addition to classic weapons, players could now rip enemies apart with their bare hands or even perform varied Splatter Kills.
#17: “Killing Floor 2” (2016)
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Tripwire’s “Killing Floor 2” is like if you took “Call of Duty’s” Zombies mode, and dialed the gore factor up to 11. Players can join up to five others to face progressively tougher waves of horrifically mutated creatures called Zeds. With a variety of classes and weapons to choose from, there’s a lot of fun in testing which ways you want to execute hordes. While foes naturally trickle in at first, your screen will soon be filled by waves of crimson as disgusting squelches and groans ring in your ears. However, with plenty of special classes among the enemies and some pretty gnarly bosses, you’ll have your slaying work cut out for you.
#16: “Ninja Gaiden” Series (1988-2014)
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The original “Ninja Gaiden” games were brutally tough, though not actually brutal. But when Team Ninja revitalized the series in 2004, it came with the savagery to match the challenge. As long as players could stay alive, Ryu could dispatch foes with his razor-quick sword slices, turning them into blood fountains in the process. Its levels of violence, particularly its inclusion of beheadings, caused it and its re-release, “Ninja Gaiden Sigma,” to be censored in certain locations. Still, the sequel featured a mechanic that weakened enemies by removing their limbs, and the third included slow-mo kills so you could bask in all the nasty detail. Hey, no one said the way of the ninja was peaceful…
#15: “The Last of Us” Series (2013-)
Top 10 Most Violent Video Games
Renowned for its storytelling and performances, “The Last of Us” is one of the most lauded franchises in gaming history. It’s also one of the most vicious. It’s set 20 years after the fall of humanity, when a deadly fungus infected most and turned them into flesh-eating monsters. The Infected enemies mutate based on time and environment, leading to seriously sickening and frightening enemy designs. As savage as they are, the series shows that humans have also grown exceptionally brutal during the apocalypse. Both games confront the player with disturbing acts committed by those trying to survive, protect the ones they love, or, in the most gut wrenching moments, seek vengeance.
#14: “Gears of War” Series (2006-)
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The original “Gears of War” became a wonderful Xbox exclusive thanks to satisfying, cover-based combat and buckets upon buckets of blood. Only natural for a game that lets you tear into enemies with a chainsaw bayonet. Since then, the series has only improved in ways that you can dismantle opponents and just how gory it looks. The series chronicles humanity’s fight against the subterranean Locust Horde, which has committed some pretty nasty acts throughout the series. While the story can get pretty dark, gameplay is ferociously fun as you use all kinds of weaponry to turn your enemies into mush. Moreover, most of the games include co-op so you and a friend can have a bloody good time.
#13: “Wolfenstein” Series (1981-)
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When id Software revamped the classic PC action-adventure series, it injected “Wolfenstein” with groundbreaking gameplay and thrilling violence. 1992’s “Wolfenstein 3D” marked the dawn of the FPS, and had players littering Nazis with bullets. It was quite the bloodbath for the time. However, future entries wouldn’t stand out from other shooters, at least in terms of violence. That is, until MachineGames took over. 2014’s “The New Order” introduced new levels of ultra-violence with its alternate history. Protagonist BJ Blazkowicz, and pretty much everyone else for that matter, showed no mercy in the manner they treated their enemies. Sequels have further explored the depravity of its characters, and we eagerly await what the future holds.
#12: “The Darkness” Series (2007-12)
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In this underrated duology, players quad-wield guns and monstrous tendrils gained from an ancient demon known only as the Darkness. Based on the comic of the same name, it follows Jackie, who learns the Darkness has been with his family for generations. With your Don Uncle trying to kill you, you can shoot and rip your way through numerous goons in delightfully grisly fashion. There’s a nice amount of variety to how your demon can attack, from creating a black hole to summoning imp-like minions. Not only that, but the Darkness also eats your victims’ hearts to gain health as well as improve abilities and, in the case of the sequel, stats.
#11: “Resident Evil” Series (1996-)
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Since the first game’s release in 1996, “Resident Evil” has grown into a franchise known for freakish enemy designs, terrifying thrills, and a whole lot of blood, guts, and gore. While going back to older installments might not be that impressive, modern entries are case studies in how to make your stomach churn. Both “VII” and “Village” overflowed with bloody sequences not meant for the squeamish. Moreover, Capcom has done extremely well with giving those older entries a new coat of red paint and bringing them into the modern era. Despite some dips in quality, the series has never shown any signs of slowing down. And we’ve probably got plenty of violent years to come.
#10: “Harvester” (1996)
Like “Phantasmagoria,” DigiFX Interactive’s “Harvester” brought realistic violence to the player through FMV. And while it wasn’t as financially successful, it definitely had enough blood. In the game, players control the amnesiac Steve and explore the twisted town of Harvest. While piecing together the mystery, you’ll perform tasks for the townspeople that seem normal at first, but which have increasingly more violent outcomes. It isn’t long before the game descends into cult territory, cannibalism, and other barbarous atrocities. The game was outright banned in Germany. When a known psychologist and author compiled a list of the most violent games around “Harvester’s” release, producer Lee Jacobson argued for its inclusion. At least he knew what his product was.
#9: “MadWorld” (2009)
If “No More Heroes” besmirched the Wii’s family friendly image, then “MadWorld” was like a sin on holy ground. Immediately bringing to mind Frank Miller’s “Sin City,” the entire game is stylized in black and white, except whenever you kill an enemy, of which there are plenty. Set in a city that’s been turned into a blood-soaked reality TV series, players must rampage through groups of goons and ridiculous bosses to make it out alive. Whether you’re using Jack’s chainsaw arm or the countless pieces of environment designed specifically for killing, comical amounts of blood gush from every single encounter. Some kills even come with motion controls, adding a small touch of interactivity to the mayhem.
#8: “Dead Space” Series (2008-)
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Horror games don’t have to be violent. But in the case of some, it certainly helps. The original “Dead Space” took the horror gaming community by storm in 2008. Set inside a once nicely populated mining ship, players navigate dimly lit corridors where the vicious Necromorphs lurk. All of them are the stuff of nightmares, and most of them can only be defeated by removing their limbs. That means a whole lot of slicing, blasting, and blowing off chunks of them, which of course results in piles of gore. Sequels found creative ways of showcasing newfound horrors, like “Dead Space 2’s” infamous eye surgery scene. And returning to the original was made all the more graphic by the 2023 remake.
#7: “The Evil Within” Series (2014-17)
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Coming from the mind responsible for “Resident Evil,” it seems Shinji Mikami wanted to top his work with Capcom in how nauseatingly violent he could make “The Evil Within.” The first game puts players in the unfortunate shoes of a detective transported to a world of horrors. When not running from frightening creatures and murderous psychopaths, you’ll have to avoid deadly traps just waiting to remove all the blood from your body. “The Evil Within 2” naturally enhanced its levels of violence, as players were forced back into this twisted hellscape. Of course, with its tendency to coat any given area in a deep red, it has had to undergo censorship to release in some places, like Japan.
#6: “Manhunt” Series (2003-07)
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It seems Rockstar Games has to deal with controversy every time it releases a game. While “Grand Theft Auto” is usually the one in the news due to violent content (Xref), it’s got nothing on “Manhunt.” In the first game, you controlled a death row inmate forced to kill to survive in a series of snuff films. With an emphasis on stealth, you could perform different levels of savage executions. The sequel had you play as an escaped mental patient, with improvements in graphics and gameplay making things all the more ferocious. Both entries drew significant backlash; “Manhunt 2” was even refused classification in certain areas and rated as ‘Adults Only’ in the US until Rockstar significantly censored it.
#5: “Chiller” (1986)
Although its graphics are incredibly simplistic by today’s standards, the levels of violence in “Chiller” are unmatched by most games. Released in arcades in 1986, this light gun game had you play as a torturer with the majority of your targets being human. The first levels are actually set in torture chambers; although shooting the NPCs gains points, using your gun to activate each device results in quicker deaths, and therefore a higher score. The game wasn’t a big seller; turns out, most arcade owners had the foresight not to purchase something that would likely piss off their customers. However, a port made its way onto the NES in 1990, though it was unsurprisingly not officially licensed by Nintendo.
#4: “God of War” Series (2005-)
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When “God of War” debuted in 2005, players were stunned at just how brutal Kratos could be. Humans, deities, and creatures alike met their messy ends with his Blades of Chaos and other mythical weaponry. While the focus on Greek myth made for a unique story, it was the bloodthirsty beatdowns Kratos offered that really drew players in. The series peaked, at least in terms of violent content, with “God of War III.” From ripping off Helios’ head with his bare hands to crushing an innocent love slave of Poseidon with a massive crank, Kratos has never been more merciless. Sure, he’s slowed down in his old age, but he still won’t hesitate to expertly demolish any foe he has to.
#3: “Doom” Series (1993-)
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After releasing “Wolfenstein 3D,” id Software took another monumental step forward with the FPS in 1993’s “Doom.” The simple premise placed players as the last line of defense against demons from Hell, utilizing all manner of firepower to blast them to pieces. It was a major hit, receiving expansions and sequels throughout the 90s. We love a little retro gore, but the series didn’t reach peak brutality until the 2016 reboot opened up the bloodgates. As the Slayer, players could rip, tear, shred, blast, and ignite demons to their heart’s content as disgusting sound design and awesome heavy metal blared alongside them. It reminded everyone how vitally violent “Doom” is, making room for an additional bloodbath in 2020’s “Eternal.”
#2: “Postal” Series (1997-)
If an entire series is named after a term that refers to mass violence, you can bet it’s pretty unsettling. The original “Postal” put players in the shoes of a nameless protagonist who believed he was fighting against people infected by a toxin to make them more aggressive. In actuality, he snapped and went on a murder spree. Sequels have brought different mechanics, perspectives, and their own varieties of controversies. While the extent of violence in some entries is optional depending on the player, some of the acts possible to perform are more than enough to warrant the franchise’s inclusion. “Postal” has been criticized for being needlessly violent multiple times over the years. Yet, despite that and diminishing reviews, it’s still kicking.
#1: “Mortal Kombat” Series (1992-)
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Honestly, there’s no series more deserving of the crown. When “Mortal Kombat” released in arcades, it sent a wave of change throughout gaming. Players couldn’t get enough of the gory moves while parents were stunned by the graphic violence. It eventually led to the founding of the ESRB and has shown almost no signs of growing any family friendlier. Immense amounts of gore are built into its DNA and the franchise still upholds that legacy all these years later. Some entries bring new mechanics, such as special X-ray attacks that show just how painful fighting in this competition must be. While the controls are great, it's the fantastical carnage that has made “Mortal Kombat” a decades-spanning hit.
