I am psyched as hell for Alexandre Aja’s Crawl this summer! We don’t see much in the way of decent crocodile/alligator centric films (or in media in general). So with the upcoming release of the film, I wanted to take some time to highlight intriguing crocodile/alligator characters in gaming.
Renekton: League of Legends
League of Legends players are already familiar with this badass. This tank can take and deal damage like it’s no one’s business. Very much befitting of his prehistoric reptilian background.
Cyber-Croc: Snapmaw in Horizon: Zero Dawn
Do you know what might be worse than a huge, bloodthirsty crocodile? A huge bloodthirsty crocodile who is actually a robot. That’s exactly what the Snapmaw is in Horizon: Zero Dawn. Big, mechanical bastards who were originally created to be docile water purifiers to rid Earth’s water of toxic waste. Now they just want to munch down on you because you design a robo-croc, you’ll end up with death.
Just for fun, they fling deathly freezing Chillwater as an attack, just in case teeth and being robot crocodiles wasn’t enough of a bad thing.
King K. Rool: Donkey Kong
How could I not bring up the iconic Donkey Kong villain? While he may be cartoony in appearance, he is one croc you don’t want to mess with. Quite handy in a game of Smash Bros. too.
Feraligatr: Pokemon
The final form of generation 2’s water starter Pokemon Totodile, Feraligatr is an excellent heavy hitter to have on your team (he also makes for one of the few alligator-like Pokemon that exist).
A Dangerous Resource: Far Cry 3
Having an alligator attack you in Far Cry 3 is enough to make you jump in your seat. Given how well they can camouflage among lily pads, alligators will spring out towards the player if they get too close. Encounters with these creatures are quite a challenge, as struggling with them requires fast reflexes to survive.
Still, at least you can get a nice purse out of it.
Killer Croc in Batman Arkham Asylum
In one of the creepiest parts of any of the Arkham games (and there are plenty), Batman must make his way through the semi-submerged prison lair of Killer Croc a humanoid brute with razor-sharp teeth and the leathery skin of a crocodile.
He plays a very violent game of peekaboo with Bats, surging out of the water and thundering towards him, clearly on the lookout for a Bat-Snack, It’s the quiet parts that unnerve though, as Batman slowly creeps from pontoon to pontoon, listening for that telltale explosion of water.
Too Bloody Many: Assassin’s Creed Origins
The Crocodiles in Origins are vicious. Bad enough that they can just pop out of nowhere like in Far Cry 3, but they can get tougher and hang about in large groups. In one mission you’re charged with ridding an area of a group of them, and it turns into a game of ‘the floor is lava, except the floor is crocodiles, lots of crocodiles.
A Literal God: Sobek in Assassin’s Creed Origins
Hello, Assassin’s Creed Origins here again. Forgot to mention that as well as fighting off so many regular toothy crocs, you’ll have to fight Sobek, an actual Egyptian God with the head of a crocodile.
Hope that’s okay, thanks.
Sedate, But Deadly: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
What makes the crocodiles of MGS3 so interesting is the game’s realistic approach to them. Unlike a lot of other experiences where a game’s creatures will try and attack you every chance they can, the animals in MGS3 are just doing their own thing; this level of realism adds to the game’s survival aspect. If you come close enough to the crocs, then they’ll strike. This makes hunting them and avoiding them all the more engaging.
You can become one of them too, thanks to the super silly croc cap.
Never been more stealthy.
The Big One: Resident Evil 2 Remake
The giant alligator boss is wild. When you first come upon the creature you are in a narrow pathway; your only option at first is to run as fast as you can, wading through debris floating in the water. The gator’s massive body thrashes back and forth, its jaws ready to chomp into you. When you least expect it, the creature will find the power to speed towards you, requiring the player to be quick on their feet. This boss encounter is not only a thrilling experience but a reminder of why these buggers are so terrifying.
Resi has previous with big man-eating lizards of course. Resident Evil Outbreak File #2 and Resident Evil 5 both featured crocs. This is certainly the biggest and meanest though.
What are some video games that include crocodiles and alligators that you enjoy! Sound off in the comments!