The long-enduring Resident Evil series has exposed gamers to a slew of enemies and villains that successfully up the fear factor. The slow-moving zombies of Raccoon City may be easy to outrun, but when dealing with them in narrow hallways and cluttered offices, the zombies can quickly swarm players, leaving them with no path to safety. Resident Evil Village introduced the frenzied Lycans that are terrifying to encounter and difficult to kill. Of all the mutants and zombies that have made an appearance in the series, perhaps none are as memorable and terrifying as Resident Evil 2’s Mr. X.
In Resident Evil 2, players first encounter Mr. X while exploring Raccoon City Police Department, and he remains a threat for much of the game afterward. With his silver skin, long trench coat, and blood-freezing stare, Mr. X feels like he was designed to frighten anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. He is an unstoppable stalker, and his relentless pursuit of players has made him one of gaming’s most iconic and terrifying villains.
Who is Mr. X?
Raccoon City is home to a large company called the Umbrella Corporation. The business operates in many sectors, but its main work is something it keeps a secret. Scientists at Umbrella Corporation create biological weapons for militaries around the world, and they eventually venture into making human bio-organic weapons called Tyrants. This is made possible using the T-Virus along with some cloning.
Although its first few attempts at making Tyrants prove to be less than ideal, Umbrella Corporation strikes gold with the T-103 series. Tyrants from this series are very powerful, but they still retain enough intelligence to be sent on missions that require complex tasks. Mr. X is a Tyrant from the T-103 series, and he proves just how deadly Umbrella Corporation's abominations are.
Mr. X is stoic, and he does not allow himself to be stopped by anything when he is pursuing a goal. He shows great intelligence, as seen by the way he carefully combs over the police department when searching for his target. He also displays an odd attachment to his fedora, and if it is knocked off, he will stop everything he is doing to pick it up.
In Resident Evil 2’s remake, Mr. X makes an appearance in both Claire Redfield’s campaign and Leon Kennedy’s campaign. They cross paths with the Tyrant in the police department, and they are forced to deal with the seemingly invincible enemy while solving puzzles and gathering resources. Wherever players go, they can be certain that Mr. X may be lurking around the corner, ready to strike. As the game progresses, Mr. X mutates, eventually turning into a gross monster that is even more equipped to kill.
What Makes Mr. X So Scary?
Mr. X is one of the most terrifying enemies not just in the Resident Evil series, but in gaming too. Part of what makes Mr. X such a terrifying villain is his appearance. He marches around with an emotionless expression, his gaze is void of any warmth, and his smart attire makes it appear as though to him, murder is nothing but a bit of business he must take care of.
His design veers into the uncanny valley due to how he almost looks human but falls just shy of it. He has two human-like eyes, but their coldness makes it seem as though he possesses no empathy or emotions. He has a face and a body like a human, but his skin is a strange shade of silver. All of this gives Mr. X a creepy, sinister appearance that successfully makes anyone looking his way get goosebumps.
The terror he induces is also caused by the way he pursues players. Mr. X does not run or behave frantically. Instead, he stalks his prey like a predator, listening carefully for any sounds his target might make. Players can hear his footsteps as he roams the police department, serving as a constant reminder that a relentless Tyrant is on the hunt.
According to Kazunori Kadoi, who is Resident Evil 2’s director, Mr. X’s heavy footsteps could not be created using human footsteps because they do not have the right level of impact. Hence, a mixture of sounds was used. Players will find themselves facing Mr. X soon if they make noise because he is always listening out. As Kadoi explains, “gunfire will catch his attention the most” but other loud actions like running will also alert Mr. X to the player’s whereabouts.
Perhaps the scariest part of Mr. X is how he is nearly invincible. When dealing with zombies, things can get hairy, but having a gun can help thin out the crowd. There is a sizable array of weapons available, and with experience, it is possible to figure out which guns work best for which enemies. Mr. X poses a different problem altogether. Unlike the other enemies that players face in the police department, Mr. X cannot be killed with bullets or knives. Once has his target in his sights, he is an unstoppable wall of death. His imperviousness to bullets elicits a feeling of helplessness in players, as they have nothing to defend themselves with once the Tyrant is close enough.
Although Mr. X is a deadly foe, gamers appreciate his unique design, and he has easily become one of the most recognizable antagonists in the Resident Evil series. As such, plenty of mods have been made for the Tyrant in Resident Evil 2’s remake. Some serve to enhance Mr. X or make him an even more challenging opponent. Others, however, take a more comical approach, with some mods turning Mr. X into Thomas the Tank Engine or playing DMX music whenever Mr. X is on screen. While plenty of other villains in the series have managed to provide lots of scares, none managed to constantly maintain an atmosphere of anxiety and fear the way Mr. X has.
Resident Evil 2's remake is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.