Slender Man-type Enemy in Zelda?

[Sir Quaffler]

I've been thinking: Would an enemy like Slender Man work in a Zelda game?

I think it could. Think about it, you walk into a dungeon none the wiser, and nothing seems off at first. But once you grab that first key, something seems amiss. Among the regular enemies there seems to be an air of dread in the air of a sudden. Then you see him standing out in the open. He isn't doing anything, just staring at you with a totally featureless face (the suit would probably have to go, in lie of something more fitting for the game). You turn away for a split second or let some object come between you and it, and he's not there anymore. Suddenly you start panicking, as along with the standard fare of enemies and puzzles you now have to worry about this... thing creeping up on you. The further in and the more keys you have, he starts getting more aggressive and appears far more frequently and much closer to you.

You can't let it touch you either. He can one-hit kill you, so unless you have a fairy you're screwed. The only way to kill him is to make your way to the very back of the dungeon and take out his life source in the back room which is filled with pillars. (he's the boss, by the way).

Instead of whittling his health down like every other boss, your only objective is to make it the... heart or brain or whatever in the boss room and destroy it, all while trying to avoid getting killed by the Slender man-esque creature, who can appear behind any one of these pillars.

I think this is a cool idea, and the idea of a stalking, unkillable, and extremely deadly enemy in a Zelda game could really switch up the formula. What do you guys think?

 

[A Link In Time]

I completely endorse this idea. A similar idea was probed with A Link to the Past's Blind in Garogoyle's Domain-a boss presence throughout-but there the demon disguised itself as a fair maiden in need of rescue. The next logical step would be to try the opposite and insert a foe following Link as he progresses to the apex of a dungeon. While unsure whether a careful and calculating Slender Man-type enemy would be best for the series or a speedy predator like Nemesis from Resident Evil 3, such a notion is entirely within the realm of possibility.

An extra level of fear would be injected if said boss appeared in a darker themed dungeon along the lines of the Shadow Temple with Redeads and Gibdos around every corner. It would also be an interesting time to revisit a concept introduced in Skyward Sword-the broken key. Link's objective would be to avoid this stalker while rebuilding the item necessary to enter the end chamber.

 

[Ugea]

Yes I would love to see that. Imagine Link In a Dark Forrest U see a tall figure. when you look at It eye to eye.it will start to follow, no matter how far or fast it will still get closer and closer , then when it gets into attack range it Screams like a red dead and attacks you with its long arms.

 

[Spirit]

I'd love to see Nintendo ramp up the horror with Zelda and this would be a lovely way to do it, also the battle you describe would be quite different from the norm. Too few Zelda games give you a different way to defeat enemies and bosses and really i can only think of Gohma in WW where you couldn't hurt it but had to bring the ceiling down on its head via the grapple hook.

However i dont know about the idea of being stalked through the dungeon. I suck at dungeons, it always takes me a while first time around and if i have something 1-hit-killing me every so often when i've take too long on a particular dungeon puzzle then i'm going to get annoyed. Those hands in the Twilight Palace in TP were enough of a nuisance for me, i wouldn't like to tangle with something like that again but i'm definitely all for something sinister having a presence stalking and interacting with you, just not a one hit kill. =]

 

[masterSword2]

I'm all for it! Having scarier, creepier dungeons and enemies is something Zelda needs to incorporate. It increases your immersion in the game. And having a Slender man enemy would be a great way to accomplish this.

 

[Terminus]

Uh... sure...

OK HELL NO! My friend tricked me into playing that game and Slender scared the **** outta me!

 

[SNOlink]

I think it would work, but maybe not in the way you described it. With your way, it doesn't really seem good making this thing almost utterly invincible. It would be the most annoying dungeon ever since he can appear at any place at any time AND that he's invincible for most of the dungeon. I think that it may work better if you could at least slash at it and drive it away so that it won't always kill you.

 

[PokaLink]

The scarier the better! Although one complexin is how it would bod with concerned parents. (Ps. i dont feel like spelling right today :p)

 

[:Zelda:Druggie:]

Why do you people hate me?

I'm all for creepy dungeons or areas, but this just sounds disturbing

*__*

 

[HyruleHistory10]

I think it would work well in a shadowy dungeon. WHat you could do is have him or her at specific points like have it as a miniboss when you first walk it and then when you destroy it it turn to vapor. then when you progress and get keys you get a sudden music change like the Silent realm in SS and your have to either escape or fight it within x amount of time or it acts at a wallmaster or removes the key and puts it in a different room.

 

[~Mizuki~]

YES!!! *insert a hyperactive happy dance * that would be awesome

 

[Ventus]

I'd rather we have a Nemesis type enemy, like in Resident Evil 3, but I suppose Slender Man could work. This would make the dungeon much quicker paced, as you wouldn't be allowed time to sit and enjoy its features what with a stalker well...stalking you. lol.

But, I'd like to make an amendment to your initial proposal, Sir Quaffler. This enemy should be able to "hack and bypass" through your fairies, for lack of a better term, meaning that once you get hit, it's game over, regardless of if you have fairies or not. It'd keep things much more intense!

It would also be an interesting time to revisit a concept introduced in Skyward Sword-the broken key.

No, the concept was introduced in Twilight Princess; Goron Mines Key Shards!!

 

[KawiNinjaZX]

Isn't that kind of like the silent realms or those knights from the DS games?

 

[Sir Quaffler]

To answer some people's concerns about it being too horrifying or difficult in a Zelda game:

This is actually why I want it in one. Don't get me wrong, I love how Zelda goes about its creepy dungeons and enemies. But I want them to at least once try something that goes beyond mere creepy and is instead truly horrifying. Having an unkillable enemy that doesn't adhere to the normal rules of the game is I think a fantastic way of going about this. Also, this makes some dungeon activities, like pushing blocks or searching around for keys, much more intense, because this thing can get you while you're preoccupied. And I like Ventus' suggestion of being able to kill you regardless of fairies, since that reinforces this idea that the Slender Man does not play by the rules.

However, I will admit that there has to be at least some means of keeping it at bay, even if for only a very short amount of time (like, Idunno, light arrows or something). This might potentially take away from the horror aspect, but after some thought I'm not sure how you would be able to actually complete the dungeon otherwise. (Then again light arrows are pretty good too, because it relies heavily on ammo and magic, so that makes it a crucial resource to manage. If you run out of magic OR arrow's you're utterly screwed. But in the boss room, nothing can stop him, so you have to get to his one weakness as quick as you can before he gets you.)

 

[MsNerrrrd]

I dunno, it might fit it very well, but would be an annoying boss fight for sure!