People play games for various reasons, such as to unwind or vent. There are games that try hard to create pressure and tense situations with that in mind. These include times when characters face high stakes, with the whole world at risk or personal struggles that are starting to weigh on them.
Among these stressful situations, one of the most exhilarating is the chase. Moments where you either have to chase after a target, or evade a dangerous foe, can be very effective at getting the adrenaline running. You have to stay sharp and react quickly in order to stay in it, and avoid having to go through the whole ordeal again. These are some of the best.
8 The Truck Chase (Sonic Adventure 2)
Sonic games haven't had the best relationship with the third dimension. The titles seem to bounce between fun and broken on a regular basis. In the early 2000s, Sonic Adventure 2 replaced the open world of its predecessor with a level-based structure. It strikes a balance between fast-paced running levels and slow-paced segments.
Even so, it has an exciting beginning, set to a killer soundtrack in 'City Escape'. Sonic is on the run from the government after being arrested, and must race through a city. The last part of the level involves a huge, menacing truck chasing Sonic down narrow streets. It's a tense set piece, which adds a lot to the drama.
7 The Hermes Chase (God Of War 3)
Since the very first God Of War, the relationship between Kratos and the Greek gods has been anything but simple. It went from begrudging subservience to full-on rage, with a desire to slay them all for how his life turned out. From almost accomplishing his task in God Of War 2, Kratos takes his grudge and a bunch of titans to Mount Olympus.
The gods have no choice but to rally and fight back, with Kratos getting opportunities to fight them one on one. When he encounters the swiftest of them, Hermes, it leads to a chase where the messenger god continuously taunts him. It really makes you want to catch him as soon as possible so you can punch his lights out.
6 The Dahaka Chase (Prince Of Persia: Warrior Within)
After the massive success of Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, the devs decided to go in a different direction for the sequels. In Warrior Within, the Prince has become much darker and more brooding due to his losing situation. In a desperate attempt to change the outcome, he decides to stop the Sands Of Time from ever being made.
However, his meddling with time has attracted the attention of the Dahaka, a monstrous mist-like being who wants nothing more than to destroy the Prince and set things right. You'll frequently have to flee from it, through contained segments where its distorted voice fills the air with unintelligible threats.
5 The Waltz Chase (Dying Light 2)
Dying Light was an interesting take on the zombie genre. You start infected, and you need to parkour your way to survival in order to find a cure — all while staving off the infection. In Dying Light 2 the virus has gone global, with whatever's left of humanity living in isolated, heavily guarded settlements. Pilgrims are the main form of communication between them, with you playing as one named Aiden.
Aside from being a Pilgrim, Adam was subjected to numerous virus-related experiments by a villainous scientist named Waltz. It becomes Aiden's main quest to hunt him down, and when he finally catches him, Waltz is consumed by overwhelming power — forcing Aiden to flee. It's sudden and scary, leaving you with the overriding feeling that Waltz is just one second away from tearing you apart.
4 The Dirge Chase (Shadow Of The Colossus)
Shadow Of The Colossus is a wonderful combination of beauty and epic adventure. As a young man named Wander, you've entered a place called the Forbidden Lands with the aim of resurrecting a young woman. The entity you encounter states that this is possible, if you manage to slay all the giant monsters wandering the land.
One, in particular, is encountered in a desert cave full of sand. Appearing as a combination of snake and sandworm, Dirge actively chases Wander and Agro, his horse. It can only be made vulnerable by baiting it with a chase, making for an exciting encounter.
3 The Monster Ock Chase (Spider-Man: The Video Game)
Though Marvel has so many heroes on their roster, Spider-Man continues to be a fan favorite. Not only does he have cool powers and the story of rising to the challenge, but he can also be very snarky. Some of this is felt in the PS1 adventure, Spider-Man: The Video Game. Though he fights a number of villains throughout the game, the main one turns out to be Doc Ock.
After the final fight, the Carnage Symbiote fuses with a defeated Doc to create the horrifying Monster Ock. Weakened from the fight and trapped in an exploding facility, Spider-Man has no choice but to run, with Monster Ock closely behind. This makes for an exhilarating final encounter in a solid superhero experience.
2 The Hungry Guests Chase (Little Nightmares)
From the get-go, Little Nightmares was going for creepy. There are a lot of cute and innocent elements in the game, but there's always this underlying feeling that you're never safe. The biggest threats are quite literally bigger humans, or at least creatures pretending to be human. You have no chance against them, and must resort to hiding and running when the occasion calls for it.
Towards the end, you realize that the hero Six has been in an expansive restaurant the whole time, catering to ravenous, bloated guests. Once they see her, the guests drop everything and hungrily pursue her, in what is an unsettling and stressful scenario.
1 The Undyne Chase (Undertale)
The world of Undertale is charming, but not always the most straightforward. It takes place in a setting dominated by monsters that have varying personalities and appearances to throw you off. It's clear that the main character, Frisk — who is a human — is someone not commonly seen among monsters.
Though many of them prove to be quite helpful and friendly, it's Undyne who presents a serious threat when she appears. Clad in jagged knight's armor, she pursues Frisk with the intention of hunting them down for the king. You're immediately put on edge when she appears, and you'll want nothing more than to get somewhere safe.