My Top 5 interpretations of Hell in video games

As I've mentioned before I love a good video game that goes through Hell. The more disturbing it is, the better. Most games show Hell in the same way: pits of lava and networks of caves, as do my number 5 and 4. These games really know how to set the mood and make you wanna get out of that area... and fast.

5. Doom Series

The Doom series is one that shows the traditional Hell, lava, caves and lots of demons causing chaos for the hero. Most parts of Hell in these games, especially Doom 3 look like heavy metal album covers and that's awesome.

4. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion

Oblivion is a multi-layered Hell with many different looking realms, in the game we mostly see the realm of Mehrunes Dagon which is quite similar to the Hell in Doom. Vast oceans of lava fill this realm with islands filled with demons (or Daedra as they're called in this) dotted around. They house towers and forts filled with tortured souls and monsters.

3. Requiem: Avenging Angel

This is a PC game from 1999 and it has the first Hell from a video game that made an impression on me. I haven't played it for years and it still scars my mind. The walls, floors and ceilings are crafted from the compressed corpses of long-suffering souls with one or two popping out hear and there, still moving. Stained glass windows and stone carvings are dotted about showing scenes of death and torture and demons of all shapes and sizes roam the corridors, tearing at and eating the poor souls at the edges of the structures. Instead of rivers of lava, rivers of blood flow through this Hell. The worst part of all this is the soundtrack to these levels is the groans and screams of suffering and torture.

2. The Darkness

This one isn't the traditional depiction of Hell. It's known as the Otherworld and is home to millions of tormented and twisted souls, both good and evil. This hell is a never ending network of trenches and tunnels where every war ever waged are all being fought forever and all at once. Demons keep anyone trying to escape in and tortured souls can be found all over strapped to horrific medieval devices.

1. Silent Hill Series

Everyone that loves these games knows that dread feeling as the old siren sounds and the world starts to crumble away around them, leaving a deep impenetrable darkness. This Hell really fills you with a sense of loneliness and fear. It's basically a decayed version of the world the games set in. The walls and floors are replaced with rusted metal grates and panels. Corpses are strung up in a gruesome ritualistic manner and demons sit, waiting in the darkness for anyone dumb enough to get too close.

There you have it: 5 very different yet equally traumatizing versions of Hell. Excuse me as I go to my happy place...