Games Where Enemies Only Attack When Provoked

Key Takeaways

• NPCs in Grand Theft Auto 4 retaliate when attacked, chasing and even killing the player if provoked.
• Endermen in Minecraft only attack when looked in the eye, otherwise remaining passive.
• In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, attacking or killing a soldier can trigger aggression in the entire town.

Usually, enemies in video games will attack on sight, as they’re programmed to see the protagonist as an immediate threat, but this isn’t always the case, as some enemies have to spot the player before engaging or won’t even begin an assault at all unless given a reason to. Passive enemies in games can be applied to the “don’t poke the bear” metaphor, so if the player doesn’t hurt them, get too close, or otherwise provoke them, these foes will sense no danger and, therefore, won’t feel the need to defend themselves.

Most games only feature a certain species of enemy that fall into this category, so it’s entirely the player’s doing if they find themselves running for their life from a typically harmless foe. Here are some prime examples of video game enemies that only attack when deliberately antagonized.

8 Grand Theft Auto 4

NPCs Will Use Fists And Firearms If The MC Attacks First

Niko’s enemies in Grand Theft Auto 4 are usually mission-specific, such as Vladimir Glebov in “Uncle Vlad” or Ray Bulgarin in “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” but Niko can make an enemy out of just about anyone if he tries hard enough.

NPCs won’t actively hunt Niko (unless he has a wanted level), but if he steals their car, shoots them, punches them, or otherwise asks for it, the NPCs will become aggressive and engage in fist-fights, pull out weapons to retaliate gunfire, or even chase down the stolen vehicle to forcibly drag Niko out of it. It’s also possible for NPCs to kill Nico if he sustains enough damage, which will cause him to respawn at the nearest hospital. If civilians are left alone, however, they will just go about their day as background characters.

7 Minecraft

Endermen Only Attack If The Player Looks Them In The Eye

Almost every Minecraft mob starts out harmless, even the more threatening ones like spiders. During the daytime, unless spiders are attacked first, they won’t become hostile; they will just roam about the environment along with the cows, pigs, and sheep. Creepers will self-destruct no matter what time of day it is, wolves will make a meal out of anyone who messes with them, but one of the most docile mobs — unless provoked — is the Enderman.

This neutral mob will lazily amble about collecting blocks unless the player either attacks it or looks into its eyes for the equivalent of a quarter-second. Once this happens, the Enderman’s eyes will glow purple, its mouth opens wide, and it will shake angrily as it walks toward whomever disturbed it. Endermen will attack players relentlessly until they are either killed or subdued by water, its weakness.

6 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The “Bovine Defense Force Initiative” Only Triggers If A Certain Number Of Cows Are Killed

Geralt encounters a lot of different enemies in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but there’s one particular monster that only spawns under specific circumstances. Known as a Chort, this monster is imbued with formidable strength, agility, and speed, and it traditionally appears in the “Berengar’s Blade” quest. In Patch 1.05 and beyond, a variant of the Chort called The Cow Monster or The Cow Guardian will spawn a short distance away from the cow pen in White Orchard village once Geralt kills six cows.

Originally, if the Chort was killed, a new one would spawn, which actually turned out to be an effective method for farming crowns. However, this has since been patched, and if the Chort is slain, a new one won’t appear unless Geralt leaves White Orchard and returns. The Cow Guardian only appears near White Orchard, so killing cows elsewhere won’t trigger it.

5 Left 4 Dead / Left 4 Dead 2

The Crying Witch Only Attacks If Someone Gets Too Close To Her

In Left 4 Dead and its sequel, players can stumble upon the Witch, one of the franchise’s many types of Special Infected. The Witch is often heard before she is seen, as players will pick up on her distant wails as the first indication of her presence. Witches are either found sitting in one spot or lumbering about in a lethargic, hunched-over state.

If players fire gunshots near the Witch or get too close to her, she will attack instantly and can either incapacitate or kill them outright. If players hear the Witch’s telltale sobs, it’s best to turn off the flashlight and try to sneak around her. It isn’t always necessary to kill the Witch in order to proceed, but there are times where she blocks the only path to the next area, so players will have no choice but to engage her.

4 Bioshock

Big Daddies Will Only Attack If Harm Befalls Their Little Sister

Big Daddies are conditioned to protect their Little Sisters at all costs as they escort them around Rapture. They have a colored liquid sloshing around inside their helmets that indicates their current state of mind. If green, it means that Big Daddy is friendly and passive. If yellow, Big Daddy will shove anyone who gets too close or reflexively defend their Little Sister if she feels threatened. If red, the Big Daddy will attack on sight. The exception to this rule is the Alpha Series, which are always hostile to the player no matter what.

Without giving away any spoilers, the only Big Daddy that is scripted to attack is the very last one that gamers encounter in Bioshock. Little Sisters can be rescued or harvested, which leaves Big Daddies wandering around aimlessly, banging against vents in the hopes of finding another Little Sister and reigniting their sole purpose.

3 Resident Evil 2

Lickers Have Weak Senses And Only Attack If Characters Make Noise Or Get Too Close

First introduced in Resident Evil 2 (returning also for the Resident Evil 2 remake from 2019), the Lickers are a mutant variant that crawls around on all fours and attacks with a freakishly long tongue. Lickers are sensitive to sound, but their senses are weak, so they can be momentarily disoriented by a flashbang or avoided entirely if Leon or Claire sneaks past them.

If Leon or Claire take slow, quiet steps and keep a wide breadth of them, Lickers won’t pay them any mind. This isn’t the smartest move, ideally, as once Mr. X comes into play, Claire and Leon will be doing a lot of running, and it’s best to eliminate Lickers early so that Mr. X doesn’t corner them down a corridor. There’s nothing worse than running from Mr. X. and having to barrel through a bunch of Lickers at the same time.

2 Silent Hill 4: The Room

The Twin Victim Will Only Attack If Henry Shoots Them Or Wanders Too Close

Henry encounters the Twin Victim in the Water Prison in Silent Hill 4: The Room. When the Twin Victim spots Henry, they will point and whisper at him menacingly, but they will not engage him unless provoked (i.e. shot at or hit with a melee weapon), in which case, they will swipe at Henry with their long arms.

Once provoked, the Twin Victim will continuously harass Henry and run about aimlessly until killed. It’s wise to keep some distance when fighting the Twin Victim, as they can counterattack swiftly if Henry lets up for even the smallest amount of time. In Silent Hill lore, the Twin Victim is a manifestation of Walter Sullivan’s seventh and eight victims, Billy and Miriam Locane, who were mentioned briefly in Silent Hill 2.

1 Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

The Entire Town Will Turn Hostile If A Soldier Is Attacked Or Killed

Civilians can attack players in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. If villagers witness a soldier being attacked or killed, they become hostile. Once their aggression is triggered, they might run away and return with a weapon or just try and fight with whatever they have on hand — be it brooms or small knives.

It’s easy to antagonize civilians by committing a crime in front of them or assaulting them directly, but there’s a risk to playing with fire, as the entire town could come to collect the debt. If the player causes enough commotion, especially during bounty missions, the whole town can sharpen their pitchforks and torches and form an angry mob to hunt them down. If civilians don’t see anything out of the ordinary, or if they’re left alone, they will just go about their business as regular townsfolk.