What happens when 16 contestants are put on a remote island and forced to kill each other?
The Culling definitely has tons of moments that all of its players can relate to. Here’s my list of 36 pictures in The Culling that might just make you say “Oh yeah!” It’s a great game with great, bloody moments, all fueled by the game's in-game currency of F.U.N.C, so let's get started.
36. Vroom Vroom!
I think you’ve got something on your back.
While the chainsaw isn’t exactly a common weapon, it’s definitely the most fun when you do get it. And as this promotional picture shows, the chainsaw is by far the bloodiest, most brutal weapon The Culling has to offer.
35. Battle of the Qualities
Nice mask. I think I’ll take it.
When one contestant has a shiny, new fire-ax, and the other has a stone axe that’s just sticks and rocks tied together, it’s not exactly a mystery who’s going to win. He may have a pretty mask covering his face, but his weapon just isn’t up to par. But it’s a pretty great feeling when you’re the one with the Tier 4 weapon attacking the guy with the Tier 1.
34. In It to Win It
The poster boy for The Culling isn’t messing around.
I don’t know about you guys, but this is the picture that sold me. The Culling sounds brutal enough just in its description, but this promotional image seals the deal. But does anyone else wonder how that cigarette stays lit for so long in-game?
33. Teamwork!
Fighting one guy’s bad enough… but two at once?
Why bother going alone when you can bring along a second murderous psychopath? It’s much easier to slaughter other contestants when you’re accompanied by a friend. After all, the only thing better than one guy with a bloody machete is two guys with bloody machetes.
32. The Final Battle
Blocking is just a precaution when murdering someone.
That final fight to earn the Victory is always the most heart-pounding. Even with great gear and lots of healing items, it’s possible to have all your work before that point mean nothing. If someone else who wants the victory just as much as you decides to bury an axe in your back, it’s all over. It’s way worse when they have a gun though, believe me.
31. Aim… Steady…
Two bows and a blowgun? “Reaper” is right…
He may be half-health, but look at that loadout. Trying to charge someone with two bows and a blowgun really isn’t going to go well for you. Admittedly, I’m more often the one with the bow aiming at you, so… Sorry, I guess?
30. BOOM!
This… this is what I’ve been waiting for.
Gone are the days of manually placing a C4 on a crate and waiting for someone to walk by. The modern era is upon us: crates that explode on their own. It’s safe to say that for people who like ruining everyone else’s day, Bait Crates are the best crates.
29. Long Way Down
Just one little tap on the back, and…
This doesn’t happen nearly enough. Seeing someone leaning over the edge of a cliff, their back ripe for the pushing. Having had it happen once, though, I can assure you… it’s amazing.
28. Juicing Up
Aim for the vein!
Sometimes you just can’t let a fight be fair. The developers of The Culling understand that, so they implemented steroids. While ‘roid rage is pretty dependable in the game, I’ve heard it can have some negative effects in real life. Oh well!
27. F.U.N.C. Barrels
Release the blowing glue spirit trapped in the barrel.
Some say that the souls of the killed “Culling” contestants have been trapped in these barrels for centuries, just waiting to be released by a new contestant… I say that it’s free F.U.N.C, and it’s time to start crafting new murdering tools with it!
26. This is a Bloody Mess
Literally.
Piles of bones, piles of… head. No matter what you find in that bloody pile, remember that you can repurpose it for weapons and traps! Nothing’s more environmentally conscious than recycling the remains of past contestants to create more remains of current contestants!
25. It Begins…
Once the crates open, everyone comes out to play.
At least they had the decency to shove you in a crate with air-holes cut into it, right? Well, the best way to stick it to your captors is to be killed in an unentertaining way, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, why not become the monster your captors want you to be, and go on a murderous rampage once this crate opens! I see nothing wrong with that.
24. The Bridge View
You can barely see the middle of the arena from there!
This bridge has a simply gorgeous view. If you look really closely, you can just make out the center of the arena. It’s beautiful, as long as you don’t think about all the killing that happens there.
23. The Firearm Advantage
That red shirt’s about to have red stains.
Now this is a situation most of The Culling’s players can relate to! A fellow contestant is getting a bit too close for your liking, so out comes the Magnum. You can always tell the kind of person that contestant is, based on whether or not they run away with their tail in between their legs. The bravest ones just keep on charging! The brave ones also die a lot more.22. The Holiest of Corpses
Who wants to watch his body for three days?
The one thing better than besting an opponent in combat is killing them, then watching their body fall into a hilarious position. My personal favorite is the “cross” pose. Maybe they’re staunch believers, or maybe they just felt fabulous for a moment or two. Either way, it makes me chuckle.
21. The Hidey-Hole
This kind of reminds me of the Nazgul scene in Lord of the Rings!
Sometimes, when enemies are near, our basic instincts come into play, and we attack them with everything we got. Other times, we hide in a hole with our best bud until they go away. Either way works.
20. The Scoreboard
Anyone else rooting for Captain Levi?
The eternal reminder that you’re nothing but a pawn in a rich banker’s game. With this in the sky, you’ll never forget that you could just be another tick in a contestant’s kill count. So with that in mind, go have some fun, and rack up that “Kills” counter!
19. Lying in Wait
Like a jungle cat in the brush…
Wearing full camo with a tanto knife at the ready, you can be as stealthy as a cat with teeth like a grizzly bear. Just… be ready to wait for a very long time. It can take a while for someone to actually wander by you, so… I hope you’re a patient person!
18. Gathering Intel
Not as efficient as the iPhone 6, but it’ll do.
While it’s great to know where your enemies are, sometimes staring at a screen is probably the worst thing you can do in a game show where you kill everyone else to win. Maybe just take a quick glance and keep moving. That is, if you don’t want to die. It’s up to you.
17. I… Slipped?
Cue Linkin Park’s “What I’ve Done.”
Sometimes, in a slaughterfest of epic proportions, some morality can creep its way into your mind. That’s great and all, but it doesn’t do anyone any good. Instead, think about how awesome it would feel to win the game without killing anyone! It’ll never happen, but… it’s a nice thought, right?
16. The Gang’s All Here!
“Sorry, take it again! I blinked.”
Aw, when you see them all standing together, you almost forget how they’re about to kill each other brutally. It brings a tear to my eye, really. They’re just so cute before they start slaughtering everyone in sight.
15. Mario’s in the House
Lets go!
Never invite Mario to your place if you don’t have any shrooms for him. Just like every other plumber, Mario will take out his pipe and beat everything in sight to a pulp. Or maybe just don’t invite Mario at all… he’s kind of a jerk anyway.
14. The Center
It doesn’t look half bad before the blood gets smeared everywhere.
This is where all things come to an end. You’ve spent the entire game crawling through underbrush and raiding abandoned buildings, but now it’s time to fight in an open arena. It’s time to die at a place with the best possible camera angles!
13. Self-Defense Protocol
Legends say that tazing the head is even more effective than usual!
Your personal bubble is very precious to you, I’m sure. So when someone comes barreling through and happens to pop that personal bubble, it’s time to break out the big guns. Or, in this case, the big stun guns. A quick jab to the ribs with electricity is a great way to remind your opponents that you enjoy your personal space.
12. Flying Treasure Chest
It’s Duck Hunter all over again.
Who knows what goodies await you in that crate? Whoever summoned it, that’s who knows. But it’s no longer just for them to know! Shoot it out of the sky, claim its contents as your own, then go hunt down whatever poor soul just wasted a gigantic chunk of their F.U.N.C. on an empty trunk, punk! …Sorry, my rhyming got out of control.
11. Panem Chainsaw Massacre
Rough day?
Look, we get it. You like Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But was it really necessary to (chain)saw through everyone you could get your hands on?
…Yes. Yes it was.
10. Environmentally Conscious
Contrary to popular opinion, it’s a good idea to reach for the light!
It’s not all about you, y’know. Sometimes, you need to look out for the environment. In The Culling, you can recycle any object you like for F.U.N.C. The best way to watch out for the environment is to shove random objects into a blue vending machine in the forest (pictured above). It sounds weird, but I promise, it’s true.
9. Speared
I wonder where all that blood came from?
Thanks to the wonderful new movement in The Culling of sticking spears in the ground next to your victims, we get pictures like this! The spear is easily one of the more popular weapon types, so this is becoming a very common sight.
8. Punji Party
It almost looks like a smiley face from a certain angle!
Yes, this is a rather ridiculous strategy… but look at it! It’s just so beautiful! Littering the center of the arena with Punji sticks always makes the most beautiful pictures. Not to mention, it’s pretty much impossible to lose a fight when this is your playing field.
7. Stretching
Oh god, my hand’s stuck!
We’ve all fought those guys that know how to block, and… that’s about it. Pushing them is the obvious solution, making this function one of the best combat actions ever.
6. The Spiderweb
Anyone else hear the doorbell?
Snares are by far one of the most useful things in The Culling, leaving enemies stuck in place until they pull themselves free, or until you get a free backstab on them. So turning a random building into your personal spiderweb is one of the best-looking and most useful things you can do.
5. Unsuspecting Victim
I almost feel bad for him. Almost.
The only feeling better than hitting someone with a bow and arrow shot is getting a free hit when they don’t see you. It’s like the universe wants you to win the fight. And who’d say no to the universe?
4. My Little Stockpile!
Alright, let’s get started.
Like Costco, I deal in bulk. So instead of making one knife at a time, why not mine out eight rocks and make the knives all at once? It doesn’t exactly save time, but hey, it looks cool. A little pile of rocks of your own making can be oddly heartwarming during a competition that almost surely means you’ll die.
3. Is This a Bad Time?
Oh no! Someone tripped and hit their head!
Every now and then, you’ll stumble upon someone else’s victim. This is a very emotional experience, since one part of you feels bad for the victim, while the other part of you wishes that it was your victim. Honestly, we’re all horrible people.
2. The Wall
I think I’ve heard about this! It’s from Game of Thrones, right?
You’ll see the border of the map in most every game you play. Large energy pylons seem to keep the digital blue wall in place, and no matter what you do, you can never get behind it. Oddly enough, if it weren’t for the announcer and this wall, you could almost forget that you were in a homicidal game show. Almost.
1. Game Over
Oh sweet, I got jeans!
After all that work you put in… someone with awful timing or a much better set of gear took you down. It can be frustrating, but at least you can learn something from most defeats. Excluding the defeats where you were just shot a couple times with a Magnum; those are just dumb.
If you like this article, here’s some others you may be interested in:
The Culling: A New Game Based on The Hunger Games?
Alien Isolation: 31 Images That Show Us The Terror in This Survival Horror Game of The Year
31 Images That Show Us the War-Torn World of Fallout 4
Written by Colin Bellairs. Leave a comment to let me know what you'd like me to write about next!
