Freak (Painkiller game series)

Freaks are rare enemies that appear in only 2 levels- the bonus level Prison and the Asylum. In the Prison, they appear twice- one as a corpse, which you can juggle to get gold and a soul, interestingly enough, and one in an electric chair, which launches lightning that blocks your path. Go around through the viewing booths, avoiding the turret in the second one, and pull the switch, which causes it to vanish and open up the exit portal.

They appear later in the Asylum. The first versions simply shamble to you to smack you with their arms. Although this sounds silly, they do good damage and are very fast in attacking. However, they are horrendously slow in walking, so taking them out with the Painkiller (if you're after the card) from a distance is as simple as backing up when they get a bit too close for comfort.

Electro-Freak
The second version, however, is a lot more dangerous. They appear halfway through the level, and all Freaks that appear afterward becomes these. Electro-Freaks look like standard Freaks, but their arms are tied up in the straight-jacket they wear, and their heads sparkle with electricity.

=== Getting near these is suicide- They explode, which can easily kill you even if you have max health on the higher difficulties. They also love to spawn around corners in alcoves. Keep your ears open for the moans they make while wandering around. Their sparks also glow in the dark, so if you're in a dark area and suddenly a lot of sparking things start coming towards you, you better take them out fast. ===

Trivia/Theories

 * In a rare occurrence, the souls they drop can actually damage you instead of giving you health. When picking up their souls, listen carefully. If you don't hear the noise souls usually make when being picked up, it means that this is one of those rare souls.
 * Since they seem to be tourtured by other, stronger monsters, they could represent people shunned from society due to something out of their control, such as mental illness, as well as torment and abuse from peers that can go too far.
 * In Painkiller: Hell & Damnation the electro-freak appears mostly the same (down to the sign on its chest), but is called Psycho Electro. Additionally, one notable visual difference is that the HD electro seems to have decayed less than its earlier counterpart, with its skin and face intact.