Can an alien save his race by harvesting human brain stems?

Cultures · Published 11 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the parody franchise Destroy All Humans!, the Furon warrior Crypto must hunt for human DNA to prevent his species from cloning itself into extinction. Set against the backdrop of Cold War-era cinema, this action-adventure series follows a mission of survival, revenge, and cosmic conspiracies.

The series centers on the Furon Cryptosporidium, commonly known as Crypto. To save the Furon race from extinction caused by the need to clone themselves, Crypto is tasked by his superior, Orthopox-13 (Pox), with harvesting human brain stems. These stems contain traces of pure Furon DNA, a remnant of ancient encounters between the two species. This biological harvesting is essential because radiation has corrupted much of their genetic material. By securing this DNA, Crypto aims to ensure the survival of his entire species.

The narrative spans several decades of Earth history. The original game begins in 1959, following Crypto's arrival to investigate the planet and search for his predecessor, Cryptosporidium 136, who vanished in 1947. The story evolves through 1969, 1975, and 1979, involving conflicts with the KGB and the discovery of the Blisk, an ancient Martian enemy of the Furons. During these years, Crypto also faces the KGB, who attempt to assassinate him. He must also contend with the Blisk, a Martian race that has long been the Furons' adversary.

The franchise's complexity is highlighted by its shifting stakes. While the early games focus on DNA harvesting and political takeover, later entries like Path of the Furon involve Crypto seeking enlightenment in a Kung Fu monastery to stop a conspiracy threatening the Furon empire. The series has seen multiple iterations, including original releases for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and modern remakes developed by Black Forest Games in 2020 and 2022. The series' history includes various platforms, ranging from the original PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions to modern releases on the Nintendo Switch. Additionally, a multiplayer spin-off titled Clone Carnage was launched in 2022.

The intellectual property has faced significant corporate shifts. After the bankruptcy of THQ on December 19, 2012, the rights to the franchise were purchased by Nordic Games (now THQ Nordic) in 2013 for $4.9 million. Following the sale, the franchise saw a resurgence through high-definition remakes. These updated versions brought the classic titles to contemporary consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Can interbreeding with an alien species save humanity from its own self-destructive nature?
• Could a microscopic alien life form accidentally trigger a global nuclear apocalypse?
• A prequel to the 1979 classic, Alien: Earth explores humanity's desperate quest for immortality.
• The Alien franchise is a multi-generational saga of survival against a corporate-weaponized extraterrestrial threat.
• How a 1995 sci-fi thriller accidentally inspired a legendary cryptid sighting in Puerto Rico
• The scriptural divide that split the Christian and Jewish canons
• The middle ground of the battlefield: how the DMR fills the engagement gap
• How a German duo used 16-step sequencers to become the grandfathers of techno
• Sovereignty's Spectrum: Beyond 'State' or 'Subdivision'
• How a financial crisis transformed German ice hockey into a professional powerhouse
• From smuggling religious items to building a digital media empire
• How a 1917 Bengali classic became a gritty modern-day masterpiece

More in Festivals & celebrations · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics