The Basement Bloater was once a mall maintenance worker who succumbed to the initial infection in the flooded storage areas. Trapped in the contaminated waters, the body absorbed pollutants and pathogens, mutating into a swollen, toxic horror that now lurks in the basement's depths.

This entity moves with a slow, dragging gait due to its water-bloated mass, making it a persistent but predictable threat. Its skin is taut and pale, filled with fluid that can burst upon impact, releasing infectious sprays. The Bloater is highly resilient to physical damage but vulnerable to fire or dehydration, and it leaves a trail of slime that contaminates surfaces.

It acts as a guardian of the basement chokepoints, often blocking access to critical areas like generator rooms or flood control systems. Survivors must evade or defeat it to progress, making it a pivotal obstacle in the mall's downward spiral.