There's something different about playing a horror game rather than watching a scary movie. Being in direct control of the action and physically having to push your character forward is a daunting experience, putting you in the director's seat, rather than simply watching the action unfold on screen. Knowing the horror won't happen until you move forward is a strikingly horrible feeling, but one we can't get enough of.
Horror has been a staple of gaming for many, many years, delivering some of the best moments in video game history. Xbox has been no stranger to the genre either, receiving some fantastic titles over the years. Condemned: Criminal Origins, The Evil Within, The Medium - the list goes on.
All of these games have an impending sense of dread, but there will always be those moments that stick out more than the rest. The encounters that keep us up at night and scare us silly with their unexpected jump scares or creepy imagery. Even some games which aren't strictly horror can manage to get under your skin at certain moments.
For us, there are a few offenders. One of our earliest memories is the terrifying bear chase in Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Outside of all the brutal melee combat and disturbing moments, one particular set piece involving a grizzly bear was what managed to stand out above all else. It's a pulse-pounding level and one we won't be forgetting any time soon.
There are also some other moments we won't be forgetting in a hurry. The spider-like Laura from The Evil Within, the dentist jumpscare in Bioshock, and of course, the most recent House Beneviento set piece in Resident Evil Village. With so many horror games on the market, there's just too much to choose from and our poor little hearts can't take it anymore.
But what about you? What moment in a video game has scared the life out of you? After all these years, what part of a game will you never forget thanks to the fear-inducing horror you've been forced to overcome? We're eager to hear what you have to share - it doesn't necessarily have to be a horror game either. So let's set the Halloween mood and share some scary stories!
What's your scariest video game moment? Let us know in the comments below.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 37
Not even a horror game but a weird stealth game called Echo on PS4. Basically, all the enemies are AI that look like you and they learn and mimic everything you do. No idea why it got to me but I ended up in a roomful of clones trying to strangle me because they'd seen me do it and it absolutely freaked the hell out of me. Deleted!!!
Alien Isolation. The entire game!
Some many fond horror experiences that I can't pin it down! From Silent Hill 2, the Fatal Frame series, Little Nightmares and Inside, REVII ... good times 😱
This is a bit older and not on Xbox, but Eternal Darkness really stands out. Specifically, the bathtub scene. It was a brilliant jump scare and one that instantly comes to my mind when this topic comes up.
Scariest video game moment? Alien Isolation....all of it.
The tensest I've ever been playing a game was Resident Evil 7 in VR, but the first time a game ever really scared me (or at least made me seriously jump) was the dogs coming through the windows in the original Resident Evil on PS1.
Woman in a bloodbath (Elternal Darkness - GC). Scared the sh** out of me.
@Originut Im with you on that one.
Most combat encounters in Condemned: Criminal Origins. When that music hit and you heard the enemy breathing heavily, cursing you... Ugh. Also, the mannequins in the condemned shopping centre...
To be honest, I'll say every time start an EA game.
Completely frightened over what microtransactions will be jumping out of the dark to haunt me.
The iconic RE1 dog scene, and also some later parts of Dead Space 1 was unbearable.
I wouldn’t say it scared me….more like unsettled me…but the Moon Presence from Bloodborne skeeved me out pretty bad.
I won't forget this moment.
I was playing the original condemned game, in my room in the dark. I had just gotten done telling my roommates how creepy it was. 2 of them decided to join me and watch.
I went to the washroom at one point and came back, both of them were still there waiting for me to continue.
I had one foot hanging off the bed when something grabbed my foot...
Turns out my 3rd roommate took that moment that I went to the washroom to hide under my bed and lay in wait for my poor unsuspecting self.
I got her back eventually but it didn't compare to that night.
That moment in the first FEAR game where the girl appears with fire around her and chases you down the alley.
Not Xbox but the moment the robot slags in Robo Recall turn on you still freaks my nut out to this day.
Alien Isolation. All of it. I spent about 50% of my playthrough peering through gaps from inside lockers.
I will tell when Pure Xbox realise that Project Zero (a.k.a. Fatal Frame) exist 😒.
When someone saved over my game
Outside various various jump scares (weaping angels in VR) the biggest Heart pounding fear experience was the mass effect 2 ending, i went into pretty much blind knowing only anyone, including shepard, could canon die. Every cutscene and choice after going through that last relay had this domino effect, creating this fantastic tension that I haven't got from most horror games.
I remember babysitting my neighbours kid one night. I was playing their import copy of Silent Hill at 1am in the dark and all I can hear is the footsteps of their doberman plodding around the garden outside. Scary as.
The rsident evil Kitchen demo in vr properly made me jump. It was my first vr experience and after nervously looking around the room her hands came over my head and I squealed like a little girl, good times 😀
My top moments
Resident Evil - Dogs bursting through the window on your second hallway pass.
Resident Evil 4 - Infected Dogs in the maze…
Eternal Darkness on a low psyche run, everything so creepy then….
Doom 3 I think it was…. First 30 mins, a demon bursts out of a pipe while walking through a hallway. Had the room dark, surround sound on. Jumped so friggin high….
Corpse Party - whole game was awesome and creepy.
House of the Dead: Overkill - the ending… yup, that’ll scar ya….
@Bruvas I remember that! Those were freaky games man. I’d be interested to see a remaster sometime.
Seriously what you guys posted as the picture for this article. Laura in the Evil Within 1, that particular boss fight too.
Dead Space. The moment a giant tentacle comes out of nowhere, grabs Isaac by the foot and drags him into a hole in the wall. And all the subsequent moments when the game show similar corridors with holes in the wall in order to tease us about that happening again.
Also Dead Space 2, in the very beginning: "Press LB to run". If you played it, you'll know what I'm talking about 😆
MGS 2 When the game told me to turn the PS2 off..
The flood, the god damn flood
Happy Halloween, y'all!
I share some of the moments listed above, including the RE1 dogs through the window and the Eternal Darkness bathtub. Surprised no one mentioned the one that really got me more recently - RE8 House Beneviento.
@uberdaddypig
That's exactly what made me quit playing. To me it was scary initially, but got tedious fast. I love the Alien franchise and I keep thinking about giving this game another chance, though.
@pip_muzz I played the whole Alien:Isolation in a blacked out room, with the noise detection on the mic. Horrifying
The squeaky dead baby in the original Silent Hill made my entire body go cold 😁
There's been a few over the years.
The all time worst, which made me properly scream out, was the PT Trailer.
When you turn around and the ghost gets you. I was playing in the dark with the sound right up. Scared the cr*p out of me!! 😂
The first time I encountered Pyramid Head in Silent Hill 2. And obviously the dogs through the window in RE 1. Scary stuff!
My scariest video game moment was when I deleted a bunch of folders containing save files of some lengthy RPGs as well of some other pretty difficult games.
I nearly blacked out.
@PhhhCough it should be them that's scared of you if that happens.
@pip_muzz That made me jump to begin with, then I just shouted at the side in alien everything it got me!
For me SOMA is the one, got to a point where I was like no and haven’t played it again since haha.. the team behind the game fully deserve their reputation.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I was playing Alien vs Predator on the Atari Jaguar. Playing on headphones, I jumped out of my chair the first time a Predator snuck up behind me and whispered "C'mon!".
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