Best Scary Moments in Games

[Tarnish]

Oh yeah. Nothin' says Christmas spirit like horror games. Video games are capable of being absolutely, nightmare-inducingly terrifying.
The first game to personally scar me for life was The Dark Eye, a Quicktime "game" that amounted to you clicking on things while Poe stories were told. With puppets. Creepy puppets.

The absolute worst part? BERENICE. [spoiler]Anyone who's familiar with the story probably knows why. What they probably don't know is that the point is driven home by a giant, bloody, toothless puppet head staring into your soul. Even the thumbnail on YouTube brought back bad memories.
Did I mention the game ends in a dark room with a crazy, now-eyeless woman?[/spoiler]
Despite its reputation, Silent Hill 4 has some good moments. [SPOILER]I waited that whole game for that stupid bunny to finally do something. ALSO HEY DUMMY DONT TAKE THE DOLL FROM CRAZY KURT COBAIN, DURHURHUR[/SPOILER]
Anything ever force you to drop the controller and cower in the bathroom?

[GrubbTheFragger]

The entire game of Amnesia. Also the scene is Silent Hill 3 when you watch the mirror and the entire room turn black. Creepy stuff

[rocklobster]

Even old-school games could scare you pretty well. Sinistar always managed to freak me out.
for those who never grew up with this game

[GrubbTheFragger]

Sinestar XD I remember that game I AM SINESTAR

[raider~joseph]

The only scene that ever made me scared was in old school house of the dead games. They used to give me nightmares...one day I snapped and beat the games in an angry rage while dropping a bunch of fbombs...I was never allowed in that arcade again...true story...and the entire house of the dead games made me scared.

[Crossfire]

Playing Halo CE when I was much younger. Whenever you had to go into a tunnel or a dark room, I would start freaking out and firing off random shots.

[CephasWhite]

Doom 3...played through the first stage and now I'm never playing that game again...just way to freaky for me.

[the_wolfs_howl]

Actually, this does seem oddly appropriate, because while everyone else is watching Christmasy movies, last night I watched Ju-On. And I'm planning on playing Penumbra: Black Plague over Christmas break because that's when I'll have access to a computer with a real mouse, and I refuse to play that game with my laptop's touchpad.

Anyway, scary moments? Well, there's always Oregon Trail XD I used to get so freaked out when everyone would die that I would refuse to play. And, um...Gelator from Math Blaster ages 6-9 used to give me nightmares http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw0e17Zkvh4 (first 30 seconds or so)

But on to the real horror games

Bioshock had some creepy moments that made me jump, though the horror was often lessened by the knowledge that I had a bunch of weaponry with which I could protect myself. Here's a bunch of examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfuNNMLebfs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ3M3Sq4pbE&feature=related
And then there were some pretty scary moments in Fort Frolic where you'd see what you thought were statues, but when you turned around...they had moved ._.

I also used to freak out in ICO whenever the spirits would come; I would get all tense and frantic as soon as I heard the sound that meant they were around.


But by far the scariest moments I've ever experienced can be found in Penumbra, one of my absolute favorite games. What makes Penumbra such a wonderfully horrifying game is that the physics are very realistic, so you're encouraged to react to things as you would if you were actually there. Also, the heftiest weapon you can ever get is a pickaxe - a far cry from the machine guns you're given in a lot of horror games. And since you have very little to defend yourself with, you're in constant danger - and thus, constant fear.

Even the tech demo I played before buying the game was freaky as all get-out. There's one point where you have to barricade a door with everything you can get your hands on, which is something I don't think you have to do in any other game I've ever played. (What's really freaky is that there's a situation like that in Penumbra: Overture, where you barricade the door hoping the thing won't be able to get through...and it doesn't work.) And there was one part where a vent in the ceiling popped open with a big BANG, and nothing actually came out, but by the time I realized that, I was in the closet clutching a broom without consciously thinking about it. That's how realistic this game is.

Everything you could possibly construe as creepy in Penumbra freaked me out, basically But I kept a record of the scariest parts in the second half of the game (starting with the spider tunnels):

[spoiler]When I first started the spider tunnels again, my hands would be trembling every time I'd die, from the release of adrenaline. When I'd hear the music start up that meant they'd hatched from their eggs and were chasing me, I'd lean forwards desperately even though you can only move at one speed when you're crouched like that. And I nearly had a heart attack after I'd closed off one passage with fire, only to head down another little tunnel and find another stash of eggs there - easily blocked off with a boulder, but I panicked at first.

It was REEEAAALLY scary in the parts where you have to lure the dogs in and then shoot steam at them; I couldn't figure it out at first and just clobbered them, and nearly died of terror when they howled for more and more came.

I was walking along a hallway, when the walls started shaking. I was a bit nervous, but not too worried, because that happens every now and then. I got to a door, then stopped short as something hit it really hard from the other side. I froze, poised with my pickaxe, not sure if I should run or stand my ground, then- THE DOOR BURST OPEN AND THIS JAW CAME RUSHING TOWARDS ME!!!! Obviously, I died because of the worm. Very frightening.

I think the most realistically scary part is when there's a cutscene and a bit of the ceiling falls in. Suddenly there's a big worm coming at me. I run, throw my hand at the switch to close the big door, then run for it across the acid. Frantically, I hack away at the boards in the way, till I come to a door. Quick, quick, open it! It won't open. The wheel! Turn it, turn it! It's too slow! I whirl around, knowing the worm is coming, when I see it! A single wooden pillar! I rush forward and start hacking away, but I can see the worm coming too. I'm breathing really hard as I WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! I'm almost crying with desperation when finally the ceiling falls in and...I'm safe.

Another really cool moment was when I went to the lab place where Red was investigating the worms. After insuring that I was safe (which took quite a bit of nervous investigating), I poked around at things and was about to leave when I saw a light switch by the door. I thought, "Oh, heheh, cool, Penumbra's so realistic I bet you can turn on the lights." So I flicked the switch and- OH MY GOODNESS ALL THIS WRITING ON THE WALLS!!! The music didn't help any either -_-

The ending, where you incinerate Red, was...moving. Not particularly scary, kinda creepy, but not really scary. I didn't actually realize where it was that Red was standing (I thought he was talking over an intercom) until he started screaming in the flames, and then I could only stand there gaping with bugged-out eyes. Afterwards, I noticed that all the boards lying around on the floor were in the shape of crosses.

In the very last part, I was kind of trying to hurry because I was going overtime in my break. But when I got to the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, I paused a moment and was thrust back into the reality of the game, as I squinted into the dim light of the hallway. Was that...a person standing there? Then all of a sudden the lights started switching off, closer and closer. I was breathing hard from fear, and backed up as far as I could go, but no good - the door slammed shut and the light shut off above me. I tried my flashlight, but it just fizzled and wouldn't work. So I whipped out my glowstick, but of course it didn't penetrate very far. I realized I was clutching my pickaxe before I even thought about bringing it out, and for a long time I was too scared to do anything but sit there, straining to see through the darkness to something I KNEW was going to come out at me. But gradually, I realized...I would have to go face it instead. I inched forward, tensing up and poised to strike/flail at the first sign of movement. I inched closer and closer to the two doors ahead. Terrified, but they were closed, so I thought I'd check the very end of the hallway. I took a step forward-
WHACK. CREDITS. My heart nearly leapt out of my mouth.[/spoiler]

And now I will shut up.

[Tarnish]

Gelator from Math Blaster ages 6-9 used to give me nightmares

Hugs all around, brother! It's comforting knowing I wasn't the only one scarred by that thing.

While we're confessing to being scared of games made for 7-year-olds, this sent me out of the room screaming about ten minutes in. To be fair, I was in third grade. I didn't meet the age requirement! D:

[JesusFreakGamer]

Yeah, I am was a pretty big scaredy cat as a little kid... I'm not really one for horror games no either. Pretty much the scariest thing I have ever experienced while gaming was during Jurassic Park for the SNES... My real name is "Allen" so when I was walking around trying to avoid the T-Rex and the game shouts out "Alan" to tell me something, I nearly peed my pants. :-). (I was like 6 okay!?) I was also scared by the first boss in Ocarina of Time. Walk in to the room, don't know where it is, but you can hear it. Walk around for about 5 minutes before you think to look up and IT'S A FREAKING EYEBALL! AAAAAAH!... yeah... I wasn't exactly the bravest kid during the 90's :-).

[the_wolfs_howl]

Hugs all around, brother! It's comforting knowing I wasn't the only one scarred by that thing.

Dude, you wanna know scarred? When I was six, I was terrified of sleeping on my stomach or either side because I was convinced that Gelator was hiding in the shadows and would attack me if I turned my back on him.

While we're confessing to being scared of games made for 7-year-olds, this sent me out of the room screaming about ten minutes in. To be fair, I was in third grade. I didn't meet the age requirement! D:

._. I would never have been able to play that game in 4th grade *shudders*

[Psycho Molos]

Even old-school games could scare you pretty well. Sinistar always managed to freak me out.
for those who never grew up with this game

Ron Howard! Ron Ron Ron! RAAAAAWWWWRRRR!!!!

[Vii]

I haven't played any outright scary video games, but quite a few Legend of Zelda titles have made me jump at one point or another. Some of them I played when I was younger, so they probably don't scare me now.

I'm not sure if any of these qualify as "best" scary moments, but they were pretty freaky to me nonetheless.

Also, it seems we're on the topic of games that scared us when we were younger as well, so these fit...

Ocarina of Time:
- Those skeleton guys that come out of the ground when wandering Hyrule field at night.
- The first monster (Gohma?) who just freaks me out when I finally decide to look at the ceiling.
- Anywhere at night.
- I haven't ever finished the game, so I'm sure there's scarier moments.

Majora's Mask
- [SIZE="4"]The Happy Mask Salesman.[/SIZE] Oh good gravy, the Happy Mask Salesman...
- The cutscene when link puts on a mask. That scream...
- The Moon. Yes. The Moon. Is. Scary.
- You know what? The whole entire game is freaky.

A Link to the Past
- The Dark World.
- Being a pink bunny.

Twilight Princess
- NOT TAKE MIRROR
- I remember a cutscene somewhere fairly on that startled me. I can't remember it exactly though.

[the_wolfs_howl]

Ocarina of Time:
- The first monster (Gohma?) who just freaks me out when I finally decide to look at the ceiling.

Majora's Mask
- The cutscene when link puts on a mask. That scream...
- The Moon. Yes. The Moon. Is. Scary.
- You know what? The whole entire game is freaky.

Twilight Princess
- NOT TAKE MIRROR

Ooooh, thanks for reminding me! Yeah, those parts freaked me out too. Also, Bongo-Bongo, the boss of the Shadow Temple, freaked the socks off me (as did the entire Shadow Temple, come to think of it). I made my brother beat him for me. The Re-Deads still manage to creep me out with their shrieks, and everything under the well in Kakariko Village *shudder* Oh, and Ikana Village in Majora's Mask also freaks me out and just...feels oppressive. I don't like it very much, even now. Oh, and the alien attack on the farm.

- I remember a cutscene somewhere fairly on that startled me. I can't remember it exactly though.

Maybe the part that tells the history of the Triforce, with all the Dark Links running around, and spaced-out Ilia with freaky eyes?

[Riggidig]

Aliens vs Predator: Gold Edition when you're playing as the marine and the motion tracker starts to bleep.

[Blacklight]

I see some stuff from Ocarina of Time was mentioned, but I'm a little surprised that Dead Hand wasn't ever mentioned directly... D:

I kind of wish I had played more scary games, because I don't know if I have anything to list. (Besides Dead Hand, which I think is awesomely creepy enough to mention...)

[Vii]

Maybe the part that tells the history of the Triforce, with all the Dark Links running around, and spaced-out Ilia with freaky eyes?

Oooh. YES! That was it!

[1madhatta]

dude! Sinistar! such a sickk game

[PsylentProtag]

I was a pretty big scaredy cat as a kid, so I was pretty much scared of anything that wasn't like Mario or Megaman or something. I do remember being scared to death of the Bram Stoker's Dracula game for SNES. A kid I was best friends with at the time used to play it EVERY time I went over and it was cool, but scared me to death. I think the last time I was terrified of a game was playing the demo for Fear. I wasn't expecting it to shift from normal FPS to horror game so quickly like it did...But I enjoyed it

[Bobtheduck]

I know I posted this in another thread. The first game to really scare me was the first Zelda. Those stupid hand things gave me so many nightmares. Then Golgo 13... There was a cut scene of sorts where someone died behind a curtain, I think. I've been startled by lots of games, but it wasn't until Silent Hill 2's long, empty pathway (right at the beginning) that I was actually "scared" by a game, post Golgo 13 anyhow. I didn't play much past that, until I played through 3 when it came out.

[GrubbTheFragger]

Okay so I know its brand new but Mass Effect 3, those reapers man scary stuff. Hearing there fog horn esq bellows is terrifying.

[Derek_Is_Me]

The only time the Reapers bother me in ME3 is when I start to scan for items in a galaxy and about 3-5 reapers show up to kill me. Freaks me out to hear them coming to get me. Oh, and the scariest game I have played can't be posted here because of how..........much.....it is.

[Rusty Claymore]

...last summer, I had a day off from work and was playing one of my favorite games. I had been playing all day, not wasting any time, trying to pack in all I could before work the next day. It was starting to get dark, and try as I might, I wasn't going to be able to keep my eyes open for very much longer. I decided to make a last valiant effort, and though it seemed to burn the very cores of my eyes, I managed to get one more hour in. 'Victory...' I thought as I fell back onto my bed, all my strength drained. I flipped the power switch and the screen faded as my head hit the pillow. I heard a clatter as my PFP hit my carpetted floor... and then it started to creep upon me. It was subtle at first, and almost unoticeable. I was slipping off to sleep despite my best efforts, and I felt it now, getting closer. Tapping into a reserve of strength I didn't know I had, I turned upon my side and reached into the black of my room. The glint of my PFP's screen was almost in my grasp... but my vision begain to fade. My hand grasped the air as the chilling fangs delved deep into my chest, the last thought echoing through my mind: 'Did I save?...'

And that was the best scary moment of that game. >_<