Things in video games that made you unreasonably scared

[Numubunde]

As a kid, I had the game Impossible Mission on Commodore 64. You had to go around these rooms and search furniture to find puzzle pieces, which you'd then assemble to get the letters for this password, which would then let you access the final room and you'd win the game. A normal room looks like this
View attachment 83056
You have to avoid the robots that are always fixed to the platforms they're on but can move at different speeds and patterns, and also avoid this sphere which can have a set pattern, but more frequently will home in on you. So, the first summer where I stayed home alone, I was maybe 8, I'm playing this and I get to a room I've never seen before:
View attachment 83057
I cruise in like, "oh cool, a free room. No enemies!" Then
View attachment 83058
That damned death ball thing comes from out of the ceiling and scared the shit out of me. It's easily avoided and when you know it's coming, it's no big deal. But to a goofy little kid home alone for one of the first times, it got me good.

Hahaha you really transported me to that moment with your post. The most similar thing I can think of is how I got scared in Metal Gear Solid VR Missions, when I saw the enemies slowly walking towards me in that ethereal virtual landscape.

Post automatically merged: Today at 2:48 PM

The door-opening transitions in Resident Evil (the first one).
A close-up of the door opening... who knows wtf is gonna be on the other side!

I know right? I was always on the edge when I played and crossed from one room to the other. It was brilliant when they actually made zombies jumpscare you in that moment in RE2.

Post automatically merged: Today at 2:51 PM

Not really had a scary moment, not even even watching horror movies or playing horror games. In fact, I actually enjoy them very much so. Also Resident Evil 2 had way too many jump scares of things busting through walls and windows that just lost the surprise effect. The excitement of playing games is what gets my blood pumping.

I admire your cold blood haha. I do enjoy horror a lot too, in fact I'd say it's the genre I consume the most in general, but I can't help getting scared, which I guess is fine since it's what they're trying to do anyways haha.

 

[CanicheSlayer]

Spiders in Resident Evil (Sega Saturn). First I thought they were wall fans. But they were not... because SEVERAL F****** GIANT SPIDERS were descending from the ceiling...

 

[RetroLuvr]

This guy in Mario Galaxy freaked me out when I was a kid

 

[Numubunde]

This guy in Mario Galaxy freaked me out when I was a kid

Oh man, reminds me of those super scary anglerfish in Outer wilds

 

[jon2]

Subject: radio static

Source: Silent Hill (PSX)

I still listen to the local radio, FM and sometimes AM

I still avoid static whenever I can...

 

[QrtzQdrnt]

For whatever reason, the moth enemies in Cubit Foxtar's stage from Mega Man Zero 3 creeped me out a bit because of their rapid and erratic movement. They were easy to dodge but I killed them anyway just because their movement annoyed me.

 

[Yuki Senoue]

Those motherfuckers in Tomb Raider 1996

They scare me shitless and I play this shit for at least 25 years already.
Heck, I love TR1996. Very few games makes my heart race as it does.

 

[χKai]

Princess Tomato in Salad Kingdom.
No, that's it. Just the whole game itself.
There were so many terrifying things as a 4-year-old that had me running crying out of the room it's ridiculous. And this, a kid's game!

Some examples include
The jail scene

The farmies

This guy

The forest maze (with creepy-ass music)
I'm fairly certain Zelda on 64 was inspired by this, particularly the intro scene in Majora's Mask and the Deku Tree in Ocarina of Time.

And this monstrosity

And trust me there are like at least 30 other things that are just as terrifying, I just don't want to spoil too much since it's a great game.

 

[Numubunde]

Those motherfuckers in Tomb Raider 1996

View attachment 83067

They scare me shitless and I play this shit for at least 25 years already.
Heck, I love TR1996. Very few games makes my heart race as it does.

I mentioned these abominations a bit earlier, they truly are way scarier than most horror game's enemies, plus the factor that they're really NOT what you're expecting to find when you start playing Tomb Raider. I low-key love them for that though.

Post automatically merged: Today at 4:04 PM

Princess Tomato in Salad Kingdom.
No, that's it. Just the whole game itself.
There were so many terrifying things as a 4-year-old that had me running crying out of the room it's ridiculous. And this, a kid's game!

Some examples include
The jail scene
View attachment 83069
The farmies
View attachment 83070
This guy
View attachment 83071
The forest maze (with creepy-ass music)
I'm fairly certain Zelda on 64 was inspired by this, particularly the intro scene in Majora's Mask and the Deku Tree in Ocarina of Time.
View attachment 83072
And this monstrosity
View attachment 83073
And trust me there are like at least 30 other things that are just as terrifying, I just don't want to spoil too much since it's a great game.

Lol never heard about this game, but it looks super charming! In its own disturbing way of course . This one goes to my "want to play" games!

 

[UntoldLegend13]

The basement in Rugrats: Search for Reptar, I was very young at the time and it has that robot from the show making creapy noises.

 

[43615]

for some reason, PSX's brave fencer musashi, chapter 3's (vambees). The chapter's music haunted me to this day. every time I replay that game I muted the music...

another one is from Indiana Jones SNES game, temple of doom (pankot) cavern music, where the cultists chanted along with the sound of clanging metal. It creeped me out way more than it should be.

I don't know why, but eerie music affects me so much...

 

[sneakyguts]

this mf

 

[Yuki Senoue]

I mentioned these abominations a bit earlier, they truly are way scarier than most horror game's enemies, plus the factor that they're really NOT what you're expecting to find when you start playing Tomb Raider. I low-key love them for that though.

Indeed. I love Atlantis in TR1996. It is so gross, it feels you're inside the bowels of a terrible beast, I love it. Did you know the devs used real photos of human flesh and tendons to make the textures? Core Design was nuts

 

[Spoopz]

It was more of something that was triggered by my intense fear of bugs but when I played the spiderwick chronicles wii game theres a section where u have to play as the brownie and go through the walls and there were like giant bugs that scared the everloving shit out of me.
Sounds so stupid in retrospect but we had a MASSIVE crt on an entertainment system so granted it looks so much bigger in my kid eyes.
also just looked up a video. not that scary now lole

 

[arikadovt]

Oh boy, I finally get to talk about my childhood trauma!

The only thing that ever really scared me in a game at any point was the game over/bad ending cutscene in Lego Island for the PC.

It was one of the first games I ever played, and I was around 4 or 5 years old, so this was my first time encountering a game over screen that went beyond the arcade game standard of "Try again", and it really made young, impressionable me feel like I let everyone down.

 

[Numubunde]

Oh boy, I finally get to talk about my childhood trauma!

The only thing that ever really scared me in a game at any point was the game over/bad ending cutscene in Lego Island for the PC.

It was one of the first games I ever played, and I was around 4 or 5 years old, so this was my first time encountering a game over screen that went beyond the arcade game standard of "Try again", and it really made young, impressionable me feel like I let everyone down.

Certainly the last game I'd expect someone to have their only scary moment on was Lego Island lmao. But I can see the ending's pretty dramatic. Bless that old man trying to confort little old you, probably he's what kept you from turning to the dark side after getting this bad ending .

 

[sun0wl]

for some reason, PSX's brave fencer musashi, chapter 3's (vambees). The chapter's music haunted me to this day. every time I replay that game I muted the music...

I don't know why, but eerie music affects me so much...

Same!! I think it was creepy especially because they only came out at night, and in places where normally you're "safe" (I recall they came out of the tavern/pub in Grillin Village?). It was like the village became Raccoon City haha. Also because I remember them being on fire or something, that was extra scary lol. When I think about it, it's wild how games with cute aesthetics can give you a creepy vibe similar to actual (intentional) horror games just because one little thing feels "off" and you suddenly feel unsafe/uncertain.

 

[Morgana Veil]

The only time I ever had a scare, and it was a jump scare mind you, was in the first Resident Evil game.
When the dogs broke through the windows the first time, I wasn't expecting it, and I give it kudos.
It got me.

 

[Bakuma1997]

The Warp Intermissions in Crash Warped, imagine you are playing a silly game about a goofy spinning mouse, then you see this shit screaming at you

 

[trickybus]

I'm pretty sure my earliest jump-scare was the Yeti from Ski Free. My mom had bought a new PC, so I was checking out the games folder, as kids do, and loaded up the cute skiing game to see what was up.

And then my virtual life was abruptly ended by a creature tearing out of the woods at Mach 5.

I was no longer curious about the game folder.

 

[χKai]

I'm pretty sure my earliest jump-scare was the Yeti from Ski Free. My mom had bought a new PC, so I was checking out the games folder, as kids do, and loaded up the cute skiing game to see what was up.

And then my virtual life was abruptly ended by a creature tearing out of the woods at Mach 5.

I was no longer curious about the game folder.

I hated that fucker so much
I think someone made a fan game where you can kill him. I didn't play it enough.

 

[gwardojones]

Ash Lake from Dark Souls. The endless, still water with the ash trees that seem to extend infinitely into the air and down into the water. The still water made me think, "God... there's gotta be some sort of Lovecraft nightmare in there..." And wouldn't you know it, it was true! That god dang hydra confirmed my fears and made an eerie area even worse. I almost quit the game the first time I reached this place. It doesn't get to me as bad as it used to, but I still get a sinking feeling every time I exit the Great Hollow.

for some reason, PSX's brave fencer musashi, chapter 3's (vambees). The chapter's music haunted me to this day. every time I replay that game I muted the music...

another one is from Indiana Jones SNES game, temple of doom (pankot) cavern music, where the cultists chanted along with the sound of clanging metal. It creeped me out way more than it should be.

I don't know why, but eerie music affects me so much...

The vambees, man... They were so creepy. I remember waiting in the fountain to let the time pass. It was just endless vambees swarming around the plaza. So dang creepy...

 

[Numubunde]

I'm pretty sure my earliest jump-scare was the Yeti from Ski Free. My mom had bought a new PC, so I was checking out the games folder, as kids do, and loaded up the cute skiing game to see what was up.

And then my virtual life was abruptly ended by a creature tearing out of the woods at Mach 5.

I was no longer curious about the game folder.

Hey, that's ZombieFish ! That is amazing. I love the idea of unexpected dangers in a seemingly tame games. It sure would be an special memory to be going for a night stroll in Stardew Valley and getting jumped by a skinwalker.

 

[trickybus]

I think someone made a fan game where you can kill him.

Of course I only find out about that now

I think the indie developer PuppetCombo was one of many children traumatized by the Yeti because he made a horror game called SkiFreak. Like, bro, the original game was a horror game lmao

 

[Numubunde]

Ash Lake from Dark Souls. The endless, still water with the ash trees that seem to extend infinitely into the air and down into the water. The still water made me think, "God... there's gotta be some sort of Lovecraft nightmare in there..." And wouldn't you know it, it was true! That god dang hydra confirmed my fears and made an eerie area even worse. I almost quit the game the first time I reached this place. It doesn't get to me as bad as it used to, but I still get a sinking feeling every time I exit the Great Hollow.

The vambees, man... They were so creepy. I remember waiting in the fountain to let the time pass. It was just endless vambees swarming around the plaza. So dang creepy...

That place is just special man. I wish I had found that place by myself on my first playthrough, but no way I could have come up with the idea to get there.