In honor of Halloween this year I decided to take a break and remember some of the things in video games that scared me in the past. While today’s Josh is brave to the point of insanity growing up however was a different story. I was a little baby, afraid of the dark, shots and so on. I remember times where playing certain video games actually kept me up at night because I was scared of them. So without further ado (and in no particular order) let the horror commence.
1. Splatter House 3 (Sega Genesis): It did not take much for me to get scared growing up. What I remembered about this game was how each level you had X amount of minutes to reach the end before something bad happens to a family member. The image that got me if I remember right was if you failed to rescue the main character’s wife and she becomes some kind of zombie thing. Remember this was back in the 16 bit era so it wasn’t exactly “Saw” material. Still it was enough to freak me out; I just watched a clip of that scene on YouTube and shit it still unnerves me.
I think it’s the eyes personally, I’ve had nightmares in the past and common themes are beings that just have the cornea remaining.
2. The Lawnmower Man (Snes): Strange as it sounds The Lawnmower Man is one of my favorite movies to watch. I am really going to sound like the world’s biggest wimp when I say this, there was nothing about this game that scared me, and it was the cartridge art that got me. The artwork was Cyber Jobe’s evil grin when he looks all robotic. I am glad that I became fearless as an adult or I would have to kick my own ass.
3. Silent Hill (Ps1):I remember my friend and me sitting in my room playing it with my door closed. Wandering around in the school wondering what the hell is going on… when my mom slams the door open asking if we wanted anything to drink. I think we both almost had heart attacks that day.
4. Resident Evil (Ps1): Dog breaking through window, nuff said.
5. Fatal Frame series: (PS2) the most recent and maybe last series I played that scared me. I’ve had to play the game on mute several times as the creepy environments and sound effects were too much for me. Funny story, I was playing the third one at GameStop several years ago with the sound muted. No one was paying attention to me when all of sudden I got attacked out of nowhere and literally jumped in the middle of the store and everyone turned to look at me.
This last one I should probably not mention but for completeness I have to. After this I think I need to arm wrestle a bear to regain some manliness points
6. Adventures of Lolo (Nes): No I did not mistype that. The part that got me as a child was the Medusa statues that if you go into their line of sight they get this expression on their face when they blast Lolo. Why that bothered me a child has been erased from my memory.
My story does have a happy ending I supposed as I’ve managed to conquer my fears. I read how people played Amnesia and couldn’t get through the demo because it was too scary for them, while I didn’t even flinch at any of the strange moments in the game. I think I’ve swung too far in the opposite direction as now there hasn’t been a game since Fatal Frame that has really scared me. It doesn’t help that I finally overcame one of my childhood fears this past year which to keep some shred of dignity I’m not going to mention.
So that I’m not the only baby around, what are some of your favorite horror moments in games that kept you awake at night?
Josh
P.S. By the way the calls are coming from inside the house and the killer is right behind you.
Happy Halloween
