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Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming

There's no better way to celebrate Halloween than getting the living daylights scared out of you.

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Most people will have their horror-film marathons lined up and ready for the fright-filled night but why not throw some gaming into the scare-fest?

Video games are the most immersive of all entertainment mediums, putting the player right in the shoes of the protagonist. Players don't just experience every jump, scare and tense moment, they live it. Here are some terrifying moments in gaming that would make even Edgar Allen Poe quake in his boots.

1. Bioshock | Sander Cohen's Outburst

Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming
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"Is it someone new?" a twisted figure whispers upon your entry into the world of Rapture before attacking the pod you arrived in.

Bioshock's tone is set from the offset and it is one that grips the player throughout the game. Its hugely immersive and tense atmosphere means that plenty of moments from Bioshock could make this list, from a scene that really isn't for those afraid of the dentist to hearing a Big Daddy's footsteps for the first time.

The one that really stands out though is your encounters with Sander Cohen, a twisted artist set on making his masterpiece using photos of dead people.

After the player helps him recover the third part of his work, Cohen decides to unleash a horde of Splicers. Soothing classical music plays in the background, providing a chilling juxtaposition between calm and chaos. It's not the most tense or jumpy moment Bioshock has to offer but it is certainly the most unsettling and a glimpse into the manic and sadistic beings Rapture's inhabitants have become.

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2. Slender: The Eight Pages | Seeing The Slender Man for the first time

Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming

It's hard to imagine even a semi-decent game spawning from an online meme but Slender: The Eight Pages goes one step beyond and creates a genuinely terrifying experience.

Made by Indie developers Parsec Productions and available online for free, Slender's premise is a simple yet effective one. Set in the middle of an abandoned forest, in the middle of the night, with only a torch to guide your way, players must recover eight notes scattered through the game and gradually learn the urban legend of The Slender Man.

It's the closest a gamer can come to experiencing a Blair Witch Project-like situation as you soon find that you are being watched. Spotting the eerie Slender Man, a tall suited figure with a blank face, is a moment of pure fear.

The game being free to download means there is no excuse not to give it a go. Extra boxers not included.

3. Resident Evil 4 | Encounter Dr. Salvador

Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming

The Resident Evil series was always going to get a mention on this list, seeing as it is one of the most iconic survival horror franchises gaming has to offer. Despite later iterations deviating slightly from the formulae, the series' focus on atmospheric horror means there are literally dozens of moments throughout the many games that could make this list. The one that makes it though is from Resident Evil 4, arguably the finest point in Capcom's franchise.

Protagonist Leon Kennedy, a familiar face for fans of the series, is sent to a remote area of Europe to rescue the President's daughter from a strange and evil cult. The game's murky setting and eerie villains are haunting enough but one enemy stands out above the rest in the fear-factor scale. Dr. Salvador is a chainsaw wielding, burlap-masked granado that scared the very soul of many. The simple sound of a revving chainsaw became one of the most panic-inducing sounds in video game history.

4. Amnesia: The Dark Descent | Water Chase

Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming

Many horror games can completely lose their edge if the player has the weaponry to overcome any foe he may encounter. A Big Daddy may be daunting at first but once a player has enough firepower to easily defeat them most of the fear factor is lost.

Amnesia does what very few games dare to do and removes the ability to fight back all together, making coming across a monster a truly tense affair. Main character Daniel must run and hide in the shadows during every encounter and staring at the monsters too long will reduce his insanity, drawing their attention.

It's a game so terrifyingly tense that anyone who plays it will have a lot of scares, with each play session producing a horror moment more intense than the last. One standout scene though is the water section. With only a fading oil lantern to guide the way, strange splashes in the water indicate Daniel is not alone. This escalates in a heart pounding race for life as the monster takes chase.

Developers of the game encourage players to really immerse themselves into the game to truly experience the horror on show, advising them to play in a darkened room using headphones.

5. Fatal Frame III | Mirror Scare

Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming

The Japanese are known as being experts in the ridiculously-horrifying film genre, with titles such as Ju-On and Ringu gaining worldwide attention and Western remakes. It's only natural that the creepy style would lend itself well to gaming and the Fatal Frame is perhaps the most notable example.

The game's scare-inducing haymaker is the main mechanic in defeating the ghosts: you have to take their picture, getting as close to them as possible. Letting an enemy near goes against a gamer's survival instincts when it comes to this genre but it is a mechanic that provides a thrilling experience.

Like many of the titles in this article, fans could argue many moments from any of the series' four main games warrants a place on the list. It is almost impossible to pick one defining moment that produces even louder screams that the others - but the mirror scare is certainly a strong contender. A mirror with bloody handprints smeared all over isn't exactly inviting in the first place but zoom the camera in for an added shock.

6. Silent Hill | Siren

Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming

Ignore the largely forgettable movie tie-in (and it's safe to say you should probably do the same for the up-coming sequel). The Silent Hill franchise produced some of the most memorable frights in gaming history. From the twisted and bloody setting to the utterly disturbing Pyramid Head sex scene, the Silent Hill games are synonymous with scary gaming.

The franchise's most bone-chilling moment though is subtle in comparison to its other scare methods. It's not the gorey, bloody visual horror on display that truly frightens but a single sound. One that echoes through the streets around you. A siren wail that jangles the nerves and signals the player's about to enter hell.

7. Dead Space | Survivor Encounter

Top 7 Scariest Moments in Gaming

Dead Space is certainly championing atmospheric horror this generation. If the Resident Evil series has strayed from its roots and moved towards third-person action, Dead Space has picked up the baton and is proudly continuing the genre.

The player is put in control of engineer Isaac Clarke, trapped alone on a spaceship, battling monsters created from an alien virus consuming the corpses of deceased crew members. The lack of a HUD allows players to really suspend their disbelief and immerse themselves in the experience.

The original's most haunting scene comes from a moment of apparent peace. Walking through the dark, deserted corridors the silent is soon interrupted by a slow, steady banging echoing all around. A flickering light reveals a shadow of what looks to be a fellow survivor - although it is not the time to celebrate.

The figure, seemingly driven insane by the events onboard the ship, is repeatedly banging their head against the wall until a gruesome, bone-crunching thud finishes it off. A spine-tingling reminder of the horrors that await the player onboard the ship.



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