Scary Games for Halloween

Hands down Silent Hill 2 :3 There's so much done so perfectly in this game that it doesn't even need the jump out/boo moments. The atmosphere of the game along with the austere soundtrack and overall miasma that the mind recoils against just brew together into a delectable mix of creepy awesomeness :3 I love the things that it hints at about as much as the ones it gives you out right X3

Another one I would suggest would be Fatal Frame. The aspects of the strangling ritual should be enough to raise even the minutest of neck hairs :3

I second the vote for Fatal Frame.. That one gave me goosepimples

I would have to agree on Fatal Frame, and raise the entire resident Evil Series

Fatal Frame vote thirded! So very, very scary. The game mechanic is ingenious--forcing you to switch to a first-person view to snap photos of the ghosts who are attacking you, and then encouraging you to wait until the last second of the ghost's attack by giving you damage bonuses if you do... *shudder*

I have had a love-hate relationship with that series. So awesome, but so creepy.

@CFGamesOnline I defy you to tell me Res Evil 4 and 5 are scary.

@xoaks Not the jump out and make you crap your pans scary, but yeah they give me the chills

@CFGamesOnline ._.
Really?

Okay then...

Fatal Frame 2 is the only one of the series I have played and it is a very good game. Silent Hill 2 seems to be the favorite of the SH games, for good reasons. Again, its very good. Me, I am playing Demons Souls for this season, and catching up on some Dario Argento horror flix.

@mrbricolage WOW. My mind is so fsked up. This is what I saw: "Fatal Frame 2 is the only one of the series I have played for very good reasons." I 'bout deepthroated my foot just now.

@xoaks If you do that, take a picture and share it. So I can't say I've never seen something like that before.

@Spiderish Kinky, but you have to buy me dinner first buddy.

whats a good scary game for 360? Contemplating getting/renting Saw, but not sure

@xoaks The are(n't).
@arislyn Fatal Frame is the only game that has ever scared me. And I only played the demo.

Also, there's no one definition of scary. I find very few things scary (meet me and you'll find out why), and the things that do scare me likely don't scare others (losing my wife or my cat, and that's all I can think of right now). Tell us what you find scary, it will help us figure what scares _you_. Here's a few that might work, to start off with: Left 4 Dead, Doom 3 (especially if you're achluophobic), Gran Turismo (Amaxophobia), Tomb Raider (Atephobia, Gynephobia, Harpaxophobia), Xenogears (Hereiophobia), and Superman 64 (Katagelophobia).

@CFGamesOnline Are you a Saw superfan? If not then give a PASS.

Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. 2 - Project Origin
Dead Space

@mykalgaidin Left 4 Dead is not scary. C'mon.
(unless you meant Left 4 Head which is terrifying in it's own way.)

OHSHI- I forgot all about the game that scared me witless!

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.

I am a Saw superfan, but have heard mixed feelings on it. heard F.E.A.R. was really good

@xoaks It wasn't. I was suggesting it may be scary for some.

I'm guessing ED:SR was good? Never had a chance to play it.

Eternal Darkness was awesome, I loved the sanity effects X3

@mykalgaidin Well, I wasn't really asking for suggestions for games for myself. More than anything, I was just wanting to know what everyone else finds scary. As you said, everyone finds different things scary and it's an interesting topic (and relevant to the season.)

Like you, the things I find truly scary are things like losing my son, etc. But, that is a completely different kind of scary. That's not the "fun scary" that I'm talking about here. That's "real scary." For this thread, I'm only interested in "fun-scary."

@arislyn Got it. I've got nothing.

@mykalgaidin Serious Cat is SERIOUS. also mnightwind is absolutely correct
@CFGamesOnline You should definitely rent it then.

I actually haven't played many horror games. About the closest I've come is Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. Now, overall, the game was completely not scary. However, there was one scenario that just kept sending shivers down my spine....and nothing ever really happened in the darned place!

I'm sure those of you who have played remember it. It's the old hotel. (Unfortunately, I don't remember the name.) However, the setting just gave me the creeps. Things seemed...out of place. You could hear things. You'd see things out of the corner of your eye but, when you looked, they were gone. It was all classic haunted house fare. Heh! I ended up having to turn on the lights while I played it!

That's the sort of thing that really creeps me out. Not things jumping out at me. It's the feeling that something isn't quite right...that something is there that you can't see....that you're not alone but you aren't sure what's there.

@arislyn That thing about the setting feeling creepy and seeing things out of the corner of your eye is reminding me Fatal Frame two. The scary stuff in that game is 98 % setting and sound. There are a few things that jump out at you but for the most part you know its coming. It doesnt reduce the tention or the creepyness when you know. Fatal Frame Two is just such a good game.

I played it late at night with the lights off and the surround sound cranked up, until my wife made me put it on headphones. Its been a few years but I still remember parts of FF2 being totally holding yer breath/ pee yer pants spooky.

Definitely. The only good current gen horror I've played is Siren.

Neat! It sounds like I may have to check out Fatal Frame 2 at some point.

Actually, I've read the reviews of the Ju-on game that is coming out for the Wii and it sounds like a hoot. They're selling it as a "haunted house simulator." There's no story set-up or anything. You're just out walking your dog and it runs off into this house. You follow and spooky things happen.

What makes it sound hilariously fun is that the wii-mote tracks how jumpy you are and the game then taunts you at the end based on how you reacted. Also, there's a stage where a friend can use a second wii-mote to make things jump out at you at unexpected times.

That sounds like fun! :D Nothing like being taunted by a game ;D Exploring a spooky locale is always fun in my book :3

@arislyn I've heard terrible things about that game...

Try Silent Hill: Shatter Memories instead (won't be out till November but w/e) with it's build in psych eval
http://wii.ign.com/articles/992/992025p1.html

@xoaks What have you heard about it that's so bad?

@arislyn Clumsy controls, cheap "jump" scares, overly simplistic gameplay...

@xoaks Hmm.. I was going to get the new SH game anyway but.. now that I read that thing about all the psych evaluation stuff I'm going to somehow *more* get it :o I love things that mess with the mind :3

@arislyn VTM:Bloodlines is not only a very atmospherically creppy game, it's also one of the best games ever made, glitches or no glitches.

Oh, and if you're into side scrollers, another really scary game I've played is the original Clock Tower on the SNES!

@xoaks Yeah, I'm not too concerned about simplistic gameplay. From the description, that's what I expected. No story, no real purpose....just walk in, have some things jump out at you and have a few giggles. That's about it. The clumsy controls, though.....eh. Now, that's a problem.

That Silent Hill game looks neat! I like the idea of the game changing as you play based off of how you answer psych questions. Plus, the fact that you continue to be asked psych questions throughout makes it even better.
@Fallout2Forever I agree! VTM: Bloodlines was really a fun game. Heh. Though not a horror game, that's how I feel about Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura. Despite all the bugs, I still love it.

Here's all the suggestions so far. If I missed any, please tell me.

Oh, and I'm not counting that one post where someone recommended Gran Tourismo and other games which obviously have nothing to do with fear.

Anyways...

Silent Hill 2

Fatal Frame, FF2

All RE games

Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. 2 - Project Origin
Dead Space

Left 4 Dead

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines

Siren

@arislyn Yeah, Arcanum and Bloodlines are 2 of the best games ever made.

And while most of the game isn't scary, a couple dungeons are, thanks to all of the sounds.

@Fallout2Forever Glad to see that I am not the only one that thinks that ALL the RE games are creepy...Was starting to think i was a wuss....LOL

@CFGamesOnline I didn't say that all of them are scary(I haven't even seen more than screenshots of RE3Nemises for one.) I simply listed all the serious recommendations people have posted for this little thread.

That said, I did find RE2 and RE4 scary at times(You shoulda seen my face when the chainsaw guy arrived for the first time. RE2 was especially scary as well.

I hear ya. I guess I am kind of a wuss...LMAO

@CFGamesOnline Yeah, well I'm a wuss IRL. I prefer to be scared by things that don't really exist.

@Fallout2Forever All the games I mentioned were followed by phobias that would make playing said games very scary.

And I guess I was being a bit facetious.

What about a game like Second Sight? Not scary in the traditional sense, but the story is a very good mindf**k, playing with characters and settings and changing things up when you don't expect it.

@mykalgaidin Sorry, but I'm not counting anything from your previous post. You were EXTREMELY facetious.

Anyways, Second Sight counts.

@CFGamesOnline Thinking RE4 and 5 are creepy makes you a wuss. ;P

@xoaks *smiles* there's a lot more creepier games than RE4(haven't seen much of 5 yet.) but at the same time, it still had its creepy moments.

@Fallout2Forever What can I say? It's a talent of mine.

Just took a good look at my avatar picture. Pretty sure I should update it, as I seem to have dropped a pound or two since this photo was taken.

@mykalgaidin *beats you with an envy stick for being able to lose weight*

Anyways, can we please get back to suggestions for other scary games?

@Fallout2Forever Well I ordered RE5 from Gamefly about a week ago, so it should be here soon.

@EarthboundX Nice!

I'm trying to think of more horror games to suggest. The problem is, anything that I suggest at this point, I haven't tried. So, I can't vouch for their scariness. Hmmm....lemme think....

How about the Call of Cthulu game? http://www.callofcthulhu.com/

Penumbra? http://www.penumbragame.com/

Oh! And, Ghost Master! I know, I know...it's not really a scary game. It is, in fact, funny. But, you have to admit that it is well within the spirit of the season! :)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/6200/

+win for Dark Corners of the Earth :3
This Prenumbra thing.. I have not been aware of this one. This requires further investigation :o

Killing Floor, which I'll be hoping to play alot more since 3 of my friends got it recently.

Also, System Shock 2

Ok i know this is off topic, but having a crisis....should I get Wet, Prototype, or Assasins Creed?

for 360

Prototype.

@xoaks Thats what I was thinking too. Thanks

@CFGamesOnline Well, Iet's see here.

I haven't played Wet, but from what I've seen it's a lot like Max Payne's battle system, with some QTE mixed in. I could be wrong, but that's the way the demo seemed to be.

Prototype is a pretty fun Hulk: Ultimate Destruction type game where you go around destroying a city. Think Rampage, only not really repetitive, and a lot more fun.

Creed to me was one of the best action games of its year. You basically go around being an Assassin,. collecting clues, and then pulling off the assassination. However, it can get repetitive at times unfortunately.

Oh, and here's an updated list:

Silent Hill 2

Fatal Frame, FF2

All RE games

Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. 2 - Project Origin
Dead Space

Left 4 Dead

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines

Siren

Second Sight

Call of Cthulu

Penumbra

Killing Floor

@CFGamesOnline Of the three, Assassin's Creed is the most polished. Prototype has a few problems, in almost all areas, but it is still fun for a time. I haven't played more than the demo for Wet, so I couldn't say.

Just thought of a couple more games, although they're a tad on the old side: the Gabriel Knight series. Very atmospheric point-n-click adventures.

@mykalgaidin Aweosme. Well I need to figure something out. Played the mobile version of AC cant wait for AC2 but was thinking maybe I should play a console version first.

In my opinion, Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth is an awesome game. The story is well done. The game unfolds like a big scripted event with horror and sci-fi themes.
I didn’t find it very scary. To me it felt a little too cartoon-ish. It kinda felt like the people that did the animated batman cartoons decided to do an HP Lovecraft story. I remember it being pretty stressful at times, but not so good at immersive spooky tension. It really wants to be scary but at its heart its more about story telling than actually holding the player in any kind of fear atmosphere.

@CFGamesOnline The mobile versions of just about everything, if not everything are usually VERY inferior.

@mrbricolage The sounds and atmosphere didn't feel creepy to you at all?

And and here's 3 more games for the list.

Rule of Rose

And Haunting Ground.

I'd also like to add the original Silent Hill. That game was so creepy, and I didn't see any of it coming.

The first 2 are very obscure games, and very flawed, but considering what you are in those games, and what happens I'd say that they're very creepy.

@Fallout2Forever I actually think Rule of Rose is a pretty good game, it's got a really great story.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors. The game itself is not scary, but the length combined with the crappy continue system is. I hate starting with nothing in the more difficult levels.

@mykalgaidin Really dude? You're giving opinions on the level of polish on a game you haven't even played?

@CFGamesOnline & @Fallout2Forever I own all 3 and [PROTOTYPE] is the best deal out of the three. Wet is fun, but some controls are fsked up (Eliza Duscha is fun as Rubi "Fuck you door!"). AC is repetitive and gets boring rather quickly. Prototype is only one of the 3 that's not linear and you can elbow drop a tank. Or dropkick a helicopter. And of the three it's the longest too...

@xoaks I have played Prototype. Got almost to the end before I got sick of it and traded it in. It doesn't come close to the level of polish in Assassin's Creed, despite the latter's lack of variation in the later levels.

@mykalgaidin I think she must have been referring to Wet...

Ok well I decided on geting AC and fallout 3. I know I didn't mention Fallout 3, but came across it when look the GS website

@WILDMAMMOTH Yes I was obviously talking about WET.
@CFGamesOnline Dammit Fallout 3 is the obvi-

Wait. We are talking 360, right? Fallout PS3 is broken :<

@xoaks Eh, the PC version is the best, haha.

I did say that I'd only played the demo for "Wet". Beyond that, I don't have an opinion, and considering the demo didn't convince me to buy the game, I'm guessing that's not going to change anytime soon.

@Fallout2Forever
Call of Cthulhu= Dont get me wrong, its a game I think very highly of. I just didnt think it was spooky. I think there are other games, and older games that hold up to the fear immersion test better.
Cthulhu got my love and support because it was HP Lovecraft + Bethesda.

@mykalgaidin Demo aren't accurate. See Brutal Legend.

@xoaks In my experience, demos are usually quite accurate. I've only played one that was different from the retail experience, and that was ICO. The solution to the puzzle in the demo is different than the actual game. Other than that, demos have guided me well, and considering I have extremely limited assets at the moment it's going to have to continue. We hates being broke, Precioussss!

@mykalgaidin If FFXIII played like the demo, (which it thankfully won't) FFXIII would suck.

Haven't had the chance to play the FFXIII demo, so I couldn't say. I've heard the gameplay is reminiscent of Chrono Cross, which is a good thing.

I don't know if Wet is a good game or not, just saying that the demo didn't exactly get me hard.

It is not at all like Chrono Cross.
If anything it's like X meets XII

Hopefully there will be a demo for the English version. My kanji is a tad rusty, so a translation would help me out a lot.

@mykalgaidin Don't count on it.

@mykalgaidin Oh, so there's a demo for tFFXII out right now, but it's not in english?

@Fallout2Forever How did you think I played it?
I've also played Bayonetta (which is AWESOME! better that NG)

@xoaks I didn't even know that there was a demo for the game. If someone posts one with fansubs or something on youtube, please share your discovery.

OH, and as for Bayonetta, what's it like? (and whay's NG?)

Oh, and can we please get back to the topic of scary games?

@Fallout2Forever Do you want me to answer your questions or get back on topics? :3

@xoaks Can't it be both?

@WILDMAMMOTH Isn't that for him to decide?

Topicality is the enemy!

Besides, I can't think of any more scary games.

@xoaks Not if you take the initiative.

@mykalgaidin .....
You RUINED IT.

Just couldn't ask a question, could you?

@WILDMAMMOTH OH I GIVE UP.
Why not just C-C-C-COMBOBREAK it?

@xoaks Fine, if you like. But you do it, I'm too lazy.

Ha!

Given what Rare did to Perfect Dark, are we certain we would want another Killer Instinct? Besides, there are far better fighting series.

@mykalgaidin Never really was into the series. What exactly did Rare do?

@xoaks Both would be great.

Ninja Gaiden
And Bayonetta is gonna be BAD. ASS.

@Fallout2Forever Rare sucks now. That's why Nintendo sold them off.
PD0
Kameo
Conker
BK Nuts and Bolts
none well received

Alan Wake. That looks to be a tad on the spooky side, assuming they ever release the damn thing. Plus, it's set in the Pacific Northwest, my favorite part of the US.

@xoaks Not well recieved is right, but I know that Conker was pretty cool. Haven't really seen the others however.

There are demos for all those games on Live (excepting Conker, which was delightful in a scatological, puerile sort of way). And Conker is available for cheap for the original Xbox (and by extension, the 360).

Conker kicked ass on the N64, the Xbox version isn't bad either.

Perfect Dark Zero was a piece of crap though, you can get the collector's edition new for under 5 bucks now.

@EarthboundX isn't bad =/= is good

Pretty much, the Xbox version was almost exactly the same as the N64 gameplay wise.

I can't believe that poor quality Rare games were being discussed without anyone mentioning Grabbed by the Ghoulies.

@EarthboundX I honestly never got why people enjoyed Conker's Bad Fur Day. It was just like all the _other_ games Rare made for the N64. However people loved it because it was full of potty humour. Conker's Bad Fur Day was just another Banjo and Kazooie. Sucked just as much--however because the sense of "humour" in the game was gross, it was decided to be adult--and people loved it.

-=-

Back on topic.

I am going to say the only game to really ever actually scare me is X-Com.

The Floaters scared the _crap_ out of me. I nearly shat myself after I saw the Ethereals.

And of course I mostly saw those only in Nighttime Terror Missions--which I was playing at night with the Lights out.

I think the next moment, I was under my quilt with all the lights in the house turn off.

It scared me greatly.

System Shock 2 was terrifying.

The one that always did it for me was Resident Evil 1, ps1. I remember playing in middle school sitting in my friend's cluttered, dark basement playing at night when we should be sleeping. He had a huge glass patio door down there too and it was the most terrifying thing.

When the dogs burst through the windows was what always caught me off guard and made my heart jump.

@nitz22 that is not a very Raptor Proof house.

no, and he once told us that he woke up and there was a guy with a dog on a leash standing outside the window, looking in. super creepy.

Also, when Doom 3 came out, I played it in the dark, with headphones on...that was often heart-pounding as well.

@KatrinaTheLamia I didn't love Conker because of the potty humor, I actually hate that kind of humor.

It was just a great platformer, it had a few different types of gameplay. You got your basic platforming, some third person shooting, some zombie killing survival horror.

It was just a great put together game.

@EarthboundX There was also a lot of humor in the game that wasn't toilet humor.

Yeah, Resident Evil 1 was phenomenal at setting the mood. Don't know if you've replayed it recently, though, but the game feels really slow-paced. Moreso than I had remembered.

Also seconding the Haunted Mansion level from Vampire the Masquerade - Bloodlines. That game was so fantastic. I happened to play through that level while my wife was watching, and she was so freaked out she made me take breaks. Years later, I found the game's music online and downloaded the theme from the Haunted Mansion...when I started playing it, she looked at me with the eyes of a hurt puppy and just said "Haunted Mansion?" I play it with headphones on since then.

@voltairemodern OHSHI- I loled so hard I hurt. Plox 2 help. :<

@voltairemodern I WAS referring to the Haunted Hotel actually.

How about this for horror: play the Gen 1 Pokemon Games. Such as Red, Yellow, Green and Blue. Maybe also Pokemon Stadium 1(US).

Look at the large amounts of programming issues in the game. Large amount of broken game mechanics. And various other issues that even Pokemon fans note are glaringly large errors with the Gen 1 games. Look at the plot in it.

Look at the Anime for Pokemon. Generally the stuff that is based only on the events in the Gen 1 games. The Manga Pikachu Electric Bugaloo is also good here. (Pokemon Supreme however is not a good one, as that did not start getting made until after Gen 2--you will see why).

Alright.. now imagine that this game, has became the most wildly loved Nintendo series in the world. With Pikachu rivalling Mario in recognisability--Mario already being noted as more recognisable than Mickey Mouse.

-=-

A variation of this is to read through the Eastman and Laird Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. Watch the 2003 cartoon series. Possibly the Movies.

Then, download the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic from the 1980s, and watch it. Generally noting that many people prefer it as having a better plot, better mechanics, etc., than the 2003 cartoon.

This variation however is not video game based, but, there are other variations of this that are Video Game based.

-=-

Oh? You mean games that are scary without taking in a form of Horror in a Meta manner? Sorry--screed up.

Sorry--the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic from the 1980s is a typo--I meant the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon from the 1980s.