Horror is not an easy thing to get right in the world of gaming, if used effectively it can create fear, paranoia, isolation even excessive sweating, yes not pleasant. However the adrenaline rush caused by these experiences is addictive, we strive to survive, or if you’re like me, you grab the nearest pillow and turn on all the lights. The sense of dread and tension that horror creates can rarely be matched by other cinematic niches. So I have rounded up a list of my top 5 scariest moments in gaming that genuinely left me shaking in my boots, if you’re brave enough and enjoy sleepless nights read on and don’t forget spare underwear..

5. PT (Playable Teaser) – Gouge it out!

Now I know this is cheating a little bit because technically this is a demo or a “Playable Teaser” and not a full game, but this little gem packed a staggering amount of unpleasant, spine chilling “Oh my God!” moments that seriously left a lasting impression. One particular moment was when I was tasked with looking at a picture marked with an X and the words “Gouge it out”, seconds later a lovely “squish” sound braced my ears, when I say lovely I mean totally sickening. My anxiety grew and suddenly to my terror I was jumped by a monstrosity with one eye and terrible teeth, mimicking the picture she too “gouged” out my eye which led me to screech like a little boy who just dropped his ice cream. Apparently this can happen at any time or not at all but, nonetheless, Scary Stuff! PT created suspense in such a powerful way that I saw myself putting the controller down through genuine fear and don’t get me started on what’s in that sink!

4. Dead Space (Loneliness)

We have all felt a little bit lonely at times but we have nothing on poor Isaac Clark, stuck on a desolate Mining ship, the Ishimura. That is what makes dead space special, the way isolation and desolation is conveyed is truly nerve racking, if that doesn’t scare you, the petrifying monsters known as Necromorphs will, with jazz hands still intact. Dead space didn’t unnerve me with cheap scares, it was the feeling of claustrophobia and loneliness I felt as Isaac stumbled through the badly lit corridors, which really stuck with me. Mr Clark we feel for you.

3. Outlast (Doctor Trager – Torture Scene)

Outlast in a word is terrifying I was hoping to get through it unscathed and with my sanity intact, but alas that wasn’t the case, and here’s me thinking all doctors were friendly. Up to the point of meeting the psychotic Doctor Trager, I had been chased and beaten by half naked patients of Mount Massive Asylum. All I had at my disposable was a camera, running legs and many lockers to hide in. However these things get taken away from me and this is why the torture scene makes the list. It is all fun and games until someone loses an eye or in this case a finger, as the good doctor takes his giant scissors and begins to cut, the protagonist lets out a scream and my mouth drops wide open. It was spine chilling and incredibly gruesome, certainly not for the faint hearted.

2. Alien Isolation (Being Hunted)

Get away from her you!.. (You know the rest) I believe Alien is arguably one of the best Sci-Fi movies ever made, so when I sat down and got to play Alien Isolation I was nervous thanks to the not so great Colonial Marines. Thankfully this Alien game captured the essence of the film beautifully and in turn frightened the life out of me. The Xenomorph is revealed in such an untamed way, my first thought was run… Bad Idea. If the alien spots you, the chances of escaping are very slim, as you are constantly being hunted by this creature. If you are brave enough, play on the hardest difficulty with the lights off, it will surely make your blood curdle. The Alien itself is extremely intimidating as it stalks around the Nostromo, if it sees you, be ready for the fright of your life, unless you like gory executions?

1. Fatal Frame II /Project Zero Crimson Butterfly (Evil Spirits, Disturbing Ritual, Creepy Village)

To me Fatal Frame II is not just scariest game I’ve played since silent hill 2 but it is also the only game that left me feeling slightly unsettled every time I played it, the Japanese really know their horror (Hello Ju on). Armed with just a camera and I might add the best mechanic since Pokémon snap, you have to fight off malevolent spirits whilst looking for your twin sister. The creepy village, crippled protagonist and disturbing backstory combined with the fact your enemies can come at you from any angle led me to turn the game off for weeks on end, if this interests you go and play it it’s fantastic, I however may just stick with Pokémon snap.