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[More_Badass]

I dont play many horror games. Barely can play a few minutes of Amnesia. Never finished Outlast. Still havent gotten around to Silent Hill 2. Dead Space 1 and 2 were more action than horror.

But then again the horror games I have played, the feeling they tend to invoke is often more of tension and dread, the anticipation of something bad. Very few are haunting. You know, that gut punch kind of horror that lingers with you, that takes a moment or two of realization for the horror to creep in, that you still think about when you leave that area or maybe a day later. A jump scare can't do that. Or even some creepy music and scary atmosphere.

SOMA did it masterfully.

In a game with so many memorable and macabre moments, there was one in particular that I think really captured everything that made its brand of horror so effective

In a shuttle area on your way to Theta, blocked off by rubble, you enter the room and you see her. The pnematic hissing of lungs, the wires and mass of artifical material fused to her thin atrophied body. And her strained anguished words: "It won't let me die"

That's the terrifing part in hindsight. How long has she been like that, alone, in some isolated shuttle area, in the dark, unable to leave this hell because machines keep her alive and conscious? Days? Months? A year? A decade?

Such unsettling imagery, witnessing a fate worse than death. Especially since you can power the shuttle while still keeping her alive.

Which moments were haunting for you in SOMA? Or other games, horror or otherwise?

 

[Vorheez]

SOMA is such an awesome experience. One of the best stories in video games.

As for a personal moment that has stood out to me, for whatever reason, The Suffering has lingered in my mind for many years after I played it. When you were first freed from your cell and the jail is going to shit, it was such a harrowing and terrifying experience. The mood and atmosphere, as I remember it, were top notch. Great game.

 

[BiGBoSSMk23]

I was just replaying this and yes, I fully agree.

The part where you hear Simon's last moments was powerful.

Heck, the entire game is filled with deeply distressing situations and images.

It's the way the story of Pathos-II is laid out for you to piece it together that really hammers the existential dread home.

Brilliant work. Can't wait to see what Frictional gets up to next

SOMA is such an awesome experience. One of the best stories in video games.

As for a personal moment that has stood out to me, for whatever reason, The Suffering has lingered in my mind for many years after I played it. When you were first freed from your cell and the jail is going to shit, it was such a harrowing and terrifying experience. The mood and atmosphere, as I remember it, were top notch. Great game.

Wut.

Also, as for which moment stood out to me as most impactful, I'd have to say it would be the whole continuity thing, the way you find this girl's bed drenched in blood with a straight razor on the pillow all next to drawings of an idyllic gathering of people over top renders of the environments in the ark... Whew

 

[Death Metalist]

Yes and yes, it's an amazing game. #2 of last year for me, in terms of story + atmosphere it really is up there below Silent Hill 2 as a very memorable and effective survival horror game. Check out the spoilers thread. Hopefully more people get to play it and don't miss out.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

The scene you brought up was very unsettling indeed. SOMA is really something special and one of the best horror / adventure games I've played in quite some time.

 

[Vorheez]

Wut.

What? I assume you've never heard of or played the game I mentioned?

Because that's the only thing that would justify a shit reply like that.

 

[FairXchange]

Amazing game, more people need to play it.

 

[EVA UNIT 01]

i just added this to my cart not even 10 min ago.
been wanting to try it forever

 

[Dusk Golem]

Oh no, you finished the topic asking what haunting moments have happened in video games. That's a topic I could literally sit here and write hours about. One of my favorite parts of horror games are the moments, scenes, scenarios, rooms, etc., which can come in horror games and provide something absolutely stellar and haunting, an experience that leaves an imprint on you. Some moment that defines the best the game can throw at you and sticks in the mind usually long after you've completed the game. As a person who plays a lot of the genre and has experienced a number of these moments, they're one of my favorite things about horror games. They can happen in other genres too, but not nearly as consistently or successfully imo; it's kind of like a downplayed, spookier set-piece moment, but instead of being designed as some exhilarating moment or spectacle, arouses some deep emotional response and sense of curiosity and intrigue, unnerving you or something that impacts you more than you may have ever expected.

I'll type up a storm shortly about some moments like this I've experienced in a few games off the top, but I first want to post that SOMA did have a few of these moments for me, and some pieces of SOMA have stuck with me months later. Had some unique moments and they did good to deliver these described moments which I hadn't quite experienced in any other horror game.

 

[IMACOMPUTA]

This is one of my favorite games. Really nailed the story from beginning to end. TO THE END. So many games fuck up the ending. This was such a satisfying game.

Now I want to play again.

 

[BiGBoSSMk23]

What? I assume you've never heard of or played the game I mentioned?

Because that's the only thing that would justify a shit reply like that.

Way to be a snob, bud.

 

[Keihart]

Great horror game, i very much compare it to the kind horror that the original Silent Hill and Siren do but in an original new setting.

 

[Vorheez]

Way to be a snob, bud.

Don't like it? Don't be a sarcastic dickhead then.

 

[BiGBoSSMk23]

Don't like it? Don't be a sarcastic dickhead then.

Relax, guy. It was harmless. No, I've never heard of another title named SOMA.

 

[Vorheez]

Relax, guy. It was harmless. No, I've never heard of another title named SOMA.

What? Reread my post.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Suffering_(video_game)

 

[Disgraced]

Silent Hill 1-4 all have moments I think about from time to time and go "Egh, that was creepy."

Spoiler

The nightmare sections of

Max Payne 1 & 2

Spoiler

really bothered me my first time through. Fuck that Flamingo from Address Unknown. Fuck it forever. And that awful wail that triggers every time you fail the platforming sections is branded in my mind. That's a noise that annoys me and sends a shiver down my spine at the same time.

Speaking of Remedy—naturally, Alan Wake has some pretty creepy moments too. Those times where you're just sitting in an abandoned cabin watching Night Springs with the wind howling and the Taken are out there hunting you... *shivers*

 

[A-V-B]

Silent Hill 1-4 all have moments I think about from time to time and go "Egh, that was creepy."

Spoiler

The nightmare sections of

Max Payne 1 & 2

Spoiler

really bothered me my first time through. Fuck that Flamingo from Address Unknown. Fuck it forever. And that awful wail that triggers every time you fail the platforming sections is branded in my mind. That's a noise that annoys me and sends a shiver down my spine at the same time.

.mirrorS arE morE fuN thaN televisioN

 

[SRTtoZ]

I actually believe that SOMA would be a much better game without those horror chase sequences. Masterful story that I could drown in though.

 

[Disgraced]

.mirrorS arE morE fuN thaN televisioN

Spoiler

Noooooo! Stop! ;_;

 

[Zeouterlimits]

SOMA has some incredibly haunting moments.

Some of the water scenes in the latter half of the game, or coming across certain inhabitants.

Catherine.. So much about Catherine.

The SOMA live action Transmission series is something I'd really recommend too.

 

[A-V-B]

Spoiler

Noooooo! Stop! ;_;

 

[More_Badass]

SOMA has some incredibly haunting moments.

Some of the water scenes in the latter half of the game, or coming across certain inhabitants.

Catherine.. So much about Catherine.

The SOMA live action Transmission series is something I'd really recommend too.

Oh, yeah, the live action stuff was really effective too

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Brilliant game for me.Deserves more sales.The way how the story flows and the inmersion are top.

 

[gdt]

Loved this game. Still think about it. It's brutal

 

[plasmawave]

The thought of digital people surviving in a little box floating in space is creepy.

 

[SlickVic]

I liked your description of the type of horror in Soma. I think the difference with a jump scare is you look back on it and think 'well, that was unpleasant', but once you're out of that moment of tension, it's impact almost completely disappears. But the unsettling moments of that are in Soma, you can tell me about them years from now and I'll probably find them every bit as unnerving as I did when I first saw it. It's honestly why I have a difficult time playing games like this. It's not a knock on quality, but rather my mind just dwells too much on the disturbing elements.

 

[HK-47]

The thought of digital people surviving in a little box floating in space is creepy.

We are physical people surviving on a little rock ball floating in space.

 

[VanillaCakeIsBurning]

The thought of digital people surviving in a little box floating in space is creepy.

That's the thing about the ending. Humanity survives but in a less than ideal form, one that is subject to the dangers of space. It could last for 10 days for 100 years (can't remember if they said anything about the power source) but eventually that power is going to run out.

 

[User 479360]

I've had my eye on this one for a while, but unfortunately can't run it. I'd love to play it.

Hopefully it will come to consoles.

 

[Vorheez]

I've had my eye on this one for a while, but unfortunately can't run it. I'd love to play it.

Hopefully it will come to consoles.

It's on PS4

 

[User 479360]

It's on PS4

Forgive me, I'm exhausted.

 

[Fret]

I've said this many times on gaf but yeah, its a masterpiece. Truly affecting, memorable and has some great level design. I love pretty much everything about it, the visuals, pacing, music, characters, the ending. Everything comes together so beautifully.

There's heaps of great scenes but I think the elevator scene where Simon & Cath are going down into the Abyss, right after you killed/didn't kill your clone is the best.

 

[The Technomancer]

I didn't notice this before, but when the tram shuttle you're in crashes early on in the game, when you regain consciousness the interior has grown over with barnacles

...just how long were you out?

 

[shangolin]

The first time you

Spoiler

switch bodies

in SOMA, and the repercussions of that, really startled me. I just walked around the room aimlessly for a while not knowing what to do or what to think, let alone figuring out whether I should

Spoiler

let my old self die or not. In the end, I pulled the plug, because I really didn't like the idea of my old self "waking up" with no possible reason to live.

 

[GamingOblivion]

Relax, guy. It was harmless. No, I've never heard of another title named SOMA.

You're the one who didn't read his post lol

 

[Belgian Dude]

You're the one who didn't read his post lol

To be honest, it was confusing at first for me as well. I thought he was talking about 'The Suffering' as in a segment of SOMA, not another game entirely, and then I reread OP and saw he was asking about horror games in general. No need for the back and forth between the two, though, I think it was a pretty simple misunderstanding that got out of hand :/

Also, yes. SOMA is one of the few horror stories (heck, stories in general) to give you this "haunting feeling" by the atmosphere and story alone. Heck, even without the atmosphere it'd be great on how well it sells you the repercussions and consequences of your actions. I know some people say that Simon being a bit dumb detracts from the experience but I outright love the ending scene BECAUSE you already did something similar before and now you know the stakes.

 

[More_Badass]

I didn't notice this before, but when the tram shuttle you're in crashes early on in the game, when you regain consciousness the interior has grown over with barnacles

...just how long were you out?

Oh crap, I never noticed that either

 

[CHC]

I didn't notice this before, but when the tram shuttle you're in crashes early on in the game, when you regain consciousness the interior has grown over with barnacles

...just how long were you out?

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

I've got to go back and look at that.

SOMA was so beautiful. Really deeply haunting, not a story I'll soon forget.

 

[Dmax3901]

For me the gut punch came when I realised who was calling out from the other pod in the room.

 

[ASIS]

I just finished the game, (well I played until I finished Omicron and then watched a let's play of the rest since I don't have access to the game anymore).

And yes, this is one of the most haunting games I have ever played.

What I loved about this story specifically is that it lays out all the twists in front of you. Make no mistake, there are plenty of twists in the game. But the writers were intelligent enough to not reveal them in a big way, once they give you the pieces, they assume you figured it out and focus instead on the repercussions. It made for a much more haunting experience. This is a game I will not soon forget, especially that ending.. *shudders*.

 

[Red UFO]

I just finished the game, (well I played until I finished Omicron and then watched a let's play of the rest since I don't have access to the game anymore).

And yes, this is one of the most haunting games I have ever played.

What I loved about this story specifically is that it lays out all the twists in front of you. Make no mistake, there are plenty of twists in the game. But the writers were intelligent enough to not reveal them in a big way, once they give you the pieces, they assume you figured it out and focus instead on the repercussions. It made for a much more haunting experience. This is a game I will not soon forget, especially that ending.. *shudders*.

Yeah, I love the way this game just handles it's story. Most other games wouldn't be able to resist the whole "LOOK AT THIS SHOCKING TWIST YOU ARE A ROBOT," but SOMA refrains from that as it lays out it's themes and ideas in front of you.

Amazing game.

 

[KLoWn]

SOMA is fuckin great. The atmosphere in that game is so damn good.

I didn't notice this before, but when the tram shuttle you're in crashes early on in the game, when you regain consciousness the interior has grown over with barnacles

...just how long were you out?

Oh shit, I never noticed that.


*EDIT*
And that ending theme... Soo good. It really makes you reflect on the dark journey you just took.

 

[Aurongel]

I didn't notice this before, but when the tram shuttle you're in crashes early on in the game, when you regain consciousness the interior has grown over with barnacles

...just how long were you out?

...Oh my god.

This game really, really got under my skin for a good long time to the point where it really reshaped my personal views on consciousness and the "self". The ending is just... The most absolutely devastating thing in the world.

 

[jond76]

Just wrapped this up. Really great.

One thing that puzzled me... I wonder how long passed from when folks were killing themselves after scans and when Simon woke up. There seemed to be a disconnect between the suicides, the Wau spreading everywhere, and Simon waking up. Especially when you fing the last living lady still alive... How long has she been hanging in there for? Some bodies were very decomposed, some were very fresh.

Super great story and atmosphere.