11 Unexpected Video Game Jump Scares That Scarred You For Life
Don't turn around...
Whether you think they're a cheap gimmick that's ruining the horror genre or a legitimate way to terrify people, there's no denying that jump scares are effective. Like it or not, screamers and horror go hand in hand, and when it comes to video games in particular, developers have the perfect tools at their disposal to create some ridiculously frightening pulse-raisers.
But while fans of games like Amnesia or Outlast come to expect a cheap volume spike every minute or so, the most effective ones - and the ones that scarred us for life - are often in games where you least expect to see a ghoulish face flash on the screen or to turn a corner and be eye to eye with a horrifying monster.
Video games are brilliant at leading you into a false sense of security during certain sections, often reinforcing which areas are safe (and which aren't) over the course of hours and hours. That said, the best games know how to break that trust at the most impactful time, subverting everything you thought you knew about where a certain scene was heading...