6. BioShock Paging Dr. Steinman
Nothing is more terrifying to me than extreme depravity. The Xenobytes from Hellraiser for example: the fact that they derive gratification from extreme torture - I find that horrific. The Hell dimension in Event Horizon is another example: the fact that the scenes of horrific torture and sacrifice from beyond the wormhole are presented in such a way that they almost seem like an orgy - I find that truly disturbing. Maybe this is why BioShocks hunt for the insane renegade plastic surgeon, Dr. Steinman, has found its way into this list. Its not instantaneously terrifying, true. But if you absorb the story along the way, listen to the audio tapes relating to the objective and take in the brutal set pieces, you start to get a picture of a man whos been driven totally bat-shit insane by an unattainable desire for perfection, and a society that has allowed him to pursue said desire without limit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wxb8HjiDLQ In my eyes, this whole section taps into our collective guilt about our own vanity, and the worrying connotations of our own society, which more and more views said vanity as an admirable trait (all you have to do is watch an episode of American Idol to have that idea confirmed). I always prefer it when games go for the psychological scares instead of the simple cat-behind-the-dustbin shock, and you cant deny it doesnt often get more psychological than this.