10 Unintentionally Terrifying Video Game Moments

6. The Night Levels - Rayman

Rayman ps1
Ubisoft

Now, the night levels in Rayman are spooky for the same reason Cuphead is. On the surface, the designs of the environment and characters are wholesome and innocent; you've got music notes, clouds, bongos and a whole bunch of other music-related iconography.

Of course, it's how these innocent concepts are twisted, and made slightly off, that makes the whole affair transform into something terrifying. The night already has a mystical quality to it, and combined with the alternate soundtrack that swaps music out for the ominous thumping of thunder and punishing animated musical instruments that can shoot lightning at the player, it makes for a strangely atmospheric time.

Again, it's that creeping unnaturalness that's the most off-putting, and what makes the original Rayman still quite unnerving to play now.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.