10 Video Games That Use Your Imagination Against You

3. Silent Hill

Enemy Zero Shower Scene
Konami

After the success of Resident Evil, Capcom decided to make another horror series which focused on atmosphere and suspense rather than monsters and jump-scares. Don't get me wrong. Silent Hill has plenty of monsters which resemble nightmare fuel on steroids. However, the real horror in the series is never in your face. What makes the franchise so scary is its ability to get under the player's skin.

The claustrophobic environment and haunting score unnerves the player, keeping them on edge. Although the fog was inserted to stop the gameplay from lagging, many players found it unsettling since they couldn't tell how far or how close enemies were.

When you hear nails scraping inside a locker or a baby crying in the distance, the player tends to hesitate, asking if they really want to check it out. Players will never forget the first time they enter the elevator and learn that there is suddenly another floor that wasn't there before.

The reason why these moments are so chilling is because you are expecting something... you just don't know what. And usually (but not always), what you imagine is far more disturbing than what you find.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows