11 Times Video Games Did Horror Better Than Movies

9. Resident Evil - The Perfect Jump-Scare

Jump-scares are the go-to scare-tactic of choice when a creator has run out of ideas. They definitely have their place, and can be one of the most effective - and affecting - moments in any given film or game if used appropriately. The most common criticism levied at the overuse of these to garner quick thrills is that you're reacting more to the sudden increase in volume, rather than anything more meaningful. How many times have you been watching a teen slasher-flick and they pull out the standard volume-swell reaction shot - only to reveal it's one of the protagonist's friends or colleagues? These days you can telegraph the vast majority of jump-scares based purely off which camera angles are being used - but that's where the genius of Resident Evil's dog-jump comes in. Not only had we already travelled down the corridor in question and had nothing happen - thereby instilling the idea that it's a safe zone upon return - but the camera angle is more of an establishing shot of the entire area, meaning that when the dogs do come crashing through the window they're right in the forefront of your vision. Being a great mix of sound and the unexpected, it's only through gaming that this worked so effectively, prompting us to check every window in every corridor for the rest of the game.