19 Scariest Video Game Moments Of The Decade (So Far)

5. Being Constantly Paranoid About Making The Wrong Choices - Until Dawn

Branching narratives are nothing new in gaming, and while you'll occasionally come across a title that treats decision-based gameplay with the level of depth necessary to give each choice the proper weight in regards to lasting consequences, all too often developers are content to simply offer a smattering of paltry, color-coded choices with outcomes that vary between simply modifying a line of dialogue or two, or outright disregarding any decision made so that the story plods along exactly how it's supposed to. Which is why Until Dawn is such a breath of fresh air - the game's 'Butterfly Effect' ensures that every decision you make - no matter how small or seemingly insignificant - has real consequences for the characters. And with an auto-save system that restricts your ability to simply fall back on reloading saves until you get the 'right' combination, Until Dawn went out of it's way to instill players with a deep-seated paranoia. You never knew when the character you've grown so fond of would bite the dust in the most gruesome way imaginable because of one bad decision. Chances are you'd even end up with half the cast dead. It's the kind of thing that's difficult to really talk about without spoiling the game's best moments, but if you've not played Until Dawn yet, do yourself a favor and give it a whirl. It definitely deserves your love.