Horror games have been terrifying thrill seekers for quite some time, and one of the oldest tricks in the book to accomplish that is the jump scare. Though there are plenty of great horror games that use tension, suspense, atmosphere, and psychological aspects to terrify their players, there are times when nothing beats a good old fashioned jump scare. With all the horror games revealed at yesterday's Inside Xbox, now seems like a good time to look back on some of gaming's best jump scares.
Outlast - Hanging Body Scene
Outlast is a truly terrifying game and has probably made nearly every horror list to date. That said, of the numerous jump scares in the game, one of the best is without a doubt the hanging body scene. The reason this scare works so well is because it takes place so early in the game and sets the tone for the rest of the game. After breaking in to the asylum, though there are plenty of hints that things aren't right, this is the first encounter with an actual corpse the player has. The game lowers the player's guard with a tutorial and then scares them half to death.
Until Dawn - Wendigo VS. Jess
Until Dawn is essentially a love letter to horror fans, cramming nearly every genre and stereotype of horror into one amazingly crafted game. This is absolutely full of jump scares, some inflicted on the characters by other characters, others caused by supernatural forces, but by far the most memorable is Jess' abduction from the cabin. This is the first encounter with the game's actual monsters, the Wendigo's that the player has, and sets the tone of disbelief for Josh's reveal later at the end of the game. That's not to mention this hilarious reaction to the moment found in the video above.
The Last of Us - Rabbit Scene
The Last of Us isn't necessarily known for its jump scares, relying on atmosphere and context to provide its horror instead, but that doesn't mean it isn't scary. Though most players will never forget the hotel basement portion of the game, one of the best jump scares in the game probably wasn't even intended to be scary. Following Joel's traumatic injury, Winter kicks off with a scene of cute rabbit, seemingly to calm players' nerves. Moments later, however, Ellie fires an arrow through the fluffy animal, shocking many and spawning a meme to boot.
Resident Evil 7 - Mia on the Stairwell
Resident Evil 7 has been praised for returning to the series' roots of true survival horror after entries like Resident Evil 5 took the game down a more action oriented path. As such, this game is full of terrifying moments, but one jump scare which sticks with many is Mia's first attack. Mia is a friendly character at the beginning of Resident Evil 7, but the infection's influence slowly drives her mad. Not only is the jump scare of her attacking Ethan on the stairs terrifying, but the rest of the scene portrays a brutal struggle between a man and his wife that is harrowing to watch.
Five Nights At Freddy's - Game Over
Five Nights At Freddy's didn't invent the jump scare by any means, but it certainly popularized its use in video games more than any other franchise. The player, trapped in the surveillance room, has almost no control over their safety aside from the video cameras and locking doors. This, paired with the random nature of the game's jump scares, creates a truly horrifying atmosphere. In most games, the player can somewhat predict when a jump scare will happen, but in Five Nights At Freddy's, it could happen at literally any moment.