Horror and games go together like peanut butter and jelly — they’re a natural fit! Even the most kid-friendly non-horror games sneak in that spooky stuff made specifically to lingers in our minds way after we’ve put the controller down.
There’s something so memorable about scares in normally un-scary video games. Maybe it’s just that they’re so unexpected. I mean, you know what you’re getting into when you pop in a horror game. But who expects a piano to bite you in Mario 64?
Our first spine-tingling list was such a success, we had to come back for a second round of scares. It’s Halloween in July, and we’re all still stuck in-doors, so let’s feed that paranoia and take a good look at 10 more shockers in games that are normally scare-free. Hide under the covers, and take a peak at this next list of frightening features.
Stuck at home? Revisit some lists on Gameranx:
- 10 Scariest Moments In Games That Aren’t Scary
- 10 Unbelievable Video Game Rumors That Turned Out To Be True
- 10 Weirdest & Worst Mini-Games You Were Forced To Play
- 10 Best Bugs That Made Games More Fun | Most Useful Glitches List
- 10 Ridiculously Funny Trophies & Achievements We Just Had To Unlock
Vectron Lair [SteamWorld Dig 2]
For a brief moment, SteamWorld Dig 2 turns into a full-on horror game. This is an indie platformer that’s all about bright, sunny exploration — there’s danger, sure, but nothing too frightening, even if you’re working against the clock to finish mining before your oil lamp runs dry. It’s a breezy game, but your visit to Vectron is absolutely terrifying.
Activating an ancient portal, your steam robot teleports to the electronic ruins of Vectron — where you’ll have to fight through seemingly endless piles of junked robots while avoiding massive bruisers than easily smash through anything in their way, all to get you. It’s like a side-scrolling game of Amnesia — invincible enemies you can only run from are around every corner, and you’ll narrowly escape with your life. It’s surprisingly intense when the rest of the game is full of all-ages fun.
Dark Bramble [Outer Wilds]
Outer Wilds contains one section of pure strain terror fuel. If you haven’t touched this indie marvel yet, you owe it to yourself to put this list away and avoid the spoilers I’m about to throw down.
From the very start, you’re given a spaceship and an entire galaxy to investigate. Your goal is to discover the mysteries of outer space on your own time, and it is possible to beat the game in less than 15 minutes — if you know exactly what to do. The only problem is, you’re stuck on a deadline. The sun keeps exploding, so you have to restart from scratch after each cycle. To solve the mystery, you’ll need to investigate every location in your solar system.
One of those areas is the Dark Bramble. This hair-raising location is like a pocket universe — the inside is much, much bigger than the outside. Oh and it’s filled with hungry angler fish that will eat you if you make too much noise. You’ll have to carefully sneak around, avoiding the lights in the foggy distance. This is easily one of the scariest moments from any game. Why?! This is a nice little puzzle / adventure game! My heart didn’t sign up for this.
But I love it anyway.
Gird your loins, and prepare for even more super scary moments from non-horror games on the next page.
