7 Scariest Levels in Non-Horror Video Games That Guarantee Nightmares

People who suffer from claustrophobia and are afraid of jump scares don't play scary games. But what if horror suddenly breaks out in otherwise normal video games?

Hamburg – Scary things don't always have to come from a horror game. Sometimes colorful games can give you goosebumps. Whether it's the threatening music, a time limit or simply the claustrophobic atmosphere – these games have damaged us for years. Here are the scariest levels with video evidence that you should only watch at your own risk.

1. Cursed Water Temple – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 1998

• What makes it special: The water temple from Ocarina of Time is the worst nightmare for many players. It's not just the complex structure, but the oppressive underwater atmosphere that makes you noticeably hold your breath.
• Horror factor: The fluctuating water level and the threatening, slow-swimming opponents ensure constant stress. Not to mention the scarce air, which makes your heart beat faster.
• Fun fact: The Water Temple has frustrated so many players that it was removed from the 3DS version of Ocarina of Time There were some improvements for this dungeon.

2. Jump Scare in Ash Lake – Dark Souls (2011)

• What makes it special: Although Dark Souls For its tough but fair challenge, it's not a pure horror game. But the hidden area of ​​Ash Lake is an eerie, almost surreal experience. You can almost feel that a sinister enemy is waiting to ambush you.
• Horror factor: The Hydra looks scary, you fight the water monster from a safe distance and don't see it up close. But in Ash Lake, the Hydra can suddenly fly towards you – a shock moment guaranteed.
• Fun fact: Ash Lake is one of the few places in the game where you can look up into the sky, even though you are at the bottom of the world. Ash Lake is in Dark Souls the probably the most secret area, even though every player knows it from the intro – this is where Gwyn fought against the dragons.

3. The End and Nether – Minecraft (2011)

• What makes it special: Minecraft Normally it's a relaxed sandbox game, but when you dive into the dark dimensions of “The End” and “Nether” the feel of the game changes considerably. Creepy sounds and dangerous creatures like Endermen and Withers will make your hair stand on end.
• Horror factor: It gets especially scary when you're digging deep into a cave and suddenly a Creeper explodes right behind you. These moments have become legendary in pop culture.
• Fun fact: Minecraft is getting its own movie. If the reactions to the first trailer are to be believed, however, viewers can expect a horror film that no one can watch.

4. Deadly Music in Lavandia – Pokémon Red and Blue (1996)

• What makes it special: Although Pokémon is usually cute and cheerful, Lavender City (Lavandia) is all about ghosts. In a ghost town full of dead Pokémon, you delve deep into the spookiest corner of the Pokémon iceberg.
• Horror factor: The dark backstory of lost Pokémon and especially the scary music kept many children awake at night. For some, this place became a real childhood trauma.
• Fun fact: To this day, there are legends about the “Lavender Town Syndrome” – a rumor that the music in the game allegedly caused headaches and insomnia. More Pokémon horror here.

5. This swimming sequence – Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)

• What makes it special: In Metal Gear Solid 2 There's a sequence where Raiden has to swim through flooded corridors while trying to keep an eye on the oxygen supply. The claustrophobic atmosphere and the oppressive threat of drowning keep things on edge.
• Horror factor: The oppressive feeling of being trapped in a narrow, dark underwater area, combined with the constant fear of not getting to the next air bubble in time, makes your pulse race. Add to that the controls, which are absolutely brilliant by today's standards, which makes everything twice as scary.
• Fun fact: Hideo Kojima, the creator of the game, designed this sequence to confront the player with extreme tension and nervousness – many players still report today that they had to repeat this passage several times because the stress was simply too high.

4. The Infinite Staircase – Super Mario 64 (1996)

• What makes it special: This classic platform game manages to induce pure panic without shedding a drop of blood. The seemingly endless staircase that stretches out in front of Mario and never seems to shorten drives players crazy.
• Horror factor: The distorted soundtrack, which gets faster and more chaotic the longer you run, makes for a true horror experience.
• Fun fact: The infinite staircase is a puzzle – it only becomes complete when you have collected 70 stars. But in the N64 days, you couldn't just google that. The company wasn't founded until 2 years after Super Mario 64.

5. Man-Bat – Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)

• What makes it special: The first encounter with Man-Bat in Arkham Knight is a perfect jump scare. You're gliding unsuspectingly through the streets of Gotham when suddenly this huge, winged monster appears right in front of you. Pure panic!
• Horror factor: The shock moment comes completely unexpectedly and provides a real adrenaline rush – one of the best horror parts in the game.
• Fun fact: Man-Bat first appears in Batman in 1970. In Arkham Knight, he appears again and again until enough DNA samples have been collected from him. But nothing compares to the first time you meet the horror Batman.

6. Boys of Silence – Bioshock Infinite (2013)

• What makes it special: Although Bioshock Infinite Although it is not a classic horror game, the Boys of Silence have a terrifying effect. These sinister creatures alert other enemies and give you goosebumps with their grotesque masks and disturbing noises.
• Horror factor: Their sudden appearance and depressing design freeze you in your tracks, knowing that all hell is about to break loose and you're probably out of ammo.
• Fun fact: The Boys of Silence were deliberately designed as a kind of surveillance device to scare players, similar to the Big Daddies in previous Bioshock-titles. But you don't have to be so afraid, because Elizabeth always throws you the resources you need.

7. The Yeti – SkiFree (1991)

1. What makes it special: SkiFree is a simple skiing game, but hardly anyone who has played it will forget the scary Yeti. Once he appears, there is no escape.
2. Horror factor: The Yeti will hunt you relentlessly, and no matter how well you do, he will get you. The sudden and relentless pursuit is a nightmare for anyone who was hoping for a relaxing winter sport.
3. Fun fact: The Yeti has become so ingrained in the minds of gamers that it is now a cult character in the gaming world and even appears as an Easter egg in modern games – possibly even in GTA.

Bonus: Spiders of Tau Volantis – Dead Space 3 (2013)

• What makes it special: Dead Space is (unfortunately) no longer a real horror game. Huge Necromorphs lurk in the icy landscape of the planet Tau Volantis, but they still managed to scare us. So there is a place of honor for the action game, which briefly recalls its horror roots.
• Horror factor: It's the combination of the oppressive silence, the crunching of the snow and the huge spiders suddenly appearing out of nowhere that causes sheer panic. Especially when you can barely see them under the thick blanket of snow until it's too late.
• Fun fact: In co-op mode, a second player can support series hero Isaac Clarke as John Carver. What's exciting about this is that Carver occasionally experiences hallucinations that are only visible to the second player. This leads to unique moments because player 2 actually sees something scary every now and then, while player 1 mostly just shoots.

Sometimes it's not the horror games that give you the worst nightmares. These seemingly harmless games show us that horror can lurk anywhere – even where we least expect it. If you prefer something more relaxed, grab the best cozy games.