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Nato And Remy’s Last Stand: Moments In Horror Gaming That Made Us Pee A Little

While horror movies are something Matt and I obviously adore for a multitude of reasons, we would be fools not to take a moment and give some props to some of the great horror games that have come out in the last decade. While horror films are fun, they are passive experiences, which leads us to feel safe, no matter what is happening. A horror game, on the other hand, strips that safety away and places us INTO the moments of extreme horror, showing us just how we would react to such scenarios. It's a wholly encompassing way to experience a medium, especially one as visceral as horror.

Nato: Condemned: Criminal Origins – Homeless Attackers

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Another game that makes amazing use of tense atmospheres, dark locations, and prolific jump scares, Condemned: Criminal Origins was one of the first XBOX 360 games I played – and I still haven’t shaken it from my mind.

I mean, seriously, what could be more terrifying than hyper-aggressive homeless people trying their damnedest to kill you? Let’s not restrict it to the homeless though, because every attacker is just as irate and brutal, coming out of nowhere to attack poor Ethan Thomas as he’s just trying to solve some murder mysteries.

The terror comes from anticipation though. Some of these rooms and locations are horribly unsettling, like a room full of mannequins for instance, as just the sight of these fake human forms sends chills down a player’s spine. Then all of a sudden you hear a bottle kick, or a menacing cackle, or even see a moving shadow, alluding that someone not too nice is waiting to pounce at any moment, but it’s too dark to see – plus the mannequins make it incredibly hard to even spot a person. Just like in Dead Space, you do your best to be cautious and safe, but there’s no escaping the deranged baddie jumping from the shadows, throwing himself on you while you try and subdue your anxiety levels.

A special shout out to Condemned 2: Bloodshot as well for amping the “WTF” horror levels by having you escape/fight off a ferocious grizzly bear attack. Like, a grizzly on steroids. Remember how you were afraid of the homeless before? They didn’t have razor sharp claws and teeth that will tear your jugular out.

So now that Remy and I have totally opened up, it’s your turn! Which moments in horror gaming do you find the most pants-wettingly terrifying?

*A special thanks to Remy for stepping in to guest write! Feel free to follow either of us on Twitter for even more insanity and updates:

Matt Donato

Remy Carreiro

Like what you read? Check out last week’s article where Remy and I talk about our favorite rockstar cameos in horror movies!