History NightmareFuel / AceAttorney

* Case 2-2 has [[http://www.court-records.net/animation/ini-cosplay.gif this (caution, is kind of a spoiler)]]. Without knowing it's [[spoiler:Mimi Miney]], the first thing the player assumes is it's [[spoiler:[[http://www.court-records.net/animation/maya-nod.gif Maya Fey]], the charming and sunny assistant from the previous game]], which can come off as terribly disturbing. Even bearing in mind the true identity, the HiddenEyes, [[BloodSplatteredWarrior blood-smeared clothing]], and general eerieness of this person is quite creepy (especially since she talks in morose, broken phrasing, evocative of a troubled lost soul).

* Case 2-2 has [[http://www.court-records.net/animation/ini-cosplay.gif this (caution, is kind of a spoiler)]]. Without knowing it's [[spoiler:Ini Miney]], the first thing the player assumes is it's [[spoiler:[[http://www.court-records.net/animation/maya-nod.gif Maya Fey]], the charming and sunny assistant from the previous game]], which can come off as terribly disturbing. Even bearing in mind the true identity, the HiddenEyes, [[BloodSplatteredWarrior blood-smeared clothing]], and general eerieness of this person is quite creepy (especially since she talks in morose, broken phrasing, evocative of a troubled lost soul).

* Case 2-2 has [[http://www.court-records.net/animation/ini-cosplay.gif this (caution, is kind of a spoiler)]]. Without knowing it's [[spoiler:Ini Miney]], the first thing the player assumes is it's [[spoiler:[[http://www.court-records.net/animation/maya-nod.gif Maya Fey]], the charming and sunny assistant from the previous game]], which can come off as terribly disturbing. Even bearing in mind the true identity, the HiddenEyes, blood-smeared clothing, and general eerieness of this person is quite creepy (especially since she talks in morose, broken phrasing, evocative of a troubled lost soul).

* Case 2-2 has [[http://www.court-records.net/animation/ini-cosplay.gif this (caution, is kind of a spoiler)]]. Without knowing it's [[spoiler:Ini Miney]], the first thing the player assumes is it's [[spoiler:[[http://www.court-records.net/animation/maya-nod.gif Maya Fey]]]], the charming and sunny assistant from the previous game, which can come off as terribly disturbing. Even bearing in mind the true identity, the HiddenEyes, blood-smeared clothing, and general eerieness of this person is quite creepy (especially since she talks in morose, broken phrasing, evocative of a troubled lost soul).

* Case 2-2 has [[http://www.court-records.net/animation/ini-cosplay.gif this (caution, is kind of a spoiler)]]. Without knowing it's [[spoiler:Ini Miney]], the first thing the player assumes is it's [[http://www.court-records.net/animation/maya-nod.gif Maya Fey]], the charming and sunny assistant from the previous game, which can come off as terribly disturbing. Even bearing in mind the true identity, the HiddenEyes, blood-smeared clothing, and general eerieness of this person is quite creepy (especially since she talks in morose, broken phrasing, evocative of a troubled lost soul).

* ''Investigations 2'' has the second case's introduction, which features Manosuke lying dead in a dank, eerily-lit prison, bleeding heavily from a neck wound inflicted by a hound with a bloodied snout... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnspSlcbJMA

** Same case gives us a seemingly unremarkable moment which, if you've been following the game's story closely, can give others a run for their money. In the final investigation, it eventually turns out that Iris Fey has a twin sister. You most likely already know who she is - Dahlia Hawthorne. You're also certainly aware of her true nature. Then, her portrait is brought up, and it's a side-face photo; no other character had that kind of a portrait before. And then, there is nothing on that photo except for a dark grey featureless silhouette. The shock was enough to make eyes water. Now, you wouldn't want to miss out on this, [[http://imageshack.us/m/716/5553/aapwttdh.png would you?]]

** A notable example is Manfred Von Karma's face when he has the taser out. It's on par with Shih-na's breakdown in terms of creepiness. It's a PsychoticSmirk all right. And the lines he says when having said expression are chilling: "It doesn't kill...usually," or something like that.

* In Case 4 of ''Justice For All'', we have the truth about Matt Engarde. The adorable, somewhat ditzy actor turns into a [[GoodScarsEvilScars scarred]], guilty as heck psycho. It's scary even if you had known from a walkthrough, etc. that he was guilty because it's just so unexpected.
** His VillainousBreakdown is scary in its own right; when Engarde's attempt to {{Blackmail}} [[NobleDemon Shelly]] [[EvenEvilHasStandards deKiller]] backfires, he scratches his face multiple times proclaiming Guilty.

* In Investigation's there's Quercus Alba's breakdown, where his skin begins to chip away and blown off, leaving only his mummified-looking husk.

* And from Ace Attorney Investigations, ladies and gentlemen, I give you [[{{BlackEyesOfEvil}} the Proto Badger]]. Whether he's every-so-slowly sneaking up behind you, a sword in hand or popping out of the ground staring directly at the player, this azure abomination will frighten the pants off of you, more than any murder in this game. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NVJjIYSGf4 Pleasant dreams indeed...]] It doesn't help that at the time the Proto badger was acting like a dead corpse at the time.

* In Case 3 of ''Justice For All'', spoiler:[[SympatheticMurderer Acro]]'s situation is horrifying on many levels: his brother is in an irreversible coma because of Regina, he himself lost the use of his legs, and everyday Regina would take care of him. That's right: the unwilling murderer of his brother was with him all that time, saying innocently that Bat became a star in the sky. With his brother in fact in coma, brother who he visited at the hospital multiple times, and the incessant company of the too sweet and innocent princess Regina, it's no wonder he snapped. The situation was so unbearable that he contemplated the idea of suicide, but didn't go through with it. And when he thought he finally had a chance to get his vengeance, he ends up killing his parental figure by accident. The poor man is completely and utterly broken.

** Same case gives us a seemingly unremarkable moment which, if you've been following the game's story closely, can give others a run for their money. In the final investigation, it eventually turns out that Iris Fey has a twin sister. You most likely already know who she is - Dahlia Hawthorne. You're also certainly aware of her true nature. Then, her portrait is brought up, and it's a side-face photo; no other character had that kind of a portrait before. And then, there is nothing on that photo except for a dark grey featureless silhouette. The shock was enough to make eyes water. Now, you wouldn't want to miss out on this, [[http://imageshack.us/m/716/5553/aapwttdh.png would you?]] ]]

* ''Investigations'', Case 5: That Shih-na is a [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything psychopath]].[[hottip:*:Okay, yeah, it reminds us of ''[[VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi them]]''.]]

* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' has the infamous stare of Damon Gant, which can make many gamers uneasy when they see it. Not to mention that Gant's stare isn't nearly as creepy the first time you see it. The problem is, every time he does it, the stare goes on for even longer, and there's [[NothingIsScarier no music playing]]. By the time you [[spoiler:sneak into his office and he catches you]], he stares at you for so long in utter silence that it feels like [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou he's looking directly at you]] [[spoiler:[[IdleAnimation If not for his blinking.]]]]
** The blinking makes it even more terrifying. Although, to be honest, [[spoiler: his subtle menace while in his jolly persona can be a lot more eerie than his stare. Not to mention "Wait. I said wait. Or didn't you hear me?" Yikes.]]
** The long wait for his to resume is freaky enough. The first time the music cutted off while Gant is just staring into your soul. Imagine having that image stuck on your screen.
* Beyond just his stare, the whole character is terrifying. It's the real-life fear of the CorruptCop, who ''will'' be believed over you by anyone in a position of authority [[spoiler:even if he has to blackmail them into going along with it]], who has no moral problem with abusing the full extent of his power, and against whom there is very little recourse- what are you going to do, call the cops?

* In ''Justice for all'', [[spoiler:[[SympatheticMurderer Acro]]]]'s situation is horrifying on many levels: [[spoiler:his brother died (well, not quite : his brother is in coma, and it's definitly sure that he won't recover, having suffered brain damage) because of Regina, he himself lost the use of his legs, and ''everyday'' Regina would take care of him (no characters make references of taking care of Acro themselves: the way they put it, it seems that Regina was the one who took care of him most of the time). That's right: the (unwilling) murderer of his brother was with him all that time, saying ''innocently'' that Bat became a star in the sky. With his brother in fact in coma, brother who he visited at the hospital multiple times, and the incessant company of the too sweet and innocent princess Regina, it's no wonder he snapped. The situation was so unbearable that he contemplated the idea of suicide, but didn't go through with it. And when he thought he finally had a chance to get his vengeance, he ends up killing his parental figure by accident. The poor man is completly and utterly broken.]]
* In Case 4 of Justice for All, we have [[spoiler: the truth about Engarde. The adorable, somewhat ditzy actor turns into a [[GoodScarsEvilScars scarred]], guilty as heck psycho. It's scary even if you had known from a walkthrough, etc. that he was guilty because it's just so unexpected.]]
** [[spoiler:His VillainousBreakdown]] is scary in its own right[[spoiler:, when Engarde's attempt to {{Blackmail}} [[NobleDemon Shelly]] [[EvenEvilHasStandards deKiller]] backfires, he scratches his face multiple times proclaiming Guilty.]]
* In Case 5 of ''Trials and Tribulations'', we witness [[spoiler:Dahlia getting exorcised out of Maya's body, ''letting out a scream'', and in her final on-screen moments takes the form of a very creepy ghost before turning into a flame and vanishing, while flashbacks to her crimes go off.]]
** Same case gives us a seemingly unremarkable moment which, if you've been following the game's story closely, can give others a run for their money. [[spoiler:In the final investigation, it eventually turns out that Iris Fey has a twin sister. You most likely already know who she is - Dahlia Hawthorne. You're also certainly aware of her TRUE nature. Then, her portrait is brought up, and '''oh dear god'''. Firstly, it's a side-face photo. ''No other character'' had that kind of a portrait before. And then, there is nothing on that photo - except for a ''dark grey featureless silhouette''. The shock was enough to make eyes water. Now, you wouldn't want to miss out on this, [[http://imageshack.us/m/716/5553/aapwttdh.png would you?]] ]]
** [[spoiler:Dahlia's "back-turned" pose from the first case was very disturbing in its own right. There's just something darkly unsettling about seeing her back to you with that heavy shade across the side of her face. Like getting your first glimpse into hell itself. When she whipped around and fried all of her butterflies with her DeathGlare, it was actually a bit more comforting than her "violence in silence".]]
** The conclusion of Case 4, in which [[spoiler:Terry Fawles, the defendant whose acquittal is just inches away from happening, ''[[DrivenToSuicide kills himself]]''.]] Not only [[TearJerker heartwrenching]], but also quite horrifying because [[spoiler:he dies IN THE COURTROOM. BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES.]] Also becomes a whole new level of disturbing for me, because I know someone who has attempted [[spoiler:suicide]] at least once.
* In ''Apollo Justice'', perceiving [[spoiler:Kristoph Gavin]] is scary enough, but when you see his nervous habit--namely, [[spoiler:his hand tensing and a combination of his finger bones and the scar on his hand forming a demonic face]], you ''will'' shit bricks.
** [[spoiler:Kristoph's]] eyes. It doesn't help that they're hidden behind ScaryShinyGlasses when he testifies...
** Also, his [[spoiler:black Psyche-Locks. Just what the FUCK is he hiding that warrants not only five Psyche-Locks, but BLACK ones instead of the usual red ones?!]]
** It's not like he's hiding something really bad. The problem with the black-locks is that they mirror his ''undying will to not tell the truth.''. He'll do anything, ''anything'' to protect his secret, and will do it with infinite coldness. [[spoiler: Poisoning adults, children, lying, murdering people in cold blood... he's actually DONE all of this. Just imagine what that sick fuck would have done to Trucy, Apollo and Phoenix had he got out free.]]
* Perceiving in general. The creepy slower-than-usual music, the swirling background and the flickering eyeball at the bottom is usually enough to scare her off playing the game entirely.

* Spoiler for 1-4: [[spoiler: Manfred von Karma kills a man over what any sane person would consider a fairly trivial slight, then raises the dead man's son and twists him to be everything his own father would hate. The psychological scars he left on Miles and Franziska will be there long after he's dead.]]
** Running into him at the police station, in the same case, is horrible in and of itself; he just has this powerful "fuck off and die" aura to him. And then [[spoiler:he '''tases you. And steals your evidence.''']]
** A notable example is Manfred Von Karma's [[spoiler:''face'' when he has the taser out. It's on par with Shih-na's breakdown in terms of creepiness. It's a PsychoticSmirk all right. And the lines he says when having said expression are chilling: "It doesn't kill...usually.", or something like that.]]
* Depending on how sensitive you are to scary stuff, many witnesses can start to become this as they get more and more upset.
** April May is a notable example, the first sign of her cracking involving her expression changing from "Cheery ditz" to "I'm going to rip off your skin and wear it as a coat" and back again so quickly you almost miss it.
* Shelly de Killer deserves a mention. With his Leitmotif playing in the background, a red aura surrounding his person... you will have nightmares for weeks.
** Not only that, but he has STITCHES going right down the middle of his face. What the Hell caused this guy's face to need those stitches?
* And from Ace Attorney Investigations, ladies and gentlemen, I give you [[{{BlackEyesOfEvil}} the Proto Badger]]. Whether he's [[spoiler: every-so-slowly sneaking up behind you, a sword in hand]] or [[spoiler: popping out of the ground staring DIRECTLY AT THE PLAYER]], this azure abomination ''will'' frighten the pants off of you, more than any murder in this game. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NVJjIYSGf4 Pleasant dreams indeed...]]
** It doesn't help that at the time the Proto badger was acting like a dead corpse at the time.
* ''Investigations'', Case 5: That [[spoiler:Shih-na]] is a [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything psychopath]]![[hottip:*:Okay, yeah, it reminds us of ''[[VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi them]]''.]]
** In addition [[LaughingMad psychotic laughter]] and SlasherSmile involved in that VillainousBreakdown, [[spoiler:the lopsided PsychoticSmirk that increasingly replaces her normal expression as time goes on]] just gets more and more unsettling.
* In Investigation's there's [[spoiler:Quercus Alba's]] breakdown, where ''his skin begins to chip away and blown off'', leaving only his mummified-looking husk...
* ''Investigations'' Case 4: [[spoiler:Calisto pointing a gun at Edgeworth. In a series where the player character is rarely put under threat of death by another character, this can make the player's heart jump. To make things worse, Calisto '''shoots''', and Edgeworth JUST BARELY DODGES IT.]]
* ''Investigations 2'' has the second case's introduction, which features [[spoiler: Manosuke lying dead in a dank, eerily-lit prison, bleeding heavily (by the series' standards) from a neck wound inflicted by a hound with a bloodied snout...]] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnspSlcbJMA
* Richard Wellington's breakdown in ''Justice for All.'' Nothing quite like someone [[spoiler:STRANGLING HIMSELF with his own scarf '''until his skin actually turns blue.''']]
* The obligatory VillainousBreakdown is a creepy death glare.
--> '''Dahlia:''' "Do. You. Think. You've. Won? Well? Do you!?"
** Game 3, Case 5: [[spoiler: It ends by her GHOST being exorcised from a medium's body, complete with banshee scream, Hellfire and playing around with the text box.]]

* Richard Wellington's breakdown in ''Justice for All.'' Nothing quite like someone [[spoiler:STRANGLING HIMSELF with his own scarf '''until his skin actually turns blue.''']]

** The blinking makes it even more terrifying. Although, to be honest, [[spoiler: his subtle menace while in his jolly persona freaks me out a lot more than his stare. Not to mention "Wait. I said wait. Or didn't you hear me?" Yikes.]]

* In ''Justice for all'', Acro's situation is horrifying on many levels: [[spoiler:his brother died (well, not quite : his brother is in coma, and it's definitly sure that he won't recover, having suffered brain damage) because of Regina, he himself lost the use of his legs, and ''everyday'' Regina would take care of him (no characters make references of taking care of Acro themselves: the way they put it, it seems that Regina was the one who took care of him most of the time). That's right: the (unwilling) murderer of his brother was with him all that time, saying ''innocently'' that Bat became a star in the sky. With his brother in fact in coma, brother who he visited at the hospital multiple times, and the incessant company of the too sweet and innocent princess Regina, it's no wonder he snapped. The situation was so unbearable that he contemplated the idea of suicide, but didn't go through with it. And when he thought he finally had a chance to get his vengeance, he ends up killing his parental figure by accident. The poor man is completly and utterly broken.]]

* In Case 4 of Justice for All, we have [[spoiler: the truth about Engarde. The supposedly adorable, somewhat ditzy actor turns into a [[GoodScarsEvilScars scarred]], guilty as heck psycho. It's scary even if you had known from a walkthrough, etc. that he was guilty because it's just so unexpected.]]

* Richard Wellington's breakdown in ''Justice for All.'' Nothing quite like someone [[spoiler:STRANGLING HIMSELF with his own scarf '''until his skin actually turns blue.''']]
* [[spoiler:Dahlia's final breakdown (when she's possessing Iris). '''That scream.''']]

** A notable example is Manfred Von Karma's [[spoiler:''face'' when he has the taser out. It's on par with Shih-na's breakdown in terms of creepiness. It's a PsychoticSmirk all right. And the lines he says when havign said expression are chilling: "It doesn't kill...usually.", or something like that.]]

* ''Investigations 2'' has the second case's introduction, which features [[spoiler: Manosuke lying dead in a dank, eerily-lit prison, bleeding heavily (by the series' standards) from a neck wound inflicted by a hound with a bloodied snout...]] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnspSlcbJMA

** It's not like he's hiding something really bad. The problem with the black-locks is that they mirror his ''undying will to not tell the truth.''. He'll do anything, ''anything'' to protect his secret, and will do it with infinite coldness. [[spoiler: Poisoning adults, children, lying, murdering people in cold blood... he's actually DONE all of this. Just imagine what that sick fuck would have done to [[NightmareFuel Trucy, Apollo and Phoenix]] had he got out free.]]

* Spoiler for 1-4: [[spoiler: Manfred von Karma is his own kind of NightmareFuel. He kills a man over what any sane person would consider a fairly trivial slight, then raises the dead man's son and twists him to be everything his own father would hate. The psychological scars he left on Miles and Franziska will be there long after he's dead.]]
** Running into him at the police station, in the same case, is NightmareFuel in and of itself; he just has this powerful "fuck off and die" aura to him. And then [[spoiler:he '''tases you. And steals your evidence.''']]

* Depending on how sensitive you are to NightmareFuel, many witnesses can start to become this as they get more and more upset.

* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' has the infamous stare of Damon Gant, which can make many gamers uneasy when they see it. Not to mention that Gant's stare isn't nearly as creepy the first time you see it. The problem is, every time he does it, the stare goes on for even longer, and there's [[NothingIsScarier NO MUSIC PLAYING]]. By the time you [[spoiler:sneak into his office and he catches you]], he stares at you for so long in utter silence that it feels like [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou HE'S LOOKING DIRECTLY AT YOU!]] [[spoiler:[[IdleAnimation If not for his blinking.]]]]

** Beyond just his stare, the whole character is terrifying. It's the real-life fear of the CorruptCop, who ''will'' be believed over you by anyone in a position of authority [[spoiler:even if he has to blackmail them into going along with it]], who has no moral problem with abusing the full extent of his power, and against whom there is very little recourse- what are you going to do, call the cops? Fanon's MemeticMolester actually makes him ''less'' intimidating.

*** Not to mention [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkb_svMvYVQ#t=12m49s his final breakdown]], which is just pages upon pages upon pages of insane laughter.

** In case you wanted to see it, here it is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sD2knxwy6c]]. Took me a while to find it.

*** It's not like he's hiding something really bad. The problem with the black-locks is that they mirror his ''undying will to not tell the truth.''. He'll do anything, ''anything'' to protect his secret, and will do it with infinite coldness. [[spoiler: Poisoning adults, children, lying, murdering people in cold blood... he's actually DONE all of this. Just imagine what that sick fuck would have done to [[NightmareFuel Trucy, Apollo and Phoenix]] had he got out free.]]

* Two words: Jean Armstrong.
** I usually don't see that guy as Nightmare Fuel, but when Phoenix walks in on him rubbing oil on himself I made the mistake of [[SchmuckBait trying to picture it]]. OMG, the nightmares!

*** He is a payed assassin... Maybe some of his victims were strong and fought back? Ugh, I can see all the face-slashing glory in my mind.
* And from Ace Attorney Investigations, ladies and gentlemen, I give you [[{{BlackEyesOfEvil}} the Proto Badger]]. Whether he's [[spoiler: every-so-slowly sneaking up behind you, a sword in hand]] or [[spoiler: popping out of the ground staring DIRECTLY AT THE PLAYER]], this azure abomination ''will'' frighten the pants off of you, more than any murder in this game. Pleasant dreams...
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NVJjIYSGf4 Pleasant dreams indeed...]]
** The fan artists are [[http://pettyartist.deviantart.com/art/The-First-Badger-156090349 making]] [[http://hanshee.deviantart.com/art/Badger-Surprise-155816272 it]] [[http://hanshee.deviantart.com/art/Happy-Fun-156866678 even]] [[http://e1n.deviantart.com/art/BADGERBADGERBADGERBADGERBADGER-156796771 worse]]...
** This troper never found any of the badgers creepy, despite Phoenix and Apollo seeming a bit creeped out by them in-game, until the freaking Proto Badger's infamous [[spoiler:sneaking-up-on-Edgey-with-a-sword scene]]. Heck, my sister even screamed (pretty loudly) when she saw that part.

* Holy Ra, I can't believe no one has mentioned the scariest transformation of all: [[spoiler:Matt Engarde]] in 2-4. It's not just the scars; the way his expression changes so drastically makes him look like a completely different person. Even though I was expecting it (I'd seen spoilers, yeah), it still scared me how much his face just...morphs. Even knowing the spoilers, the complete 180 degree turn just creeped me out.
** If you want a [[AdultFear different kind of Nightmare Fuel]], let's approach things this way: [[spoiler:Up until this case, every last one of Phoenix's clients have been innocent of their crimes. But not this time. Phoenix is under the service of a ''murderer.'' Just to pile on the pressure, he can't back out of the case because the life of his partner Maya depends on him getting an acquittal for Matt. I wonder how all the attorneys and to-be attorneys reading this would feel about being forced to defend someone who is clearly a [[CompleteMonster psychopathic murderer]]...]]
** His [[spoiler:VillainousBreakdown]] is very scary in of itself, albeit [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome satisfying]]. [[spoiler:After convincing Shelly de Killer of breaking his contract with Matt Engarde, should you say that he is Not Guilty (or Guilty it really doesn't matter) he snaps and scratches himself multiple times convincing himself [[MadnessMantra GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY!!!!!]]]]

** Lessened somewhat by the fact that this is a flashback case.
* Being honest, every time Edgeworth has to deal with an earthquake gets me a little. Anyone who has a phobia and/or gets panic attacks will be able to identify with that, especially since, with him, it can get triggered with little to no warning...

** This troper never found any of the badgers creepy, despite Phoenix and Apollo seeming a bit creeped out by them in-game, until the freaking Proto Badger's infamous [[spoiler:sneaking-up-on-Edgey-with-a-sword scene]]. Heck, my sister even literally screamed when she saw that part.