History NightmareFuel / HouseOfTheDead

* Based on location test footage, due to 3 and 4 and its special version (Which have more modern looking graphics) not having a civilian mechanic, this is the first game (not counting Overkill) since 2 to feature civilians that need rescuing, and that means we're going to see the zombies attacking humans with graphics the scale of today's triple-A games, and it doesn't look pretty.

* While [[spoiler:[[AndThenJohnWasAZombie Zombie Goldman]] was more on the {{Narm}} side in ''2'', he is absolutely ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZxBFhe0Is terrifying]]'' in this game.

* In the background for[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cYzPFI5qKs Stage 2's music]], a CreepyChild says something along the lines of "I love daddy" and audio can be heard from the Space Shuttle ''Challenger'' disaster. Especially creepy given that the entire crew onboard died...

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* The original ''House of the Dead'' has perhaps the creepiest atmosphere of the bunch, with less cartoonish-looking dismemberment of enemies compared to parts 2 and 3, and zombie designs in the early stages that don't look nearly as gimmicky as what comes later in the series, helping remind the player that these things used to be ordinary people. Their moans and screams also sound a lot less human in this one.

* The arcade version of Zombie Sophie from the first can be really terrifying.
** And in the second and fourth games, [[spoiler:Zombie Goldman]]. While {{Narm}} in [=HotD2=], he is ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZxBFhe0Is terrifying]]'' in ''[=HotD4=]''.
* One of The Fool's attacks consists of him shaking up the cage and raining his meal, which is ''horribly'' mutilated corpses, down upon you. Most of which will ''damage you'' if you don't shoot them out of the way.
** Not to mention The Fool himself is rather frightening with those souless eyes and sharp teeth, the snarling sounds, and the fact that unlike regular sloths, he's ''really'' fast, fast enough to catch up with you to slice you up with his claws.
* At the end of ''4''[='=]s fourth chapter, Kate and James are treated to [[spoiler:[[SceneryGorn a view of the burning cityscape]], implying that the ZombieApocalypse this time around has reached catastrophic levels. Kate's HeroicBSOD is very much justified.]]
* Out of all the final bosses, [[spoiler:The World from the fourth game is probably the most chilling out of them all. He's essentially an improved version of The Emperor who looks like a giant humanoid insect and was underground outside Goldman's headquarters for probably a long time finally awakening when James and Kate reach to the end. He speaks in an ominous tone declaring that there is no hope and proceeds to fight. The music to this fight also has this dark, quiet, but tense feeling that you're fighting probably the most threatening monster in the franchise thus far. To add to that he's got TWO forms and even after beating his second form, he molts his skin and begins to grow in spite of the bullets shot at him resulting James sacrificing himself to destroy the beast. In a nutshell, The World was the closest that any mutant came to destroying humanity.]]

* The bad ending of ''3'', where Daniel Curien and Lisa Rogan have just survived their ordeal, only for Daniel to start writhing and ranting about his father's legacy and what his purpose is. He uncovers his face just as he transforms into a zombie, and the game ends on Lisa's terrified scream.

** And in the second and fourth games, [[spoiler:Zombie Goldman.]] While {{Narm}} in [=HotD2=], he is ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZxBFhe0Is terrifying]]'' in ''[=HotD4=]''.

** Not to mention The Fool himself is rather frightening with those souless eyes and sharp teeth, the snarling sounds, and the fact that unlike regular sloths he's ''really'' fast, fast enough to catch up with you to slice you up with his claws.

* Out of all the final bosses [[spoiler:The World from the fourth game is probably the most chilling out of them all. He's essentially an improved version of The Emperor who looks like a giant humanoid insect and was underground outside Goldman's headquarters for probably a long time finally awakening when James and Kate reach to the end. He speaks in an ominous tone declaring that there is no hope and proceeds to fight. The music to this fight also has this dark, quiet, but tense feeling that you're fighting probably the most threatening monster in the franchise thus far. To add to that he's got TWO forms and even after beating his second form, he molts his skin and begins to grow in spite of the bullets shot at him resulting James sacrificing himself to destroy the beast. In a nutshell, The World was the closest that any mutant came to destroying humanity.]]

* The Star, the penultimate boss of ''4'', is a ''greatly'' improved version of the Magician. That in itself is the scary part - Goldman ''learned from his mistakes''.
* The bad ending of ''3'', where Daniel Curien and Lisa Rogan have just survived their ordeal, only for Daniel to start writhing and ranting about his father's legacy and what his purpose is. He uncovers his face just as transforms into a zombie, and the game ends on Lisa's terrified scream.

* The Star, the penultimate boss of ''4'', is a ''greatly'' improved version of the Magician. That in itself is the scary part - Goldman ''learned from his mistakes''.

** Not to mention The Fool himself is rather frightening with those souless eyes, those sharp teeth, the snarling sounds, and the fact that unlike regular sloths, he's ''really'' fast, fast enough to catch up with you to slice you up with his claws,

* Out of all the final bosses [[spoiler:The World from the fourth game is probably the most chilling out of them all. He's essentially an improved version of The Emperor who looks like a giant humanoid insect and was underground outside Goldman's headquarters for probably a long time finally awakening when James and Kate reach to the end. He speaks in an ominous tone declaring that there is no hope and proceeds to fight. The music to this fight also has this dark, quiet, but tense feeling that you're fighting probably the most threatening monster in the franchise thus far. To add to that he's got TWO forms and even after beating his second form, he molts his skin and begins to grow in spite of the bullets shot at him resulting James sacrificing himself to destroy the beast. In a nutshell, The World was the closest that any mutant came to destroying humanity.]]

** And in the second and fourth games, [[spoiler:Zombie Goldman.]] While {{Narm}} in [=HotD2=], he is ''terrifying'' in ''[=HotD4=]''.

* The zombies and bosses in the fourth game. ''Especially'' [[TarotMotifs Justice]]. To elaborate, one of Justice's attacks involve grabbing you, and you have to shake the SMG ''fast'' in order to break free of his grasp or he will lick you ForMassiveDamage. The [[BlatantLies lovely]] [[NightmareFace close-up]] of his face, especially with that '''tongue'''... *shudder*

* Out of all the final bosses [[spoiler:[[The World from the fourth game is probably the most chilling out of them all. He's essentially an improved version of The Emperor who looks like a giant humanoid insect and was underground outside Goldman's headquarters for probably a long time finally awakening when James and Kate reach to the end. He speaks in an ominous tone declaring that there is no hope and proceeds to fight. The music to this fight also has this dark, quiet, but tense feeling that you're fighting probably the most threatening monster in the franchise thus far. To add to that he's got TWO forms and even after beating his second form, he molts his skin and begins to grow in spite of the bullets shot at him resulting James sacrificing himself to destroy the beast. In a nutshell, The World was the closest that any mutant came to destroying humanity.]]

** Not to mention The Fool himself is rather frightening with those souless eyes, those sharp teeth, the snarling sounds, and the fact unlike regular sloths, he's ''really'' fast, fast enough to catch up with you to slice you up with his claws,

** The Empress is a close second, being a gigantic yet ''very'' fast creature with dark blue skin and glowing red eyes on an otherwise featureless face, wielding a double-ended chainsaw it uses to cut apart the subway cars James and Kate are trapped on.

** Not to mention The Fool himself is rather frightening with those souless eyes, those sharp teeth, the snarling sounds, and the fact unlike regular sloths, he's really fast, fast enough to catch up with you to slice you up with his claws,

** Not to mention The Fool himself is rather frightening with those souless eyes, those sharp teeth, the snarling sounds, and the fact unlike regular sloths he's really fast, fast enough to catch up with you to slice you up with his claws,

* In ''Overkill''[='=]s final chapter, [[spoiler:not only is Varla's brain swapped out for that of Clement's mother, it's plainly visible from the back; not only is a good chunk of her scalp missing, so is part of her cranium!]]

* Meat Katie from ''Overkill'', a mutated butcher who has transformed into a minotaur (with a steer ''skull'' for a face!) wielding a giant knife. Even more disturbing than the creature is its death, falling head first into its own meat grinder.
* Also from ''Overkill'', the Crawler, a giant, mantis-like mutant fought on top of a train. During the fight, it will hop off the train into the forest on either side. You'll look around, only to find it ''right next to you'', ready to attack.
* Almost every single one of the mutants are this, especially in ''Overkill'', as they're the byproduct of the zombie serum having a weird reaction to them. [[spoiler:The two strippers are some of the worst, as you know ''just hours before'' they were hot, but normal, girls. Now one is an obese monstrosity while the other is a gollum-like imp creature.]]

** And in the second and fourth games, [[spoiler:Zombie Goldman.]]

* Almost every single one of the mutants are this, especially in Overkill as they're the byproduct of the zombie serum having a weird reaction to them. [[spoiler: The two strippers are some of the worst, as you know ''just hours before'' they were hot, but normal, girls. Now one is an obese monstrosity while the other is a gollum-like imp creature.]]

* Also from ''Overkill'', the Crawler, a giant, mantis-like mutant fought on top of a train. During the fight, it will hop off the train into the forest on either side. You'll look around, only to find it ''right next to you'', ready to attack.

* Meat Katie from ''Overkill'', a mutated butcher who has transformed into a minotaur wielding a giant knife. Even more disturbing than the creature is its death, falling head first into its own meat grinder.

* At the end of ''4''[='=]s fourth chapter, Kate and James are treated to [[spoiler:[[SceneryGorn a view of the burning cityscape]], implying that the ZombieApocalypse this time around has reached catastrophic levels. Kate's HeroicBSOD is very much justified.]]

* The original ''House of the Dead'' has perhaps the creepiest atmosphere of the bunch, with less cartoonish-looking dismemberment of enemies compared to parts 2 and 3, and enemy designs in the early stages that don't look nearly as gimmicky as what comes later. Their moans and screams also sound a lot less human in this one.

** The Empress is a close second, being a gigantic yet ''very'' fast creature with dark blue skin, glowing red eyes on an otherwise featureless face, wielding a double-ended chainsaw it uses to cut apart the subway cars James and Kate are trapped on.

* At the end of ''4''[='=]s fourth chapter, Sophie and James are treated to [[spoiler:[[SceneryGorn a view of the burning cityscape]], implying that the ZombieApocalypse this time around has reached catastrophic levels. Sophie's HeroicBSOD is very much justified.]]

* In ''Overkill'', [[spoiler:not only is Varla's brain swapped out for that of Clement's mother, it's plainly visible from the back; not only is a good chunk of her scalp missing, so is part of her cranium!]]