History NightmareFuel / ThiefDeadlyShadows

* The introductory cutscene for the Keepers. It shows a Keeper scribe writing down glyphs. Then the symbol he just wrote down changes before his eyes, and there is suddenly ''whispering'', like the writing itself was trying to speak into his mind, or perhaps ''something'' is reaching out through the writing. The Keeper tears off the entire page, and the whispering cuts off completely.

* If you thought Hammer Haunts were scary in the previous 2 games, oh boy, did they make them even more so in this game. Now not only do they still have the rattling chains, whispers and evil laughs from the previous games, they make a player bowel-voiding shriek of pure hatred at the top of their lungs whenever they spot you, attack or are killed. Have fun sleeping after hearing it and having them sprint at you at full speed.

[[caption-width-right:350:Well....Time For Bed......[[WesternAnimation/TheMagicRoundabout Said Zebedee]].]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Well....Time For Bed......[[WesternAnimation/TheMagicRoundabout Said Zebedee]].]]

** While in the morgue, take a good, long look at the design of the floor. There's a series of metal grilles to walk on, as there are in many places... except beneath this one is a river of (what appears to be) BLOOD

*** Most of the first area is the attic covered in metallic floor. Nothing like being scared shitless and cursing the game for not allowing you to sneak.

*** Jacob's Ladder-esque puppets (which may be animated by the Cradle, in the same way a child would play with toys) which twitch in a deeply unsettling manner and cause the lights nearby to flicker. Bring lots of Fire Arrows, and don't be afraid to use them.

*** That sickly, gasping, groaning noise made when you [[spoiler:enter the Cradle's memories]]
*** While nobody could be as scary as those puppets, a close second for "the game's scariest enemy" award would have to be the Cradle's ''"staff"'' [[spoiler: in it's dark flashback sequences]]. They are literally walking shadows, voids of pure, faceless blackness that walk around like people. And they '''''do''''' have one thing over the puppet inmates - they can kill you instantly with a single touch. It takes the puppets three or four swipes to accomplish the same thing.
*** Also somewhat disconcerting is the way the staff walk around leisurely, like it's just another day at the office, WHILE THE BUILDING'S ENGULFED IN FLAMES!
*** Deeply distressing reports of various "treatments" used on inmates.
*** FridgeBrilliance of the game's designers for sowing the seeds of The Cradle's atmosphere throughout the game right up until you actually play it.

*** The wet-wrap treatment room for three specific reasons

*** The reason you're venturing inside is because it is one of the few places where there had been a confirmed sighting of the [[spoiler:supernatural hag who can bring statues to life.]] The last time you met her, was a NightmareFuel in itself! It's not just the building that's terrifying, but the mission itself is, as well.

*** The fact that Garrett, usually completely unfazed by all the bizarre and horrible things he encounters, sounds deeply unnerved in the opening briefing before he even ''enters'' the damn place.

*** For most levels you are advised to track down a map of the level ''before'' you actually enter it. Most of these maps are in ordinary places, libraries, desks, ect. In the case of The Cradle, you litterally have to pry the map out of it's architect's cold, dead fingers. Not creeped out yet? He's entombed in a zombie-infested catacomb!
*** There's even something ''off'' about the entrance to the level. It's just an ordinary wooden gate, like so many others you've seen throughout the game - with one subtle differance: On either side is a statue in an austere, religious-like pose. And they are faceless. Creepy.
*** And once you finish the Cradle, they disappear... [[spoiler:(thanks to Gamall bringing them to life later in the game)]]
*** Garrett's voice actor does a lot with his minimal lines to show just how unsettled he is.

*** Her nightie is locked inside [[spoiler:ONE OF THE PAITENTS ROOMS! Oh, God...]]
*** The fact that [[spoiler: pretending to commit suicide]] is the only way you have of actually escaping this nightmarish level.
*** And doesn't innocent little Lauryl sound so undisturbed when she explains this to you?
*** Your final dash to freedom requires you to [[spoiler: run right through the middle of a gathering of administrators who have the ability to kill you permanently, rather than sending you out of the patient's incarnation, and ''pray'' that they won't be able to react quickly enough to stop you.]]
*** While sneaking around, avoiding the God forsaken mockeries of what are left of the nine most extreme patients, you'll eventually have to start looking in the various patients' rooms to track down Lauryl's stuff. Besides the fact the puppets are near-relentless in ripping you apart, once you get ''near'' their rooms [[spoiler: you get to hear their reactions to ''the place burning.'']] Some of them are quiet, but a lot of the patients are shrieking in abject horror or bawling their eyes out. It just goes to show, even if they're predatory beasts now, the ghosts of these monsters were once human, just like you, and their spirits will constantly be reliving [[spoiler: the day the fire came.]]
*** While in the morgue, take a good, long look at the design of the floor. There's a series of metal grilles to walk on, as there are in many places... except beneath this one is a river of (what appears to be) BLOOD

*** The reason your venturing inside is because it is one of the few places where there had been a confirmed sighting of the [[spoiler:supernatural hag who can bring statues to life.]] The last time you met her, was a NightmareFuel in itself! It's not just the building that's terrifying, but the mission itself is, as well.

*** Also somewhat disconcerting is the way the staff walk around leisurely, like it's just another day at the office, WHILE THE BUILDING'S ENGOLFED IN FLAMES!

*** The entire first half of the level for the simple reason that [[spoiler:there is not a single enemy (or sentient being save Lauryl) before you reach the Inner Cradle. This means that, thanks to your less-than-comforting briefing, and the bone-chilling discoveries you make in the first area, you'll at least spend the entirety of the Outer Cradle creeping around corners and jumping at every single damn shadow, but never having his fears validated.]] Of course, if you played before or read about it, the edge is taken off. The first time is hell though.

*** And once you finish the Cradle, they disappear...

*** The entire first half of the level for the simple reason that [[spoiler:there is not a single enemy (or sentient being save Laurel) before you reach the Inner Cradle. This means that, thanks to your less-than-comforting briefing, and the bone-chilling discoveries you make in the first area, you'll at least spend the entirety of the Outer Cradle creeping around corners and jumping at every single damn shadow, but never having his fears validated.]] Of course, if you played before or read about it, the edge is taken off. The first time is hell though.

*** And doesn't innocent little Laurel sound so undisturbed when she explains this to you?

*** If you've been paying attention up till now during the game, the cradle will probably have already made an impression. Various conversations you overhear and notes and books you find mention the cradle, and it's vague but definite darkness. The fact that the whole city is terrified of it becomes blatantly obvious. At first the mentions of it makes you curious about it and perhaps eager to explore it. But you soon begin to realize that it is not so intriguing as it is fearsome. Still, by the way it's name keeps crossing your path, you just '''know''', that at some point, the game will make you venture inside.

*** Jacob's Ladder-esque zombies which twitch in a deeply unsettling manner and cause the lights nearby to flicker. Bring lots of Fire Arrows, and don't be afraid to use them.

*** There's even something ''off'' about the entrance to the level. It's just an ordinary wooden gate, like so many others you've seen throughout the game - with one subtle differance: On either side is a statue in an austere, religious-like pose. And they are faceless. creepy.

* If you thought Hammer Haunts were scary in the previous 2 games, oh boy, did they make them even more so in this game. Now not only do they still have the rattling chains, whispers and evil laughs from the previous games, they make a player bowel-voiding shriek of pure hatred at the top of their lungs whenever they spot you or are killed. Have fun sleeping after hearing it and having them sprint at you at full speed.

*** Also somewhat disconcerting is the way the staff walk around leisurely, like it's just another day at the office, WHILE THE BUILDING'S ENGOLFED IN FLAMES!

*** If you've been paying attention up till now during the game, the cradle will probably have already made an impression. Various conversations you overhear and notes and books you find mention the cradle, and it's vague but definite darkness. The fact that the whole city is terrified of it becomes blatantly obvious. At first the mentions of it makes you curious about it and perhaps eager to explore it. But you soon begin to realize that it is not so intriguing as it is fearsome. Still, by the way it's name keeps crossing your path, you just '''know''', that at some point, the game will make you venture inside.
*** A letter you can optionally steal reveals that the reason this long-burnt-out-husk-of-a-building is still standing is because no construction company in the City is brave or stupid enough to go near it!
*** The reason your venturing inside is because it is one of the few places where there had been a confirmed sighting of the [[spoiler:supernatural hag who can bring statues to life.]] The last time you met her, was a NightmareFuel in itself! It's not just the building that's terrifying, but the mission itself is, as well.
*** Specifically, the sighting that your investigating involved the [[spoiler:hag killing a child.]]
*** The fact that Garrett, usually completely unfazed by all the bizarre and horrible things he encounters, sounds deeply unnerved in the opening briefing before he even ''enters'' the damn place.
*** ''"I'm used to the dark, but '''this''' feels like a house with '''bad dreams.'''"''
*** For most levels you are advised to track down a map of the level ''before'' you actually enter it. Most of these maps are in ordinary places, libraries, desks, ect. In the case of The Cradle, you litterally have to pry the map out of it's architect's cold, dead fingers. Not creeped out yet? He's entombed in a zombie-infested catacomb!
*** There's even something ''off'' about the entrance to the level. It's just an ordinary wooden gate, like so many others you've seen throughout the game - with one subtle differance: On either side is a statue in an austere, religious-like pose. And they are faceless. creepy.
** Garrett doesn't speak much, either.
-->'''Garret''': [''checking the way he came in and finding it locked''] [[ThisIsGonnaSuck It won't open. That's not a good sign]].
*** Then, when he finds Lauryl's blood: "This must be hers. It's still warm. Great..." The fact that Garrett sounds positively squeamish does not help.
*** He laughs because there's no down button for the elevator at the top.

*** And doesn't innocent little Laurel sound so undisturbed when she explains this to you?
*** Your final dash to freedom requires you to [[spoiler: run right through the middle of a gathering of administrators who have the ability to kill you permanently, rather than sending you out of the patient's incarnation, and ''pray'' that they won't be able to react quickly enough to stop you.]]

*** Also somewhat disconcerting is the way the staff walk around leisurely, like it's just another day at the office, WHILE THE BUILDING'S ENGOLFED IN FLAMES!

*** If you've been paying attention up till now during the game, the cradle will probably have already made an impression. Various conversations you overhear and notes and books you find mention the cradle, and it's vague but definite darkness. The fact that the whole city is terrified of it becomes blatantly obvious. At first the mentions of it makes you curious about it and perhaps eager to explore it. But you soon begin to realize that it is not so intriguing as it is fearsome. Still, by the way it's name keeps crossing your path, you just '''know''', that at some point, the game will make you venture inside.
*** A letter you can optionally steal reveals that the reason this long-burnt-out-husk-of-a-building is still standing is because no construction company in the City is brave or stupid enough to go near it!
*** The reason your venturing inside is because it is one of the few places where there had been a confirmed sighting of the [[spoiler:supernatural hag who can bring statues to life.]] The last time you met her, was a NightmareFuel in itself! It's not just the building that's terrifying, but the mission itself is, as well.
*** Specifically, the sighting that your investigating involved the [[spoiler:hag killing a child.]]
*** The fact that Garrett, usually completely unfazed by all the bizarre and horrible things he encounters, sounds deeply unnerved in the opening briefing before he even ''enters'' the damn place.
*** ''"I'm used to the dark, but '''this''' feels like a house with '''bad dreams.'''"''
*** For most levels you are advised to track down a map of the level ''before'' you actually enter it. Most of these maps are in ordinary places, libraries, desks, ect. In the case of The Cradle, you litterally have to pry the map out of it's architect's cold, dead fingers. Not creeped out yet? He's entombed in a zombie-infested catacomb!
*** There's even something ''off'' about the entrance to the level. It's just an ordinary wooden gate, like so many others you've seen throughout the game - with one subtle differance: On either side is a statue in an austere, religious-like pose. And they are faceless. creepy.
*** Garrett doesn't speak much, either.
--->'''Garret''': [''checking the way he came in and finding it locked''] [[ThisIsGonnaSuck It won't open. That's not a good sign]].

*** And doesn't innocent little Laurel sound so undisturbed when she explains this to you?
*** Your final dash to freedom requires you to [[spoiler: run right through the middle of a gathering of administrators who have the ability to kill you permanently, rather than sending you out of the patient's incarnation, and ''pray'' that they won't be able to react quickly enough to stop you.]]

*** Garrett speaks once during the entire Cradle. Once. A simple, matter-of-fact observation that the way he came in is locked, and it just makes it all the more chilling.
**** ''Twice''. When you get Lauryl's blood. ''"This must be Hers. It's still warm. Great..."'' The fact that Garrett sounds positively squeamish does not help.

* Definitely not the worst part of the third game, but what about that haunted ship level? On your first playthough, it's definitely the worst part of the game up to that point.
** While we're on that topic, the room with the mad, rambling captain's widow as also quite unnerving. [[spoiler:Of course, she just sits there rambling away while you go through the room, but you stay on edge, not knowing if she will do something, or how dangerous she will be. Which pretty much sums up in a nutshell why there's so much stigmata against crazy people in real life.]]
** This part contains another instance of the [[NothingIsScarier "never truly explained"]] fear, as you never learn exactly ''why'' the ship's crew were all turned into zombies. The only "clue" you get is an otherwise normal log entry by the captain that cuts off in mid-sentence.

-->''"Did they cry? Your quasi-brethren? Did they scream: 'Do not do this thing! It will destroy us all!' I suppose that's what they must believe... and I suppose they are right."''