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Nightmare Fuel: Resident Evil 3 Nemesis
Resident Evil 3 Nemesis is trying to be scary, it's Survival Horror, but it does better than expected with the eponymous monster. The reason? Unlike most of the enemies, it can appear anywhere. The only clue that it's about to attack you? The music turns dramatic and a voice groans "STARS..." from just offscreen.
The game was made even scarier when played with a scratched disc. The game was entirely unaffected except for one thing: no scary music when the Nemesis shows up. You think he's creepy when you hear the dramatic music swell? Imagine that instead all you hear is silence.
Try this on for size: the first time playing the game, having to do so on a TV that had sound and color problems (i.e. speakers were completely busted and everything was tinged into a greenish hue); in other words, not even the Nemesis' telltale "STARSSSSSSS..." groan was available, nor some of the stuff hidden in darker corners of the maps. Imagine the complete shock when all of a sudden, you run out of the save point under the stairs in the police station the first time Nemesis comes out with a rocket launcher and like, right the next moment, he's blasted you to smithereens. Enough to make you swear to never play the game again without proper sound and colors.
Just the sheer idea of a hulking monstrosity constantly stalking you, and being specifically created to come after you until you are DEAD is scary as all hell.
A particularly scary music is the misleadingly titled "Never Give Up The Escape", heard mainly in empty rooms, of all places. A low drone piece punctuated by bell scare chords, and ominous ethereal choir.
Let's not forget "Feel the Tense" playing in the background when the Nemesis can still show up at any time.
In one cutscene, either Carlos or Nicolai is forced to kill a comrade named Murphy who is turning into a zombie.
It's arguable worse with Carlos; Nicholai's outright sociopathic and has no problem shooting the man, but Murphy has to beg Carlos to kill him.
A bit of Fridge Horror really, but you'll notice quite a lot of buildings boarded up rather well that you can't enter and there appears to be no sign the zombies broke into these homes. This implies there are still people hold up in their homes hoping for a rescue. If only they knew....
The very idea of Nemesis - a Body Horror-infused Implacable Man with Combat Tentaclesand the brains to use heavy weaponry, whose sole drive overriding everything including pain and any instinct for self preservation is to hunt you down and kill you. Early in game, it's unlikely you'll have enough ammo to take him out. Ah well, there's always the ability to run; Tyrants are always slow in their first form. Except for this one. He can chase you down right from the get go. Add in the rocket launcher, the fact that he can chase you between rooms, and his instant death attack in his first form, and you've got nightmares.
The first time the player enters the chapel save room in the clocktower. After collecting one of the keys at the back of the room and making their way to the exit... the ceiling suddenly vibrates. Plaster rains down. The soothing save room music abruptly stops. Nothing else actually happens, but the fact this happens in a save room is horribly unsettling.
The aptly named "Dead Factory". The complex itself is nightmarish; it's a treatment facility used to clean up after Umbrella's mess and do away with the bodies, but in the events leading up to the game the factory became overflooded with bodies and failed test subjects that the treatment fluid became contaminated and the virus began to spread within the factory. The place is gravely unsettling when you visit it. The most chilling fact however is that there is a document found in the complex which details employees how to handle trespassers even if they accidently stumble upon the factory. Basically if they resist, they shoot the civilian and if they surrender they are taken captive and used as test subjects. What the hell?!
Some of the death animations (you can see all of them here, but be warned, it's not for the faint of heart) are pretty disturbing, like when the Nemesis picks up Jill and slams her to the floor over and over again, and when the Hunter-Gammas swallow Jill whole.
