History Main / GameFace

** {{Literature/Sharpe}}: Captain William Frederickson of the Royal American Rifles deliberately plays up his scars for intimidating effect, and always removes his wig, false teeth and glass eye before a fight to make his appearance more frightening.

* One important cutscene in ''Videogame/JakIIRenegade'' shows [[spoiler:Kor, the old friendly guy that was the one of the first contacts with the new world and gave you quests through the game]], with big grin with large grin for a second as he speaks to Jak, showing you that something is off. [[spoiler:He then proceeds to reveal that he is in fact the Metal Head leader and thrashes Praxis and his guards]].

* ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'': If you ever meet Beetlejuice, be sure to ask him "Can you be scary?"

* ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'': Absolutely everywhere, given that all of the monsters in it can take a perfect human disguise form, and given that a Global {{Masquerade}} is firmly in effect. [[HornyDevils Succubi]], [[AnIcePerson Yuki'onna]] and [[TakenForGranite Gorgons]] are all good examples of slighter changes (hair turning to ice, lengthening nails and ears or hair turning to snakes) while a great many other monsters show much more drastic change to their true forms. Of course while they are seldom angered enough to do so, the main characters have all shown ability to pull some very scary game faces despite their good natures.

* Lahmian- and Von Carstein-clan Vampires in ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'' are often said to be extremely beautiful and/or handsome. You would never tell this by the models, because they're always sculpted with their Game Faces on.

* In ''Webcomic/YokokasQuest'', Game Face: Copycat has game ''facial features'' rather than a game ''face'' per se - he occasionally reveals [[ExtraEyes additional glowing, stylized eyes]], [[EyesDoNotBelongThere which float around him]]. He's shown these when being [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-5-page-24/ menacing]], [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-7-page-13/ irritated]], or when [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-7-page-37/ travelling through shadows]].

* Bernie of ''ComicBook/DeathVigil'' has one, although the readers [[OffscreenMomentOfAwesome haven't gotten to see it as of this writing]].

** Maze's face looks about the same as in the original comic, half skull and half human. Trixie thinks it's awesome.
* ''Series/Moonlight2007'' vampires extend fangs and morph into slightly-beastly faces in a split-second. When dehydrated, their eyes turn yellow.

** The Leviathans, also body-hijackers, would show their true form whenever they would devour people, with their face splitting open to reveal a [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily gaping jaw lined with hundreds of teeth]].

** Played with regarding the [[{{Druid}} Darach]] in season 3, who appears as a bald, hideously scarred humanoid on occasion. The twist to this trope is that [[spoiler:this appearance isn't of supernatural origin; it's her real, human face which she got disfigured in her backstory, and she is using {{Glamour}} magic to make herself appear as she was before the incident.]]

** Werewolves have a slightly more subtle version of this; whenever their werewolf side manifest outside the full moon, the only physical change they go through is [[SupernaturalGoldEyes yellow, wolf-like eyes]]. When the full moon does happen however, one of the first signs they are transforming is getting these eyes ''plus'' fangs.

*** [[TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem Vampires]] with the Nightmare Discipline have Game Face as a starting power - Monstrous Countenance, which allows you to unleash the full and terrible visage of [[EnemyWithin the Beast]]. Most mortals flee on sight. In the Second Edition, one of the possible [[WeaksauceWeakness bans]] they can develop, "Face of Hunger", also causes them to develop an obviously monstrous face (typically [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]] and more corpse-like features) whenever they are starving.
*** [[TabletopGame/DemonTheDescent Demons]] can assume their true forms at will. Like their [=oWOD=] counterparts, they resemble angels or demons - though it's not dependent on their psyche - and add biomechanical horror to the mix as well. However, doing so is risky, as it may draw the attention of their former master, the God-Machine.

* In the ''Vampires'' ExpansionPack for ''VideoGame/TheSims4'', you can give vampire Sims a unique "vampire form" with various inhuman features of your choosing (or none at all). They put it on when feeding, using their vampire powers, or when they go hungry (which also causes them to start violently attacking others to drink their blood).

* The porcupine is able to exploit the above better than most. When calm, the porcupine's trademark quills (an adaptation of hair) lay back and flat so they don't interfere with his movement. When under threat, the porcupine then reflexively makes his hair stand on end, meaning his quills do the same, creating his signature defensive look.

* Behold the [[http://youtu.be/xVevkHXzy3Y Eastern Hognose Snake]], a harmless, even comical-looking serpent that puts on a heck of a show if anyone tries to eat it.
* Considered to be a big reason why Armadillos are known as "Texas Speedbumps". They have poor eye-sight, so when they suddenly realize an automobile is bearing down on them, they rise up on their hind legs to be more intimidating. [[MuggingTheMonster Which makes them just as tall as the car's bumper.]]

* The Irish folk hero Cuchulain had his "warp spasm", which is lovingly and nauseatingly described in Literature/TainBoCuailnge. You can read the relevant part [[http://benedante.blogspot.com/2011/02/who-or-what-is-cuchulainn.html here.]]

* ''Manga/MiraiNikki'': Murumuru, Deus's [[spoiler: and first world Yuno's, and second world Yuki's]] right hand... demon... gets this when [[spoiler: her bracelets are removed. She then gains superspeed and wild ferocity along with this.]]
* [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Shalltear Bloodfallen]] in ''LightNovel/{{Overlord}}'' normally appears as an ElegantGothicLolita, but when she [[BloodBath bathes in blood]], her {{glamour}} breaks and she turns into what can best be described as a humanoid [[LampreyMouth lamprey abomination]]. This trope and OneWingedAngel are apparently common in [[MonsterAdventurers heteromorphic races]], most of which can shapeshift into more humanoid forms, but receive a stat boost in their true forms. At least [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Albedo, Demiurge]] and [[BigCreepyCrawlies Entoma]] are confirmed to have similar transformations. Albedo shifts into something [[FanDisservice hairy and very large]] that is apparently reminiscent of a [[KillerGorilla gorilla]] ([[ViewersAreGeniuses very likely]] a [[https://media-waterdeep.cursecdn.com/avatars/thumbnails/0/261/1000/1000/636252768396688147.jpeg Nalfeshnee]]). Demiurge can shape his head into a froglike one that is likely a holdover from his Imp race, and is stated to have another yet unseen form. Entoma is a vaguely humanoid GiantSpider that looks like a human only because her extra legs are hidden in her dress, her face is concealed behind a mask, and even her cute voice is created by a special worm, without it, she has a raspy VoiceOfTheLegion.

* {{Invoked}} by the Night Guard of FanFic/RainbowDoubleDashsLunaverse. In addition to its other functions, their enchanted armor projects a glamor that makes them appear to have slitted eyes, tufted ears, bat wings, and razor-sharp fangs, in order to intimidate enemies.

** In ''Anime/YugiohArcV'', whenever Yuya gets angry enough to reveal his SuperpoweredEvilSide [[spoiler:Zarc]], his eyes [[RedEyesTakeWarning glow red]], his hair spikes up, and he gains a dark aura.

* ''Series/{{Moonlight}}'' vampires extend fangs and morph into slightly-beastly faces in a split-second. When dehydrated, their eyes turn yellow.

** Werewolves and other shapeshifters have several {{Game Face}}s somewhere between man and their animal form, up to the ultimate Crinos (or [[TabletopGame/WerewolfTheForsaken Gauru]], or whatever) man-wolf (or whatever half-animal) form. But in ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'' they can't display the Game Face to ordinary humans -- there's a thing called Delirium, which instinctively makes the human explain away or forget what they saw, and potentially go a little insane as well. In Forsaken, they will go insane most of the time(temporarily) but there's a small chance they can turn into a wolf-blooded or remember it. Furthermore, there are some powers that allow you to control it in a way

* The Library Ghost's transformation from sweet little old lady to skeletal hag provided one of the first and most memorable scares from ''Film/Ghostbusters1984'', and an unused version of her GameFace was recycled for the [[Film/FrightNight1985 next example]] a year later.

* ''Film/HanselAndGretelWitchHunters'': {{Inverted|Trope}}. Grand Witches can change ''out'' of their monstrous face and look like a regular (and beautiful) woman. Crosses back to straight since Muriel spends most of the movie looking pretty and dropping the disguise to affect a straight GameFace.

* All Wesen in ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' have this, which is how they are recognized by Grimms and each other. Normal (non-Grimm) humans still can't see it unless the Wesen want them to. The latter is called "woging" (pronounced with a "v") from German "woge" meaning "wave". Interestingly, while Grimms don't have a GameFace, their obvious reaction to a Wesen briefly showing theirs is what gives the Grimms away (the Wesen know when they're woging).

* In ''Webcomic/YokokasQuest'', GameFace: Copycat has game ''facial features'' rather than a game ''face'' per se - he occasionally reveals [[ExtraEyes additional glowing, stylized eyes]], [[EyesDoNotBelongThere which float around him]]. He's shown these when being [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-5-page-24/ menacing]], [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-7-page-13/ irritated]], or when [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-7-page-37/ travelling through shadows]].

* ''Fanfic/TheButcherBird'': Kaneki, and any ghoul by extension, gets a combination of BlackEyesOfCrazy and RedEyesTakeWarning when sufficiently pushed or when using their abilities. [[MadScientist Vinci]], [[spoiler: after implanting himself with the King's Heart]], has his eyes glow [[SupernaturalGoldenEyes gold]] whenever he's ticked off.

* In ''SheepsClothing'', the three vampires exhibit a form of this when they're hunting. The two brides show off red eyes and a mouthful of fangs, while their sire, Russeau, turns into a monstrous bat.

*** [[TabletopGame/PromtheanTheCreated Prometheans]] usually appear humans thanks to the Azoth disguising them, but using Pyros too blatantly will result in them briefly revealing disfigurements betraying their nature.

* Played for laughs in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', where the crew encounters some weird baby-looking aliens on a desert planet. One of the cute aliens gets hurt, and the others crowd around it as if to help it get water... only to reveal demonic faces with terrifyingly sharp teeth and devour the thing alive.

* Koro-Sensei of ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'' has a kaleidoscopic array of facial colors to convey his emotions. His game face comes in the form of Pitch Black. [[http://l.mfcdn.net/store/manga/10718/01-001.0/compressed/m039.jpg Extreme anger.]]

** Enforced in military training (ex. the United States Marines, as can be seen in "''Film/FullMetalJacket''") which asks their trainees to develop a "war face" to increase intimidation factor.

** White Court Vampires look beautiful and pale and when they go Game Face, it's the same, but with a distinctly inhuman bent to it.
*** To be specific, they usually look like pale and beautiful humans with silver-grey eyes. When they get serious, they become inhumanly pale, their eyes glow silvery white and their beauty becomes terrifying as well as alluring. During the one occasion a White Court vampire used her full powers, her entire body glowed silver and Harry himself barely resisted throwing himself at her feet, [[MindRape never mind the actual target of her...abilities]].

*** Usually the elves seem ''less'' impressive with their glamour off, usually described as small, pathetic, dull and gray. There's a deliberate parallel to TheGrays there.

** Heroic Example: Harry develops this in the first book with his eyes [[EyeColourChange alternately flashing gold, or outright burning gold]], with a [[CompellingVoice compelling]], [[VoiceOfTheLegion echoing voice, like two voices speaking at once]] occasionally thrown in for good measure. However, for all that it isn't a sign of incipient evil, it ''is'' generally noted to be extremely unnerving, something he exploits in the sequel for the intimidation factor.
** The Dark Phoenix [[spoiler: particularly the latest one, Harry]], goes from looking fairly normal to a HumanoidAbomination with an unnaturally elongated face, a severe case of ThroatLight and GlowingEyesOfDoom.