History Main / MonsterCloset

* Does MonstersInc count as a non-videogame variation? Technically, the closets aren't hidden, but it's impossible to tell from the outside when one of them's gonna open and reveal a monster.

* ''{{Doom}}'' did it a lot. Often times rooms would be just a pedestal with an item on them, but taking the item opens up all the walls to reveal nasties.

* Many examples in ''DukeNukem 3D'', many of which could be avoided by using the jetpack to quickly fly over the EventFlag.

* Skewered and fricassed in ZeroPunctuation's Review of ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', a modern adherent to the original version of the trope. The narrator notes that monsters pop out of identical air vents so often there's no surprise when they do, but that the air vent doesn't go anywhere, suggesting the poor beastie had to pry off the cover, put the cover back on once it was inside, and just take a nap. Since ''Franchise/DeadSpace'' is a SurvivalHorror game, knowing where the enemies are all but guaranteed to jump out from certainly removes a ton of suspense.

* Skewered and fricassed in ZeroPunctuation's Review of ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', a modern adherent to the original version of the trope. The narrator notes that monsters pop out of identical air vents so often there's no surprise when they do, but that the air vent doesn't go anywhere, suggesting the poor beastie had to pry off the cover, put the cover back on once it was inside, and just take a nap. Since ''DeadSpace'' is a SurvivalHorror game, knowing where the enemies are all but guaranteed to jump out from certainly removes a ton of suspense.

* ''{{Portal}}'' explains where the turrets-in-the-walls come from by showing you a whole distribution system for them criss-crossing the entire facility.

* Skewered and fricassed in ZeroPunctuation's Review of DeadSpace2, a modern adherent to the original version of the trope. %%Needs quote here, can't remember it now.

* Mercilessly mocked by ZeroPunctuation when it was done by DeadSpace2. The narrator notes that monsters pop out of identical air vents so often there's no surprise when they do, but that the air vent doesn't go anywhere, suggesting the poor beastie had to pry off the cover, put the cover back on once it was inside, and just take a nap. Since DeadSpace is a SurvivalHorror game, knowing where the enemies are all but guaranteed to jump out from certainly removes a ton of suspense.

* It's been almost entirely replaced by "Ah, they're coming out of the air vents!" in video games. Though the exact same problems apply to those as do to the monster closets.

Primarily a FirstPersonShooter trope, although it's becoming largely discredited, due to better storytelling techniques.

* The first ''Unreal'', generally averted this trope, placing enemies in sensible positions, still plays it straight once near the start. Up to that moment you've only encountered Brutes (slow and easy to kill, if quick to shoot), tentacles (plants that shoot nearly harmless spikes) and birds (quick but easy to dodge and kill), wiping out the whole of them. The task at hand is to deactivate a generator powering a forcefield. Upon coming back from this task, the long, narrow corridor you've already walked through before starts getting dark, as lights switch off. [[spoiler:Right about the time you start to wonder what the hell's going on, a Skaarj Warrior jumps out from the darkness from a previously closed closet-sized empty room and proceeds to scare the living daylights out of you.]]

* The ''{{Quake}}'' series does it sometimes in [[VideoGame/{{Quake}} the first]] [[QuakeII 2 installments]].

** At least in the spirit of this trope, tho, as you play ''Left 4 Dead'' or ''Left 4 Dead 2'', you will encounter plenty of zombie configurations that will make you stop and ask, "How the hell did this happen? How did these guys get here? Why did they stay?" It's happened to me several times.

* How do you forget ''ResidentEvil''? Dogs and zombies coming through windows? Check. A zombie bursting out of a literal closet? Check. Licker crashing through the one-way mirror? Check.
** You can't leave out Oven Man from ResidentEvil4. Leon will even lampshade this by wondering what he was doing in there.

* Happens in Ayelid Ruins in ''{{Oblivion}}''.

** They did it with ''Doom 3'', where it stretched believability to the breaking point.

* The ''{{Quake}}'' series does it sometimes in [[Game/{{Quake}} the first]] [[QuakeII 2 installments]].

** At least in the spirit of this trope, tho, as you play Left 4 Dead or Left 4 Dead 2, you will encounter plenty of zombie configurations that will make you stop and ask, "How the hell did this happen? How did these guys get here? Why did they stay?" It's happened to me several times.

* The first ''Unreal'', generally averted this trope, placing enemies in sensible positions, still plays it straight once near the start. Up to that moment you've only encountered Brutes (slow and easy to kill, if quick to shoot), tentacles (plants that shoot nearly harmless spikes) and birds (quick but easy to dodge and kill), wiping out the whole of them. The task at hand is to activate a generator (or something). Upon coming back from this task, the long, narrow corridor you've already walked through before starts getting dark, as lights switch off. [[spoiler:Right about the time you start to wonder what the hell's going on, a Skaarj Warrior jumps out from the darkness from a previously closed closet-sized empty room and proceeds to scare the living daylights out of you.]]

*** That, to my mind, is why the game is basically really awesome on the first play-thru, and then it has no replay value at all. Because they rely very heavily on monster-closet ambushes, and they're basically only surprising or interesting the first time you trigger them. And, after a certain point and the Nth ambush, not even the first time.

* {{Quake}} series does it sometimes in the first 2 installments.

* Happens in Ayelid Ruins in {{Oblivion}}.
* Many examples in DukeNukem 3D, many of which could be avoided by using the jetpack to quickly fly over the [[EventFlag event flag]].

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** ''FreemansMind'' points out that not only is this the reason the facility is falling apart, but that an alien could teleport into a person. [[NightmareFuel At any time.]]