History NightmareFuel / Wolfenstein3D

* ''Wolfenstein 3d'' is one of the most notable early examples portraying a liminal space horror thanks to some areas being eerily sparse on features or not making sense for practical use. Episode 2 has this effect as some levels meander off in an almost dream-like sensation. Compare and contrast with Episode 5 which has relatively normal levels with relatively few oddball design choices, by virtue of being designed by Creator/JohnRomero who preferred making his levels straightforward and more action-focused.

* Episode 3, Floor 7 appears quite mundane, until you find the secret maze. The maze itself occupies around 2/3 of the map and does not have any landmarks to help you along. The maze is textured in the same wood-panels all through out and evokes NothingIsScarier. You get a treasure trove and an elevator ''(found behind a push-wall near the maze re-entrance)'' to a [[VideoGame/PacMan unique secret level]] for solving the maze, so your spirits will likely be lifted after that ordeal.

!!Meta
* In hindsight, the orthogonal layout and unnaturally bright and even lighting can be off-putting in the context of WebOriginal/TheBackrooms liminal space horror series. Both series feature some levels with dingy yellowed walls, with Wolfenstein using masonry and The Backrooms using faded wallpaper on drywall. Both series also feature levels with maze-like sections and the lack of height variations is similar to "Level 0" in The Backrooms.

* As you venture through Floor 16 in ''Spear of Destiny'' and listen to the music that signals the presence of a boss, you find and kill lots of Nazi soldiers, wondering who's the big enemy going to challenge you this time. After a while, you find the key that gives you access to the encased central area of the floor, then kill some more soldiers as you get there, then enter the sky-blue steel room... and ''then'' find this frightening, giant-sized mutant which is ready to ruin your day. This bastard has [[MultiArmedAndDangerous four arms]], [[DualWielding each with]] [[KnifeNut a meat cleaver in hand]], and the barrel assembly of [[GatlingGood a fucking gatling gun]] [[BodyHorror grafted to his chest]]. The scariest part is that, like all mutants, he doesn't warn you about his presence, so meeting him all of a sudden comes off as very disturbing. If you're not paying attention, he'll reduce you to a mulchy paste before you can even react.

* Fighting Hitler himself can be quite [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]], but his gory [[LudicrousGibs death animation]] can be a startling surprise. He literally melts into a pile of gore, with his head detaching. Still, considering the atrocities and horror under his regime and the remains of the prisoners of war in the castles you explore, it doesn't get much better than his duel with you reducing him to a pile of mush.

* Fighting Hitler himself can be quite [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]], but his gory [[LudicrousGibs death animation]] can be a startling surprise. He literally melts into a pile of gore, with his head detaching.

* In hindsight, the orthogonal layout and unnaturally bright and even lighting can be off-putting in the context of WebOriginal/TheBackrooms liminal space horror series. Both series feature some levels with dingy yellowed walls, with Wolfenstein using masonry and ''The Backrooms'' using faded wallpaper on drywall. Both series also feature levels with maze-like sections and the lack of height variations is similar to "Level 0" in The Backrooms.

* In hindsight, the orthogonal layout and unnaturally bright and even lighting can be off-putting in the context of WebOriginal/TheBackrooms liminal space horror series. Both series feature some levels with dingy yellowed walls, with Wolfenstein using masonry and ''The Backrooms'' using faded wallpaper on drywall. Both series also feature levels with maze-like sections and the lack of height variations is similar to "Level 0" in ''The Backrooms''.

* In hindsight, the orthogonal layout and unnaturally bright and even lighting can be off-putting in the context of ''WebOriginal/TheBackrooms'' liminal space horror series. Both series feature some levels with dingy yellowed walls, with Wolfenstein using masonry and ''The Backrooms'' using faded wallpaper on drywall. Both series also feature levels with maze-like sections and the lack of height variations is similar to "Level 0" in ''The Backrooms''.

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d3glNneokM final stage]] of ''Spear of Destiny'' drops you into a bloody inferno to battle the Angel of Death. Little wonder why the dev team chose to expand on this terrifying theme for [[VideoGame/{{DOOM}} their next major project]].

** The final level of Episode 2 has you fighting the evil Dr. Schabbs, the creator of the mutants. If he kills you, you don't die the messy red death that everyone else gives you, but it's implied that ''you become a Mutant yourself!'' The [[UsefulNotes/{{Macintosh}} MAC Family]] UpdatedRerelease and its offshoots up the ante by taking away his hammy laugh and having him swear at you, shouting "Scheißkopf!" and giving him even faster "rocket syringes". He's also visible the instant you open his lab door and coming for you with a squad of mutants.

** The final level of Episode 2 has you fighting the evil Dr. Schabbs, the creator of the mutants. If he kills you, you don't die the messy red death that everyone else gives you, but it's implied that ''you become a Mutant yourself!'' The [[UsefulNotes/{{Macintosh}} MAC Family]] UpdatedRerelease and its offshoots up the ante by taking away his hammy laugh and making him swear at you shouting "Scheißkopf!" and giving him even faster "rocket syringes". He's also visible the instant you open his lab door and coming for you with a squad of mutants.

** The final level of Episode 2 has you fighting the evil Dr. Schabbs, the creator of the mutants. If he kills you, you don't die the messy red death that everyone else gives you, but it's implied that ''you become a Mutant yourself!''

* As you venture through Floor 16 in ''Spear of Destiny'' and listen to the music that signals the presence of a boss, you find and kill lots of Nazi soldiers, wondering who's the big enemy going to challenge you this time. After a while, you find the key that gives you access to the encased central area of the floor, then kill some more soldiers as you get there, then enter the sky-blue steel room... and ''then'' find this frightening, giant-sized mutant which is ready to ruin your day. The scariest part is that, like all mutants, this one doesn't warn you about its presence, so meeting it all of a sudden comes off as very disturbing.

* The entirety of Episode 2 has a DarkerAndEdgier feel to it, thanks to the [[DemonicSpiders very lethal mutants]] populating the rooms, and the bizarre textures of many of the walls. The episode has you on edge, carefully going around corners due to the lurking mutants, and easily rivals to difficulty of the "Nocturnal Missions".

** The final level of Episode 2 is the evil Dr. Schabbs, the creator of the mutants. If he kills you, you don't die the messy red death that everyone gives you, but it's implied that ''you become a Mutant yourself!''

* Fighting Hitler himself can be quite [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]], but his gorey [[LudicrousGibs death animation]] can be a startling surprise. He literally melts into a pile of gore, with his head detaching.
* Episode 6, Floor 7 is one bad-dream of a level, with a maze of acid-trip textures. It is very easy to get lost your first time, and has a secret area with poor visibility due to vines growing on the ceiling.

It may be old and pixelated, but can still incite some bad vibes. It's not just because of the Nazis either.

* Episode 3, Floor 7 appears quite mundane, until you find the secret maze. The maze itself occupies around 3/4 of the map and does not have any landmarks to help you along. The maze is textured in the same wood-panels all through out and evokes NothingIsScarier. You get a treasure trove and an elevator ''(found behind a push-wall near the maze re-entrance)'' to a [[VideoGame/PacMan unique secret level]] for solving the maze, so your spirits will likely be lifted after that ordeal.

* Episode 3, Floor 7 appears quite mundane, until you find the secret maze. The maze itself occupies around 3/4 of the map and does not have any landmarks to help you along. The maze is textured in the same wood-panels all through out and evokes NothingIsScarier. You get a treasure trove and an elevator ''(found behind a push-wall near the maze re-entrance)'' to a [[VideoGame/PacMan unique secret level]] for solving the maze.

* Episode 3, Floor 7 appears quite mundane, until you find the secret maze. The maze itself occupies around 3/4 of the map and does not have any landmarks to help you along. The maze is textured in the same wood-panels all through out and evokes NothingIsScarier. You get a treasure trove and an elevator (found behind a push-wall near the entrance back into the maze) to a [[VideoGame/PacMan unique secret level]] for solving the maze.

* Episode 3, Floor 7 appears quite mundane, until you find the secret maze. The maze itself occupies around 3/4 of the map and does not have any landmarks to help you along. The maze is textured in the same wood-panels all through out and evokes NothingIsScarier. You get a treasure trove and an elevator to a [[VideoGame/PacMan unique secret level]] for solving the maze.

* Episode 3, Floor 7 appears quite mundane, until you find the secret maze. The maze itself occupies around 3/4 of the map and does not have any landmarks to help you along. The maze is textured in the same wood-panels all through out and evokes NothingIsScarier. You do get a treasure trove and an elevator to a [[VideoGame/PacMan unique secret level]] for solving the maze though.