History ParanoiaFuel / VideoGames

* LeagueOfLegends is an odd case where this trope is actually used as a gameplay mechanic in form of the playable champion Nocturne. Nocturne's ultimate ability (aptly named Paranoia) causes the enemy team to lose sight over the entire map save for their sight radius, making it impossible for them to see where their allies and what they are seeing. In addition, while Paranoia is active, Nocturne can target an enemy and leap towards them, flying over terrain at high speed. Combine this with the fact that he's always played as a roaming ambusher, and you have a champion whose mere presence is a psychological weapon. The team playing against Nocturne is never going to feel safe, as Nocturne can turn the tables of any fight against them, and their own teammates won't even know you're being targeted to begin with!

** [[YourMileageMayVary YMMV]] on the cameras. Some players just see them as fun things to pop off the wall using the portal gun.

* ''VideoGame/GabrielKnight: Sins of the Fathers'' once you find out about the Rada Codes. Then you notice the drummers stationed all over the city. You know, the ones you've probably been ignoring because they just sit there all day and drum. [[spoiler:They're not only watching you, they're broadcasting your moves to the creepy voodoo cartel that's already left a number of messy corpses all over the city.]] And of course, the creepy looking guy who just stands outside the shop for two days and stares in the window.

** Nemesis in the third game. Even when he's not around, he's watching you. Always. Watching. You. Even if the "he's somewhere" music isn't playing.

** To top it off, it can be combined with the aforementioned watch that fakes your death. So even if you find out who the offender is, chances are he's still alive and gotten a new face now.

** There is one drawback to that combo, and that is that the Spy cannot disguise normally and must make at least one kill before he is able to move freely among your comrades. This in theory should comfort you since you will see the spy coming and can at least prepare for him. However, once [[FridgeHorror you realize]] that anyone capable of pulling off a kill without being routed out themselves will likely be a ''very experienced player'' and even if you do put him down for good, there's nothing stopping him from doing it again, and again, and AGAIN. In other words: This set makes the already powerful even ''more'' powerful, while ensuring anyone that isn't experienced enough to use it get weeded out very fast.

** Don't forget the enigmatic note you get before you fight them in {{Final Fantasy Tactics A2}}. "Once more, I pick up my knife. I'm coming for you." Phew.
** What, no mention for Emerald WEAPON in {{Final Fantasy VII}}? Surely, somebody had to have been at least a little freaked out by the fact that, somewhere, in an ocean darker than a black hole, with nobody else around, there's a possibility that a GIANT GREEN GOD DAMN DEATH MACHINE could be following your little submarine, or waiting for you to go to a certain area that it may be hovering over, or may be right underneath your sub when you dive underwater, or could be right inside that cave entrance there... hell, if you get close enough, you can barely see its green-ish silhouette swimming around, just DARING you to try and sneak past it without getting caught. The actual fight is nothing compared to the prospect of a WEAPON sneaking around like Solid Snake, waiting for a chance to pop out of nowhere, scare the crap out of you, then murder you [[DeaderThanDead until you're dead.]]

*** [[CeilingCling Ceiling]] [[BeingWatched Peons]]. ''[[{{NightmareFuel/Pokemon}} Everywhere.]] '''[[UpToEleven Even on the elevator.]]'''''

* Playing ''{{Tenchu}}'' for more then two hours will leave you in absolute paranoia. Ninjas could come from anywhere this very second. ''Shadow Asassins'' made it even worse, allowing the Ninjas to hide in dark corners, pots, under the ground, in a cupboard, in the ceiling, behind doors, ''under your seat''.

* ''Franchise/DeadSpace'' will have you routinely dismembering corpses whenever you enter a room for fear of "infectors". As this game features "strategic dismemberment" as a game-play mechanic this tends to produce a lot of gore.

** on a related note... well, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13YlEPwOfmk I'll just leave this here]]...

* ''TheSims''. On the surface it's a harmless simulation game. But when you start thinking about the premise...what if there is some higher "player" capitolizing on VideoGameCrueltyPotential manipulating your every move and controlling your entire life? And [[YouCantFightFate there's nothing you can do about it]]. * Shudder*
* ''{{Kirby}}'''s Dark Matter. Already frightening, it just gets scarier if you think about it. After all, someone who is possessed by Dark Matter doesn't have to show any symptoms. Anyone you know could be the puppets of an EldritchAbomination: your friends, your family, your pets... In fact, can you be sure that YOU aren't possessed! Those thoughts in your head-are they yours, or is someone else thinking them for you?

** It gets worse in MassEffect3 where indoctrinated agents may be everywhere. You think you're safe? Maybe in the six months you were away from action one of your friends was captured and indoctrinated, and you have no real way to be sure, until they prove loyalty to you... or to the reapers. There are some examples in-game of characters appearing to be your friends, until they reveal their indoctrination.

* ''{{I Wanna Be The Guy}}''. Are you sure that that tree isn't going to kill you? How about the lamp in your bedroom? Have you checked those bathroom tiles recently? As far as you know, even [[EverythingTryingToKillYou this TVTropes page]] could be a trap...

* After your first encounter with a dragon in ''{{Skyrim}}'', you'll likely flinch every time you see a shadow fall over you. Even if it's just a bird.

* I'm not the only one who has thought that difficult parts of any game are programmed to predict your movements and outright screw you right?

** These are not impossible odds, however. This troper has won under these circumstances. The real paranoia comes when you're the last guy on your team and you suddenly hear "Darth Vader has entered the battle"

* ''DeadSpace'' will have you routinely dismembering corpses whenever you enter a room for fear of "infectors". As this game features "strategic dismemberment" as a game-play mechanic this tends to produce a lot of gore.

--> [[spoiler: '''Claus''': Everyone's waiting for you, Lucas. Waiting to throw rocks at you, to spit on you, to make your life a living hell. Who's everyone? ''[[HighOctaneNightmareFuel ...Everyone you love.]]'']]
** Then there's the [[OneHitKO Ultimate]] [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel Chimera]]. Thought you left it behind in the Chimera Lab? ''Wrong. Dead wrong.'' It escaped, and managed to get from a science lab on the Nowhere Islands to [[spoiler: a bathroom in an extremely well-secured building in a city that's ''floating possibly miles above the ground''.]] Where else could it be hiding...?

** And by extension, [[AndIMustScream indoctrination.]] Undeniably a FateWorseThanDeath and once you even realize what's happening to you, [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel it's already too late.]]

* The later levels of ''D/Generation'' have enemies that can disguise as hostages or nearly anything in the environment - furniture, potted plants, and more. If you get too close, they'll shift form and decapitate you for an instant kill. Even better yet, they're immune to your laser gun, and they'll chase you from room to room until one of you dies!

* The MilkmanConspiracy level in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' is an entire level based on ParanoiaFuel, a given when the level takes place inside a conspiracy theorist's psyche. It includes shady (albeit hilarious) {{MIB}} figures, [[GirlScoutsAreEvil a cult of Girl Scouts dedicated to keeping the Milkman hidden]], and almost every thing in the level will sprout a camera or a pair of eyes (so much so that using clairvoyance on them actually gives you a view of yourself) when you're not facing them. Not to mention that they are all somehow obsessed with the "true nature" the Milkman, a split personality of the person who's head your running around in, who runs around filled with TranquilFury and throwing around milk-bottle Molotov Cocktails. Some of the lines from Boyd Cooper/The Milkman show exactly how paranoid this level can make you feel.

* A recent ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' update gives the spy a new watch that lets him potentially remain invisible ''indefinitely'' (he just needs to stay in place occasionally), and another that allows him to perfecty fake his death. In other words, this man could be in any room he likes, and you can never trust you've killed him.
** They up the ante again with Your Eternal Reward, a dagger that instantly turns the spy into whoever he just killed, cloaks the corpse, and erases the kill-icon for the unfortunate victim's teammates. The process happens so fast that most might not even realise their teammate just got skewered. Those friends you had coming up the stairs with you, that you just spychecked a minute ago, might not be who you think they are anymore...

** Yeah, it doesn't help that in the Meet the Spy video the BLU team Spy tells his surviving comrades about a certain skilled RED Spy that managed to get in their base and has causes alot of havok...

** There is one drawback to that combo, and that is that the Spy cannot disguise normally and must make at least one kill before he is able to move freely among your comrades. This in theory should comfort you since you will see the spy coming and can at least prepare for him. However, once [[FridgeHorror you realise]] that anyone capable of pulling off a kill without being routed out themselves will likely be a ''very experienced player'' and even if you do put him down for good, there's nothing stopping him from doing it again, and again, and AGAIN. In other words: This set makes the already powerful even ''more'' powerful, while ensuring anyone that isnt experienced enough to use it get weeded out very fast.

** What, no mention for Emerald WEAPON in {{Final Fantasy VII}}? Surely, somebody had to have been at least a little freaked out by the fact that, somewhere, in an ocean darker than a black hole, with nobody else around, there's a possibility that a GIANT GREEN GOD DAMN DEATH MACHINE could be following your little submarine, or waiting for you to go to a certain area that it may be hovering over, or may be right underneath your sub when you dive underwater, or could be right inside that cave entrance there... hell, if you get close enough, you can barely see its green-ish sillouhette swimming around, just DARING you to try and sneak past it without getting caught. The actual fight is nothing compared to the prospect of a WEAPON sneaking around like Solid Snake, waiting for a chance to pop out of nowhere, scare the crap out of you, then murder you [[DeaderThanDead until you're dead.]]

** Pyramid Head and Valtiel. The former is a hulking, [[ImplacableMan utterly invincible monster]] that stalks James around the town, often appearing with abolutely no warning, no cutscene, and no special music, and all you can do when he shows up is ''run''. Valtiel, who appears in SilentHill3, does not directly attack the player at any time, but he obsessively follows Heather, and often appears in places that [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything deliberately convey ideas of sexual voyeurism]], ''and there is nothing you can do to stop him''.

*** You enter a room. It's quiet. Then, you hear it. '''TAP TAP TAP.''' Coupled with that bonechilling ambience, it's like a bucket of ice water down your back. And you ''pray'' it doesn't turn into '''DAAA DA-DA-DA DA-DA-DA''' because then '''it sees you'''.

* ''DoctorChaos''. You have to open doors and cabinets to find weapons... unless a boss jumps out an kills you because you don't have the weaposn to defend yourself.

** ''{{Portal 2}}''. You know that really nice robot guy that's been helping you this whole time? The one who doesn't seem too bright, but is willing to help escape? Guess what, something could go horribly wrong with him. He could end up [[spoiler:corrupted by the mainframe of the lab and decide to obsessively want to test and/or kill you.]] But, [[TemptingFate what are the chances of THAT happening?]]

* The later levels of ''D/Generation'' have enemies that can disguise as hostages or nearly anything in the environment - furniture, potted plants, and more. If you get too close, they'll shift form and decapitate you for an instant kill.

* The later levels of ''D/Generation'' have enemies that can disguise as nearly anything in the environment - furniture, potted plants, and more. If you get too close, they'll reach out and kill you almost immediately!

* After the first time a [[ChestMonster Mimic]] instantly devours you when you try to open it in ''DarkSouls'' you will probably attack every chest you see.

* ''[[AssassinsCreedBrotherhood Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood's]]'' use of YouALLLookFamiliar for multiplayer [[FridgeBrilliance may actually be for this]]. With all the [=NPCs=] looking like the playable characters, how do you know which ones are the other players? Newbies will give themselves away with High Profile actions like running around and going on rooftops, but experts will hide in the crowds, waiting for you to pass by, and then OHSHITWHEREDIDTHISGUYCOMEFRO- poof, YetAnotherStupidDeath.

*** Subtly reinforced by how Seekers -- the guards who would [[GenreSavvy poke any hay carts or haystacks they came across on their patrol routes]] -- appear more frequently than they ever did in ''[[AssassinsCreedII Assassin's Creed II]]'', although the devs explained that as being a historical nod (to the rise of pike-and-shot tactics).

* The MilkmanConspiracy level in ''{{Psychonauts}}'' is an entire level based on ParanoiaFuel, a given when the level takes place inside a conspiracy theorist's psyche. It includes shady (albeit hilarious) {{MIB}} figures, [[GirlScoutsAreEvil a cult of Girl Scouts dedicated to keeping the Milkman hidden]], and almost every thing in the level will sprout a camera or a pair of eyes (so much so that using clairvoyance on them actually gives you a view of yourself) when you're not facing them. Not to mention that they are all somehow obsessed with the "true nature" the Milkman, a split personality of the person who's head your running around in, who runs around filled with TranquilFury and throwing around milk-bottle Molotov Cocktails. Some of the lines from Boyd Cooper/The Milkman show exactly how paranoid this level can make you feel.

* [[SIRENBloodCurse Bella]]! It's mummy. I came to get you!

* [[SIRENBloodCurse Bella]] , It's mummy. I came to get you!

* [[SIREN Bella]] , It's mummy. I came to get you!

* [[Siren Bella]] , It's mummy. I came to get you!

* [[Siren Bella]], It's mummy. I came to get you!

** Then there's Dimentio. Things he says and does throughout the story imply that he can just appear in front of you at any time or place and [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous say weird, rhyming similes.]] [[spoiler: Of course, between chapter 6 and 7, Dimentio shows up at the house you've been spending time at and ''nukes Mario, Peach, and Bowser to death''. The way he did this implies he could have done this at literally any point if he wanted to. Luckily for you, it's part of a plan that he needs you alive for and doing this actually helps you.]]