Line #11 NightmareFuel/Wolfenstein3D


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wolfenstein_3d_nightmare_fuel.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:'''"PROVE YOUR WORTH, HUMAN."''']]
3	It may be old, but ''Wolfenstein 3-D'' can still incite some bad feelings. It's not just because of the Nazis either.
4	%%* ''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. This is long before liminal space horror got codified by series like WebOriginal/TheBackrooms and could make some levels surprisingly creepy just because of the environment alone.
5	* Some of the floors have rooms with the dead, likely dead from ColdBloodedTorture, that remind you of the foes you are fighting against.
6	* At least back in the days when one would not expect it, opening the door at the far end of the unpopulated hall in [=E1M9=] (The ''boss stage'') and running smack dab into Hans Grosse potentially aiming dual mini-guns right at you.
7	-->'''GUTEN TAG!''' rapid mini-gun fire (Or the OhCrap cue if using PC speaker sound)\
8	'''COMMIN' FOR YA!''' (The same encounter on the Platform/{{SNES}} port.)
9	* 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 devs made a point of having the first few areas of the first map be [[ItsQuietTooQuiet devoid of enemies]], so that your first encounter with the mutants is that much more of a shock.
10	** 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 [[Platform/{{Macintosh}} MAC Family]] UpdatedRerelease and its offshoots up the ante by taking away his hammy laugh and having him boldly swear at you, shouting "Die, scheißkopf!" and giving him even faster "rocket syringes". He's also now visible the instant you open his lab door and coming for you with a squad of mutants.
11	* 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 a discordant feel with how abandoned and irrational the place feels. Even looking at a map of the level can be a jarring experience with how about 1/2 of the map's width and height is taken up by random, meandering halls. 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.
12	* Taking down Hitler can be quite the [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]] ending, but his gory [[LudicrousGibs death animation]] can be a startling surprise. He literally melts into a pile of gore, with his head detaching. The ending even mentions [=BJ=] seeing his face straining to cry out, even in death. 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.
13	* 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.
14	* 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 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.
15	* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfMC-tUxibw&t=35s 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]].

Context NightmareFuel / Wolfenstein3D