[Fantasysci5]

I have to agree with Roper Klacks (lol) about Penumbra being the scariest non-adventure. I can't keep playing it, because I can't kill that stupid dog, and it scares the crap out of me everytime he tries to eat me. :/ I think the use of the glowstick as you're only light really gives it a creepy feeling, and of course being in first person, hearing your own breaths, and spiders crawling around all crank up the scare factor.

[Pandaara]

I just read the review on Scratches since everyone keeps mentioning it on here. I have to say I am intrigued by it. Is there anywhere I can download it from or if there's a demo if it available?

I also have to ask, is it like Barrow Hill (in the way it plays I mean?)

[Lupin The Third]

Originally Posted by Pandaara

I just read the review on Scratches since everyone keeps mentioning it on here. I have to say I am intrigued by it. Is there anywhere I can download it from or if there's a demo if it available?

I also have to ask, is it like Barrow Hill (in the way it plays I mean?)

http://www.fileplanet.com/158220/150...ratches---Demo

It's a bit similar in tone to Barrow Hill and is also first person but it isn't a slide show like BH. There's a lot more motion and interactivity.

[locqlynn]

wow, I'm so glad a lot of people enjoy this topic..

I just beat Scratches, the best part was exploring the house and looking at the works of art. The story was kinda weak, puzzles were okay, environment was great, ending was lacking

I'm off to find borrow hill now

[Elena]

I guess for me,it's The Dark Eye.
It's a game with puppets..Puppets.... shiver
I had nightmares about this game..And the story was based on stories written by Edgar Allen Poe.That game haunted me...

[Pandaara]

I managed to download the demo for Scratches, but just my luck, it wouldn't get past the loading screen.

Was really looking forward to playing as well. Now I'm put off buying it in case the game does the same thing.

Elena, what's The Dark Eye all about? Besides puppets of course

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by Lee in Limbo

Shivers.

Nothing in any game played before or since matches the scare of tuning left at the top of the stairs that lead from the tar pit to the lobby.

[Elena]

Originally Posted by Pandaara

Elena, what's The Dark Eye all about? Besides puppets of course

Here is a very nice review of the game.
http://adventuregamers.com/article/id,317

[adipocere]

1. Scratches
hands down....Make sure you get the directors cut version! It's a bit of a graphics patch and there is an small add on chapter at the end that sucks by itself *but* it answers a few nagging questions. Amazing atmosphere, the whole game is very quiet and it makes you feel very alone, and you get to explore freely without loading (clever use of the 3d environment) It's like the difference between a haunted house you can walk through vs. a ride.
What really makes it scary is that it relies on real psychology to be scary...the immersion in the environment, the music, not shocking graphics or gore. And the puzzles are not inane and irrelevant, most of them are actual common sense..You probably will need a walk-through handy because the game doesn't exactly hold your hand through it.

2 Phantasmagoria
The first Phantasmagoria was so amazing that it been the benchmark that I have always compared horror adventure to (Scratches is the only other game that I played that was an all around 10 for me)....but unless you get an emulator I doubt it will work on any computer made after 2000. It was a big deal when it came out, and definitely *the* game that set the standard for scary. It would be awesome if another company with a budget could buy the license for it and make sequels. (phantasmagoria 2- puzzle of flesh was fail)

3.Sanitarium
Another older game that was delightfully weird. I didn't really care for the bird's eye perspective, but the game was truly demented. It's pretty old too so getting it to run may be difficult.

4. Lost Crown
This game is really just awesome all around...there are parts that really are spooky as hell. And you really get your moneys worth in game time. The environment is stunning (most of it is real), and it has amusing easter eggs, and lots of attention to detail, such as the newspaper ads and so on. The only downside is the amount of time you spend walking around a pretty vast area and getting trapped in a zone because you didn't inspect a pinecone or something and eventually you have to pull out the walkthrough. Many a forum is full of "HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE???" And back up your game too...this is one where if you lose your progress the idea of starting over seems like punishment. But there are are a lot of savegame files out there in case of emergency.

5. Darkness Within (pursuit)
This game is done very well...first person (which I like)...very creepy. And you can die in it! Avoiding death is sometimes the puzzle itself...but you can always reload it. The second one is out, and I've not started it yet, but I am definitely looking forward to it.

5. Dark Fall: Lost Souls
This is really scary in a very in-your-face sort of way. It has a nightmarish quality in virtually every area. You actually sort of dread exploring it. Some of the interactions are extremely scary. And each area has a uniquely disturbing setting. It relies a lot on startling events, which is old hat, but done effectively. I like the first person viewpoint and being stuck in a frightened persons role. Only problem is the game leads you around on a leash and while the puzzles are not stupid, the game play is extremely linear. Same guy who did The Lost Crown (and Barrow Hill)

- I recall Shivers being good...it's old. Maybe it actually sucks, but I did get the first and second and enjoyed them. They were around with Phantasmagoria and were straight up adventure games.
-Barrow Hill I didn't finish. It was creepy but the encounter with the dude in the office was done so hilariously badly it ruined it for me. I played a little after it, and it had potential but all I could think about was that stupid guy. They should have put in David Hasslehoff playing air guitar instead, that would at least be a really awesome way of ruining it.
- Black Mirror was good but had the unforgivable programming flaw of allowing you to make dead-end decisions and free saves with no clue Which equals perma-stuck. Essentially you could be 10 hours in and make one goof that you saved and all your progress is gone. game over. The only way to really avoid it by reading a walkthrough like an instruction manual while you play. Not fun.

[Jehane]

Hmmm... let's see...
- The Lost Crown. Scary atmosphere, well-dosed shocking moments and a great plot.
- Scratches. Whenever I opened a door, I was prepared to jump out of my seat.
- Shivers. Had me hanging on the edge of my seat.

[inm8#2]

I'm really happy to see the love for Shivers. That was one of my favorites. The museum is one heck of an atmosphere, and playing at night in the dark really enhanced the feeling of being alone in such a place.

My personal favorite moment from the game is the shadow when going up the clock tower stairs.

[Intense Degree]

I'm definitely a paid up member of the Shivers appreciation society!

I think this game was a masterpiece for atmosphere both visually and musically. The cold and harshness of the Man's inhumanity to Man room made me want to curl up and hide in the face of a massive inhuman force indifferent to the suffering it purposely caused people.

The sad loneliness of the solo cello in the prof's room was beautiful too.

And the sounds of creaking wood (or other relevant sound) when you were near to an ixupi always got the heart racing!

[Giles Habibula]

Okay, I'm going waaay back here, and my memory could be faulty, but here is my potential entry, provided it meets the following criteria: "Dream Web" from 1994.

1. It was so long ago, I can't remember if it was even an adventure game.
2. I can't remember if it was scary. I do recall it had a dark tone and some scary tension.

I have the boxed CD "talkie" version around here somewhere. I also still have the computer I was using in 1994 to run it on, but IIRC, it was a bugger to get running (wanted LOTS of base memory--remember, the 640k thing--I think it wanted like 590 of that, and I had a devil of a time freeing it up).

[rayvio]

I remember Dream Web, it was quite controversial for its time, though seems very tame compared to todays games. the story was pretty good, not really scary though. if you can get it running I'd recommend giving it a play, it's no classic but it's not as bad as some reviews suggest

[Giles Habibula]

Originally Posted by rayvio

I remember Dream Web, it was quite controversial for its time,

I may have to try and get it running, as I don't think I ever did finish it.
I think the controversial thing was that you had to perform a series of murders or something like that.

[bored]

I can;t think of a really scarry adv game.
The only game that really frightened me was Thief III
A really gloomy atm,especially the attic ghost scene .

[rayvio]

Dreamweb had a lot of violence and a tiny bit of pixelated nudity. thus, outrage

[lakerz]

Here's another vote for Shivers! A great game, such atmosphere! I cherished every minute playing through that game back in the day. The sequel was a disappointment just because the original was so much fun.

[CrimsonBlue]

Clocktower is an adventure game, isn't it?

[Little Writer]

I tried "Dreamweb" not that long ago. I've wanted to play it ever since it came out. I think it's one of the earliest renditions of a somewhat open world. It's a top down view, kind of like with the first GTA games, and you can add a lot of useless items to your inventory. The idea is to find the right things to commit those murders (weapon, entry, escape etc.) and I might be wrong but I think it has dead ends all over the place. I didn't play it that long because I had no idea where to go or what to do.