Spine Chilling Moments

[Cello]

Where some games may lack in an open field of game to play, they usually make up for it by having an excellent story to follow... not unless the game failed to provide on both fronts, but that's a discussion for another day.


What are some of your favorite moments in video games that sent a chill up your spine/made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up?


I'm too tired to think of a lot of spine chilling moments, but I will kick off the thread with the Ultimortal battle in the indie game "Iji."
The story, the build up, the song, and the brilliant execution of Ultimortal made me have chills up my spine the entire battle.

 

[User19sq]

Mine's a memorable memory. I still don't know how to use spoiler tgs, so...

SPOILER ALERT

The final battle in Portal 2 when Wheatley and GLaDOS keep telling you to press/don't press the Stalemate Resolution button. Then, after surviving the explosion, Wheatley yells at you (in the rain from the overhead sprinklers, surrounded by walls of fire) while you look up at the full moon, set to dramatic music of death. Then, when you shoot a portal at the moon, everything goes silent for a while. As the portals connect, you hang on to Wheatley as you're both being sucked out to space, with him telling you to let go. Now that GLaDOS has control over the facility again, she pulls your hand and sends Wheatley into the deep darkness of space's abyss as he yells "Grab me, grab me, grab me, grab me...!!" And as GLaDOS pulls you in, saving your life, you're left on her room's floor to pass out as she fixes up the facility, ending the journey to prevent a catastrophe caused by the almighty idiot, man-made to be an idiot.

If shooting the moon and hanging onto life by the skin o' your teeth isn't sending a chill through your spine, then this game's awesomeness is too much for you to bare.

 

[Karma Police]

I had one today. I don't think this contains any spoilers, but yeah being careful.

Spoiler:

For me, it was the first part of Heavy Rain. Right after the tutorial, Ethan's son is hit by a car. It was quite a sad scene, and one that sent a few chills down my spine. Even though the characters had been introduced about 15 minutes ago, the whole game manages to force you into forming a connection with each character you find.

That, and also all the chases and frantic quick time events. They're crazy fast, plus the pressure about the fact that Ethan's second son is about to die any time.

 

[rITual]

Where some games may lack in an open field of game to play, they usually make up for it by having an excellent story to follow... not unless the game failed to provide on both fronts, but that's a discussion for another day.


What are some of your favorite moments in video games that sent a chill up your spine/made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up?


I'm too tired to think of a lot of spine chilling moments, but I will kick off the thread with the Ultimortal battle in the indie game "Iji."
The story, the build up, the song, and the brilliant execution of Ultimortal made me have chills up my spine the entire battle.

Halo 3: "Cortana" cutscene.

Cortana: You found me but so much of me is wrong. Out of place. You may be too late.
Chief: You know me. When I make a promise...
Cortana: You keep it. I do know how to pick 'em.
Chief: Lucky me. Do you still have it?
Cortana: The activation index from the first ring. A little souvenir I held on to just in case. Got an escape plan?
Chief: Thought I'd try shooting my way out.
Cortana: Just keep your head down. There's two of us in here now, remember?

 

[Legobricks]

Any well-orchestrated battle has charm, but I find an opening volley of firearm units in the Total War series the closest to 'chilling'. They look their best in the rain, although in such weather their first volley is likely to be their only; even in perfect conditions there can be plenty of misfires, depends on the period. I suppose, for all that, it's that much more satisfying when it actually goes well.

 

[Sanguinius]

For me, a huge one was in the original Baten Kaitos when

Spoiler:

Kalas betrays the party and sides with Melodia, and then the subsequent confrontation in the Imperial City when they try to bring him back from Malpercio's corruption.

By the way, if any of you haven't played Baten Kaitos, you should totally check it out! It was one of the best RPGs released on the Gamecube, but it didn't get a lot of press

Another moment that comes to mind is the revelation in Dragon Age Origins that in order to slay the Archdemon,

Spoiler:

one of the Wardens will have to sacrifice themself. I freaked, and totally predicted that it would have to be the player character. The resolution of that little plot point was pretty bone-chilling too...what in the world does Morrigan want with having one of the old dragon gods as her kid? I really hope a new game in the franchise takes that story up.

 

[twocows]

When I'm playing Counter-Strike and [Myg0t]Stoned Gorilla teamkills me and everyone else and then plays this over mic. 2007 was a good year.

Oh, you mean like emotionally powerful. Probably the rebuilt Jedi Academy scene in my favorite game, Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.