In real life, the only REAL phobia I have (as in, not what would be considered a healthy fear) is of an insect touching me. Now, I'm not afraid of insects per se, but if one is touching me (direct contact on the skin) I have a little freak-out moment. Mr. Bug needs to get off of me or Mr. Bug is going to go squish.
In games? That's a bit more complex. Dark, lonely places get my hackles up, especially when it's raining. Things I can hear but can't see, that sound very close and very dangerous. Scenes of past violence without a clear explanation as to how it happened. (Seriously, every time I see a dead character surrounded by weapons and ammo, I don't feel joy. "Okay, that guy had all this and he's dead. How am I supposed to do better?") Being stuck in close quarters with a strong enemy when I'm underprepared.
Here's a handful of scenes or situations in video games that pretty well played with my head:
- Thief: The Dark Project- Return to the Cathedral. Took me 15 minutes to work up the nerve to go inside.
- Half-Life 2- Ravenholm. "I'm stuck in a city of the dead with a gravity gun and a handful of ammo, and my only backup is a crazy Russian priest. I'm dead."
- Gears of War- the first half of the Foundry level. One of the best-looking storms I've seen in a game.
- System Shock 2- the first time I saw a Rumbler. I opened the door to the Rec section, and something big, fleshy and extremely angry came charging at me with this ear-splitting roar. And I only had my wrench equipped. Oh, and there was finally getting to Polito's office....
- Thief: Deadly Shadows- Robbing the Cradle. In its totality this was one of the most mind-twistingly unsettling levels I've ever played in a game, through sound, sight and story ("Wait. I thought it was an orphanage, THEN an asylum... it was both at once?!") but the moment that always sticks out in my mind is The Door. If you've played it then you know what I mean. I was at the bottom of those steps for five minutes with a broadhead nocked and ready.
- Doom 3- Delta Labs 1, until you retreive the Datalinker. If more of the game had tried for those psychological scares ("They took my baby") rather than the "BOO monster jumps out!" bits then I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
- FEAR- when Alma does that spiderwalking thing at you in the vents. Argh! I HATE that!