15 Unforgettable Video Game Jump Scares

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By Darryn Bonthuys on

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Horror purists may scoff at the use of jump scares in video games, but there's no denying that a well-crafted injection of sudden terror is amazingly effective at ruining a perfectly good pair of pants. While some titles play the long game with their horror elements, other experiences plunge you directly into a moment that's designed to stress you out. We've rounded up some of the best jump scares in video games below, in case you're looking for a fright ahead of Halloween.

What's cool about some of these is that they popped up in a wide range of games, including titles that aren't necessarily horror games. Jump scares when you really don't expect it? Those can be even more jarring. By no means is our list of 15 jump scares exhaustive, and some of these may not have even scared you. That's another cool thing about jump scares: They tend to work differently on each person, especially in an interactive medium like video games.

For more things to check out ahead of Halloween, check out our list of the best horror games.

At its best, Batman: Arkham Knight (which recently added a new suit, eight years after release) is a power fantasy that few games can match. You're regularly countering criminal faces with armored fists, flinging an endless supply of batarangs at supervillains, and tearing through Gotham in a billion dollars worth of petrol-powered vengeance. Gliding from rooftop to rooftop is also great, but that sense of unstoppable power gets a reality check early in the game when you're met face to screaming face with an abomination of science in the