Top 10 Jump Scares In Video Games

This game has you defeating literal demons from hell, so of course there's going to be somescary moments, but we never expected one to happen here. While "Doom 3" constantly throws monsters and demons at you, there are some moments of brief respite when the game allows the sound design and tension to take over. It is during one of these moments in a trip to the bathroom when the game unexpectedly gives a jump scare, at the exact moment that your guard is down the most.

Just because it's an older game doesn't mean it can't scare the pants off of you. Developed by Capcom with a story about a woman who discovers an island is infested with dinosaurs, the game is similar to their "Resident Evil" titles in that it involves a lot of item searching and moments without enemies. As the player is hunting for a specific key, the island is quiet and the enemies long gone. What happens next scared basically anyone that played the game, as there really is no way to expect it.

While we have one specific scare in mind, this does happen many times throughout the game, and damned if it doesn't work every time. Like the scares so far, this one comes about from simply exploring your surroundings, looking for ammo or anything that can help on your journey. However, there's a dead body laying against the table, bringing about a certain sense of dread to the situation. It's only a matter of time before discovering just what it was that killed the man, and it's not a friendly introduction.

The first encounter with the Houdini Splicer is not a very fun one. As you're walking around trying to actually find a splicer to take a picture, the game's signature dark atmosphere helps toscare players and have them look around every corner in fear of something popping out. However, the splicer's appearance isn't exactly a shocking, unexpected jump scare, but one that is masterfully built through tension and a slow reveal. This trick is repeated again in "BioShock Infinite," and it's just as scary the second time.

In this Japanese game series, the protagonist uses her camera to see spiritual entities, so those who hate ghosts, stay away. There are two things that help combine to create this classic scare, and that's the signature and famous Japanese horror style, and everyone's general fear of ghosts. The game revolves around random spiritual appearances, so the player is always on their guard, ready for the next big fright, but no amount of preparation can prepare them for the infamous broken neck ghost. This one gets everyone.

This is a simple indie game requiring you to walk around with a camera in the dark, and since simplicity is perfect for horror, the game gives you a fantastic scare right off the bat. Even as you're still learning the controls while breaking into the eerie and silent psychiatric asylum, the game is throwing tension at the player through its use of visuals and immersive sound design. The game then teaches you how to open a door, effectively lowering your guard. How scary can opening a door be?

This game centers around agent Ethan Thomas as he hunts down a serial killer, and in this particular scene, is faced with the body of a victim. Before you reach the area, you're forced to walk through a silent and dilapidated school building, mentally preparing you for the scare that is about to take place. When tasked with taking a picture of the dead body, Ethan's camera naturally fails to capture the picture correctly, so you're tasked with taking another. What could possibly go wrong?

Players familiar with Eternal Darkness with know that the game is most memorable for its 4th wall breaking "sanity effects," and this scare utilizes them perfectly to great effect. Like "Doom 3," the game relies on the player to feel safe in a bathroom for the scare to take effect. Exploring a washroom should not be a scary thing to do, but this game effectively manipulates your assumptions and delivers a jump scare that made everyone throw their controllers down in surprise.

Is there anything more terrifying than a creepy little ghost girl? "F.E.A.R." doesn't think so, and while you uncover the mystery behind her, she terrorizes you everywhere you go. Because of this, you're constantly on the lookout for her, as she could literally turn up everywhere. The tension throughout the game is extremely palpable due to the constant sudden appearances, but nothing beats this scare when you're simply traversing down a ladder. This scene proves that nowhere is safe and that anything could happen at any time.

Before we look at our scariest jump scare, here are a few honorable mentions.
Dissecting
"The Evil Within" (2014)

Man-Bat
"Batman: Arkham Knight" (2015)

Locker Room Body
"Silent Hill" (1999)

Face in the Keyhole
"Thief" (2014)

The Creature of the Krypt
"Mortal Kombat" (2011)

The scariest jump comes from the oldest game on this list, and it's still as effective today as it was almost twenty years ago. Much like the lesser known "Dino Crisis" from the same developers, this game requires a lot of exploring, as the player is in a mansion, and mansions can get confusing. The game utilizes the art of silence perfectly in order to scare an audience, and that is on perfect display in this part, as you're simply walking down a corridor. No one expects it to happen, and it remains the cornerstone of video game jump scares, along with its famous successor.
Do you agree with our list? What video jump scare did you find the scariest? For more terrifying top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.