The Creepiest Moments In The Future Games Show
GamesRadar's Future Games Show: Spring Showcase livestream event brought plenty of excitement for gamers of all types. Players got a closer look at upcoming titles like Sifu and Life Is Strange: True Colors, as well as a sneak peek at plenty of new and notable indie titles. The Future Games Show also delivered an unexpectedly potent dose of creepy horror.
The horror genre has always been popular among gamers, with series like Resident Evil and Silent Hill bringing the chills for years. Luckily for people who enjoy being scared while they play, the Spring Showcase introduced some exciting (and terrifying) new visions of fear for gamers to play with one hand in front of their eyes.
Considering the fact that the Spring Showcase was hosted by multiple actors from the Resident Evil series, it should come as no surprise that there were some gooey and eerie games on display. Even so, there were a few moments that stood out among the crowd. Here are the absolute creepiest moments from 2021's Future Games Show: Spring Showcase.
Quantum Error's thing in the shadows
TeamKill Media's Quantum Error is a horrific first-person shooter that brings to mind such games as Doom and Dead Space, albeit with a much stronger emphasis on claustrophobic terror. The Future Games Show debuted an all-new gameplay preview for the horror title, which showed off a number of enemy types, as well as the awesome weapons that players will need to combat them.
While the trailer has plenty of gorey and spooky moments in equal measure — how about that one slimy guy on the ceiling? — there's one aspect of the clip that probably gave the willies to plenty of gamers: the tentacled thing in the shadows. At several points in the trailer, the player will look over their shoulder or around the corner and see this mysterious figure waiting for them in the dark. Although it doesn't outwardly attack the player, the fact that it just silently towers over the protagonist is somehow just as upsetting.
While the identity of this supernatural stalker has not been revealed, it bares a striking resemblance to Slender Man, the creepypasta character and urban legend that has been upsetting denizens of the internet for years.
The reflection in Martha Is Dead
Martha Is Dead is an upcoming title from developer LKA that dives into the realm of psychological horror. Judging from the first trailer for the game, Martha Is Dead will do a pretty good job of getting under your skin. The developer promises that Martha Is Dead "combines disturbing and dreamlike tones with a mix of history, superstition and psychological distress." Nowhere are those "dreamlike tones" more evident than in a creepy moment involving a small hand mirror.
At one point in the trailer, the player character picks up a mirror from a table and sees a reflection of what appears to be a figure standing behind them. The camera quickly zooms into the mirror, depositing viewers in another place entirely and leaving the question of who was standing behind the protagonist as an eerie mystery. It's a disorienting moment, one which seemingly provides a clear picture of how Martha is Dead will blur the lines between what is real and what is imagined.
Hidden Deep has a hidden stomach
Hidden Deep follows a team of researchers sent "below the ocean floor" to find another missing team. Taking its cue from sci-fi horror films like Alien and landmark games like Half-Life, Hidden Deep looks to provide plenty of atmospheric chills that are surprisingly effective, given the game's unique lo-fi art style.
The trailer for Hidden Deep offers a few jumpscares, including a shot where tentacles sprout from the ceiling and snatch up one of the members of the rescue operation. However, the absolute creepiest moment has to be when one of the team members attempts to resuscitate a fallen comrade, only to discover that they're no longer entirely human.
As one character uses a defibrillator on his teammate, the fallen character's stomach suddenly transforms into a gaping mouth, lined with sharp teeth. The stomach/mouth bites down on the would-be rescuer, removing both of his hands. It's a truly shocking twist, illustrating in gross detail the fact that Hidden Deep players will not be able to trust anyone.