What's The Scariest Chapter?

[Sweed.Money]

In my opinion chapter 5 is the absolute worst, in the section where you get the SMG because of how many damn poision headcrabs there are. I can generally handle normal headcrabs, zombies and even Jeff but poision headcrabs give me insane anxiety because something about them just gives the chills. Whats your opinion?

[necrophonic]

That's definitely a good chapter.

It's an example of what Alyx does well throughout several sections of the game - foreshadowing.

In numerous places for example the game shows you something scary and, although you maybe you can't go there now, you know you're going to have to.

Some good examples are:
- The one you mention in the hotel just before you get the SMG, where you see basically the poison headcrab pit as you're walking across the beams thinking "I'm sure glad I'm not down there" and as you get to the gate and can't get through, it starts to creep up on you that, yeah, you're going to have to.

- Also where you get the flashlight. The room as you enter is beautifully framed to see the hanging corpse with the light and you know that you're going to have to go in there and, when you do, something bad is going to happen.

- Another one for me was in the Jeff level, not long after I'd pretty quickly locked him in the room and whilst doing the toner puzzle it was like that sinking feeling of "I'm going to have to let him out aren't I?"

None of these are cheap jumpscares - just a dread of inevitability that gets you* worked up before you even have to face the encounter.

Also, the use of darkness is well done and IMO not over-done. In a regular game you can just look away or remind yourself you're at home in a well lit real room (you may not be, but let's say most people are), but in VR it's all around you. You can't just look away.

*Of course, this doesn't work for everyone and I'm sure there's some 'Meh, it wasn't scary' people, but hey, wouldn't it be dull if we were all alike?

[Sweed.Money]

Originally posted by necrophonic:

That's definitely a good chapter.

It's an example of what Alyx does well throughout several sections of the game - foreshadowing.

In numerous places for example the game shows you something scary and, although you maybe you can't go there now, you know you're going to have to.

Some good examples are:
- The one you mention in the hotel just before you get the SMG, where you see basically the poison headcrab pit as you're walking across the beams thinking "I'm sure glad I'm not down there" and as you get to the gate and can't get through, it starts to creep up on you that, yeah, you're going to have to.

- Also where you get the flashlight. The room as you enter is beautifully framed to see the hanging corpse with the light and you know that you're going to have to go in there and, when you do, something bad is going to happen.

- Another one for me was in the Jeff level, not long after I'd pretty quickly locked him in the room and whilst doing the toner puzzle it was like that sinking feeling of "I'm going to have to let him out aren't I?"

None of these are cheap jumpscares - just a dread of inevitability that gets you* worked up before you even have to face the encounter.

Also, the use of darkness is well done and IMO not over-done. In a regular game you can just look away or remind yourself you're at home in a well lit real room (you may not be, but let's say most people are), but in VR it's all around you. You can't just look away.

*Of course, this doesn't work for everyone and I'm sure there's some 'Meh, it wasn't scary' people, but hey, wouldn't it be dull if we were all alike?

Yeah i agree but i generally didn't like that part, overall the entire game is not a horror game but damn well caries huge horror eliments, but then again it's a half life game that valve took their time making. So yes it's well done but then again i ment what chapter was the scariest, not the worst. Txh for the reply tho

[FieldersNL]

Jeff man... Jeff... Feels like Amnesia in VR at that moment, definitely a chapter I freak out most frequently.

[Daddy Shark]

The poison headcrabs are 10000000x worse than Jeff for me. They terrified me back in HL2. In VR it's nightmare fuel.

[Liam Neeson Punching Wolves]

I like the early stuff, when use the flashlight and only have the not heavily upgraded pistol.

Jeff IMO is actually really weak on repeated play-throughs.

Far too linear, actually becomes boring.

RE4's blind creature section and Halflife (1) tentacle are much better imo.

[Titans of Time]

For me it was Jeff. Nothing else even came close. Depends on the individual I suppose. Chapter 5 to me was just cool.

[IanL]

For me it was indeed THE NORTHERN STAR (Chapter 5). Just felt the creepiest with the dilapidated structure all the headcrabs and also featured the Lightning Dogs (revivers), which never having appeared in HL before were a complete unknown when first encountered, especially their ability to revive dead zombies.

Brilliantly designed level.

[LemonyNebula]

I didn't find any section particularly scary, I mean Jeff would be the most horror based alongside the sewer, but I will say the creepy factor played more in my first run the first time I spoke to Russel, then again when you meet the vortigaunt. Honestly those exaggerated animations and expressions applied to the slightly off human caricature design playing out lifesize right in front of you can trigger that uncanny valley.

Only really lasted a few seconds with each character until you just accept it, but i initially found it so odd.