So I'm playing Amnesia: The Dark Descent right now, and enjoying it thoroughly, it's frightening and has a fantastic atmosphere (I thoroughly recommend purchasing it if you can spare 20 bucks on steam and enjoy a good scare). It got me thinking about how much I love a game that can freak me out a bit and what other games have done this. Some of the good ones I can remember are Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth, the first FEAR, and to a different extent S.T.A.L.K.E.R (the first and third) due to some of the creepiest atmosphere in those rad zones. I've played a ridiculous amount of games but for some reason I'm having trouble thinking of other good scares. Any one have any to recommend or any good stories about what games and moments scared them the most?

I really need to play FEAR. 
 
I was like 13 or 14 at the time, but Blood absolutely scared me!  Just the whole atmosphere of the game creeped me out.  I'm pretty sure if I played the game today, I'd just be laughing.

If you really enjoyed Amnesia, then you will definitely have to check out the Penumbra series, which is done by the same studio.  The consensus is that the second game is the best one, but since you seem to have a hankering for good scary games I would recommend all three.

I don't really play scary games, but Stalker: Shadow Of Chernobyl has some great atmosphere. I really like that game.

Well i haven't played much scary games other than the first FEAR which creeped me out, and well Doom 3. Doom 3 had this atmosphere that creeped me out unlike any other game out there ever has, something about those demons coming outta the underneath the stairs randomly and all the shadows is just scary. I should try more scary games on my PC now that you mention it.

Obscure scared the shit out of me when I first played it
I hated the fucking Sum 41 soundtrack though
That was fucking lame. It just needed some scary ambient music

Clive Barker's Undying gave me the creeps when I was younger.

There are some old silent hill games, also resident evil 4, which is sort of scary, not really. You should downloading the ulitimate patch and stuff to have like superior graphics, replaces all the textures and makes the game look sharp.

"Clive Barker's Undying gave me the creeps when I was younger. "

" If you really enjoyed Amnesia, then you will definitely have to check out the Penumbra series, which is done by the same studio.  The consensus is that the second game is the best one, but since you seem to have a hankering for good scary games I would recommend all three. "

" @snake911 said:

" I really need to play FEAR. 
 

you really don't "

  Stalker games are pretty creepy... not so much scary but those are all about atmosphere.... stay away from clear sky.
  Singularity also surprised me a lot more often than I expected.

Alien vs Predator 1 and 2, marine campaign. 
 
Aliens + motion sensor + dark rooms, need I say more?

" Dead Space is on the PC, this game will scare the feces out of you. "

" @blazerx9x said:

" Dead Space is on the PC, this game will scare the feces out of you. "

lol.... dead space is not scary at all. "

Stalkers SoC and (to a greater extent) CoP gave me a sensation that I haven't felt since back in my CTF days, but in a different form. It's the sense of "They're right behind me and I think I'm totally gonna get screwed, but I have to find a way to survive... somehow." That mixed with the dangerous as hell, immersive and atmospheric setting really makes me appreciate the game. 
 
The new creature AI in CoP makes the whole experience work. I hope they expand it further in Stalker 2 and reprogram the humanoid AI to require more than "I have to hide behind this corner and wait for them to pop their heads out to win." Not only do I want to stalk in Stalker, I also want to be stalked. I hope Rage gives me a fix until then.

At least that's what I consider scary in games... not shitty graphical effects or little girls I thought I might have seen out the corner of my eye. Those don't pose an immediate threat to my well being. And monster-closet moments like in Dead Space only work if you can die in just a couple hits.
 
I was reading a blog of some dude who played Call of Pripyat permadeath style with no previous Stalker experience or knowledge. To me that would be one of the most fear and stress inducing things to do playing a game. Of course he played it on the easiest difficulty. But he lasted into the second map before he stopped updating.

Not to put anyone down here, but I don't recommend putting down money for Obscure or F.E.A.R. I mean it'll have its moments, but F.E.A.R. wears out its tricks too quickly and Obscure has just plain frustrating game mechanics and unoriginal plot. In response to what MatPaget said about the Sum 41 soundtrack in Obscure, yeah, that's the kind of carelessness that aggravated me about that game. Who made decisions like that during its development.
 
Dead Space isn't a bad choice. If you don't play a lot of horror games, it should do something for you. Someone more seasoned, Dead Space will feel more like an action shooter. Either way, it's a decent game.
 
Alien vs. Predator 2, I don't recall personally being scared playing it (Not to toot my own horn, but I play a lot of damn horror games), may have had a jump or two, but it's a pretty solid game; I can recommend it on that aspect alone. It's got great atmosphere if nothing else. 
 
Silent Hill games are on PC, that franchise is high on my recommend list, but I won't promise you those games will work on the computer as they're not particularly great ports of the console version. Plus, you're not gonna want to play it without a gamepad regardless. You'll just have to gamble. 
 
Though, I don't know if I can recommend this one, but Condemned also certainly has its moments; at least it's better than F.E.A.R. Aside from all of these, I can't think of any particularly great horror games on the PC, most of the notable ones I can recall were played on the console. Sorry I couldn't be better help.

Dark Seed because HR Giger is fucking creepy

Phantasmagoria was pretty creepy back when it was new.

I'll throw a vote in for Clive Barker's undying.  Kind of old today, so it might lose some of it's scariness on that though.  I didn't think Dead Space was scary, great game just not really scary.  Your guy is a killing machine, and the monsters playing dead became a double tapping nuisance more than anything after you first saw it.

" Stalkers SoC and (to a greater extent) CoP gave me a sensation that I haven't felt since back in my CTF days, but in a different form. It's the sense of "They're right behind me and I think I'm totally gonna get screwed, but I have to find a way to survive... somehow." That mixed with the dangerous as hell, immersive and atmospheric setting really makes me appreciate the game.    The new creature AI in CoP makes the whole experience work. I hope they expand it further in Stalker 2 and reprogram the humanoid AI to require more than "I have to hide behind this corner and wait for them to pop their heads out to win." Not only do I want to stalk in Stalker, I also want to be stalked. I hope Rage gives me a fix until then. At least that's what I consider scary in games... not shitty graphical effects or little girls I thought I might have seen out the corner of my eye. Those don't pose an immediate threat to my well being. And monster-closet moments like in Dead Space only work if you can die in just a couple hits.  I was reading a blog of some dude who played Call of Pripyat permadeath style with no previous Stalker experience or knowledge. To me that would be one of the most fear and stress inducing things to do playing a game. Of course he played it on the easiest difficulty. But he lasted into the second map before he stopped updating. "

Ravenoholm in HL2 was kinda scary but not the scariest. Also the rest of the game isn't scary. I do not how ever really get truly scared by games, so...

" @hondorondo said:

" @blazerx9x said:

" Dead Space is on the PC, this game will scare the feces out of you. "

lol.... dead space is not scary at all. "

"

One of the first times I can remember a game making me literally jump in fright was a few years ago when Doom III came out. As unfortunate as that game was, overall, the first time I walked into a possessed bathroom caused me to jolt up and yell, simultaneously. Followed by laughing at myself for how ridiculous it was.

"Doom 3 had this atmosphere that creeped me out unlike any other game out there ever has, something about those demons coming outta the underneath the stairs randomly and all the shadows is just scary. I should try more scary games on my PC now that you mention it. "

"The second oldie is Sanitarium(available at GOG.com). A classic point and click adventure that is one of the greatest examples of psychological horror in gaming. "

" @Fragstoff said:

" @snake911 said:

" I really need to play FEAR. 
 

you really don't "

The first FEAR is great, what are you talking about?! The expansion packs range from borderline to terrible, and FEAR 2 was nothing to write home about, but the original FEAR was awesome! "

" @Halopower67 said:

"Doom 3 had this atmosphere that creeped me out unlike any other game out there ever has, something about those demons coming outta the underneath the stairs randomly and all the shadows is just scary. I should try more scary games on my PC now that you mention it. "

I have to play Doom 3.  >_> 
 
@Wintermute said:

"The second oldie is Sanitarium(available at GOG.com). A classic point and click adventure that is one of the greatest examples of psychological horror in gaming. "

 Yep. Sanitarium is awesome, but it gets grating for me after some playtime. 
 
@Sanitysend said:

" @Fragstoff said:

" @snake911 said:

" I really need to play FEAR. 
 

you really don't "

The first FEAR is great, what are you talking about?! The expansion packs range from borderline to terrible, and FEAR 2 was nothing to write home about, but the original FEAR was awesome! "

The first FEAR for me it was more of a corridor fps than anything else. The time spent inside buildings, in rooms that look almost the same, is maddening.   "

Certain missions in all three Thief games.

" @Jeust said:

" @Halopower67 said:

"Doom 3 had this atmosphere that creeped me out unlike any other game out there ever has, something about those demons coming outta the underneath the stairs randomly and all the shadows is just scary. I should try more scary games on my PC now that you mention it. "

I have to play Doom 3.  >_> 
 
@Wintermute said:

"The second oldie is Sanitarium(available at GOG.com). A classic point and click adventure that is one of the greatest examples of psychological horror in gaming. "

 Yep. Sanitarium is awesome, but it gets grating for me after some playtime. 
 
@Sanitysend said:

" @Fragstoff said:

" @snake911 said:

" I really need to play FEAR. 
 

you really don't "

The first FEAR is great, what are you talking about?! The expansion packs range from borderline to terrible, and FEAR 2 was nothing to write home about, but the original FEAR was awesome! "

The first FEAR for me it was more of a corridor fps than anything else. The time spent inside buildings, in rooms that look almost the same, is maddening.   "

To be honest I felt like I was just moving down the hallways from one firefight to the next. It actually got kind of boring for me. But man when I could run it all maxed out and everything, it looked good! "

" One of the first times I can remember a game making me literally jump in fright was a few years ago when Doom III came out. As unfortunate as that game was, overall, the first time I walked into a possessed bathroom caused me to jolt up and yell, simultaneously. Followed by laughing at myself for how ridiculous it was. "

F.E.A.R. was definitely an atmospheric game which lent itself very well to it's horror elements. Project Origin did have it's moments, especially in the school level but the whole mech suit thing took away a lot of the scares. I haven't played Amnesia but it's definitely something I might consider purchasing as it seems like it has just the right scare factor to it to keep me playing. 

" @hondorondo said:

" @blazerx9x said:

" Dead Space is on the PC, this game will scare the feces out of you. "

lol.... dead space is not scary at all. "

"

Maybe I'm just crazy since i haven't seen anyone recommend them yet, but the penumbra games are scary and a pretty cheap buy, I remember i got all of them off steam for like 5 bucks but that might have been a sale.

Penumbra.

Penumbra and Amnesia are really the only games that scare me. Something about not having a weapon I guess.

" @bellmont42 said:

" @hondorondo said:

" @blazerx9x said:

" Dead Space is on the PC, this game will scare the feces out of you. "

lol.... dead space is not scary at all. "

"

you have balls of steel, sir. "

I'll suggest Penumbra as well. Black Plague was excellent and had a great villain, IMO. Overture was kinda meh.

Half Life 2 mod (You need Episode 2) called Korsakovia. It might not have the best graphics, but it's pant-shitting scary.
 http://www.moddb.com/mods/korsakovia

Second Life...it doesn't get much scarier than that.

If your claustrophobic, minecraft.
  
I'm not kidding and I hope anyone else can back me up because this game will seem like the exact opposite of frightening to any normal person's first impression.  It's hard to explain, but with the way the enemies are designed and just the mentality that you are digging really far underground without wanting to die can make things really fucking tense. I actually did a full motion jump the other day while exploring a cave really far away from my re spawn point after a bunch of skeletons came out of nowhere.

AVP2

" If your claustrophobic, minecraft.    I'm not kidding and I hope anyone else can back me up because this game will seem like the exact opposite of frightening to any normal person's first impression.. "

Insert the mandatory System Shock 2 reference here.
 
The first FEAR game had it's moments.
 
Condemned is pretty creepy, although it shares some of the FEAR aspects.
 
Clive Barker's Undying if you can find it and don't mind some dated graphics.
 
Manhunt has some nerve-wracking parts, but I'm not sure if "scary" fits it.
 
Dead Space, although it really just steals from System Shock 2 in many ways.
 
It also depends on what scary means to you.  I tend to be creeped out by large empty spaces, especially buildings and places where there normally lots of people.  My friend works at Disneyland and once I was able to go there after the park closed, it went from the happiest place on Earth to the creepiest.  So a game like STALKER is really creepy to me, especially when you throw in the odd paranormal stuff inside the empty buildings.  I've had major douchechills and standing hairs playing that game.

Nocturne was kinda scary.

Don't think I've even been genuinely scared playing a PC game before, outside of that time my hard drive fried while I was playing X3:Reunion.  This was about half-way though a semester.
 
I did jump once while I was playing 5 Days a Stranger, though it was late, I had my headphones on far too high, and I couldn't have been more than three inches from the CRT.