I noticed that a lot of people mentioned they have a fear of large, open-bodies of water and/or underwater sections in video-games in the phobia thread. So, what's your favourite?

I think the most memorable one in my eyes was the Jolly Roger Bay in Mario 64. Unagi the Eel was terrifying as a child.

While not scary by any means, I also really liked the underwater sections in Bioshock 2. They offered a new perspective on Rapture. I only wish they had explored the potential of those sections a little more.

Being stuck in the water and confused how to get out in a Sonic game was relatively stressful.

The number counting down to Sonic drowning would start ticking and the music would get more and more alarming as he gasped for more breath until you either got out or watched as Sonic drowned to death.

Shadow of the Colossus in particular

Everything else that includes the possibility of drowning, especially drowning in small enclosed spaces.

Edit: "Favourite" underwater sections isn't a thing that exists in my head they're terrifying in almost every example.

I generally have a mini panic attack every time I'm given an underwater sequence to traverse. The first one that comes to mind that just broke me was the first Amnesia.

However, I can't wait for the Souls games to give us an underwater sequence. That shit will ruin my BP.

I'm terrified of real deep water, I like it in games though. I'm not quite sure what I would consider the scariest water section in a game. When under water, that's not the scary part; not necessarily anyways, it's the part of being on top and not knowing how far down it is to reach the bottom, and what you don't know is underneath you.

With all the emphasis that's placed on rolling/weight mechanics, I'm not entirely sure how they'd go about it. Though even the thought of fighting on ice, seeing creatures swimming in the water below you, terrifies me.

Firstly, fuck underwater naturally, although my time with AC4 did manage to salve a lot of my fear, I don't give a fuck shark, I'll just drown, because as long as I get at least one chest, I can just restart and get the rest. I think the scariest one I can remember is the Shark in RE1.

Imagine if you're swimming in the water with a light that can only illuminate a little bit ahead of you? Everything else is just a darkness with flashes of movement right outside your vision. Occasionally, you get flashes of light showing the horrors around you, but all you can do is keep swimming.

Yep, I really liked the BioShock 2 sections too:

Also, Terror From the Deep is a great game. Some of the underwater levels actually did get pretty terrifying, especially the noises during the "Hidden Movement" screen. Also, the parts where you're in alien buildings can get really tense.

I always get nervous in (under)water sections when I know there are sharks (or other aggressive sea creatures) lurking around. The underwater sequences in Tomb Raider scared me when I was younger, but even swimming around in GTAV made me a little bit anxious. I still blame Steven Spielberg.

It's not underwater but the hydras in Dark Souls still make me anxious, they're so close to the edge of the abyss it makes me shiver.

A demo of Treasures of the Deep scared me shitless as a kid. Constant sonar beeps and bubbling noises, sharks of all kinds and the token giant moray eel. Looking back it was really cool.

Tomb Raider messed me up for a while with deep water. Those crocodiles in the Tomb of Tihocan... *shudders*

Imagine my delight when TR2 drops you in the middle of the ocean surrounded by sharks. What fun!!!!!!

Most actual fun was Critical Depth. Underwater Twisted Metal, but half the fun was exploring these giant PS1 environments full of secrets. Not to mention the music I still listen to to this day.

The year is 1999. The game is EverQuest. The quest, go into the Lake of Ill Omen and fight some lizard things.

Shit got real, son.

That makes me nervous just thinking about it. I don't know if I would be pleasantly surprised, or horrified if From Software placed something like that in Dark Souls 2.

When I was a kid I was completely terrified by the part with the angler fish in ape escape. You can get through that part of the level much faster if you swim and dodge the fish but I always stuck with the boat and it's terrible controls.

That part in Knights of the Old Republic, on Manaan ( I think?) Really scared me as a kid as Sharks freak me out.

That part will always stick with me.

Also: Underwater sections are the BANE of videogames. i've never found one that I "Liked"

@sunbrozak said:

I noticed that a lot of people mentioned they have a fear of large, open-bodies of water and/or underwater sections in video-games in the phobia thread. So, what's your favourite?

I think the most memorable one in my eyes was the Jolly Roger Bay in Mario 64. Unagi the Eel was terrifying as a child.

While not scary by any means, I also really liked the underwater sections in Bioshock 2. They offered a new perspective on Rapture. I only wish they had explored the potential of those sections a little more.

Super Mario 64 was absolutely terrifying to me. I have a horrible fear of drowning, and I couldn't let his breath drop into the red or I would freak out, run away, and get my mom to move Mario back up to the surface. She got really good at Super Mario 64.

Man fuck underwater. Shadows of the Empire for N64 has a part where you can fall in some green murky water and there are some weird star wars ass creatures in there, it freaked me out. That being said, Bioshock 2's underwater stuff was cool.

Oh man, that murky water sequence in SotE. Definitely a creepy moment. Janky and creepy.

I don't have a favorite, but I do have a least favorite, and that's the Aquis realm in Primal, which is all underwater. Swimming in that game is terrible, and you still get into combat situations. Ugh, never again.

Dino Crisis 2 had a pretty good underwater segment.

Currently, I believe that Assassin's Creed 4 has the most breathtaking and coolest underwater sections. The first time I went underwater in the diving bell, I just stared at my computer in shock and awe.

Crysis 1 looked the best underwater, though ACIV is pretty sweet too.

And that's exactly why I want it. Don't make it really combat focused - give me it as a lore-centric zone or a transition/traversal zone (that only relies on moving through that mesmerizing and frightening area).

God, I never realized how much I really wanted this until I explained it a bit.

The entirety of Bioshock.

@siroptimusprime: I will say that, while not technically an underwater sequence, wading out into the lagoon in Darkroot Basin to confront the Hydra is maybe the most uncomfortable I've ever been playing a game in the last few years.

I liked a lot the sections in Last of Us. They were cool.

@sunbrozak: I hated that level because of that eel.

I think I hate underwater and mine-cart levels the most in games.

The sonic one is pretty good though in terms of "This is fucking frustrating as fuck!"

World 2 Level 2 in Classic Super Mario for the NES.

As a kid I got freaked out by one of my favorite games, Jak and Daxter. If you swim too far out into the deep waters, this heartbeat starts pounding faster and a giant fish comes to eat you. I love that game, but fuck that fish. I swear that thing is what traumatized me to hating deep waters to begin with.

Underwater levels are almost always crap. The latest GTA game being a good example.

Tomb Raider Underworld had a tolerable one and a shitty one.

Man, the boss at the end of that level. That screwed me up for weeks. Can't stand giant things underwater/poor visibility. The water-snake colossus in SotC got to me almost the same way.

Who else misread this as scariest underwear sections?

For me it was Rayman Origins' Abyss stage that gave me the biggest impression of isolation and helplessness underwater. The transition is great too as you start off in a happy tranquil scene, but as you descend further, the music fades out and is replaced by a somber piano. Next thing you know, you're surrounded by complete darkness where your only light source and means of survival is quickly diminishing unless you swim further to replenish it. One wrong move into the darkness and a claw was waiting to end you.

This was probably my favorite one.

Not sure about scariest underwear section but the naked section with Raiden in MGS2 was really fucking weird/creepy.

The giant eels in Majora's mask freaked me the fuck out.

Clanker scared the shit out of me when I played the first Banjo Kazooiee

I'm trying to think of one but I'm just not sure there's an underwater stage I'm afraid of. Running out of breath in Sonic is usually pretty tense though, I've heard a lot of people say that scared them as a kid.

sigh, I hate swiming sequences.

I remember the shark in Tomb Raider 2 being a terrifying sumbitch.

Look at that thing!

Yes, YES. I need nightmare fuel.

Zul'Gurub raids in World of Warcraft, and Aquanox