The Unsettling Undertakings: 10 Eeriest Missions in Non-Horror Games

Highlights

Creepy missions in non-horror games subvert the power fantasy and safety of these titles, adding a thrilling and unnerving element.

Games such as Skyrim, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Half-Life 2 offer players thrilling missions that take them into haunting scenarios and environments. Whether it's facing Scarecrow for the very first time or confronting the formidable Vortex Queen in Ecco the Dolphin, these missions guarantee unforgettable and suspenseful experiences.

Non-horror games can also deliver the thrill of embarking on spine-chilling missions. These missions challenge players to navigate unsettling levels and face daunting adversaries, all while operating within the constraints of limited resources and relying on their wits. By incorporating these chilling scenarios, developers are able to subvert the safety and power fantasy typically associated with non-horror titles. Prepare to traverse eerie landscapes and encounter formidable bosses in unexpected locations as we explore the most hair-raising missions in non-horror games.

10 Skyrim – Whispers In The Dark

Skyrim

Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox One X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PS5, SwitchReleased November 11, 2011Developer(s) BethesdaGenre(s) RPG, Action, Adventure

Skyrim is packed with a diverse range of side quests, varying from ordinary to extravagant and even bizarre. Among them, there is a chilling mission known as the "Whispers in the Dark" side quest.

In this quest, players delve into the secretive world of the Dark Brotherhood, where the focus is on the intriguing relationship between two members, Cicero and Astrid. As players embark on this quest, they find themselves surreptitiously entering the Night Mother's sarcophagus to eavesdrop on Cicero. However, they are unexpectedly confronted with the lifeless body of the Night Mother herself, leading to a spine-chilling conversation with the matriarch of the Dark Brotherhood.

9 Batman: Arkham Asylum – Encountering Scarecrow For The First Time

Batman Arkham Asylum

Platform(s) PS3, PS4, macOS, PC, Xbox 360, Xbox OneReleased August 25, 2009Developer(s) Rocksteady StudiosGenre(s) Action, Adventure

Batman's lineup of villains is filled with disturbing and eerie characters that the Dark Knight is constantly challenged to overcome. One particularly unsettling task that Batman faces is his initial confrontation with the Scarecrow in the game Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Upon entering the morgue following a captivating scene, players are greeted by three vacant examination tables. As they explore the area and eventually return to the tables, they discover that three body bags now occupy the previously empty space. Investigating these bags, players uncover the feared Scarecrow within the final one. Future encounters will reveal the true extent of his malevolent intentions, but the first meeting with Scarecrow is undeniably unsettling.

8 Red Dead Redemption 2 – Country Pursuits

Red Dead Redemption 2

Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, PC, StadiaReleased October 26, 2018Developer(s) Rockstar GamesGenre(s) Action, Adventure

Life as a cowboy in Red Dead Redemption 2 revolves around activities like bank heists, gunfights, and contributing a portion of one's earnings to Dutch and the Van der Linde Gang. In addition to these thrilling adventures, the game features some peculiar side missions, with the "Country Pursuits" mission standing out as particularly eerie.

During this mission, players must rescue a character named Jules who has been attacked by a massive Bull Gator. The tension builds up even further when players are required to venture into a waist-deep swamp at night, with the Bull Gator lurking nearby and their only source of light being a handheld lantern.

7 Half-Life 2 – We Don’t Go to Ravenholm

Half-Life 2

Platform(s) PC, Xbox 360, Xbox (Original), PS3, macOS, Linux, AndroidReleased November 16, 2004Developer(s) ValveGenre(s) Shooter

In Half-Life 2, players are tasked with traversing through the eerie town of Ravenholm to advance the storyline. Once a bustling mining town transformed into a stronghold for the Resistance, it now stands deserted, overrun by zombies and headcrabs.

Despite the game's post-apocalyptic backdrop, Ravenholm's desolate and decayed surroundings emit a chilling atmosphere. The presence of wandering zombies and lurking headcrabs in the dimly lit corners heighten the sense of tension, creating a daunting passage that players must navigate through.

6 Final Fantasy 7 – Encountering Emerald Weapon

Final Fantasy 7

Platform(s) PlayStation (Original), PC, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4Released January 31, 1997Developer(s) Square EnixGenre(s) RPG

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The missions in the Final Fantasy games typically lean towards more fantastical elements. However, Final Fantasy 7 presents a side mission that unintentionally invokes a sense of creepiness: battling the Emerald Weapon.

Defeating the Emerald Weapon is crucial for players aiming to obtain the game's most powerful Summon. However, in order to locate this formidable enemy, players must operate a submarine and search for it in the vast ocean. For those who fear the open sea, the prospect of seeking out a massive machine hidden beneath the waves is undeniably eerie. The sight of the Emerald Weapon's ominous silhouette against the murky horizon only serves to heighten the feeling of foreboding and unease.

5 Elden Ring – Going For The Lord Of The Frenzied Flame Ending

Elden Ring

Platform(s) PS5, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PCReleased February 25, 2022Developer(s) From SoftwareGenre(s) RPG, Action

Elden Ring is an action game with a plethora of horror elements. Among the various missions, the Frenzied Flame ending stands out as one of the more challenging main quests.

Upon reaching the Subterranean Shunning Grounds area hidden behind the altar, players will encounter a room filled with corpses of Nomadic Merchants, some of whom are still alive and hostile towards the player. The sight of numerous bodies gathered in this single location sends shivers down the player's spine, while also raising the unsettling question of how they ended up there.

4 Pokemon Blue / Red / Yellow / Fire Red / Leaf Green – Retrieving The Poké Flute

When players enter Lavender Town in the First-Generation Pokemon games, they are introduced to a chilling place filled with eccentric NPCs and an eerie theme song. The mission in the Pokemon Tower, where players must obtain the Poké Flute, is particularly unsettling.

The Pokemon Tower has been taken over by Team Rocket and serves as a resting place for deceased Pokemon. Before players can venture further into the tower, they must first acquire the Silph Scope, which allows them to see the true forms of Ghost-type Pokemon. Alongside the disconcerting Channeler opponents who speak unsettling phrases, this level and mission create a disturbing atmosphere.

3 Earthbound – Battling Giygas

Earthbound

Platform(s) SNES, Game Boy AdvanceReleased June 5, 1995Developer(s) HAL Laboratory, Ape Inc.Genre(s) RPG

Earthbound, also known as Mother 2, is widely acclaimed as one of Nintendo's hidden gems in the JRPG genre. With its charming and vibrant characters and settings, players take control of Ness, a young psychic boy, and his friends as they embark on an adventure in their world.

However, the climactic battle against Giygas takes the unsettling factor to a whole new level. As a recurring character from the previous game, Giygas now possesses an overwhelming cosmic power that he struggles to control. This results in a distorted and disturbing combat interface and visuals, featuring unsettling imagery from other dimensions. The sudden shift can be quite unexpected, as the visuals strongly resemble a disorienting and eerie nightmare.

2 Control: Fridge Duty

Control

Platform(s) PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox OneReleased August 27, 2019Developer(s) Remedy EntertainmentGenre(s) Action

In Control, Jesse Faden encounters and deals with various strange phenomena known as New Weird. To successfully complete the main game, players must first complete the side mission called "Fridge Duty." During this mission, players must locate the Refrigerator Altered Item and ensure that someone is always watching it to prevent any unexpected occurrences.

Advancing through this mission leads to eerie moments where Jesse comes into contact with the fridge and is suddenly transported to the Astral Plane. It is in this otherworldly dimension that she faces off against the Former, a menacing creature with a single eye and multiple limbs. In Control, players rarely get to witness the true form of their enemies, making this encounter with the boss both memorable and unnerving.

1 Ecco the Dolphin – Fighting the Vortex Queen

Ecco the Dolphin is an exciting action-adventure game where players take control of Ecco, the main character, who embarks on a mission to save his fellow dolphins and other marine creatures after an unexpected encounter with a strange water spout. While most of the game follows the typical formula of a 2D action-adventure game from the 90s, the final boss fight takes a thrilling and unexpected turn.

Using a time machine, Ecco travels back to the moment when his pod is sucked up and transported to Planet Vortex. Here, he explores a haunting extraterrestrial landscape and eventually comes face to face with the Vortex Queen: a colossal insect-like creature with menacing mandibles. The final area and boss fight provide a striking contrast to the earlier stages of the game, adding a significant twist to the storyline of a seemingly ordinary 2D adventure game about a dolphin.