Just in time for the egg hunt! How many of these surprises do you know of?
Gaming has long been a medium for developers to hide all sorts of secrets, references, and treats for players to discover. While many of these are amusing or nostalgic, some are downright unsettling. From ghostly apparitions and vampires to crossovers and even the odd screensaver — the contents are as varied as they are surprising.
In this article, we’ll explore some creepy video games Easter eggs that are sure to send a shiver down your spine. Let’s get to it!
What is an Easter egg in a video game?
In the context of video games, Easter eggs refer to hidden features, messages, or references intentionally placed by developers for players to discover as a form of surprise or reward.
These hidden elements can range from secret rooms, messages, or items to references to other games, movies, or pop culture events. They are often found by exploring, performing specific actions, or uncovering hidden clues.
So, if you’ve been wondering what is an Easter egg in games, the answer is wide-ranging, with some of the most notorious examples taking an incredibly long time for players to discover. In fact, it’s fairly well known that some of the best-loved games still have surprises hidden by developers that are still to be found to this day!
Top 10 scariest Easter eggs in games
Now, you’re probably already well aware of this, but the following article will contain major spoilers for creepy video games Easter eggs. If that’s the sort of thing that’ll upset you, perhaps it’s best you don’t read any further.
Still with us? Good, let’s get cracking with our list.
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 is not just considered one of gaming’s all-time masterpieces; Valve’s iconic first-person shooter also contains one of the creepiest reveals out there.
If you’ve played HL2, you’ve probably gone around shooting up loads of Crabhead zombies without thinking much about their screams when you set them ablaze. But did you know that their incoherent cries actually make sense when played in reverse? If you’ve got access to the game, boot it up, hit record, set fire to a Crabhead or two and then play the video backwards; you’ll be able to make out them shouting, “God help, help me! Oh my god!” It’s not pretty, but it is creepy.
Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar games, and the GTA series in particular, seem to have more rumors surrounding their titles than most. Some are pure speculation, some are encouraged by the devs and marketing team, and some — like Jolene Cranley-Evans’ ghost — end up being true.
If you’re a fan of ghostly apparitions, you’ll want to take a trip to the top of Mount Gordo in GTA V between the in-game hours of 23:00-00:00 and seek out a large, flat rock on the ground bearing the word JOCK. Wait a little bit, and you should see the translucent, ghoulish figure of a woman emerge, with flowing dark hair, wearing a white robe, and bearing a twisted look on her face.
This proven rumor actually consists of two scary Easter eggs. At the bottom of Mount Gordo, there’s a small campsite usually occupied by 4 people, but if you visit it between 23:00-00:00 in game, you’ll be able to hear screaming and indecipherable whispers coming from the same ghost. Spooky stuff!
Fable II
The Fable series had a certain way of building lore around its world and immersing players in the realm of Albion. However, one of Fable II’s Easter eggs can be found by entering a place between worlds.
At first glance, the Winter Lodge, accessed through the Bloodstone Demon Door, seems cozy and inviting, nestled at the end of a snowy path. But as you enter, things change instantly. The color drains, eerie music plays, and the snug home suddenly has skeletons and random bones strewn across the floor. Fortunately, there is a rather useful item waiting in a chest at the top of the stairs for anyone brave enough to venture up there.
No More Heroes
This is one of the most disturbing scary Easter eggs on our list, but it’s not a weird image or menacing sound that lands No More Heroes a spot here.
At one point in the game, Jeane reveals her true identity to Travis Touchdown, whose parents she’s killed in the lead up to this event. However, during the game, the entire cut scene is sped up, so it sounds like complete gibberish. When you slow it down, though, not only do you discover that Jeane just so happens to be Travis’ half-sister, but you also find out that their father subjected her to some incredibly dark stuff when she was younger.
Death Stranding Director’s Cut
The updated DS Director’s Cut added plenty of additional content to the base game and also included a few shocks for good measure, too. One of them is particularly sinister but will be a welcome treat for fans of Hideo Kojima.
When you enter your private room, you’ll have the chance of randomly triggering a cut scene that involves Sam awakening from a dream. As he looks around, your view will transition to first person, locking on the shower unit containing an ominous figure standing there. The scene slowly zooms in as the shadowy silhouette begins twitching before bursting out and diving towards the camera.
As far as creepy video games Easter eggs go, this is right up there. And if you ever played the ill-fated P.T. demo, you’ll recognize this as being a nod to that spine-chilling short.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Another Rockstar Games title makes it on the list, this time taking us back to final flickers of the Wild West and into the world of Red Dead Redemption 2.
The story goes that there’s a vampire lurking in the bayou, who’s been hunting the streets of Saint Denis and has killed 5 poor souls, leaving letters where they perished. In order to encounter the Nosferatu of Saint Denis, you’ll first need to uncover the whereabouts of those 5 letters. Once done, a mark will be made on your map in the form of a pentagram. You know what that means — and it’s up to you to decide whether you’re brave enough to seek out an evening with the vampire.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Japanese folklore and culture is known for its tales of and reverence for the afterlife. Yakuza 6 seems to pay homage to this with its own concealed treat for you to uncover. While in the Kamurochō and Onomichi districts, look for 10 pictures that are hidden throughout these areas. Each of these framed photos contains an image of a character who’s passed away.
Once you have their photo, you’ll be able to trigger ‘spirit photographs’ of that person when taking pictures in a specific location. It’s worth noting you don’t need to have found all 10 pictures in order to start, but each found photo unlocks a new setting for you to capture a supernatural shot.
PAYDAY 2
The Witch Easter egg in PAYDAY 2 undoubtedly deserves a place on this list, if only for the nature of the cameo involved. If you want to find the witch yourself, you’ll need to play the No Mercy heist, set in Mercy Hospital. Now, if you’re a fan of Left 4 Dead, that name probably rings a bell, as it’s also a setting from that title.
And that’s where the cameo comes into play. While racing around the hospital, make sure to walk up to the storage closet windows. If you’re lucky, the infamous necromancer from LF4 will appear with a scream at the glass! The combination of the witch’s haunting presence and the unexpected crossover between the two games definitely makes this one of the most interesting picks we’ve made.
Ben and Ed
Ben and Ed contains the most unique and, arguably, weirdest Easter eggs in all of gaming — perhaps any entertainment media, really.
Following the game’s ‘Benpocalypse’ update, you can now take control of a Zombie version of Ben. And if you complete the final level with him, forebodingly, a set of real-world coordinates are presented.
This chilling ARG reveal has led players to visit the actual location, based in Essen, Germany. While there, they’ve discovered weird drawings, an MP3 file and — most alarming of all — a bone. Fans of the game have been trying to decode this mystery for years, which, as of writing, is yet to be solved.
Fatal Frame
The final entry on our list might well be the easiest hidden secret to find, seeing as you technically don’t have to do anything to uncover it. Or, really, we should say them because this secret is actually a 3-in-1.
In each of the Fatal Frame games, if you simply stop playing for 5 minutes, a hidden screen saver will start playing. There’s nothing else you need to do to trigger it, and the creepy visions will continue to fill the screen until you start playing again.
So there you have it. Bear in mind this is by no means an exhaustive list, but we’ve got other things to be getting on with! However, if your favorite is missing and you think it deserves to take a spot from one of our picks, we’re more than willing to listen to reason. As always, if you’ve got something to say, the comments are ready and waiting!
