The scariest video game Easter Eggs and where to find them
Alma's first trick (F.E.A.R.)
The Egg: If you're not the adventurous or stubborn type, you probably spent the first chapter of F.E.A.R. thinking your main concern was the psychotic Paxton Fettel. Well, joke's on you, because the obsessive got a jump start on you by refusing to give up on opening a clearly jammed door. In the abandoned hospital, the Point Man encounters a set of double doors that will only open an inch no matter how much he tries to force them. That is, until he tries really hard, at which point the UI starts to go nuts and the doors spring open, revealing a creepy little girl on the other side that quickly vanishes. The only place the Point Man can go then is through a door to the left, where he'll hear a little girl say, "I hate you daddy!" before he reappears in front of the still-jammed doors. Telekenetic mindscrew. Awesome.
Where to find it: During the game's tutorial stage, after picking up your first health pack, the doors are in front of you. You'll probably try to open them on accident before the game diverts you to the left to jump over a nearby gurney.
Milla's nightmares (Psychonauts)
The Egg: Yeah, I wasn't lying about the burning children the opening slide. Psychonauts, the sometimes distressing but generally wacky psychic adventure, puts a real downer on things when you enter Milla Vodello's mind. Most of the area is taken up by a gigantic, colorful dance party (hence the name Milla's Dance Party, I suppose) but one room is very different, resembling a child's playroom. A book found within shows Milla used to work at an orphanage that--oh wow--burned down, killing all the children inside. You then gain access to a nearby chest that Milla calls a "party killer", where she keeps horrific nightmares of the children whispering her name and asking why she didn't save them. UM. Yeah I don't think I'm in a party mood anymore.
Where to find it: So I guess you land on a platform with a swirly pattern on it, then bounce to one that looks like a disco floor, and then aim for a door next to a giant lollipop? Oh I don't know, just watch this.
Slenderman stalker (Runner2)
Where to find it: Run the Bush Wacky course, try to keep your eyes on the background, and hope you see him first. P.S. You won't.
Ghostly screensavers (the Fatal Frame series)
Where to find it: Anywhere at all! Just leave the game running and don't touch the controller for exactly five minutes, and the screensaver will take over. It's a riot at parties!
Everyone knows the blanket rule
If you've made it this far, congratulations! You should now be thoroughly uncomfortable. Which of these horrifying Eggs are you happiest to choke down? Are there even scarier ones that I missed? Gonna sleep with the lights on tonight? Say so in the comments below. It's okay, we're all friends here.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
Want more eggy goodness? Check out our Top 7 eggs. Wait, that's not what you meant? Well, how about some Destiny Easter Eggs? And for an extra barrel of scary, check out the best horror games of all time.
Former Associate Editor at GamesRadar, Ashley is now Lead Writer at Respawn working on Apex Legends. She's a lover of FPS titles, horror games, and stealth games. If you can see her, you're already dead.