Silent Hill – Silent Hill Series
Silent Hill is (or was, to be precise) one of the most atmospheric horror franchises ever. Whilst the main levels themselves were creepy as hell, it was the town itself that truly grabbed at the fear factor. Swapping out clichéd darkness and narrow corridors for a sprawling country town steeped in a dense and mysterious fog, Silent Hill conjures up a very unique form of terror that was, at one time at least, a truly relevant mainstay of the games as art movement. Whilst the game was largely lauded for its unique and clever blend of psychological horror, the artistic design of Silent Hill certainly helped bring the game’s themes to the fore.
Scarecrow’s World – Batman: Arkham Asylum
The idea of having Scarecrow appear as a boss in a Batman game seems outside of that particular antagonist’s comfort zone, but Rocksteady managed to work it in tastefully; both respecting the source material and breaking the fourth wall simultaneously. Originally showing up to torment Batman, Scarecrow’s abstract appearances serve to elaborate on Bruce Wayne’s past, and wind up playing with the very medium of the game in later appearances. True genius in game design form.
D-Day – Medal of Honour: Frontline
This level! This was the highlight, the peak which the Medal of Honour series has yet to eclipse. Reflecting the Normandy landings of 1944, D-Day managed to pull a “Saving Private Ryan” by reflecting the intensity and terror of storming the beaches. Starting with some inter-squad banter in the boat, you soon see the bullets whirring overhead and scramble for the seabed below. Once on the beach itself, it’s a mad dash for safety as machine gun emplacements mow through your fellow soldiers. Games didn’t get more intense and emotionally charged than this back when Frontline showed up in 2002.
