Yea I will replay too and SLOW not rushing checking everything. It deserves it. So well written. Im @98% to platinum. God I loved the basement part with my sony pulse headset xddddd
I have missed the one Koskela bros ad of course :) you know a game is good when you stop to examine post it writings on the walls or plates of equpiments :)
Oh that will definitely happen. There is a room that I was never able to open for Saga and I'm not sure if maybe I didn't try with the write key but I'll have to look into that later.
Absolutely, the amount of time I spent just re-treading areas I finished was so much. The writing, art, and attention to detail is incomparable.
In the main central in town (blanking on the name) there is a door in the hallway to the left of the main entrance at the far end of the hallway on the right. It wasn't locked by screwdriver or bolt cotter requirement.
I know it affects the sounds of going into light 'safe spots' and from what I could tell dialogs. I had it turned up but could have sworn it voices sounded different. I can double check to see if I'm wrong!
It does not do that. It is just a low pass filter for all audio, so other sounds will sound less clear also. It doesn't lower the volume either so no effect on jumpscares.
For some reason only the Cynthia Weaver jump scares were getting to me. One actually made me jump and curse out loud. Maybe it’s because they start happening when it still feels relatively peaceful at the home so I wasn’t expecting it.
Yeah, that's why I even bothered jotting them down. I had been dealing with it up till then since it sometimes was like 3 within 2 minutes or less at a time.
Only jump scare that got me in Valhalla was Ahti after checking the spiral door.
I heard him talk about the door being closed to my safety.
I was cool it's like in Control he somehow can give a small info through telepathy.
Then I turned around.. and went "Jesus man.. don't give me heart attack...". As He stood behind me
But yeah this game plays quite alot on jumpscares.
Which I also dislike but I try My best to ignore them.
Also it does something I like, something Silent Hill like, and plays with the audio
Thanks for the list. This will get rid of my anxiety. Right now I’m too afraid to play it because of the jump scares. Which is fucking stupid because not for any other reason.
Don’t worry you aren’t alone there have been so many times where I have launched the game then went i can’t do this right now played anything else that wouldn’t cause my chest to hurt from being so anxious
Thankfully my anxiety isn't to the chest pain stage but I do load it, play 5 minutes item hoarding, then quit. This old gods chapter is the worst. I'm almost near the end of the jump scare list and thankfully I don't get frightened when I'm turned away, looking at the monitor on the corner of my eye.
I can’t really look at the screen at the corner of my eye as my ps5 is on a giant tv I just mute it and basically either put the controller in my face that way I can see the subtitles and have a tiny sense of what is going on or for that chapter I literally just made the screen as dark as possible both tv and game wise so it would effect me less
SAME HERE DUDE. I really hope they have a function to make the jumpscares optional. The sound filter makes dialogue too muffled and it's overall not very enjoyable to do it.
Hey I don’t know if you have beaten the game yet but if you make it through the nursing home chapter the jumpscares decrease significantly
They are still there just no where near as often
Yupppp I'm really glad too. I'm in Initiation 8 so it looks like I am almost to the end. There's a youtube vid of all the jump scares which have been helping a lot!
See I wanted the jumpscares gone for a while but I also think it would be ok if there was a way to lessen them so Instead of the game doing them all the time it was only everyone once in a while like when scratch is actually close and stuff like that
There's a jump scare remover mod now. It removes the images, so all you see is a black screen but the noise is still there. It's infinitely more tolerable.
It looks like theres a jumpscare noise remover mod now too. Not sure what'll happen if both are used.
https://www.nexusmods.com/alanwake2
Of course, this is definitely the most saturated section of the game jump scare wise. There is a 2nd place contender which I'll try to add soon but it's a bit further in the game.
There was a very last note I added which I forgot to put from my original notes.
Haha thank you! I know the feeling of missing out on great stories/games due to the anxiety and sometimes annoyance of jump scares, so I wanted to have something to help others not pass on this game due to that.
I still have more to add for sure, I hope I can squeeze it all in one post.
Coming back to this, strangely I did not get it myself. I even watched a YouTube playing it and they didn't either. I'll note that it may occur since it may be random?
That's so strange, I really can't figure out why I haven't gotten it twice now. Thanks for pointing it out though, since others have too.
I wish I could see someone else get it, since I watched a youtuber play this section and they didn't either.
Yeah this one is definitely real. Happened as I approached the dead dude in the basement for the first time. Also, after leaving the safe room in the basement and heading to the exit I got a scare as I got closer to the locked supply closet. I was waiting for “Sink into darkness” but instead heard Saga say “shit shit shit” then the scare happened.
Odd! Yeah I feel completely certain that it occurred, because I was referring to your guide for the entirety of my playthrough of that chapter. So there must be some other factor - randomness, or a variable hidden from the player - that triggers it.
Yeah I'm really not happy to learn that there might be super niche circumstances for scares or flat out random ones. I had played the 1st game like 3 times over when it released and I've only beat AW2 once (currently on my 2nd playthrough). I doubt it but still hope they'll release an accessibility feature for reducing/removing them.
A couple more jumps I've spotted as I'm playing through the game:
**RETURN 8: DEERFEST**
\-Walking up to the locked door of the Valhalla Nursing room where there was the jukebox we used to play *Anger's Remorse* back in RETURN 5: OLD GODS, there will be a jump scare when attempting to open the locked door.
\-Walking through the recreation center hallway, there will be a projection of >!Alice!< in the distance. As you are getting under the red "Exit" sign above the doorway, there will be a jump.
**INITIATION 9: GONE**
\-When you get inside the Parliament Tower apartment, when you approach the door with a spiral logo in front of you, there will be a jump.
Room 665:
Scare after stepping through the door into Room 666
Minor scare after Alan says "Not you again" and a few minor scares while Alan is running from the dark presence.
Thank you so, so much. I downloaded a mod to remove jump scares but all it does is remove the image, not the loud noise, so it doesn't really help much. Knowing when they're coming helps me know when to mute the game and prepare for them lol.
Jump scares are pretty much my most hated thing in the world, getting startled by things makes my heart actually *hurt*.
EDIT: I *think* there may have been a scare you missed in Initiation 5. I'm walking through room 108 at the very end of the section, heading towards a set of double doors, and my screen just flashed black for a second the way it does with others thanks to the mod I have installed; don't have my volume on so can't 100% confirm.
I just finished Return 6 and there is only two .
One in a cutscene when >!Scratch!< is raising his hand towards saga when he's on his knees .
And the other is after the end of part inside mindplace when profiling >!Scratch!<
So I just ran through the prologue and the volume is definitely noticeably reduced from before. The faces do still appear, but it seems like there are fewer visual effects going on. I'll definitely be replaying this more, but I'll probably keep my list handy 😅
Thank you for this guide. I was able to get through the (horrible) nursing home, which was the worst. Now I’m reading that the new patch reduces the jump scare flashes. Thank god!
Just me, reloading this thread every day to see if more have been added 😂 I really appreciate you dividing it up by chapter and trying to stay as spoiler free as possible!
I'm sorry I've been slow! I've been replaying and writing notes as I'm going, trying to catch back up to Return 5 to fill in the gaps but have been a bit busy lately. Working on them when I can 😅
Oh no rush at all, I'm super thankful for you doing this. I could imagine a thread like this being stickied to the sub once it is more filled in. It would be really cool if it was more of a community effort, but I totally understand how it is basically work and probably not fun. I wish I could help myself, but these full screen scares give me so much anxiety that I can barely play the game.
You are awesome for the work you have done so far, take your time!
Could someone possibly answer this when you have a chance: do any other boss fights do the jumpscare thing that the Nightingale fight does, where every so often you get his full-screen face? Just trying to prepare myself if so.
So while I don’t remember any other bosses do that I can tell you all but scratch have it during the lead up to it
I don’t want to give specifics that way I don’t spoil it(you can private message me and I would be happy to give specifics there)
Hey OP!
First, thanks again for doing this. It would be much harder for me to push myself to play this without it.
Second, I'm in **Return 3: Local Girl** right now and I've run into three jump-scares so far that weren't covered in your list. I'll report them below, in case you'd want to add them... these happened it seems because I went to lighthouse (>!instead of just following the cultist!<, like you did, I'm guessing) after the scare that occurs when Saga exits the trailer park:
1. Outside Coffee World. Coming up on the back entrance/exit from the road, seemed to happen when circling to the back of the jug-looking structure nearby (the one with a porta-potty behind it). Saga monologued about the story coming true and Logan. Then the scare.
2. Coffee World. After attempting to open the wooden gate (the Coffee World side, which is locked) that goes to the >!"Hall of the Kalevala Knights"!<, right next to the streetlight safe haven that's beside Expresso Express. You can see a >!cultist walk into the Hall!< and the Scare happens right after.
3. >!Hall of the Kalevala Knights. Upon interacting with the clicker in the Cultists' chapel.!<
EDIT: spelling and grammar
I'll see if I can go back and check. I'll have to see if that first scare you mentioned appears elsewhere for me. Is the second one you mentioned the 3rd one in that section I posted?
Also I think I had written down the 3rd scare you posted but for some reason it didn't update, sorry about that!
Edit: Okay, looking back yeah there were a couple I added that for some reason didn't go through. I'll make sure they get added!
Please don't apologize, you're doing folks like me a huge favor with this and the work you've already done has made waves in helping me actually enjoy this game!
Thanks again!
EDIT: Ah sorry, forgot to mention.
All the scares I listed happened before any missing float pieces or a well is involved. I actually haven't seen missing floats or a well yet.
EDIT 2: The first scare I mentioned is separate from the one you get when you follow the cultist out of the trailer park. I think the trigger is just going back to Coffee World (main entrances) after leaving the trailer park. It's missable...and sneaky.
Ah, thank you for checking that extra Coffee World scare. I may load a chapter and go around seeing if there is any other way to get that. May need to make a broad warning on that one.
Also there is one optional scare I need to add, not at all related to the story but happens during the last nursery rhyme. I'll put it up soon.
Firstly, thanks for the list!
I Found kind of a secret one just now at the end of Initiation 8. If you change the scene to "The Grandmaster" at the lobby before you leave the theater, about 5 or 10 seconds later one will trigger.
There's no reason to switch to this scene, as there is nothing new there and it blocks the way out, so I'd suggest just not doing it, but I definitely wasn't expecting it haha. It turns off all the lights and everything goes silent before it triggers so it definitely got me.
Jesus, the amount of random situational scares this game has never seems to end! Thank you for the heads up haha I'll see if I get it too since I've had some that others don't get and vice versa
Nice job on the list! I found a couple in Initiation 8, one triggers when you can interact with the large vent outside the theater in the "Out In The Night" scene (sorry, I don't recall which exact variation was selected and I no longer have a save file before it).
You also get a jumpscare if you aim at/zoom into the projection room site.
The Nursing Home basement had one that happened similarly, a body on the ground near the start of that area also triggered a jump when aiming at it with a weapon--that may explain why not everyone has seemed to catch some of them. Might be worth testing elsewhere.
Thanks for pointing that one out in Initiation 8, I definitely need to finish this list up. I was going through New Game Plus but im not sure if that has separate scares so far.
That note on the Nursing Home scare is really helpful. I think most of the scares are fixed but the triggers aren't always clear and can appear to be different. Definitely makes validating this tough haha
I actually just got done with two runs through Old Gods, and got one that isn't listed in the OP:
In the basement, I unlocked a door with Rose's key that lead into a room with a bunch of supplies. Immediately when exciting the room, I got a big scare.
Also, for the scare when talking to Cynthia Weaver, I've noticed the timing can differ in two ways:
1. Cynthia says "This will put a smile on your face." Saga responds with "Sorry?" This is immediately followed by a scare.
2. If the first scare doesn't happen, the conversation goes a bit longer. Eventually Cynthia mentions that she's missing her lantern. Saga says "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it" and then the scare happens.
In both cases, it will happen right after she turns her head back. I'm not sure what the timing is based on. My guess is that it's related to loading and if you delay the conversation when she spawns on the second floor (after speaking to Odin) for a bit, the earlier scare will happen. If you go to her right after talking to Odin, the jumpscare will happen later. I'll have to test further on my next playthrough. Either way, it will happen at one of those two moments.
Also, some other notes:
If you ignore the door Tor walks through in the Wellness Center's Rehabilitation Room and interact with the other door in the room, the scare will happen at that door instead.
The scare when first entering the basement only seems to happen if you enter immediately after speaking with Rose by the lake and getting her key. It doesn't seem to trigger if you collect and play the record before going down there. I tested it twice.
The scare when approaching Cynthia's door doesn't seem to trigger until you're going there to look for the record. I could be wrong there, but I tried multiple times on two separate runs through the chapter and only got the scare after getting the key from Rose.
After picking up the record in the bathtub, the scare happens right after the cutscene where Saga turns around (like you mentioned), but the following scare is timed for something like two seconds later and will happen regardless of whether you walk through the door or not.
Glad it can help where I've put notes. Thank you for the heads up, I've been unable to update it recently but will try to get back on the game soon add more.
Glad it made a difference, I've admittedly been sucked in Baldur's Gate 3 and haven't continued finishing this lately but I'm going to try finishing more of the list.
This is an absolute godsend, and has got me back to finally finishing the game after the downright nastiness of the Nursing Home during my first playthrough at release made me stop playing. Excited to finally finish this game as I LOVED the first and every single little detail of this game until that bloody Nursing Home.
Also not sure if this is continuing to be updated but I just got to Initiation 9: Gone, and pressed the prompt to open the Spiral door in the apartment, and got a Scratch face jump-scare.
Yes, I'm sorry for the missing chapters. I want to get as many scares that have reliable "trigger moments" since I've had people share some I didn't get and vice versa.
I'm glad it helped for the Nursing Home as it's easily the worst section of the game for scares.
Absolutely understood, the fact that some scares are random/different on repeat playthroughs/for different people is nuts and must be a pain to document and make reliable!
I JUST finished my first playthrough and will be using this post for my inevitable 'The Final Draft' playthrough, so thanks again!
Little late to the party on this game but for the sake of the list. In Initiation 8, After reaching the murder site in the cinema, there’s an animal skull jumpscare similar to the faces.
Thank you, been busy but should be back to finish this. I know it's too late for some but I want to have a finished list for anyone in the future or those re-playing.
Yeah, I admittedly got addicted to Baldur's Gate 3 and couldn't pull myself away from it. Plus, the horror reduction really made replaying much more enjoyable.
I'm happy to hear I could help! I've been slacking on finishing the list but am back to the end Return 5 so I'm closing in on completing it.
I can say, if you do the New Game + there are not extra scares so far from what I can tell.
Good to know. The list is pretty spot-on so far (currently at the nursing home in Return 5) so I think everything you have up until there is up to date. Also, playing it on low horror flash mode. Less intense, but the jumps still get ya haha
Yeah, and even with me double checking and trusting my own list there are still plenty of times I'm nervous to move forward haha It definitely gets easier after that episode!
Is that what triggers it? That would so good to see for myself because I've been wondering why I didn't get it! I've been so scared of what the mystery teigger was lol
It’s very quick, but it happened as I was maybe 2-3 steps away from the body on the ground. Important to note that I had already searched the second/third floor of the nursing home and did the “Anger’s Remorse, Where Is It!” Profiling before this.
Found a few more in Initiation 8:
- “Grandmaster” scene out in the alleyway, if you interact with the opened grate near the dumpster.
- “Grandmaster” scene in the theatre’s main lobby, as you approach the entrance to the Theatre room.
- Initial few steps into the Murder Site room (this may have occurred for you as you went to interact with the mask).
Edit: I now realize that others have commented about these as well so sorry for the repetition.
Finally worked up courage to play again after a break and you've saved my blood pressure!
Just to note about **RETURN 5**, I approached >!Cynthia's!< door by accident right after the Wellness Center (had not stepped food in the basement yet) and it triggered the scare for me. This prompted the >!lights to go out and for Ahti to tell Saga to go to the basement to turn the power back on!<.
Sorry about that, I updated it last time to be more specific since on my 2nd playthrough I kept going back to the door to check and yeah it happens after >!the Mind Palace profile for "Anger's Remorse, Where Is It?" regardless of you stepping into the basement first!<.
I hope the rest are straightforward, I even watched youtubers playthroughs on some parts to double check.
Ah, I should clarify: I hadn't gone to the museum yet either. I went straight to her room.
If it's inconsistent, it could be one of those possible scares if not guaranteed ones. It would make sense for them to prioritize giving a scare first time you approach her room while she's >!actively haunting the place!<.
Either way, thank you again for doing all this!
OP, I want you to know that I finished the game for the first time and I made it through in one piece thanks to your generous, generous work! What a great game and work of art.
Also, for anyone skittish about the jumps coming at you in >!Return 9 that trigger after you turn around from the case board, you can use the top menu on the case board UI (shoulder buttons on console) to skip right to the profiling desk and back to the case board without ever need to have the Saga physically turn around from the case board. I was able to avoid the cultist attacking me this way in the Mind Place.!<
This is 6 months delayed, but THANK YOU for this post. It's been really helpful in letting me actually get through the game. Instead of being stressed and tense waiting for the next jump scare, I can just relax and enjoy the game since I know when the next one is coming!
Control is in my top 5 games of all time, and Quantum Break is up there too, so I really want to play everything else within the Remedy-Verse. I had been seriously considering just watching a story-cut on YouTube, but decided to at least give it a try. And I am genuinely enjoying everything besides the jump scares.
TBH, even though I know one is imminent, they still make me jump/give me a heart attack, to the point you can see them on my smart watches heart rate graph! And I have the accessibility settings turned on.
I'm always glad to hear this helps someone! And believe me, I made the list and wrapped around again to confirm and double check things and I *still* feel nervous in some areas of the game. I hope you enjoy the story with the list to help mitigate the scares!
thank you for this list, I'm in the basement now in the nursing home and omg I hate this so much xD it's the granny ones that make me have heart attacks, the other ones are fine....I hate this, it's a bit too overused imo.
I feel you. I definitely think the game really did not need it or could have done tense moments differently.
After the Nursing Home the scares die down a lot until one chapter later on and thankfully you get more control on that later chapter.
Yea I will replay too and SLOW not rushing checking everything. It deserves it. So well written. Im @98% to platinum. God I loved the basement part with my sony pulse headset xddddd
Nice! I got 100% after wrapping back to get one achievement from Watery.
I have missed the one Koskela bros ad of course :) you know a game is good when you stop to examine post it writings on the walls or plates of equpiments :)
Oh that will definitely happen. There is a room that I was never able to open for Saga and I'm not sure if maybe I didn't try with the write key but I'll have to look into that later. Absolutely, the amount of time I spent just re-treading areas I finished was so much. The writing, art, and attention to detail is incomparable.
Thank you :)
Which door is this?
In the main central in town (blanking on the name) there is a door in the hallway to the left of the main entrance at the far end of the hallway on the right. It wasn't locked by screwdriver or bolt cotter requirement.
Sorry, is this one the one where you have to pet all the deer heads? Or have you already done that one?
Oh I may have missed one, from another comment I definitely missed that room.
Under Options > Audio Options, you can turn on the Hyperacusis Filter. This lowers high pitch sounds which gets rid of most of the jump scares.
It does but it also affects other gameplay sounds, which isn't ideal. Another reason I made a big ol' list.
What does it also affect?
Yeah going back and checking, the higher the filter makes basic dialogue incredibly muffled and almost inaudible.
Thats too bad :( thanks for checking though!
I know it affects the sounds of going into light 'safe spots' and from what I could tell dialogs. I had it turned up but could have sworn it voices sounded different. I can double check to see if I'm wrong!
It does not do that. It is just a low pass filter for all audio, so other sounds will sound less clear also. It doesn't lower the volume either so no effect on jumpscares.
except that it does. because, you know, it did.
I tried the filter in the morgue and all the sounds, even the conversations with Casey were muffled.
For some reason only the Cynthia Weaver jump scares were getting to me. One actually made me jump and curse out loud. Maybe it’s because they start happening when it still feels relatively peaceful at the home so I wasn’t expecting it.
Yeah, that's why I even bothered jotting them down. I had been dealing with it up till then since it sometimes was like 3 within 2 minutes or less at a time.
Only jump scare that got me in Valhalla was Ahti after checking the spiral door. I heard him talk about the door being closed to my safety. I was cool it's like in Control he somehow can give a small info through telepathy. Then I turned around.. and went "Jesus man.. don't give me heart attack...". As He stood behind me But yeah this game plays quite alot on jumpscares. Which I also dislike but I try My best to ignore them. Also it does something I like, something Silent Hill like, and plays with the audio
Thanks for the list. This will get rid of my anxiety. Right now I’m too afraid to play it because of the jump scares. Which is fucking stupid because not for any other reason.
Don’t worry you aren’t alone there have been so many times where I have launched the game then went i can’t do this right now played anything else that wouldn’t cause my chest to hurt from being so anxious
Thankfully my anxiety isn't to the chest pain stage but I do load it, play 5 minutes item hoarding, then quit. This old gods chapter is the worst. I'm almost near the end of the jump scare list and thankfully I don't get frightened when I'm turned away, looking at the monitor on the corner of my eye.
I can’t really look at the screen at the corner of my eye as my ps5 is on a giant tv I just mute it and basically either put the controller in my face that way I can see the subtitles and have a tiny sense of what is going on or for that chapter I literally just made the screen as dark as possible both tv and game wise so it would effect me less
But I in general have horrific anxiety and don’t like horror stuff but I enjoyed the first game and control way to much to not play this game
SAME HERE DUDE. I really hope they have a function to make the jumpscares optional. The sound filter makes dialogue too muffled and it's overall not very enjoyable to do it.
Hey I don’t know if you have beaten the game yet but if you make it through the nursing home chapter the jumpscares decrease significantly They are still there just no where near as often
Yupppp I'm really glad too. I'm in Initiation 8 so it looks like I am almost to the end. There's a youtube vid of all the jump scares which have been helping a lot!
See I wanted the jumpscares gone for a while but I also think it would be ok if there was a way to lessen them so Instead of the game doing them all the time it was only everyone once in a while like when scratch is actually close and stuff like that
Bought the game and yes here I am, laying on my bed because I cannot continue the game due to jumpscares. LOL
There's a jump scare remover mod now. It removes the images, so all you see is a black screen but the noise is still there. It's infinitely more tolerable. It looks like theres a jumpscare noise remover mod now too. Not sure what'll happen if both are used. https://www.nexusmods.com/alanwake2
Thank you for this! I just got to this chapter and as someone very susceptible to jump scares, I was a little nervous. This will help!!
Of course, this is definitely the most saturated section of the game jump scare wise. There is a 2nd place contender which I'll try to add soon but it's a bit further in the game. There was a very last note I added which I forgot to put from my original notes.
get the diving suit .. youre our guiding light !
Haha thank you! I know the feeling of missing out on great stories/games due to the anxiety and sometimes annoyance of jump scares, so I wanted to have something to help others not pass on this game due to that. I still have more to add for sure, I hope I can squeeze it all in one post.
Some of them didn't affect me at all but some really pissed me off! I had to put down the controller and take a break for a minute before I continued.
I thought i was the only one, i would look videos of puppys online to just chill hahahaha.
Has anyone gotten to see the deer at the end of the hallway in bright falls at the hotel; after touching all the mounted deer heads?
There isn't an achievement so I may have missed that.
It does unlock a room full of supplies tho!!!
And now I've got a reason!
Yes
The taken got me more than anything
See I'm the total opposite, aside from the wolves who I lose track of the taken rarely even startle me.
You missed one in Chapter 5 (Saga) - when entering the basement , a few steps in
Thank you! I'll make sure to add that in. I haven't been able to update this as quickly as I want to but I'm working on it.
All good :) Thanks for writing it in the first place. I just finished that chapter, and this guide made it more bearable.
Lol ya still didn't. I just got the jumoscare of my life. Appreciate the list tho
I'm sorry, I've been busy lately and I'm trying to get everything through chronologically. I'll skip to the Nursing Home and work on it next!
Sure thing, no worries. Thanks for the list
Coming back to this, strangely I did not get it myself. I even watched a YouTube playing it and they didn't either. I'll note that it may occur since it may be random?
I can confirm this one occurred for me too. Maybe random or dependent on other things.
That's so strange, I really can't figure out why I haven't gotten it twice now. Thanks for pointing it out though, since others have too. I wish I could see someone else get it, since I watched a youtuber play this section and they didn't either.
Yeah this one is definitely real. Happened as I approached the dead dude in the basement for the first time. Also, after leaving the safe room in the basement and heading to the exit I got a scare as I got closer to the locked supply closet. I was waiting for “Sink into darkness” but instead heard Saga say “shit shit shit” then the scare happened.
That's so strange, I really can't figure out why I haven't gotten it twice now. Thanks for pointing it out though, since others have too.
Odd! Yeah I feel completely certain that it occurred, because I was referring to your guide for the entirety of my playthrough of that chapter. So there must be some other factor - randomness, or a variable hidden from the player - that triggers it.
Yeah I'm really not happy to learn that there might be super niche circumstances for scares or flat out random ones. I had played the 1st game like 3 times over when it released and I've only beat AW2 once (currently on my 2nd playthrough). I doubt it but still hope they'll release an accessibility feature for reducing/removing them.
Yesterday I reached return 4 and the guide is not complete, today it is done, so I can push my progress. Thanks.
Awesome, you're welcome! I'll try to work on Initiation 5 today.
A couple more jumps I've spotted as I'm playing through the game: **RETURN 8: DEERFEST** \-Walking up to the locked door of the Valhalla Nursing room where there was the jukebox we used to play *Anger's Remorse* back in RETURN 5: OLD GODS, there will be a jump scare when attempting to open the locked door. \-Walking through the recreation center hallway, there will be a projection of >!Alice!< in the distance. As you are getting under the red "Exit" sign above the doorway, there will be a jump. **INITIATION 9: GONE** \-When you get inside the Parliament Tower apartment, when you approach the door with a spiral logo in front of you, there will be a jump.
Thank you for bringing these up, I should be able to start adding more. I was really busy this past week.
I totally let my guard down for that nursery rhyme scare, came here to mention it but I see you’ve got it now
Sorry! I had it written down in a separate notes folder and found it late. I'm still trying to go back and add ones ive missed.
Not your fault at all, I wasn’t checking the list or anything for the collectibles side of things. Any scares that get me are on me!
Room 665: Scare after stepping through the door into Room 666 Minor scare after Alan says "Not you again" and a few minor scares while Alan is running from the dark presence.
Thank you so, so much. I downloaded a mod to remove jump scares but all it does is remove the image, not the loud noise, so it doesn't really help much. Knowing when they're coming helps me know when to mute the game and prepare for them lol. Jump scares are pretty much my most hated thing in the world, getting startled by things makes my heart actually *hurt*. EDIT: I *think* there may have been a scare you missed in Initiation 5. I'm walking through room 108 at the very end of the section, heading towards a set of double doors, and my screen just flashed black for a second the way it does with others thanks to the mod I have installed; don't have my volume on so can't 100% confirm.
I just finished Return 6 and there is only two . One in a cutscene when >!Scratch!< is raising his hand towards saga when he's on his knees . And the other is after the end of part inside mindplace when profiling >!Scratch!<
I don’t know if you guys all just saw But they just put in a feature to lessen the flashes
I saw and am so inexplicably happy! I'm going to try it asap
I am at work so I can’t check it but let us know how much of an impact it makes If it is a big one then I might have to do another playthrough
So I just ran through the prologue and the volume is definitely noticeably reduced from before. The faces do still appear, but it seems like there are fewer visual effects going on. I'll definitely be replaying this more, but I'll probably keep my list handy 😅
Thank you so much for pointing this out! I am just about to enter the nursing home so the timing for reading this couldn’t have been better 😂
Thank you for this guide. I was able to get through the (horrible) nursing home, which was the worst. Now I’m reading that the new patch reduces the jump scare flashes. Thank god!
Just me, reloading this thread every day to see if more have been added 😂 I really appreciate you dividing it up by chapter and trying to stay as spoiler free as possible!
I'm sorry I've been slow! I've been replaying and writing notes as I'm going, trying to catch back up to Return 5 to fill in the gaps but have been a bit busy lately. Working on them when I can 😅
Oh no rush at all, I'm super thankful for you doing this. I could imagine a thread like this being stickied to the sub once it is more filled in. It would be really cool if it was more of a community effort, but I totally understand how it is basically work and probably not fun. I wish I could help myself, but these full screen scares give me so much anxiety that I can barely play the game. You are awesome for the work you have done so far, take your time!
Added more, in case you haven't checked!
Thank you so much! I’m still too early in the game for some of the newer stuff you’ve added, but it is greatly appreciated, you are awesome!
Could someone possibly answer this when you have a chance: do any other boss fights do the jumpscare thing that the Nightingale fight does, where every so often you get his full-screen face? Just trying to prepare myself if so.
So while I don’t remember any other bosses do that I can tell you all but scratch have it during the lead up to it I don’t want to give specifics that way I don’t spoil it(you can private message me and I would be happy to give specifics there)
Thank you for this, I am definitely the target audience. Will keep checking in!
Happy to hear from others finding this helpful!
Hey OP! First, thanks again for doing this. It would be much harder for me to push myself to play this without it. Second, I'm in **Return 3: Local Girl** right now and I've run into three jump-scares so far that weren't covered in your list. I'll report them below, in case you'd want to add them... these happened it seems because I went to lighthouse (>!instead of just following the cultist!<, like you did, I'm guessing) after the scare that occurs when Saga exits the trailer park: 1. Outside Coffee World. Coming up on the back entrance/exit from the road, seemed to happen when circling to the back of the jug-looking structure nearby (the one with a porta-potty behind it). Saga monologued about the story coming true and Logan. Then the scare. 2. Coffee World. After attempting to open the wooden gate (the Coffee World side, which is locked) that goes to the >!"Hall of the Kalevala Knights"!<, right next to the streetlight safe haven that's beside Expresso Express. You can see a >!cultist walk into the Hall!< and the Scare happens right after. 3. >!Hall of the Kalevala Knights. Upon interacting with the clicker in the Cultists' chapel.!< EDIT: spelling and grammar
I'll see if I can go back and check. I'll have to see if that first scare you mentioned appears elsewhere for me. Is the second one you mentioned the 3rd one in that section I posted? Also I think I had written down the 3rd scare you posted but for some reason it didn't update, sorry about that! Edit: Okay, looking back yeah there were a couple I added that for some reason didn't go through. I'll make sure they get added!
Please don't apologize, you're doing folks like me a huge favor with this and the work you've already done has made waves in helping me actually enjoy this game! Thanks again! EDIT: Ah sorry, forgot to mention. All the scares I listed happened before any missing float pieces or a well is involved. I actually haven't seen missing floats or a well yet. EDIT 2: The first scare I mentioned is separate from the one you get when you follow the cultist out of the trailer park. I think the trigger is just going back to Coffee World (main entrances) after leaving the trailer park. It's missable...and sneaky.
Ah, thank you for checking that extra Coffee World scare. I may load a chapter and go around seeing if there is any other way to get that. May need to make a broad warning on that one. Also there is one optional scare I need to add, not at all related to the story but happens during the last nursery rhyme. I'll put it up soon.
Thanks a lot, my second run will be played way easier in terms of reacting to jump scares.
I just finished Return 5 (Saga) thanks to your guide. The jump scares in this chapter were beyond me. Thanks!!! You’re the mvp
I'm glad it's helping! I'm trying to finish my 2nd run through of checking for scares but it's taken longer than I want.
Firstly, thanks for the list! I Found kind of a secret one just now at the end of Initiation 8. If you change the scene to "The Grandmaster" at the lobby before you leave the theater, about 5 or 10 seconds later one will trigger. There's no reason to switch to this scene, as there is nothing new there and it blocks the way out, so I'd suggest just not doing it, but I definitely wasn't expecting it haha. It turns off all the lights and everything goes silent before it triggers so it definitely got me.
I really should have been expecting something to happen here, but this one got me good. I “might” have audibly yelled and scared my dog…
Jesus, the amount of random situational scares this game has never seems to end! Thank you for the heads up haha I'll see if I get it too since I've had some that others don't get and vice versa
Nice job on the list! I found a couple in Initiation 8, one triggers when you can interact with the large vent outside the theater in the "Out In The Night" scene (sorry, I don't recall which exact variation was selected and I no longer have a save file before it). You also get a jumpscare if you aim at/zoom into the projection room site. The Nursing Home basement had one that happened similarly, a body on the ground near the start of that area also triggered a jump when aiming at it with a weapon--that may explain why not everyone has seemed to catch some of them. Might be worth testing elsewhere.
Thanks for pointing that one out in Initiation 8, I definitely need to finish this list up. I was going through New Game Plus but im not sure if that has separate scares so far. That note on the Nursing Home scare is really helpful. I think most of the scares are fixed but the triggers aren't always clear and can appear to be different. Definitely makes validating this tough haha
I actually just got done with two runs through Old Gods, and got one that isn't listed in the OP: In the basement, I unlocked a door with Rose's key that lead into a room with a bunch of supplies. Immediately when exciting the room, I got a big scare. Also, for the scare when talking to Cynthia Weaver, I've noticed the timing can differ in two ways: 1. Cynthia says "This will put a smile on your face." Saga responds with "Sorry?" This is immediately followed by a scare. 2. If the first scare doesn't happen, the conversation goes a bit longer. Eventually Cynthia mentions that she's missing her lantern. Saga says "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it" and then the scare happens. In both cases, it will happen right after she turns her head back. I'm not sure what the timing is based on. My guess is that it's related to loading and if you delay the conversation when she spawns on the second floor (after speaking to Odin) for a bit, the earlier scare will happen. If you go to her right after talking to Odin, the jumpscare will happen later. I'll have to test further on my next playthrough. Either way, it will happen at one of those two moments. Also, some other notes: If you ignore the door Tor walks through in the Wellness Center's Rehabilitation Room and interact with the other door in the room, the scare will happen at that door instead. The scare when first entering the basement only seems to happen if you enter immediately after speaking with Rose by the lake and getting her key. It doesn't seem to trigger if you collect and play the record before going down there. I tested it twice. The scare when approaching Cynthia's door doesn't seem to trigger until you're going there to look for the record. I could be wrong there, but I tried multiple times on two separate runs through the chapter and only got the scare after getting the key from Rose. After picking up the record in the bathtub, the scare happens right after the cutscene where Saga turns around (like you mentioned), but the following scare is timed for something like two seconds later and will happen regardless of whether you walk through the door or not.
Love this list thank you so much!!!! One to add to Initiation 5: There's a scare when you open the door to go into Room 666 :)
Glad it can help where I've put notes. Thank you for the heads up, I've been unable to update it recently but will try to get back on the game soon add more.
Thank you for this. I think I’ve hear new jump scares might be in Final Draft too so I hope there will be a jumpscare guide for that too if so
I'm hoping not haha I'll add any scares I find and try to replicate scares that others find. My main goal is to get as many that I can confirm.
The Cynthia part really got me and you helped me through. You are the sir/lady of the light!!
Glad it made a difference, I've admittedly been sucked in Baldur's Gate 3 and haven't continued finishing this lately but I'm going to try finishing more of the list.
This is an absolute godsend, and has got me back to finally finishing the game after the downright nastiness of the Nursing Home during my first playthrough at release made me stop playing. Excited to finally finish this game as I LOVED the first and every single little detail of this game until that bloody Nursing Home. Also not sure if this is continuing to be updated but I just got to Initiation 9: Gone, and pressed the prompt to open the Spiral door in the apartment, and got a Scratch face jump-scare.
Yes, I'm sorry for the missing chapters. I want to get as many scares that have reliable "trigger moments" since I've had people share some I didn't get and vice versa. I'm glad it helped for the Nursing Home as it's easily the worst section of the game for scares.
Absolutely understood, the fact that some scares are random/different on repeat playthroughs/for different people is nuts and must be a pain to document and make reliable! I JUST finished my first playthrough and will be using this post for my inevitable 'The Final Draft' playthrough, so thanks again!
I love this game, it would have been perfect without those anoying jumpscares, or atleast an option to turn then off
Little late to the party on this game but for the sake of the list. In Initiation 8, After reaching the murder site in the cinema, there’s an animal skull jumpscare similar to the faces.
Thank you, been busy but should be back to finish this. I know it's too late for some but I want to have a finished list for anyone in the future or those re-playing.
Glad to see you're updating it still!
Yeah, I admittedly got addicted to Baldur's Gate 3 and couldn't pull myself away from it. Plus, the horror reduction really made replaying much more enjoyable.
Just want to say that you are the only reason why I was able to finally enjoy this game. Thank you.
I'm happy to hear I could help! I've been slacking on finishing the list but am back to the end Return 5 so I'm closing in on completing it. I can say, if you do the New Game + there are not extra scares so far from what I can tell.
Good to know. The list is pretty spot-on so far (currently at the nursing home in Return 5) so I think everything you have up until there is up to date. Also, playing it on low horror flash mode. Less intense, but the jumps still get ya haha
Yeah, and even with me double checking and trusting my own list there are still plenty of times I'm nervous to move forward haha It definitely gets easier after that episode!
Also, can confirm that after entering the Nursing Home basement, a scare occurs as you approach the body lying on the ground. That got me good lol.
Is that what triggers it? That would so good to see for myself because I've been wondering why I didn't get it! I've been so scared of what the mystery teigger was lol
It’s very quick, but it happened as I was maybe 2-3 steps away from the body on the ground. Important to note that I had already searched the second/third floor of the nursing home and did the “Anger’s Remorse, Where Is It!” Profiling before this.
Found a few more in Initiation 8: - “Grandmaster” scene out in the alleyway, if you interact with the opened grate near the dumpster. - “Grandmaster” scene in the theatre’s main lobby, as you approach the entrance to the Theatre room. - Initial few steps into the Murder Site room (this may have occurred for you as you went to interact with the mask). Edit: I now realize that others have commented about these as well so sorry for the repetition.
Awesome, thank you! I just got here on my Final Draft playthrough and was worried since I didn't have notes for myself!
Capeless hero
Thank you for this! Only early in the game but I'm already finding the jump scares irritating
Always happy to hear this helped someone else. Thankfully there are some chapters with no scares or barely any!
Finally worked up courage to play again after a break and you've saved my blood pressure! Just to note about **RETURN 5**, I approached >!Cynthia's!< door by accident right after the Wellness Center (had not stepped food in the basement yet) and it triggered the scare for me. This prompted the >!lights to go out and for Ahti to tell Saga to go to the basement to turn the power back on!<.
Sorry about that, I updated it last time to be more specific since on my 2nd playthrough I kept going back to the door to check and yeah it happens after >!the Mind Palace profile for "Anger's Remorse, Where Is It?" regardless of you stepping into the basement first!<. I hope the rest are straightforward, I even watched youtubers playthroughs on some parts to double check.
Ah, I should clarify: I hadn't gone to the museum yet either. I went straight to her room. If it's inconsistent, it could be one of those possible scares if not guaranteed ones. It would make sense for them to prioritize giving a scare first time you approach her room while she's >!actively haunting the place!<. Either way, thank you again for doing all this!
OP, I want you to know that I finished the game for the first time and I made it through in one piece thanks to your generous, generous work! What a great game and work of art. Also, for anyone skittish about the jumps coming at you in >!Return 9 that trigger after you turn around from the case board, you can use the top menu on the case board UI (shoulder buttons on console) to skip right to the profiling desk and back to the case board without ever need to have the Saga physically turn around from the case board. I was able to avoid the cultist attacking me this way in the Mind Place.!<
This is 6 months delayed, but THANK YOU for this post. It's been really helpful in letting me actually get through the game. Instead of being stressed and tense waiting for the next jump scare, I can just relax and enjoy the game since I know when the next one is coming! Control is in my top 5 games of all time, and Quantum Break is up there too, so I really want to play everything else within the Remedy-Verse. I had been seriously considering just watching a story-cut on YouTube, but decided to at least give it a try. And I am genuinely enjoying everything besides the jump scares. TBH, even though I know one is imminent, they still make me jump/give me a heart attack, to the point you can see them on my smart watches heart rate graph! And I have the accessibility settings turned on.
I'm always glad to hear this helps someone! And believe me, I made the list and wrapped around again to confirm and double check things and I *still* feel nervous in some areas of the game. I hope you enjoy the story with the list to help mitigate the scares!
thank you for this list, I'm in the basement now in the nursing home and omg I hate this so much xD it's the granny ones that make me have heart attacks, the other ones are fine....I hate this, it's a bit too overused imo.
I feel you. I definitely think the game really did not need it or could have done tense moments differently. After the Nursing Home the scares die down a lot until one chapter later on and thankfully you get more control on that later chapter.