Monsters
Monsters can be ticked off the list pretty quickly. On the PC there is often very little in terms of the fear factor (Ed: Unless you could the little girl from F.E.A.R., which scared me). Monsters are just tougher opponents that can handle a few extra hits from the weapons. Hollywood does this better, despite the fact that their light-fearing zombie creatures and huge monsters are more often than not also created on the computer. Despite many more years of experience, game designers appear to have no digital advantage here. It is difficult to say whether it is the lighting, the graphics quality, or the audio support that makes Hollywood movie monsters appear more threatening.
PC games cope well with animals, people, and spiders, but the increased details are missing. Things like slime, shine, blood, brains, and fur. In this area, Blacksite Area 51 sets a new standard: the tentacle creature on the bridge could easily live up to a movie monster, and you needed to circle it numerous times with the helicopter before it finally dies in a flurry of bullets. Dark Messiah surprised with intricate main opponents like giant spiders or dragons. In Stalker, you are not entirely sure whether to be frightened of the graphics, or whether the monsters are made frightening by the graphics themselves.
