Ever had a shadowy figure pass by in the corner of your eye, but when you turn to look nothings there? Your heart pounds with unnecessary adrenaline and the confidence boost of instant relief as you realise everything's fine. That feeling can be addictive, even if you suddenly find that your underpants are a little damp. Games are great at giving you those scares alongside the safety of knowing 'it's only a game. So here are nine of PlayStation’s biggest squinting-through-your-fingers shockers

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Creative Assembly’s love letter to Ridley Scott’s haunted house in space is stuffed with jump scares – thanks to a nine-and-a-half foot Xenomorph that’s powered by some seriously clever systemic AI. Learning from your stealth tactics, HR Giger’s beastie adapts, stalks and terrifies.

Another smashed window, another classic Capcom fright. Rather than dealing with decomposing canines (see number four), Dino Crisis’ Regina is confronted by the game’s Tyrannosaurus Rex in a shocking jump scare that makes Jurassic Park’s hairiest (or should that be scaliest?) bits look suitable for Sesame Street.

You call that a Batarang? This is a Batarang. Actually, we’d rather have Mick Dundee’s machete when atavistic badass Killer Croc first jumps out at the Dark Knight in Arkham’s sewage works. Cue a tense face-off as you sneak past a beast that constantly tries to ambush Bats from the water below.

The daddy of all digital ‘BOO’ moments, and one that likely sent many a pacemaker into a terrifying flutter back in ‘96. After entering the spooky halls of Spencer Mansion, your choice of STARS agent happens upon an innocuous corridor with a rather big windo... AH, RUN AWAY! UNDEAD DOBERMAN! That pouncing pooch was one masterful sight scare.