Earlier this week, Rockstar released a massive free update for Grand Theft Auto Online. For the most part, it focused on improving and expanding what was already in the game. But the update also included a new series of missions involving covert government operations and conspiracies, and this new campaign ends with what is easily the creepiest mission in GTA Online, surprising many unsuspecting players.
GTA Online’s latest update, “Criminal Enterprises,” was a big deal, helping to make the game feel more modern while making it easier (and more fun) to earn in-game cash. It’s a solid update, even nerfing the legendary OP jet moto and adding the ability to race to the casino. While he did add a really crappy semi-auto rifle that no one likes, that’s a small blemish on an otherwise great patch.
Also added is a new campaign consisting of a few missions where the IAA (GTA’s version of the CIA) fights to stop a wealthy family from controlling the planet’s oil prices. Don’t give them too much credit as they want to take the technology the family uses so they can control the prices themselves.
But what I and many others didn’t expect was that this spy-themed thriller filled with car chases and gunfights would end with a creepy, horror game-like mission that is truly scary and unsettling. I don’t want to spoil it for people who haven’t played yet, so here’s your spoiler warning!
In the final mission, the IAA sends you to a bunker last seen in the “Doomsday Heist” update. It turns out that the super AI developed and housed here wasn’t completely wiped out by the authorities when you attacked the site, and that’s how a rich family was able to control oil prices, using a copy of this AI. (He just nods and pretends this makes sense…) Inside the bunker, the power is out, and in the corridors and corners are “sleeping” robots with human faces. These are the Doomsday behemoths, and they were left here to hibernate because apparently the IAA is really bad at cleaning up their messes.
These sleeping hulks appear to be breathing, or at least make a noise that appears to be breathing. As you walk in the dark, relying on a flashlight, these things will occasionally make other noises and even contract. I even swear one of them moved when I wasn’t looking. Rockstar also made sure to place these monstrous scares in specific places where you’ll find them or hear them while exploring another location, looking for fuses to re-light them.
Screenshot: Rockstar Games / Kotaku
I won’t give any prizes for guessing what happens once you turn the power back on and start hacking the place: Shocker, all these creepy robot bastards wake up and start coming for you. But after hiding them for 20 minutes or so in the dark, at least you know how many are waiting and how much walking time you have to escape the bunker. Fortunately, I had my giant Gatling laser gun with me and made short work of them all before escaping and completing the mission.
Like me, other players who jumped into this final mission had no idea what to expect and many have shared stories online about how scary it was, with one player suggesting that they will now have trouble sleeping. Others shared the tension they felt crawling around in the dark, trying to avoid the robots for fear that their touch would activate the nasty bugs. It should also be noted that one of the fuses you have to find is hidden behind some breakable boxes, which is a very unusual gameplay mechanic for a GTA Online mission. Many players report spending a lot of time crawling through dark corridors, desperately trying to find the last fuse to escape the nightmare.
I love when Rockstar experiments and gets creative with GTA Online missions. Almost a decade after its release, it’s kind of boring to drive around and shoot some people. Randomly ending things with a Slenderman-like experience is not only fun, but a great way to keep the game fresh after all these years. More of this in the future, Rockstar.