Horror Game Training Needed ^_^
- Thread starter Dicehunter
- Start date
Jump out scares don't bother me much, I usually swear loudly and move on. It's the games with that background anticipation of fear that get to me - quiet whispering sounds and almost muted noises out of sight fry my head.
Condemned (I think it was) was great, or bad, depending on your stand point for that.
Oh and anything with dead or freaky kids gives me the über chills.
Condemned (I think it was) was great, or bad, depending on your stand point for that.
Oh and anything with dead or freaky kids gives me the über chills.
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2012
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- 8,395
funny how the old horror thing works.
exhibit a: theif asylum level, the only time i've ever speedrun a level on the first playthrough, those pale, blind, creepy creatures scare the bajeezus out of me so much i never finished the game.
exhibit b: skyrim, those pale, blind, creepy creatures aka the falmer like the ones from theif only with swords and lots more of them, its just hack hack slash slash as per normal.
both are similar visually, both have a very similar back story [normal people corrupted into feral creatures] and both react in-game in very similar ways, yet even with lighting mods to make the dungeons of skyrim as dark as the asylum in theif the falmer just still aint scary.
tl:dr why theif zombies scary but not skyrim zombies fear?
exhibit a: theif asylum level, the only time i've ever speedrun a level on the first playthrough, those pale, blind, creepy creatures scare the bajeezus out of me so much i never finished the game.
exhibit b: skyrim, those pale, blind, creepy creatures aka the falmer like the ones from theif only with swords and lots more of them, its just hack hack slash slash as per normal.
both are similar visually, both have a very similar back story [normal people corrupted into feral creatures] and both react in-game in very similar ways, yet even with lighting mods to make the dungeons of skyrim as dark as the asylum in theif the falmer just still aint scary.
tl:dr why theif zombies scary but not skyrim zombies fear?
Outlast, and the Whistle Blower DLC will certainly put hairs on your chest!
lol! Gf cannot and will not play this game if it is dark outside.
I can't believe they cancelled the PS2 Cthulhu game (I saw very rare glimpses of the game being mentioned and a release date being given but the PS2 one was scrapped without warning)
At least you got further than I did.
I know the story the escape from the hotel's based on (Shadow Over Innsmouth)
but what did they Yithians (the conical thing at the end of the game_ and flying Polyps have to do with the said story?
Cthulhu games:-
QUAKE
Day of the comet
Prisoner in Ice
Alone In The Dark
Darkness Within?
Sherlock Holmes-The Awakened
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You could go the harder route and play Penumbra. Its more of a puzzle first person horror game compared to the fast paced FEAR series. Its an older game and the graphics could be seen as weak but it certainly freaks you out. After that most horror games will be a walk in the park.
Another is the S.T.A.L.K.E.R series, not so much of a horror but very immersive with some good scary bits. Eg: Night time with no NV or torch and a mutant growling near you or the crack of an AK with the muzzule flash in the distant but you can not guage how far away it is. Has tons of HD and item mods that are worth getting.
Enjoy if you do play them!
Another is the S.T.A.L.K.E.R series, not so much of a horror but very immersive with some good scary bits. Eg: Night time with no NV or torch and a mutant growling near you or the crack of an AK with the muzzule flash in the distant but you can not guage how far away it is. Has tons of HD and item mods that are worth getting.
Enjoy if you do play them!
ITT: a bunch of pussies who can't stomach horror games
Unfortunately, I am also one of those pussies
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl with the Stalker Complete mod. Such a great game. There are even poltergeists that throw chairs at you
Unfortunately, I am also one of those pussies
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl with the Stalker Complete mod. Such a great game. There are even poltergeists that throw chairs at you
ITT: a bunch of pussies who can't stomach horror games
Unfortunately, I am also one of those pussies
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl with the Stalker Complete mod. Such a great game. There are even poltergeists that throw chairs at you
Haha, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (god that's such a pain in the **** to type!) is one of the worst for this, I think because it's so atmospheric. I remember on my first playthrough:
The first time you go into an underground area (In the Agroprom institue IIRC, when you have to find the Flash Drive), wander around, hearing things moving in the dark, then entering an area, thinking I see a movement at the edge of the screen, then just seeing these 2 white glowing eyes rushing towards me! I think that was definitely a brown trousers/spray & pray moment!!
I think that was definitely a brown trousers/spray & pray moment!!My GF mentioned to me the other night that games couldn't possibly be scary, and she bet she wouldn't be scared of playing any game...
She's going to be playing Deadspace in the dark with noise cancelling headphones on at some point in the near future...
Soldato
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- 19 Jun 2012
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I think a large element of fear is based around what you can vicariously achieve through the protagonist.
For example, Alien Isolation is scary as hell because you cant really fight back. Add atmospheric environments and sound/music and it is a paint by numbers solution for fear!
But I think there is a big difference between horror and psychological suspense. For example, a lot of what Stephen King does is creepy and weird, not all out frights, gore and horror. It is that psychological suspense mixed with atmosphere and good story telling which lures you in. Look at the Shining, the Langoliers, Tommyknockers and Pet Cemetary for examples.
Someone mentioned Skyrim - that game is never really scary because you can wade in and kill whatever it is you need to kill quite easily. Additionally the AI in Skyrim is woeful, and as a player you quickly figure that out. Compare, for example, the majority of fights in Skyrim to those from the mission In the Claws of Madness in the Witcher 2. The battleground as it were, is small, restricted and you have nowhere to run. Additionally the Wraiths are bad ass and hard to kill if you don't know how, and even then they are a pain in the backside. In over 300 hours on Skyrim I didn't struggle to kill anything.
In Dead Space the fear is exacerbated by the god awful camera angles and controls. If Dead Space was a 1st person game it simply wouldn't work. Add the hordes of creatures and you can quickly become overpowered if trapped and that adds an element of fear because we naturally have a fight or flight instinct. When the ability for flight is reduced or removed, and we are in a weak position regarding a fight we naturally feel frightened. Alien Isolation taps into this perfectly,as does Dead Space and Amnesia.
Of course most of it boils down to the willingness of the individual to become absorbed in the experience. Playing alone in the dark (unexpected punnage! ) with headphones on is probably more scary, in my opinion, that in daylight through speakers. The first adds an element of intimacy to the experience whereas the second creates detachment.
However, some people have to accept that they are not psychologically cut out for creepy horror. My wife isn't, she hates it and it scares her. I can take it or leave it. But she will gladly go into a room with 30 kids and be in control and a productive teacher. I would be bricking it. It reminds me about how fear is subjective and often focused on certain things. Like the guy who can climb Everest without batting an eyelid, but public speaking makes him a shaking wreck.
OP - my advice would be that if you do not like frightening games, do not play them. If you want to try and combat this fear, jump in at the deep end and crack on. Face that which you fear the most and find a way to work with the fear and get past it.
For me it was spiders. I watched Arachnophobia as a child and it instilled a pathological fear of spiders into me. For many years I couldnt even sit on the toilet without checking there were no spiders under the seat or under the sink right next to it. I had to check my shoes every time before I put them on and I used to sleep with the light on. Other experiences that happened to me regarding spiders also did not help.
But one day I was in a situation where I was with someone that was more afraid than I was. A spider needed dealing with and I decided to face up to it. Since then I have always done my best to interact with spiders whenever I can. I will never kill a spider in the house, but I will put it outside. My fear has greatly diminished. I think generally it is the mental relationship with many things that you have to tackle, and try looking at it from a different angle.
For example, Alien Isolation is scary as hell because you cant really fight back. Add atmospheric environments and sound/music and it is a paint by numbers solution for fear!
But I think there is a big difference between horror and psychological suspense. For example, a lot of what Stephen King does is creepy and weird, not all out frights, gore and horror. It is that psychological suspense mixed with atmosphere and good story telling which lures you in. Look at the Shining, the Langoliers, Tommyknockers and Pet Cemetary for examples.
Someone mentioned Skyrim - that game is never really scary because you can wade in and kill whatever it is you need to kill quite easily. Additionally the AI in Skyrim is woeful, and as a player you quickly figure that out. Compare, for example, the majority of fights in Skyrim to those from the mission In the Claws of Madness in the Witcher 2. The battleground as it were, is small, restricted and you have nowhere to run. Additionally the Wraiths are bad ass and hard to kill if you don't know how, and even then they are a pain in the backside. In over 300 hours on Skyrim I didn't struggle to kill anything.
In Dead Space the fear is exacerbated by the god awful camera angles and controls. If Dead Space was a 1st person game it simply wouldn't work. Add the hordes of creatures and you can quickly become overpowered if trapped and that adds an element of fear because we naturally have a fight or flight instinct. When the ability for flight is reduced or removed, and we are in a weak position regarding a fight we naturally feel frightened. Alien Isolation taps into this perfectly,as does Dead Space and Amnesia.
Of course most of it boils down to the willingness of the individual to become absorbed in the experience. Playing alone in the dark (unexpected punnage!
) with headphones on is probably more scary, in my opinion, that in daylight through speakers. The first adds an element of intimacy to the experience whereas the second creates detachment.However, some people have to accept that they are not psychologically cut out for creepy horror. My wife isn't, she hates it and it scares her. I can take it or leave it. But she will gladly go into a room with 30 kids and be in control and a productive teacher. I would be bricking it. It reminds me about how fear is subjective and often focused on certain things. Like the guy who can climb Everest without batting an eyelid, but public speaking makes him a shaking wreck.
OP - my advice would be that if you do not like frightening games, do not play them. If you want to try and combat this fear, jump in at the deep end and crack on. Face that which you fear the most and find a way to work with the fear and get past it.
For me it was spiders. I watched Arachnophobia as a child and it instilled a pathological fear of spiders into me. For many years I couldnt even sit on the toilet without checking there were no spiders under the seat or under the sink right next to it. I had to check my shoes every time before I put them on and I used to sleep with the light on. Other experiences that happened to me regarding spiders also did not help.
But one day I was in a situation where I was with someone that was more afraid than I was. A spider needed dealing with and I decided to face up to it. Since then I have always done my best to interact with spiders whenever I can. I will never kill a spider in the house, but I will put it outside. My fear has greatly diminished. I think generally it is the mental relationship with many things that you have to tackle, and try looking at it from a different angle.
Soldato
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- 25 Sep 2011
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I find that when just sitting there, take a deep breath, then quickly charging around the dark corner whilst loudly saying 'la la la la la' and aimlessly firing your weapon helps a lot.
Got me through FEAR. Stupid little girl.
Got me through FEAR. Stupid little girl.
i suck at playing tense games.
the original AvP years ago (playing as a marine) ruined me for that. i recently played bioshock 1 and that gave me the creeps, all dark and then you get a spooky noise etc then nothing. just as you're calming down someone jumps you.
even the new alien game videos give me the heebies.
the original AvP years ago (playing as a marine) ruined me for that. i recently played bioshock 1 and that gave me the creeps, all dark and then you get a spooky noise etc then nothing. just as you're calming down someone jumps you.
even the new alien game videos give me the heebies.
I do agree with this. I've found when playing horror games, if you "get into" the mindset of the game (e.g. STALKER), and actually "be" the character, then it's a lot worse than just playing it as a game, e.g. sneak around, conserve ammo, be careful = scary, whereas quicksave around every corner, then run in all guns blazing and just reload if you die = "meh". Of course it feels a bit like cheating and like really you're missing out half the enjoyment of the game if you don't immerse yourself in the atmosphere.
I've also found that a decent 5.1 system > any headphones, nothing quite beats the moment when you're sneaking around, and suddenly there's a loud noise behind you, making you **** yourself until you realise it wasn't actually in the game, but was your cat knocking something off the windowsill (I could have strangled the little furball!)
Soldato
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Not everyone can have an effective sound system though. Granted, sitting in the middle of a surround sound set up where surround sound is well implemented in game is a great experience. When you do it in the dark when you are alone it adds another layer of involvement. For example if you had the kick ass surround sound system but played in the daytime and waved to your neighbours as they walked past, or wondered whos car was parked over the road you would be detached from the game. I find games very much like books. You can just read a bit on the loo, or in front of the TV - but the best experience is to read alone without distractions and allow your mind to become absorbed. The same goes for games.
System Shock 2 is one of the most eerie games I have ever played.
Being able to quicksave is also a killer for being absorbed. It removes mavity from your decision making. Make the wrong call, "ah nevermind I just quick saved". Make the wrong call knowing if it goes wrong you will lose half an hours play, and the suspense is heightened
(But admitedly not being able to save at will is sooooo annoying for most games!).
Soldato
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I have quite a few scary games to go through soon, after finishing some of my backlog (Witcher and Dragon Age in prep for the new ones!)... looking forward to being terrified trying to look around a corner.