What scares you in a horror game?
- Thread starter Willir
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see above.
Don
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I always found the Witch's crying and music in Left 4 Dead pretty creepy, when playing on Expert mode anyway.
To me, it's really easy to define what scares me in a game as I think about this quite often. It's 90% down to having a fear of not being able to survive.
For instance, early resident evil games scared me and had me on edge as I had limited ammunition and you never knew what was coming around the corner, which had me on the edge of my seat constantly. The same can be said for Doom 3 when it first came out, Dino Crisis and slightly different in Alien isolation, because regular weapons did naff all to the enemy.
Horror experiences are very simple and most game designers over complicate this. It needs to be hard to survive, I don't want to be spoon fed my experience and have the game handed to me. There needs to be planning involved and surprise.
Atmosphere also has a direct impact on that, so I'd say simplicity in keeping things in a survival atmosphere, lack of resources and a decent enough atmosphere to keep the tension up.
Resident evil, Doom 3, Alien Isolation being the top games that kept me on edge. (Dead Space deserves an honorable mention as I loved that game, but it wasn't as scary as it could've been).
edit- Also, I think it has to be said, most horror game fans will say RE1, where the 2 hounds jump through the window when your rushing towards an objective gave everyone the brown trouser treatment. Pretty defining moment in my gaming history.
For instance, early resident evil games scared me and had me on edge as I had limited ammunition and you never knew what was coming around the corner, which had me on the edge of my seat constantly. The same can be said for Doom 3 when it first came out, Dino Crisis and slightly different in Alien isolation, because regular weapons did naff all to the enemy.
Horror experiences are very simple and most game designers over complicate this. It needs to be hard to survive, I don't want to be spoon fed my experience and have the game handed to me. There needs to be planning involved and surprise.
Atmosphere also has a direct impact on that, so I'd say simplicity in keeping things in a survival atmosphere, lack of resources and a decent enough atmosphere to keep the tension up.
Resident evil, Doom 3, Alien Isolation being the top games that kept me on edge. (Dead Space deserves an honorable mention as I loved that game, but it wasn't as scary as it could've been).
edit- Also, I think it has to be said, most horror game fans will say RE1, where the 2 hounds jump through the window when your rushing towards an objective gave everyone the brown trouser treatment. Pretty defining moment in my gaming history.
Associate
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Poor control schemes.
Literally all horror games make you move much slower, turn like a barge and struggle to hit a barn door with your weapon. The number one reason that I don't play horror games is that it takes 15 seconds for my character to turn around and face the enemy that is attacking from behind.
Literally all horror games make you move much slower, turn like a barge and struggle to hit a barn door with your weapon. The number one reason that I don't play horror games is that it takes 15 seconds for my character to turn around and face the enemy that is attacking from behind.
Anything unexpected, like the first time playing Doom and you turn the corner for the first sight of two Hell Barons. I froze, couldn't fight or back out then the ferocious roar and green plasma...
More recently in FO4, feral ghoul just popping up behind you when you least expect it, that makes my spine curl.
In real life - heights, particularly on a ladder. Fear of dying painfully (road accident) or by burning (I was probably a heretic and went to the stake in a previous life). Anything sudden, used to hide behind the sofa at the end of 1970's Dr Who, not because of the monsters but the penchant for a sudden cut to the titles and music at the episode end.
More recently in FO4, feral ghoul just popping up behind you when you least expect it, that makes my spine curl.
In real life - heights, particularly on a ladder. Fear of dying painfully (road accident) or by burning (I was probably a heretic and went to the stake in a previous life). Anything sudden, used to hide behind the sofa at the end of 1970's Dr Who, not because of the monsters but the penchant for a sudden cut to the titles and music at the episode end.
I've got really bad hearing and tinnitus but since getting decent headphones sound scares the **** out of me in some games. I find things like Alien Isolation far more scary than before.
Jump scares not so much, sounds and atmosphere really make the game.
The first time I encountered a witch in Left 4 Dead.. jeez the memories!
Jump scares not so much, sounds and atmosphere really make the game.
The first time I encountered a witch in Left 4 Dead.. jeez the memories!
Anyone who says they didn't crap their pants is lying
, 12 year old Pete playing PS1 certainly did !
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Horror is my favourite genre of film and I watch a horror film most weekends. Nothing at all scares me about horror. I don't consume horror to be scared. I like the edginess of a horror and I like the supernatural elements when it has them.
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The regenerating necromorph in the first Dead Space game, trying to outrun it to stay alive while figuring out how to stop an enemy that regenerated any severed limbs had my heart going!
Being defenceless, and the more 'believable' horror. Such as in Resident Evil; the zombies used to scare me more than the mutated monsters. Even though I don't enjoy Amnesia type games, a game like Outlast would rustle my jimmies more than something like Amnesia or Alien, simply because it's more believable.
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Dogs jumping through windows in L-shaped corridors.
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Or lickers through interrogation room glass.
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Cry of Fear also needs a big mention - they absolutely nailed the atmosphere in that game - I was completely on edge the entire play through and I put it up there with Outlast and Alien Isolation on the terror scale. Usually I would say being defenceless increases the fear level although this makes Cry of Fear and F.E.A.R all the more remarkable in that they are some of the scariest horror games out there but still had you significantly armed at all times - that is the gauntlet right there I think. Also worth talking a look at is Layers of Fear - the psychological horror in this game was really cleverly done - they were able to completely change the landscape when the player turned only 90 degrees - for example, walk through a door into a room with 3 doors to the North, West and East - after trying all doors and seeing no exit turning round to the way you came in only to find the door has disappeared, turn 90 degrees again and now there is a hallway! Really creeped me out!
More great feedback, thanks guys.
Seems by reading through the comments that a lot of you like the atmospheric settings in horror games, being defenseless and not having weapons to kill the enemy and the unexpected jump scares.
As horror games are becoming more popular this generation, do they lack anything in particular? What would you like to see in a horror game?
With sound playing a big part in horror games in general, do you tend to play with or without a headset? How does the experience differ?
Seems by reading through the comments that a lot of you like the atmospheric settings in horror games, being defenseless and not having weapons to kill the enemy and the unexpected jump scares.
As horror games are becoming more popular this generation, do they lack anything in particular? What would you like to see in a horror game?
With sound playing a big part in horror games in general, do you tend to play with or without a headset? How does the experience differ?
How about the numerous unexpected moments in Resident Evil 3 when the Nemesis just busts out of a window or door and that music kicks in an he is chasing you shouting "Starssssss".