Need feedback, experience with horror/survival games!

[AbstractJuggler]

I like the underwater idea, but I think that one of the elements in survival horror games that makes them scary is having nowhere to run from something. A good example would be the Penumbra games - locked inside a mine with "things". Another important point is music or the lack of it. You can use it to build up to things, or not use it at all at points to make the player focus on everything and make the slightest noise or movement terrifying. Anyway, I really would recommend the Penumbra games as good horror games. I got scared while playing them in broad daylight. I am not proud of that.

 

[Hristo Petrov]

Asking for good examples is good cuz you know you get a "what to do" list but I think that someone should point out some bad examples as a "what not to do" list. And my example is DooM 3 it's not bad as a shooter but it's a terrible horror game. To me DooM 3 is System Shock 2's retarded cousin there were moments in SS2 where I was really creeped out and enemies like the cyborg assassins or the midwifes that bugged me a lot while DooM 3 is mostly jump scares.

 

[TBR]

I like the underwater idea, but I think that one of the elements in survival horror games that makes them scary is having nowhere to run from something. A good example would be the Penumbra games - locked inside a mine with "things". Another important point is music or the lack of it. You can use it to build up to things, or not use it at all at points to make the player focus on everything and make the slightest noise or movement terrifying. Anyway, I really would recommend the Penumbra games as good horror games. I got scared while playing them in broad daylight. I am not proud of that.

I think the no-way-to-run-away-from-something may be similar enough in the inevitability-of-death style that it shouldn't matter too much it's achieved, so long as the player knows that they're fucked. Whether it's dead ends or simply an enemy being faster than you and catching you, I believe they're both effective.

And the vast contrast between the open-ness of the ocean (providing you don't go deep into the darkness) and any ship wrecks should really drive home the feel of each environment.


Thanks (again), guys!

 

[JEBWrench]

Sanitarium kinda fits, that would be good to look into as well. At least in terms of atmosphere.

 

[Nicarus]

I'm probably stating the overly-obvious, but atmosphere definitely helps. I remember playing Silent Hill 2 years ago and found myself too scared to play alone. I never knew when a mannequin would be dropped on top of me while running about town. I'm still creeped out by it today; it's not that "OMG! Go Away!" scared, more like "Roller-Coaster-Thrill" scared. I always wanted to see more.

Survival/horror games also need a system similar to that of Resident Evil 4. Limited supplies, but always a way to manage; great combat, but still show a bit of weakness and limitation; and proper use of QTEs ::Yahtzee slaps me in the face:: ...er, maybe no QTEs.

The one thing I don't want to see out of survival/horror is what happened to Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. Okay...granted it does utilize interesting concepts and gives the feeling of weakness, but then...where's the combat? All that leaves is straight horror, no means to fight back. I mean, even in all those "Jason" movies the protagonists found a way to stop Jason, and it wasn't by endless running. James Sunderland wasn't a spectacular fighter, yet he fought back! Whether figuratively speaking or for real, he fought his way to the truth.

Okay...massive rant...but this whole thing boils down to this: great atmosphere, great application of combat, and a proper balance of running and standing-your-ground.

 

[Toar]

Okay, forget true horror on modern consoles. The graphics don't as good BECAUSE we can see every texture on their skin. A horror game must make one so anxious that they have to pee every five minutes. That said, there are only a rare few games that produce that effect.

-Silent Hill 1 (PS1) was my first shining experience. The game made you want to hide it away and never pull it out again. Even with the advent of better graphics, I find myself not wanting to play the game out of anxiety driven fear.

-I HEAR that Fatal Frame games are excellent horror games. They are too expensive for my taste. But the game gives you limited amounts of amunition(pictures) and enemies that can only be killed with a camera that you carry around.

--Resident Evil is NOT horror. It is adventure in a gore filled world. Besides the parts that make you jump, there are no true suprises. Resident Evil takes you on a movie worthy experience and shoves cheesy lines in whenever it can manage.

--Evil Dead, not scary. You play as Ash, a guy with a chainsaw hand, fighting undead people who say witty, funny things.

-Doom, similarly not scary. Doom 3 tried with good results, but there again they were pop-out scares.

-Silent Hill 2 had a scary FEEL to it. It isolated the player and made them scared in that sense. Simply put, "you'd have to play it to understand."

-Silent Hill 3 was mostly for the fans, but it had it's moments. It was more like a funhouse for horror genre fans. Don't play it unless you become a fan of #1 and 2.

--anything that remind you of Resident Evil 4 (provided you played it) is not scary. Cold Fear is one example. Cold Fear is a Resident Evil 4 clone and does a good job at a Thing and Resident Evil hybrid. It will not make you crap yourself silly.

 

[Proteus214]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Penumbra trilogy yet. I played through Overture again recently and I couldn't bring myself to go to sleep until I had watched a sufficient number of cartoons.

I bring this up not only because the atmosphere is shit-your-pants terrifying, but because of an interesting horror mechanic that I thought might help. Much of the game revolves around taking cover and making sure that you aren't seen or making sure that you aren't making enough noise to alert the monster of the moment. One of the things that can trigger them is the sound of you panicking in horror just from looking at them so you need to make sure that you always look away even if they can't see you.

It brings up an interesting concept in evoking in a player a sense that they are unsafe in their environment. It's true that you can bring this to life through atmosphere, but you need to make sure that the gameplay itself can bring this to the surface.

"Hmm...this dark, creepy place is kind of confusing, I better look at the map."

*it's too dark to see the map*

"..."

 

[lkevil]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Penumbra trilogy yet.

Maybe if you read the posts above you...

you would find that I had mentioned it.

 

[Hiphophippo]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Penumbra trilogy yet.

Maybe if you read the posts above you...

you would find that I had mentioned it.

If it makes you feel any better I agree with you. It's the top dog in this genre. It has no real marketing to it so a lot of people are ignorant of it's existence and that's a shame. The game is amazing.