Poll: what makes a horror game

[ddon]

as the name says, what makes a scary game? is it the enemys, the settings, or maybe it is something simple like for me in silent hill when i have the radio? tell me what really gets to you in a horror game that just makes you a bit paranoid wondering whats going to happen next. edit: and i know its good to blend them all in but what is the most importent part for you.

 

[quack35]

Good story, scary things jumping out at you, darkness.

 

[Fauxity]

Combination of area, enemies and noises.

Just general atmosphere.

Good story, scary things jumping out at you, darkness.

Although if you can make someone shit their pants in a broad day-light setting, you've succeeded.

 

[Ibanez887]

The use of immersion
if you can get someone so into the game by using atmosphere, then you can pretty much scare the ever living shit outta the player

 

[initialdelay]

I went with 'noises' but I'd really go for atmosphere, and if the game stays with you after you stop playing, ideally

 

[Rawker]

depends on WHAT is scaring you and WHY you are there. and like they say in real estate, loccation, location, location...

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

A good litmus test is to ask yourself "who is the predator here, and who is the prey." If you're the prey than you're usually playing a horror game.

 

[crystalsnow]

Music and specially picked sound fx can turn any game into a horror game. Even Barbie's Horse Adventure. Because that is already horror to begin with.

EDIT: Yes, I'd also say what rawker said. You could probably also go with a horror-type atmosphere, rather than rainbows and sparkles for the atmosphere.

 

[tsb247]

I would have to say noises. I love seemingly random creepy noises that make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It really adds something to a game when simply walking down a corridor is a terrifying affair.

Come to think of it, music is quite important too!

 

[Necrofudge]

random booguns jumping out and giving you a shock. Things just aren't as scary as when they're jumping at you while you were trying to figure out the contents of a lamp.

 

[MajoraPersona]

Fear is a result of an unstable condition. There is a lack of control, a threat to your existence. Misleading noises, low visibility (light and foliage), invisible predators; all are key factors in creating horror.

Story is... Probably the least important, but still essential. It tells you what's going to be lurking in the darkness and behind the trees, which can either put your mind on edge or prepare you.

 

[Flour]

It's always a combination.

A dark room is nothing more than a dark room.
Noise is worthless without context.
Enemies are "just another kill"
For me, the story isn't important unless I'm playing an RPG.

For me, the best combination was in Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway(great game for it, right?)
You had this old abandoned hospital, at night, the lights were out, the city was being bombed so you had this constant shaking/vibrating effect. I think I encountered maybe three small groups of enemies in 20 minutes time where normally you'd fight 20-50 enemies. The limited view from a first person perspective and further turn speed limitation from a controller helped in achieving this effect, but it was one of the scariest moments in any game I've played.

 

[Icehearted]

Game programmers.
*rimshot*

Actually, I think atmosphere is very key. The right environments and elements can give you a sense of isolation and danger such as with Silent Hill, or make you feel like you've stepped into a third-world hell like the last two Resident Evil Games.

 

[Dragon_of_red]

Atmosphere and Immersion are the main things that make a game horror, a good story would help too, but you should always have that.

 

[hcig]

if youre all non indie developers:

GUNS, LOTS OF GUNS, not alot of ammo, just lots of guns full of ammo, magazines? pfft, just get a new gun, moron

also, NINJA ABILITIES, and SUPERNATURAL PLAYER

god i hate horror games now, cursed mountain works well though.

 

[silasbufu]

all of them. If one of those options is badly made then the game is usually compromised. I went with area solely because it's what gets me the most (like in a hospital, morgue, cemetery etc)

 

[Joshimodo]

Atmosphere.

 

[Christemo]

i will use Fatal Frame as an example here:

it has a spooky atmosphere.
REALLY scary enemies.
a dark and "evil" setting.
some really creepy noises.

it includes both Psycholical horror (your utterly alone, and every fight against a ghost will most likely make you scream) and Shock horror, with sudden ghost "pop-ups" and cheap scares that will wet your pants.

 

[Mr_spamamam]

Suspense, If you can keep the player guessing and make them feel vunrable, then then tension will start to mount, and the shocks will provoke a greater reaction from the player

 

[Graves]

When a game gets me to turn on the lights or turn off the game while saying: "Okay, this is it, I've had it!" then I consider it a good scary game. Condemned made me do both things and that was because of the sounds the enemies made and the way they jumped at me.

I get way too easily immersed in games. I remember playing Red Alert and somebody just walked in the room and it scared the living daylights out of me. I was just completely in the game.

So, yeah, immersion makes developers in charge of the players and lets them be scared when they please. So it's pretty important.