Sandbox Horror Games

[Crises^]

Wouldn't Day Z count as a sandbox horror game, I know it's not scary in the traditional sense, even with zombies and such.
But there is defiantly a horror theme and you do shit your self when people are shooting at you and you have no idea where it's from.

First game that made my heart pump through my chest. But as you learn the game and the map more, it does become more of a spawn gear up repeat and that feeling gets lost.

 

[MrBenSampson]

Am I the only one here who bought the Undead Nightmare DLC for Red Dead Redemption? Sure, it wasn't all that scary, but it was a very good open-world zombie apocalypse game. Every town is overrun, hordes wander the wilderness, and bullets are the only currency people care about.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is one of the scariest games I've ever played and that's completely open world.

Wasn't Deadly Premonition in a sort of Sandbox, too? Silent Hill: Downpour was, as well, to a degree.

 

[aguspal]

Dead rising, althougt I dont think it could actually scare someone, EXCEPT A COUPLE OF JUMP SCARES BOTH IN CUTSCENSES AND GAMEPLAY. The gameplay ones in particular are actually pretty well done, especially the first few times they show up. You will know when they show up, trust me. I like how they did a jump scare done WELL even thougt we are looking from a third person perspective. Pretty interesting if you ask me...


But yeah, other than that, nt really HORROR. Maybe in atmosphere, but other than that... nay---

BTW- Those jump scares appearn only in Dead rising 2ff the record. Its basically a superior extention of the original DR2. Jump scares just didnt existed back then. That should tell you just how mportant they are.


Also, Dead island I guess counts as well...Decent game, but not the best of the best. At all. If anything I was more scared of glitches such as getting my unique, hard earned and full upgraded and repaired weapon lost into no-clip world. Now thats scary. LOL.

 

[WolfDude191]

During my first playthrough of Fallout 3, I did find the metro tunnels and other such places to be somewhat horror, though it does lose the horror after you've played through the game a few times, or have enough supplies to make survival easy.

I highly reccomend some of the more horror-esque mods, such as creepier monsters, less weapons, ammo and light, etc. They can really make the game more of a survival in the long run.

 

[thesilentman]

Just thought what also might make an awesome "period" horror-sandbox. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, maybe call it simply something like Hyde. The same classic story set in victorian london but with a twist, as Jekyll tries to perfect his formula during the day come night he transforms into his Hyde persona. A Jekyll you source and experiment with different combinations of chemicals which is a mini-game, also you try and cover up the tracks of Hydes activities from the previous night. Depending on the formula and your actions/good or bad you mutate into different forms of the Hyde persona. Preventing crime, saving innnocent lives or commiting crime and preying on the innocent. Become an urban myth and vigilante or a horrific montrous villian the choice is yours.

I really like that idea. The only thing that I'd like to see is more shades of gray than a straight up moral choice system and make one half of the game confronting horror and the other half being the horror.

And you're new, so welcome to the Escapist, stay out of the basement, and blame Kross should anything go wrong. Now go off and enjoy.

OT- Sandbox horror? Could be done, but I don't think that large open spaces lend themselves to horror that well. Just a thought I had.