Playing With The Lights On

Fear. In the world of gaming we can claim to be fans of horror but when you think about it, playing through a game that really succeeds as a truly scary game is not a pleasant experience. I do enjoy playing these types of games, but only when I am with friends, or more recently (because I have somehow become a total wuss) I am more comfortable hiding behind a pillow while watching my boyfriend play.

I used to storm through the likes of Silent Hill, of course I used to make my cousin sit with me but I could do it. Last weekend, after reading Emily Knox’s Blog about Amnesia: The Dark Descent (a game I’ve wanted to try for a while but since I’ve only just aquired a gaming PC, was left in the sidelines), I decided to give it a go. Well, my boyfriend decided to give it a go. In the past we would have at least taken it in turns. He has insisted that tonight when we boot it up it’s my go. I might have to have a shot of something strong before I try.

Thinking back on games that have truly hit it on the head, in terms of fear, I can see what a lot of them have in common. They may not be the most popular games, and they may have been flawed in other ways, but I have decided to round up the most effective fear factors in games, in no particular order.

Sound:

It has been said before that in any scary game, turning down the volume will significantly reduce its impact. It is sound that creates the claustrophobic atmosphere, and the feeling that something is following you. Doors slamming in the distance, the age-old child crying. These effects have been used countless times, but that’s because they work.

Less is more:

Usually in a horror game, the first half hour is the worst. You’re more cautious, you don’t want to see what’s behind the next door. Tension builds up until your first monster jumps out at you. Your heart will be going and you’ll probably cry out while your character flails about with a wooden plank or a pipe or whatever, and then somehow you’ll kill the monster and carry on. You’ll keep encountering monsters, and although it may still be creepy, each encounter you have will desensitise you more and more, because you know you are ultimately stronger than them. Sure, along the way you’ll get new, horrible enemies but you’ll also get new, menacing weapons.

A way to counter this and keep the fear high is to lessen the amount of actual monsters that you actually encounter and make it a big deal when they do appear. I think that horror and stealth mix together really well in this sense. This brings me to…

Vulnerability:

A bold and clever move in Amnesia is the fact that you can’t fight. You have to hide. You have no chance against these enemies. I remember a game called Siren: Blood Curse. There were times when you had a weapon but there were also sections where you played as a defenseless girl and all you had was an ability called ‘Sight Jacking’ to know where the enemies were looking (Sight Jacking was basically looking through the enemies eyes). There was nothing more terrifying than seeing yourself getting spotted and pursued knowing all that you could do was run. Likewise, I think that one of Dead Space’s finest moments was right at the beginning, when you were weaponless, and the only objective you had was to get to the elevator alive.

Unpredictability:

In most horrors, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that once you have picked up that key, or solved that puzzle, or got some broken down machinery working, something is going to burst through a wall/window/the ceiling. You’ll brace yourself for it. It may still make you jump, but in the back of your mind, you knew it was going to happen. Likewise, if you find yourself backtracking through a section, especially one you thought was safe, you can bet it won’t be safe for much longer. Resident Evil 2 took advantage of this in the best way, filling a ‘Save Room’ with Zombies, to mess up your view of what was actually safe. The best way to catch you off guard is to mess up your perception of what is safe and what is not.

These things combined are what make a successful horror game. Of course, adding originality to the mix is also good, but that’s not limited to just one genre. Right I’m off to tackle Amnes- Oh wait. It’s the Prison section…? Yeah… no.