Horror Games - What do you find scary?

[Lunawolfcomics]

Hey guys so when it comes to horror games I'm interested in finding out what really scares you? I for one love psychological scares such as random noises such as footsteps in a distant corridor, whispers, shadow figures stalking you, weird or freaky monster designs. I also love feeling helpless. Which is why horror games that load you with ammo and such really diminish the scare value. So with that said, what elements in a horror game do you like? What really scares, you?

 

[mayorswaim]

what really scares me is not knowing what's gonna happen, just being clueless in a creepy atmosphere. also in games where you meet people and you never know who's friend or foe, i think thats pretty creepy and I hope to see that in more horror games.

 

[KanaX]

I think true horror, blossoms from ambiguity. Whether you know that something is what it looks like. That's why the things that scare us most, are not the giant monsters, but the dark corridor, the plain-looking porcelain doll with the overly realistic eyes, the room that had a candle move since the last time you were there.

 

[Matseb2611]

I like horror that plays with my mind. Psychological horror can be very effective when done right. Keeping things unpredictable and obscure.

Isolation of any kind is also scary.

 

[Dalph]

Psychological is better than gore if you ask me, games like that twist your mind, play with your emotions and create mental tension.

I agree with Matseb about isolation, it's pretty scary, the fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all.

 

[Anastylos]

I like being scared in games and movies by crazy people. Yes theys are trying to kill you, but you understand why they think it is ok. There is nothing as disturbing as the human soul.

 

[Blank]

what really scares me is not knowing what's gonna happen, just being clueless in a creepy atmosphere. also in games where you meet people and you never know who's friend or foe, i think thats pretty creepy and I hope to see that in more horror games.

I agree with his a lot.  Atmosphere over shock.   Jump scares annoy me because I jump easy, but I've been steeled over the course of Outlast, and by the end of the game I wasn't even bothered by half of what was going on, and I was able to clearly decide on what to do pretty quickly.  That being said, it was a pretty good game.   I favor games like Silent Hill, Siren, and Outlast versus games like Resident Evil.  RE in it's prime could be scary.  RE4 took a more action approach, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't all that scary.  The subsequent games (5 & 6) were bad.  5 ruined Weskers character, and there was very little that 6 did right.  So, I'd say this is a second vote for sound (BGM, noises, and even the lack there of).

 

[Lunawolfcomics]

Yes I agree that psychological horror is the best! I remember one of the scariest scenes I've ever witnessed is this scene from dead space. There was a dark corridor with a thumping sound coming from the distance. As you continue to walk you can see a shadow rocking back and forth. As you get even closer you see a crazy guy banging his head on the wall repeatedly. Being my first playthrough I was really freaked out because I had no idea what to expect. Who was he? Is he gonna attack me? Will he reach out and grab me if I walk past him? So much was going on in my mind and it took 5 minutes for me to actually continue xD!

 

[Matseb2611]

I never found Dead Space games scary, maybe because the atmospheric bits were too few and far in between, and most of the game was just shooting things. It is true that once you are able to take arms against the horror, it becomes a lot less scary. It's why games like Amnesia and Penumbra: Black Plague are so effective (right now they're the only two horror games I can recommend as far as horror aspect goes).

 

[Ms Littlefish]

Not much really scares me, yet at the same time I quite like the horror aesthetic. I especially like doing music and audio for it! I'm definitely more into psychological than I am into jump scares and gore. To me, jump scares and gore should be the salt and pepper, not the meat. So for me it's about psychologically twisting, playing with the aesthetic, and the environment. Also, I think the biggest and probably most important thing I've heard about making a good horror, is that opposed to other games where you feel strong, in a horror game it's about making you feel weak.

 

[King Sangos]

It would definitely have to be ambience for me. Without that eerie, underlying song and the occasional creepy jingles in the background, I won't feel invested in that scenario.

 

[Matchitza]

I was scared on mostly jumpscares, or the gore feature in it.

 

[Lunawolfcomics]

I like jumpscares don't get me wrong but I feel as if they're good for the first playthrough of a game. If anything if you could make the jumpscares randomly generated somehow that would be amazing! More or less I find them very cheat lmao but you gotta love em ^_^

 

[Sieginder Niederlage]

I'm going to quote Touko Aozaki from Kara No Kyoukai on this:

"I swear, you and Alba have no cinematic sense for suspense. Let me tell you how to do it.
Firstly, the monster shouldn't talk.
Second, don’t explain what it is.
Third, it can’t die.”

As for my own opinion, the most important thing is to mislead people, to lull them into a false sense of security and then rip that off them in the most violent way. Jumpscares are acceptable if and only IF they don't happen more than a couple times. The "monster", should be an invincible juggernaut who will go after you no matter how horribly maimed it is, you may watch as its skin and blood dissolves and boils and stirs in the darkness, but it doesn't even slow down as a puddle of black mud and bones, an abomination to be beheld by all, a "something" that defies description, it cannot sit on a place so much as squat malevolently, hating all, being hated by all...

But, I digress...my favorite kind of horror is cosmic horror...

 

[Lunawolfcomics]

Yes! And for the love of dead space I shall bring a perfect example! In all three releases excluding the one for the wii, there are creatures that regenerate their limbs. These creatures cannot necessarily be killed and will often pursue you throughout the course of the game. The tension that builds as youre trying to escape them, complete your mission, and kill the other normal creatures can serve to be a terrifying and tensing situation. 

 

[Julien Brightside]

Witch house is a good example of horror games in RPgmaker.

 

[Geoff Moore]

Has anyone watched The Descent? It's a masterclass in suspense; even the jumpscares are awesome. The feeling of claustrophobia is conveyed perfectly.

 

[Tuxedo Leila]

The scariest thing is an enclosed area, especially if it is underground. You are sensitive to every sound that you hear, and pray that those movements in the dark, the chill that brushed the nape of your neck, was just your imagination. There is nowhere to run, no place you can hide.

Which is why I think of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly as a great horror example. They built up the atmosphere so well with the colour scheme, game play, and music.

 

[Clord]

Virtual reality horror games have greater unsettling effect on me. I ended up abusing the method of looking down and going backwards to not encounter jump scares in one of the titles. It was that effective due lack of constant sound etc.

 

[Lunawolfcomics]

Virtual reality horror games have greater unsettling effect on me. I ended up abusing the method of looking down and going backwards to not encounter jump scares in one of the titles. It was that effective due lack of constant sound etc.

Yes! Have you ever heard of Markiplier? Most of his newest videos include him using the Oculus Rift and playing horror games! I want one so bad but Id need a better laptop. Mines not really equipped for gaming.