[Haunted]

Frictional Games' Thomas Grip posted an interesting bit about horror in games on the company blog: http://frictionalgames.blogspot.de/2...ror-games.html

I usually wouldn't make a thread for a simple blog post, but these guys have earned their voice. Now that Team Silent is gone, they're probably the best we have working in horror games right now.

Introduction Around 10 years ago, a lot of very interesting and ground breaking horror games were released. These include Silent Hill (1999), Fatal Frame (2001), Forbidden Siren (2003) and a few more. Since then not much has happened in the video-game horror genre and little has evolved. So what exactly can be done to push horror in video-games further?

Some of the more salient points:

1) Normality In most games the player usually starts out in some strange and not very normal situation. In our own game, Amnesia, the story takes place in early 19th century and has the protagonist waking up in gothic castle. Not something very easy to relate to. Other games see the player has some secret agent, has them trapped in a spooky town/village, etc. All of these are very abnormal situations, and something few of us will ever find ourselves in. However, much of the good horror in other media starts of very mundane. They build on the having the audience strongly relating to what is taking place and being able to draw close parallels to their own lives. For horror games this would mean to establish a very familiar situation and then slowly introduce the horror there. The goal is for the terror to not just be inside the game's virtual world, but to reach into the real as well.

4) Minimal Combat I have talked plenty about this before (see here and here for instance), but it is worth stating again. The worst thing about combat is that it makes the player focus on all the wrong things, and makes them miss many of the subtle cues that are so important to an effective atmosphere. It also establishes a core game system that makes the player so much more comfortable in the game's world. And comfort is not something we want when our goal is to induce intense feelings of terror. Still, combat is not a bad thing and one could use it in ways that evokes helplessness instead. For instance, by giving the player weapons that are ineffective the desperation of the situation is further heightened. This is a slippery slope though as once you show a weapon to the player it instantly puts them in an action game mindset. That does not mean weapons and combat should be abolished, but that one should thread very carefully, and finding the right balance is a big challenge for future horror games.

7) Agency Horror games are so effective because they can make the player feel as they are there when the horror happens. Other media, especially in the horror genre, have to try really hard to accomplish this, but for games it comes almost automatically. It is then a waste that many horror games does not take advantage of this properly and destroy the sense of agency in all kind of ways. By far the biggest culprit are cut-scenes, especially when they take away control at scary moments when the player's actions should matter the most. Another problem is connected with the open world entry above and the player constantly being fed where to go and what to do. The way to go forward here is to make sure that the player is involved in all actions that take place. The scenes that are so often left out (and replaced by cutscenes) are often vital aspects of the horror experience. Whenever possible, the playing should be doing instead of simply watching.

I don't agree with all of his points, and it's a very general spread of ideas (ideas are cheap...), but I think it's a good read and good starting point for discussion.

[snoopeasystreet]

One problem I have with the horror genre in general is that when I play a horror game or watch a horror movie, I expect to get scared and am then more critical of what I'm consuming. I already have my guard up for things like jump scares so they have less of an effect on me than if the same thing happened in a non horror genre.

[abasm]

As you said, they've got the credentials. I don't play many horror games, but the psychology behind their design fascinates me. It is literally designer vs. player, as the game tries to evoke a fear response as many times as possible without losing its edge over the course of play.

[Dascu]

Lots of good ideas that I agree with.

Curiously enough, I think (the first) Portal is just a few steps away from being horror. It created a standard "game" environment and then slowly subverted it. Or imagine a Silent Hill game where the world is actually all normal on the surface, but the player is free to explore and the discovery of the Otherworld is totally up to him.

Anyway, can't wait to see Frictional's next game. I hope they explore some of these concepts.

[SparkTR]

I love these guys, they've got scaring gamers senseless down to a science. Can't wait for their next game.

[Rygar 8 Bit]

think dayz nails it pretty much on the head

[Messofanego]

This is almost a manifesto. A bit strict, but one that diligent horror game designers should stick by.

But a game that had a lot of combat and is still one of the scariest games is Condemned: Criminal Origins. Although it does lose the immediate horror when you're beating up hobos, but their realistic animations were kind of startling.

[Night_Trekker]

After reading the list, I:

- agree with 1 and 2 (thought taking a dig at the way SH2 handles things is absurd)

- think 3 is too limited in potential to including in a list like this. This is supposed to be a list about how to "evolve" horror games, and if every game did this, it wouldn't be effective. Yes, it works in Penumbra, but I don't want all my horror games to be like that.

- agree with 4 but warn against an extreme interpretation of the "rule." Let's do a quick little poll and see how many people thought Shattered Memories and its complete lack of combat was a better choice than the original. (No, I do not think Amnesia is the most perfect horror game ever made, either.)

- agree with 5, and I don't see how anyone could disagree with it

- find 6 baffling and don't really agree. Neither of Fricional's games are really open-ended in this way, either.

- roll my eyes at 7, which is just a thinly-veiled "cutscenes are the devil" commentary which I totally disagree with.

- agree with 8. The Suffering (the original) does this to great effect. Some of the things I did in that game I will remember forever.

- sort of agree with 9. I think making horror seem almost plausible, or tying it into the real world (look at the creature designs in the film Jacob's Ladder, for example), pays big time.

- totally agree with 10. Silent Hill, at its best (first 4 games), does this well.

I have to admit that, despite loving both Penumbra and Amnesia, I'm pretty sick of hearing about Frictional like they're Horror Jesus. I wouldn't want all my horror games designed by them, especially after reading over this list.

But a game that had a lot of combat and is still one of the scariest games is Condemned: Criminal Origins. Although it does lose the immediate horror when you're beating up hobos, but their realistic animations were kind of startling.

Condemned is one of the scariest games I've ever played. I don't agree that the combat removes any of the fear, either. The combat in Condemned is personal (because it's hand-to-hand for the most part) and brutal, and that ties in with what makes the game scary. Condemned evokes some of the most primal fears in the possible human experience: up-close, life-or-death combat with a dangerous, crazed, and plausible enemy.

[News Bot]

Randomization is a pretty big component if you want horror. Along with atmosphere that actually feels like it has some underlying depth rather than just cheap "jump" scares which should be used conservatively.

Cut-scenes are horror poison unless they are somewhat interactive, or if they are literally short transitional scenes which lead directly into the gameplay but even then they have to be directed well (the Licker scene in RE2 is a great example). Generally they shouldn't be there unless they are well-directed and enhance the horror, since story exposition can be performed in the gameplay itself, which can often be more foreboding. Some cut-scenes in RE1 (Zombie intro, door Zombie, Hunter) were well-done because they were sudden and threw you straight into "shit is getting real" territory.

[Night_Trekker]

Cut-scenes are horror poison unless they are somewhat interactive, or if they are literally short transitional scenes which lead directly into the gameplay but even then they have to be directed well (the Licker scene in RE2 is a great example). Generally they shouldn't be there unless they are well-directed and enhance the horror, since story exposition can be performed in the gameplay itself, which can often be more foreboding. Some cut-scenes in RE1 (Zombie intro, door Zombie, Hunter) were well-done because they were sudden and threw you straight into "shit is getting real" territory.

What if you're trying to bring "human drama" into the game? I'm not even going to pretend like Frictional's games do that as well as a series like Silent Hill (again, the earlier games) that has a heavy emphasis on authorial control over the narrative in the form of cutscenes.

Any blanket statement about the proper use of cutscenes is bound to be wrong. Laying out a set of general rules is fine, but part of artistry is deciding when you can effectively break rules to positive effect. Great games do this often, as do great films and works of literature.

[News Bot]

What if you're trying to bring "human drama" into the game? I'm not even going to pretend like Frictional's games do that as well as a series like Silent Hill (again, the earlier games) that has a heavy emphasis on authorial control over the narrative in the form of cutscenes. Any blanket statement about the proper use of cutscenes is bound to be wrong. Laying out a set of general rules is fine, but part of artistry is deciding when you can effectively break rules to positive effect. Great games do this often, as do great films and works of literature.

Not saying they should never be used, Silent Hill does them relatively well because it usually tells a good narrative that enhances the "world-view" and makes the player more involved. "Human drama" is fine, as long as it's done well and not handled by people who are simply terrible at it.

[Aguirre]

fixed cameras

[beelzebozo]

agree with almost everything here, especially DOUBT, which i think is another way of discussing CONFUSION. confusion, i think, is the horror sine qua non, the moment before something horrible happens when you're just totally baffled and turned around, trying to understand what's happening and why it's happening and oh god what is that. you know what i mean? confusion is terrifying.

[Dascu]

What if you're trying to bring "human drama" into the game? I'm not even going to pretend like Frictional's games do that as well as a series like Silent Hill (again, the earlier games) that has a heavy emphasis on authorial control over the narrative in the form of cutscenes. Any blanket statement about the proper use of cutscenes is bound to be wrong. Laying out a set of general rules is fine, but part of artistry is deciding when you can effectively break rules to positive effect. Great games do this often, as do great films and works of literature.

Whenever possible, the playing should be doing instead of simply watching.

He wasn't really saying that there should be no cutscenes at all. But "cutscene armor" clearly conflicts with horror gameplay. Only use cutscenes when there's no other option and if you've got a damn good story to tell.

What personally bothers the hell out of me is cutscenes announcing monsters. Nothing worse than a creature being "spoiled" instead of letting the player encounter it himself.

[News Bot]

fixed cameras

Yes and no. Variance in the camera (some fixed, some controlled, some behind-back etc) depending on the situation and context is key, in my opinion. The horror-focused version of RE4 was actually going to do this and would vary the aiming style between old-school and third-person depending on the situation. Looked very good.

[Haunted]

His quote about combat and the mere presence of combat mechanics being something comforting to players is so true, I kept nodding while reading that paragraph.

Helplessness is terrifying.

agree with almost everything here, especially DOUBT, which i think is another way of discussing CONFUSION. confusion, i think, is the horror sine qua non, the moment before something horrible happens when you're just totally baffled and turned around, trying to understand what's happening and why it's happening and oh god what is that. you know what i mean? confusion is terrifying.

It's a really delicate balancing act, though. Creating confusion and terror, but at the same time giving the player a way to move forward without being frustrated (basically the wrong kind of confusion). I think Amnesia's invisible lurker enemy in the cellars did this pretty damn well, for example. I didn't really know what was going on, kept looking around and being scared/paranoid - but I knew I had to GTFO of there, and fast.

[CadetMahoney]

Bro Shooter

Multiplayer

Human enemies with guns

Co-Op

Achievements tied to multiplayer

^ that's some scary shit.

[Para bailar La Bomba]

Only played Amnesia in very short bursts. It was that intense. Hallmark of a good horror game.

[beelzebozo]

It's a really delicate balancing act, though. Creating confusion and terror, but at the same time giving the player a way to move forward without being frustrated (basically the wrong kind of confusion). I think Amnesia's invisible lurker enemy in the cellars did this pretty damn well, for example. I didn't really know what was going on, kept looking around and being scared/paranoid - but I knew I had to GTFO of there, and fast.

i need to play this game.

i need to go to the tech help thread in the off-topic and get someone to guide me through the process of turning my computer into something capable of allowing me to play this game.

[EGM1966]

Lots of good ideas that I agree with. Curiously enough, I think (the first) Portal is just a few steps away from being horror. It created a standard "game" environment and then slowly subverted it. Or imagine a Silent Hill game where the world is actually all normal on the surface, but the player is free to explore and the discovery of the Otherworld is totally up to him. Anyway, can't wait to see Frictional's next game. I hope they explore some of these concepts.

Totally agree on Portal. The moment you find the first hidden area with the bloody handprint after the slow, careful buildup.

Portal is a great template for how a horror title could unfold. The first game I see as that rare beast - in any medium - the thriller that balances both a sense of horror and comedy perfectly without cheating (love the atmosphere of the empty rooms and corridors of Apparture Science once you get to finally roam them).

As for the article pretty good points. Personally I think one of the biggest challenges is that true horror (i.e. not thriller) does require a lot of helplesness, doubt and fear and for the protagonist to be on the defensive pretty much the whole time until the resolution. This I think pushes against most typical game mechanics, particularly combat and progression of difficulty, and really challenges the average game designer.

I'd love to see more pure horror titles - even though I think the true audience for them is smaller than action thriller's with horror overtones - but I think most developers find themselves trying to keep the horror while findng a magic way to increase combat and gameplay and "fun" (certainly Silent Hill has been plagued by this for ages) and I just don't think there is a magic way to accomplish this - you're either aiming for horror or you're not.

Amnesia, Silent Hill 2 and Fatal Frame (amongst a few others) for me are titles that have come the closest to matching horror in other mediums and I'd like to have more of that experience.

I would argue though that you'd don't need traditional supernatural elements though.

Although overall structured as a thriller there are a number of moments in Heavy Rain, for example, that are pure horror in the vein of Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs and Seven and that's anotherr angle I'd like to see more of as well.

[Majukun]

remembered me of this article on cracked.com

http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-6-gr...r-get-to-play/

the first three entries are really interesting,and will make for good horror games.

[Dascu]

remembered me of this article on cracked.com http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-6-gr...r-get-to-play/ the first three entries are really interesting,and will make for good horror games.

A horror game that isn't at all marketed as a horror game and you could conceivably go through the entire thing and not experience a single ounce of horror apart from perhaps a slight feeling as you're playing that something isn't right with this game world. However, if you go away from the main quest or whatever horrible creepy shit goes down and you realize that as you were playing this game that there was always this horror lying just underneath the surface and you never even saw it until just now and OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL.

This is exactly what I want. Give me a standard, Americana suburban town with banal townspeople, bland fetch-quests and trivialities. Something that can be played as a straightforward adventure game. But allow the player to explore the town and discover the real secrets and hidden areas. Wander out at night and witness a cult sacrifice. Accidentally enter a house you weren't supposed to enter and find a load of bodies in the basement. Create a feeling of paranoia and fear in the player, working towards a climax where the townsfolk realize that you know they're not really human.

Lovecraft + Silent Hill + Majora's Mask + Twin Peaks + Deadly Premonition + Flower, Sun and Rain

[Manmademan]

One thing missing from this list is something horror games should be doing, but only Heavy Rain has attempted yet.

Multiple fail states and "living" with the consequences in the playthrough. If one partner (or npc) dies, you just have to struggle through without them, see how the story turns out.

HR could have been awesome as a true horror game, and "the taxidermist" dlc episode showed some promise there.

[Typographenia]

It might be more because it's so fresh in my mind, but the game I feel pulled off the Doubt thing the most successfully was Catherine. Shortly after Chapter 7, the sudden moment when Vincent starts to doubt everything and wonder just what on earth is going on was really well executed, in my opinion. It didn't last for very long or have a tremendous payoff, but the moment when they wanted you to start doubting everything was done well.

I can agree with many of these points, but, at the same time, I also remain skeptical of these being standards in evolving horror as a whole. I would imagine some of these points (like the minimal horror throughout an entire game in favor of a 3 hour model) would become extremely predictable or boring after the second or third game that followed such a model. Of course, there is always going to be variety, but I would hate to see a large number of game devs agree that, "yes, this framework for pacing and percentage of X content is the most amiable for this type of game."


Personally, I feel points 7, 8, and 9 are the ones that currently need the biggest push in the genre. They're the more universal of the points I feel could be better adapted to most horror titles, and something that wouldn't necessarily shift the way the game plays to give it an experience that resonates more and longer with the player. Part of the reason that SH2 became my favorite horror title was because it had something there to chew on after I had finished the game. It left me thinking about it for days and weeks and years after finishing it in its entirety. How long have I thought about Condemned? A few hours after I finished playing it. There just wasn't anything of substance left for me to dwell on or want to be invested in playing it again, and that's something I've yet to truly find in another horror series (well, at least not to the degree that SH does it).

[Hot Coldman]

I think what works so well nowadays, in our age of YouTube videos and easy internet access, is horror games that invoke a metagame of sorts. Whether it's as direct as DayZ and its playerbase of paranoid hoarders and maniacal bandits, as much as war with each other as the zombies; or Amnesia, a game which probably owes a lot of its success to everyone filming themselves playing and creating a game of "who can shit their pants the least?" that suddenly made being scared the "point" again.

Left 4 Dead mastered the zombie game, but Valve aimed to do exactly that- horror was never their primary goal. And yet, that model of game comes so close to being horror's saviour. It's not enough to be scared by yourself any more- people need to know that their in-game fears are real, and to do that other people need to fear them as well. Which, in turn, should lead to horror games using newer, more effective ways of scaring people. The methods mentioned in the OP are key here; combat can be avoided smartly if you reinforce a false sense of empowerment via grouping, and losing a man who was important to the team is all the more frightening than popping your own clogs. You need to need things, and nothing is valued than a good teammate.

It's a shame Resident Evil 5 happened, because if one of horror's earliest prominent forays into multiplayer hadn't been so pointless- taking somewhat tired mechanics and breaking them apart via the lens of two people- people might be less apprehensive about getting spooked with their mates. Because that's the way things need to be- hell, there's a reason horror movies are good for dates, horror is made for two or more.

[LiK]

He knows what he's asking about. Horror game devs take note.

[Night_Trekker]

He wasn't really saying that there should be no cutscenes at all. But "cutscene armor" clearly conflicts with horror gameplay. Only use cutscenes when there's no other option and if you've got a damn good story to tell. What personally bothers the hell out of me is cutscenes announcing monsters. Nothing worse than a creature being "spoiled" instead of letting the player encounter it himself.

I mostly agree with you, but again, there are situations where that doesn't apply. Silent Hill 2 announces the arrival of the first enemy you face with a cutscene, and it works because the creature is just terrifying to look at. (Plus, it is the first encounter, and the controlled, passive cutscene allows you need to get a better look at it.)

But doing this for every creature would be a mistake, though. I agree.

(I do not agree with the quote you... er, quoted, though. That's a common stance from people who are anti-cutscene, and the argument behind it is usually something like, "Movies are about watching passively, not games. A game shouldn't be like a movie." But that's wrong, for a variety of reasons I'll go into if I must.)

His quote about combat and the mere presence of combat mechanics being something comforting to players is so true, I kept nodding while reading that paragraph. Helplessness is terrifying.

Well, weakness resulting in a feeling of helplessness is terrifying. But making a character weak to a point of incredulity ("What, my character won't even try to fight for his life?") is a mistake, as it tends to just frustrates gamers. (I think Amnesia generally handles helplessness well, though, because there's really no way you're going to put up a defense against the kinds of things coming after you. Plus the whole Lovecraftian, incomprehensible horror thing makes it work, as even facing them will drive you mad.)

Siren (the PS2 games, I can't speak for the PS3 remake) handles this balance between combat and helplessness well by allowing you to fight but making combat something you want to avoid if at all possible. Both Siren and Silent Hill make guns work by making you a normal person, not a crackshot, who needs light and a close proximity to hit a target. That's why the combat is "clunky" in many horror games. (I'm constantly annoyed at people who think that's a design "mistake." It's a choice made for a reason.)

And, again, these rules can be totally broken in a game like The Suffering, which hands you loads of weapons but still remains scary.

i need to play this game. i need to go to the tech help thread in the off-topic and get someone to guide me through the process of turning my computer into something capable of allowing me to play this game.

You absolutely do need to play Amnesia (and I think everyone who likes horror should play the Penumbra games, too.) I'm annoyed at how it's praised as the BEST HORROR GAME EVER, but it is quite good. FWIW, I think Penumbra is a lot more interesting, but Amnesia is a more polished experience.

[Dascu]

Siren (the PS2 games, I can't speak for the PS3 remake) handles this balance between combat and helplessness well by allowing you to fight but making combat something you want to avoid if at all possible. That's why the combat is "clunky" in many horror games (I'm constantly annoyed at people who think that's a design "mistake.").

And then they go and spoil it all by doing something stupid like "Kill all enemies"-missions.

The missions with the sniper and the teacher were all pretty fun though. Much more enjoyable than whacking a poker around.

[Night_Trekker]

And then they go and spoil it all by doing something stupid like "Kill all enemies"-missions.

Yeah. The Siren games are great, but they're not without their head-scratching moments. "Oh, the enemies in this level can be killed now because the plot says so? Whuh?" I'm never surprised they are under-appreciated games.

The missions with the sniper and the teacher were all pretty fun though. Much more enjoyable than whacking a poker around.

Well, I don't think the melee combat should be enjoyable. I think the player needs to be encouraged not to want to do it, which the games do a decent enough job of doing while also giving you the ability to defend yourself.

[Reuenthal]

Some pretty good points but I don't fully agree with it.

I especially don't agree with the open world point. As for cutscenes, I think they worked incredibly well in Alice: Madness Returns.

[KAOz]

They do bring up some really good points.

But I think they should learn some aswell. Specially when it comes to writing. Both Penumbra and Amnesia suffer from the same problem. A part which turns it into complete shit. Mostly due to the writing.

This was really apperant in Penumbra 2. Decently early game spoilers here. First part of the game was so tense and scary. Then you got a wisecracking, disembodied voice in your head that keeps cracking jokes. Urk.

[brandonh83]

Lovecraft + Silent Hill + Majora's Mask + Twin Peaks + Deadly Premonition + Flower, Sun and Rain

I just

damn. I love all of those things. Except Deadly Premonition -- which I have -- but have yet to play. Been saving it for one of my "I need some weird shit" kicks.

[John]

This is exactly what I want. Give me a standard, Americana suburban town with banal townspeople, bland fetch-quests and trivialities. Something that can be played as a straightforward adventure game. But allow the player to explore the town and discover the real secrets and hidden areas. Wander out at night and witness a cult sacrifice. Accidentally enter a house you weren't supposed to enter and find a load of bodies in the basement. Create a feeling of paranoia and fear in the player, working towards a climax where the townsfolk realize that you know they're not really human. Lovecraft + Silent Hill + Majora's Mask + Twin Peaks + Deadly Premonition + Flower, Sun and Rain

What's funny is (Telltale game) Puzzle Quest kind of did this for me.

[Dascu]

What's funny is (Telltale game) Puzzle Quest kind of did this for me.

Yes, and I love it for it.

[RedSwirl]

The problem with Amnesia, and really the horror genre in general, is that it goes against pretty much everything console games stand for today. Developers wanna make players feel empowered and ready to confront enemies and feel badass. They want their games to be accessible so players will actually be able to beat them. Horror games are built on pretty much the opposite emotions.

Basically all I want really is just the philosophy behind Silent Hill 2, but with a modern camera and control scheme.

Only played Amnesia in very short bursts. It was that intense. Hallmark of a good horror game.

The other problem with Amnesia in particular is that it never lets up, ever. It goes between intense and really fucking intense. The game should be letting up every now and again on its own - you shouldn't have to take your own breaks every 15 minutes.

[Haunted]

What's funny is (Telltale game) Puzzle Quest kind of did this for me.

Yes, and I love it for it.

Was so confused until I realised that you guys are talking about Puzzle Agent.

[Dascu]

Was so confused until I realised that you guys are talking about Puzzle Agent.

I didn't want to embarrass him. Nice going, jerk!

[Haunted]

I didn't want to embarrass him. Nice going, jerk!

I feast on other people's shame.

[obonicus]

Not sure I agree with point #1. There's several effective horror tabletop games that rely on unconventional settings.

[Undubbed]

Is there a good horror game where there aren't monsters/ghosts in it? You know, maybe something simple like like escaping a mad, relentless murderer dude or something.

[Fersis]

The article reads like: 10 Ways to Evolve Horror Games: Make Silent Hill 1.

[Haunted]

Not sure I agree with point #1. There's several effective horror tabletop games that rely on unconventional settings.

Well, the argument is not that it doesn't work any other way (Amnesia itself relies on an unfamiliar/unusual setting), but that "normality" is something that's underutilised in horror games, which is certainly true.

[obonicus]

Is there a good horror game where there aren't monsters/ghosts in it? You know, maybe something simple like like escaping a mad, relentless murderer dude or something.

Wasn't the Clock Tower series about this? And Haunting Ground, kinda?

[obonicus]

Well, the argument is not that it doesn't work any other way (Amnesia itself relies on an unfamiliar/unusual setting), but that "normality" is something that's underutilised in horror games, which is certainly true.

So are a lot of things, though, I'm not sure normalcy needs to be singled out. Why not try and make games that aren't mostly haunted house rides? How many of these games try and build on interpersonal conflict the way even bad horror films do?

[Typographenia]

Wasn't the Clock Tower series about this? And Haunting Ground, kinda?

Haunting Ground is more removed from the supernatural than Clock Tower 3 was, in my opinion. And it's a better game, but that's another topic.

But, yes, they are more focused on evading assailants. Clock Tower 3 is based heavily on triggering events, while Haunting Ground has the assailants actively investigating the large number of rooms in your environments. That's not to say it's without triggered events, but it feels far more organic.

[danwarb]

Dropping weapons as the only way of interacting with anything would improve more than horror games. Not so easily done yet.

[Haunted]

So are a lot of things, though, I'm not sure normalcy needs to be singled out. Why not try and make games that aren't mostly haunted house rides? How many of these games try and build on interpersonal conflict the way even bad horror films do?

Definitely not enough! That's why he is calling these things out in the first place. As a horror game designer, he wants to see things improve and expand on the innovations made by the games mentioned in the OP. If you look at games like Amy or Downpour, there's no advancement there. It's just rehashing all of the old (tired) formulas. Pathologic, Shattered Memories and Amnesia are the horror games I'd commend because they're attempting new things and are thus advancing the genre as a whole (with varying degrees of success).


And Frictional themselves certainly aren't doing haunted house rides, he also touches on that human and human interaction element in his other points (8 and 10 in particular). But this list of possible improvements isn't exhaustive, not is it meant to be.

[Reuenthal]

Not sure I agree with point #1. There's several effective horror tabletop games that rely on unconventional settings.

I agree that unconventional settings can work. I took it as one possible good idea. If you see it from the point of view that what they suggest in 1 can work and we need more games trying that, rather than being the only way then it is not a bad idea.

[Haunted]

This is exactly what I want. Give me a standard, Americana suburban town with banal townspeople, bland fetch-quests and trivialities. Something that can be played as a straightforward adventure game. But allow the player to explore the town and discover the real secrets and hidden areas. Wander out at night and witness a cult sacrifice. Accidentally enter a house you weren't supposed to enter and find a load of bodies in the basement. Create a feeling of paranoia and fear in the player, working towards a climax where the townsfolk realize that you know they're not really human. Lovecraft + Silent Hill + Majora's Mask + Twin Peaks + Deadly Premonition + Flower, Sun and Rain

Do you know of Pathologic?

Certainly not exactly like you described it, but the feeling of "there's something very wrong here" is basically constant in that game while you explore that town.

Here's a disgustingly good RPS analysis of the game, fascinating to read.

[Dascu]

Do you know of Pathologic? Certainly not exactly like you described it, but the feeling of "there's something very wrong here" is basically constant in that game while you explore that town. Here's a disgustingly good RPS analysis of the game, fascinating to read.

Yes, I know. I sort of want to try it out, but The Void was very difficult to play. Cargo's better, but obviously not horror. Ice-Pick Lodge is an interesting studio. Their games are very "janky", but also extremely creative and original.