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The best horror game of all time is...
- Thread starter The perfect Dark
- Start date
SolidSnakex
Member
You're correct in that there weren't consistent members across the board, but they did actually refer to developers that made them as Team Silent. Here's one from an old Famitsu issue
I believe it may originate from Toyama (the creator of Silent Hill) as he refers to the teams that he works on by the games that they make. For example, when they were making Siren they were known as Team Siren, now that they're making Gravity Rush they're known at Team Gravity
And here's something fairly rare, a pic of the original Team Silent
xVodevil
Member
SS2 definitely!
Also, how come there is no Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth mention yet?
brandonh83
Banned
The only thing that compares to me in terms of organics is Bloodborne. The other Souls games are well thought out too, but Bloodborne is kind of disgusting, and falls into the category of horror. Not a shock that it's by far the best game I've played across the last two gens
Even with all that said about Silent Hill 2, which is already high and worthy praise, it does all of that and can manage to get the waterworks going at the end. That's pretty special.
Silent Hill
Banned
Silent Hill 2 id say.
Yo, that's awesome info. Thank you. 👌 That photo.You're correct in that there weren't consistent members across the board, but they did actually refer to developers that made them as Team Silent. Here's one from an old Famitsu issueI believe it may originate from Toyama (the creator of Silent Hill) as he refers to the teams that he works on by the games that they make. For example, when they were making Siren they were known as Team Siren, now that they're making Gravity Rush they're known at Team Gravity
And here's something fairly rare, a pic of the original Team Silent
Shadowheart
Member
Fatal Frame Crimson Butterfly. Nothing kept me on my toes like it.
Fancy Clown
Member
Resident Evil 4. It's certainly not the scariest, but it's absolutely still horror, and it is the best.
REmake after that.
Then Silent Hill.
REmake after that.
Then Silent Hill.
brandonh83
Banned
I'm not even sure that there are any horror films better than Silent Hill 2. Different craft, absolutely, but just in the general makings of horror.
DoubleTake
Member
OP is correct. One day, hopefully in my lifetime, we'll get a Silent Hill 2 remake or a new great addition to the series.
RoyaleDuke
Banned
It's either REmake/RE0 or Alien:Isolation OP.
SH2 is amazing, but man.... Alien Isolation.
SH2 is amazing, but man.... Alien Isolation.
wanderingprostheyltite
Member
The perfect Dark
Banned
Also, the soundtrack is so good I can't decide what's the better theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LB7LZZGpkw
Or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qalGezr76o
Or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL3701130022801F23&v=8N_PXTGdlGw
What a fantastic soundtrack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LB7LZZGpkw
Or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qalGezr76o
Or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL3701130022801F23&v=8N_PXTGdlGw
What a fantastic soundtrack.
brandonh83
Banned
When it comes to story and how creeped out I feel, I'm struggling to think of any personally. I'm definitely not proclaiming it as a fact, but again I can't think of anything.
This.
This thread is about horror games
brandonh83
Banned
This thread is about horror games
While I disagree with him, it checks out. RE4 is an action game with a horror shell, but it's still horror and parts are pretty freaky like the village at night and the Regenerator bullshit.
Spieler Eins
Member
There certainly haven't been movies scaring me like Silent Hill (as an adult). But then again, I don't find horror movies scary, unlike several horror games out there. I watch them for a good mystery or simply suspense.
Psychological Intellect
Banned
In terms of being scared silly? P.T and nothing comes close.
Although it's just a demo, this is the first game to ever scare me and I've played a few horror games.
Had me legit S-H-O-O-K and I didn't even beat it.
Although it's just a demo, this is the first game to ever scare me and I've played a few horror games.
Had me legit S-H-O-O-K and I didn't even beat it.
In many ways I agree - yet it's also comparing two drastically different mediums. The sheer psychological horror that SH2 (and 1 & 3) achieves through its gameplay is its real strength. Scenarios like
Pyramid Head chasing you down the hospital hallway
Mary begging you not to leave during the final hallway
brandonh83
Banned
Yep, as I said, different craft. I'm just looking at the overall horror genre. It's also much easier to immerse and unnerve a player as they're in control of the game world, whereas a film director has to apply tension through filmmaking techniques and it's a lot easier to fuck that up.
But I think we're on the same page as the rest of your post is spot on.
Simbabbad
Member
The problem is Silent Hill 2 has gameplay issues that got me out of the game (and I didn't have any problem with the first game on that front), and the narration and characters didn't get me into it at all. Yes, there are plenty of good symbols and everything, but I watched it more than I played it, and watched it like something somewhat interesting happening on screen without ever feeling immersed or concerned in any way whatsoever. Whereas with all the games I mentioned, I was in the story.
Honestly, Silent Hill 2 is IMO vastly overrated, Silent Hill 3 is to me superior in every imaginable way, and Fatal Frame is scarier than any Silent Hill game IMO. And if we put aside the scare factor and gameplay, and we're only talking about story depth and psychology and telling things about the human condition, then Silent Hill Shattered Memories is to me leagues above it.
I agree with the OP, SH2 is amazing, the best overall.
Other than that, I remember being scared playing through RE1 when it first came out (especially the 1st half), there was nothing quite like it. Same for SH & RE2. Oh and the 1st time I played Clock Tower as well.
Quite a while later, Condemned gave me that strange feeling again. The sound design was and still is insanely good.
Recently, PT scared the shit out of me like most people
Other than that, I remember being scared playing through RE1 when it first came out (especially the 1st half), there was nothing quite like it. Same for SH & RE2. Oh and the 1st time I played Clock Tower as well.
Quite a while later, Condemned gave me that strange feeling again. The sound design was and still is insanely good.
Recently, PT scared the shit out of me like most people
brandonh83
Banned
Well-- you're certainly entitled to feel that way
Nobody's telling anybody they're wrong here, it's hard to get much more subjective than the horror genre.
I will say I did think Shattered Memories was pretty interesting, relatively well-written, clever, and had a great twist. It's not SH2 for me, but I do appreciate it and think of it as a unique game.
Mister Wolf
Member
Dead space 2
Sorry, I can't list just one!
Psychological horror: Sanitarium, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
Atmospheric/survival horror: Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Outlast, Penumbra series
Action horror: F.E.A.R., System Shock 2, Blood, Clive Barker's Undying, STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl
Lovecraftian horror: Scratches, Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet
(I never got to play the entirety of a Resident Evil or Silent Hill game.)
If I had to pick a favorite out of these in terms of how much it unnerved me, I'd pick I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream even if the game itself is pretty flawed in terms of design (dead ends, bugs, etc.). That game and story simply get under one's skin.
Psychological horror: Sanitarium, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
Atmospheric/survival horror: Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Outlast, Penumbra series
Action horror: F.E.A.R., System Shock 2, Blood, Clive Barker's Undying, STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl
Lovecraftian horror: Scratches, Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet
(I never got to play the entirety of a Resident Evil or Silent Hill game.)
If I had to pick a favorite out of these in terms of how much it unnerved me, I'd pick I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream even if the game itself is pretty flawed in terms of design (dead ends, bugs, etc.). That game and story simply get under one's skin.
wanderingprostheyltite
Member
To me it's the ability to communicate supernatural or psychological realism, and no game comes close to matching that against the likes of The Shining, Exorcist, Don't Look Now, Eraserhead, and countless others. To me it's wax museum vs, well, "real life" of cinema. But hey, mocap is getting better all the time
whyreggielie
Member
TBH I've never been more tense playing a game than I have with ZombiU. So I would either give it to that or plain old Resident Evil with RE4 closely behind.
Cipher Peon
Banned
I find this post very amusing considering I find The Shining to be awful and Exorcist one of the greatest works of art put to film... but not in any way scary. Scary good, yes, but scary scary? Nah. Neither come close to Silent Hill 2 or 3 imoTo me it's the ability to communicate supernatural or psychological realism, and no game comes close to matching that against the likes of The Shining, Exorcist, Don't Look Now, Eraserhead, and countless others. To me it's wax museum vs, well, "real life" of cinema. But hey, mocap is getting better all the time
But here's a fun picture of me at The Exorcist steps just 2 weeks ago! It was my first!
kungfuian
Member
Fatal Frame Crimson Butterfly. Nothing kept me on my toes like it.
Yep easily my favorite of those mentioned. The first one is pretty great too.
Other than that lots of good mentions in this thread. I also think RE 3 deserves a mention. I wouldn't say it's the 'best' horror game or anything like that but I love the fact that nemesis can bust into any room at any time and is constantly hunting you down.
brandonh83
Banned
To me it's the ability to communicate supernatural or psychological realism, and no game comes close to matching that against the likes of The Shining, Exorcist, Don't Look Now, Eraserhead, and countless others. To me it's wax museum vs, well, "real life" of cinema. But hey, mocap is getting better all the time
While I don't see it that way, it seems like a fair enough personal feeling. It's all fiction to me, whether "real" or made in a computer.
Being new player was super intense in dark souls, I remember being lost for 40 minutes and hitting Andre without wanting it, after playing 20 more hours I realized I couldn't upgrade from him and manly tears rolled to my eyes as I put the controler down and took a 3 months pause from the game.
Secret Fawful
Member
Cool pic, Cipher.
The best are probably:
Gregory Horror Show
Clock Tower
Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet
Call of Cthulhu: Prisoner of Ice
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Clive Barker's Undying
Silent Hill
Silent Hill 2
Waxworks
Pathologic
I Have no Mouth, and I Must Scream
ShadowMan
Trilby's Notes
Rule of Rose
Siren
With my favorite being Clock Tower.
The best are probably:
Gregory Horror Show
Clock Tower
Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet
Call of Cthulhu: Prisoner of Ice
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Clive Barker's Undying
Silent Hill
Silent Hill 2
Waxworks
Pathologic
I Have no Mouth, and I Must Scream
ShadowMan
Trilby's Notes
Rule of Rose
Siren
With my favorite being Clock Tower.
wanderingprostheyltite
Member
Shining...awful? How dare you! It's interesting, people keep bringing up scary meters as the rubric for good horror but that to me is the least important part of it due to how subjective that aspect is, and unless I read the op wrong this isn't even about "scariest" anything, not sure how that tangent got started.
For me it boils down to, is there a realism and logic to the world and proceedings, and do the characters behave accordingly within those parameters. For film a lot of that relies on the performances which of course isn't going to be communicated well on gen3 hardware, but sure back in the day spoopy.
As for scary scary? Well Dreadhalls made me make sounds I hadn't heard come out of my throat before so there's that.
Cool pic btw.
RSB
Banned
Silent Hill 2.
It's not the scariest horror game I've played (it's the least scary of the Team Silent games, funnily enough) nor the most fun, but it is the best for sure.
And yeah, I miss Team Silent too OP. The horror genre is not the same without them.
It's not the scariest horror game I've played (it's the least scary of the Team Silent games, funnily enough) nor the most fun, but it is the best for sure.
And yeah, I miss Team Silent too OP. The horror genre is not the same without them.
I agree with this.
Cipher Peon
Banned
I agree 100% with the subjective nature of horror. There's so much to love about horror in so many different ways that I can't imagine policing the "right" way to dig it.
I just hate Kubrick's direction, which leads me to hating The Shining. The first time I saw it, I thought it was alright but not scary, but the second time I saw it I realized I hated it (and the audience I saw it with hated it as well). It's my favorite of his films, too. Goes to show that he really is my least favorite director of all time.
My definition of horror is... really relaxed, actually. Considering that I've consumed so much horror media, I'm so desensitized to it, at this point all I ask for is novelty. And the easiest horror novelty to get for me at this point is of the ironic variety (the so bad it's good stuff) or the "easy score" variety (like found footage movies).
The horror that REALLY sticks it to me injects me with this primal fear that as someone who considers themselves very courageous, makes me physically incapable of action. That's what Silent Hill 2 and 3 did, that's what FNAF did, and that's what The Blair Witch Project did (the scariest film ever made imo), and Rosemary's Baby too. The realism aspect isn't a requirement for masterful terror as much as the sheer weight of it all collapsing in on you in a feeling of a complete loss of agency. As someone who feels agency rushing through their blood every moment of every day, this feeling is almost impossible and anything that makes me feel that way is truly unforgettable.
And thank you, I had a great time c:
ROUGE_BLOCK
Member
Bleh never liked it
NESpowerhouse
Perhaps he's wondering why someone would shoot a man before throwing him out of a plane.
REmake.
No fucking contest.
No fucking contest.
wanderingprostheyltite
Member
Nice explanation, I see where you're coming from, the total loss of agency part is absolutely something that is difficult to find in terms of realism at depicting it. Your Rosemary mention is reminding me yet again I still need to see Repulsion, the mental collapse/illness angle is something that gets me as some of the most effective horror when done right.
Speaking of Blair Witch...I'm guessing you're looking forward to The Woods? Seeing as it might be a stealth sequel and they remembered to make it found footage again! The former is one of my favs as well.
For me horror films just need to truly horrify me. In order to do that they need to be smart too. Just seeing some gore on a screen doesn't horrify me. It's all about the mind game. Classic horror movies like Martyrs, The Exorcist, A L'interieur, Texas Chainsaw Massacre match the visuals with a twisted head job. But horror games affect me totally differently. There's just more immediacy and immersion to it. I have to reactions to things that happen in horror games that I just would never have from watching a film.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Dead Space 2 is actually my favorite horror game, though I guess it's not the best horror game of all time. I love space horror. The first two games had the perfect story, great tension, great action, everything. It's the kind of horror that keeps pushing you forward, whereas games like Silent Hill made me terrified to progress at times.
Dead Space 3 had its moments, but the narrative really lets it down. But the first half of the game is tremendous.
Dead Space 3 had its moments, but the narrative really lets it down. But the first half of the game is tremendous.