How Do You Play Horror Games?

[Jakub324]

When I'm alone, yes, but I rarely am. I played most of Metro 2033 like that, and freakin' loved it.

 

[Michael Hirst]

Lights out, Headphones on (they're fucking good headphones too) Difficulty up if possible. Do your worst games industry!

 

[Flailing Escapist]

The only "proper" way to play Dead Space is to turn the background music off entirely, it gives too much away.

I really enjoy horror (especially survival horror) games but I haven't played a good, new one in a couple years. But horror really is the best medium transfered to gaming. I never get that flight or fight feeling in books or movies but games *shudders* survival horror video games ftw.

 

[JasonKaotic]

Yeah, Dead Space isn't scary however you play it.
But yeah, lights off, volume up if playing it on a console, headphones in if playing on a PC, and go. Only really works if it's at night, though.

 

[Durgiun]

I play them during the day. The last thing I need is to get a fucking heart attack.

 

[Madaxeman101]

Lights off, beer and pizza on hand, game set to max difficulty.

 

[WhatHityou]

Well if there good, I play em in the dark terrified and maybe with a new set of underwear in waiting.

If there like most recent ones though, I play them like a shooter or hack en slash with flesh bags as enemy's.

Sad story to be honest. Though if amnesia dark decent and similar indy horror games are any indication, then I'm looking forward to the future.

 

[HalBuzzkill]

Myself it depends on whether I'm in the mood for getting immersed or for playing to see what's next. Immersion calls for lights and music off, so I can get properly scared/startled/whatever. Playing to get past a given part that I have no interest in or find too difficult/annoying to play through immersively has lights on, music going and, if necessary, sound down.

 

[kasperbbs]

The usual, lights off, sound cranked up on my headphones and noone else in the room.

 

[WhatIsThisIDontEven]

With several people around to comfort me.

Seriously, Amnesia breaks my brain if I play it alone.

 

[Zergadooful]

I usually play them with my cock and masturbate furiously every time a monster chases me.

 

[backinthepresentfuture]

yes i do. darkness everywhere, and whatnot. alas i still cannot be scared

 

[Cecilthedarkknight_234]

choice is very important here make sure it is a horror game, not a "action durr hurr game". This aside try to put yourself in the protag's shows.. get in that mindset of feeling helpless and all alone with a slim chance to none of finding a way out of this horrible situation. That feeling of being all alone with no chance of making it back alive expect for your skill then you are playing horror games right. I have some recommendations as well
Resident evil 1-3
Corpse Party
Higurashi "when they cry"
Umineko
Silent Hill 1-4
F.E.A.R

 

[darksuccubus]

I always play games properly especially when it comes to horror games. For this exact reason I couldn't approach Amnesia for a week after a really scary moment. Needless to say, I was playing it when there was noone home. Same goes for SH games. I also play RPG without any interruptions (Skyrim, currently), the only exception is Sims (yes, I know, but that game can be addictive xD). Because there is no story and you don't really need to pay attention, I usually turn on the TV or listen to some music.

 

[PBMcNair]

Well, I suppose I do play "properly" most of the time, but on the other hand, if I want to play something in particular I'm not going to wait until it gets dark. Also I do use headphones when I can, but if I don't have any I'm not going to crank up the sound and blare horror noises across the house, thats just rude.

 

[PBMcNair]

The only preparation I make is to put myself in the proper mindset. On the outside, I am dangerously genre savvy and insane. My character is neither of these. I am seeing the world through the character's eyes alone.

*Plays Extermination*

[HEADING=1]THE WALLS ARE EATING PEOPLE!!!!![/HEADING]

Man, I love that game. First survival horror game I can remember playing, and definetly the first I finished. Loved the soundtrack too, always annoyed me the way the songs restarted every time you went into your menus.

 

[octafish]

Lights off, headphones on, and as System Shock 2 taught me, pets out of the room. The time the cat leapt on my lap for a pat when I was creeping past a midwife nearly killed me.

 

[TramplinDouche1996]

Well i'll tell you when i try my NEW GAMING SYSTEM METHOD, just bought Razer Kraker headphones, a new gaming graphic card AMD Radeon, and ima try playing horror games with a bouncing effect on my headphones when the sound surpasses a level and lights turned off while playing Slender man the eight pages all alone, hehe~

 

[CZ_Rage]

It depends on the game. "Amnesia" was a tough one, I decided to play without headphones, just old speakers instead, and most of the time I had at least a small light burning. When my sanity went all the way down, I lit a light in reality and it really helped me.

On the contrary, I started to dim the lights, turned them finally off and moved to headphones with full volume when playing "Alan Wake". There should be some horror inside, but I didn´t find it yet and will never find it as I stopped playing.

The most freaking-out experience was "Into the Dark". I didn`t expect much horror because of all the B-Movie, trash and boobie talk in the descriptions and played it at night, alone, with headphones to the max. My hair almost got grey on that one. It may be a trashy horror-comedy, but in some moments its pure heartattacking evil.