Poll: Are Old Horror Games More Scary Than New Horror Games?

[Radeonx]

No, because 8-bit Micheal Moore chasing you around a two story building isn't scary.
I didn't find Doom scary either; I've never really found a game scary. At least, I can identify that it is a horror game, but I do not jump or feel afraid from any game. Unless, of course, you count Silver Surfer. Oh, the nightmares.

 

[sma_warrior]

System Shock 2 - enough said.

 

[Ninja Tank]

RE:3 when the zombie was trapped in the cop car and broke though it scared the living crap out of me

 

[bushwhacker2k]

I gotta agree with Yahtzee on this one, startled =/= scared.

If something jumps out of nowhere I can be surprised as hell but I won't be scared. The atmosphere is what sets true scariness in horror games.

Well I haven't heard of any scary games coming out recently so I'd probably go old.

 

[RaNDM G]

They still make a few good horror games out there. Silent Hill: Homecoming and the F.E.A.R. and Condemned games were pretty good, and Dead Space (while game-play wise was pretty mediocre) did have its moments. But most developers just aren't that hardcore about horror titles anymore. Most companies think they can get away with making one by putting in some monsters, giving the protagonist(s) a gun, and telling them to aim at the weak-point for massive damage. And while they can be fun (like RE 5 and Left 4 Dead), they just don't cut it for people who want a good scare.

The only real horror games I can think of that are about to come out are Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (which is really just a re-hash of the first game) and Aliens: Colonial Marines (which has been on the verge of cancellation several times already). I'm not really holding my breath on horror games in the future but playing what's out now still makes for a refreshing change from playing marathon sessions of Silent Hill and Resident Evil.

And to any developers reading this: Eternal Darkness sequel?

 

[Mako SOLDIER]

Well, I have to say as far as survival horror goes there hasn't really been much that's done it for me since Silent Hill 4: The Room. I know it didn't really feel like a silent hill game, but I found it to be massively underrated. That was a scary game right there, especially the segments in the room itself when things are starting to go to hell. It was like watching 5 different oriental horror movies at the same time.

Also, Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth had some really good atmosphere, it was really oppressive and had some excellent scares.

 

[scnj]

I think that with improved graphics and sound, developers have the tools to create scarier games, but it's led to them being lazy. Back in the days of ps1, 'realistic' graphics weren't achievable, which meant devs had to be more creative with their scares and with building atmosphere, but now that's easy, they seem to have flickering lights and some blood splashes and package it as a horror.

It's a similar trend to movies. Lower budget films (like District 9) have to be more creative with the limited budget they have, as opposed to throwing 500 CGI explosions into a film and hoping the money rolls in (Transformers 2).

 

[THAC0]

i saw somewhere a long time ago, that the definition of a survival horror game is, that at some point dinosaurs will just through a window at you.

sounds about right.

 

[A Weary Exile]

It's kind of hard to be scared when all the monsters resemble Legos, which is why it's hard for older games to be scary. Condemned 1 and 2 were the scariest games I've ever played the RE1 remake for Gamecube has a close second and Silent Hill 2 comes third (Only because I didn't play it that long).

 

[ohgodalex]

I don't know. Horror has improved in certain areas, like the Fatal Frame games. Resident Evil managed to become significantly scarier for a time, before RE5 hit shelves. I'd say there's no definite answer to this one.

 

[Malkavian]

It's kind of hard to be scared when all the monsters resemble Legos, which is why it's hard for older games to be scary. Condemned 1 and 2 were the scariest games I've ever played the RE1 remake for Gamecube has a close second and Silent Hill 2 comes third (Only because I didn't play it that long).

The thing is, it's not the monsters themselves you're supposed to be afraid of. It's the atmosphere, the tension. That's what horrorgames used to be able to, but have seeminly lost.

I'm currently playing through Project Zero/Fatal Frame II. Why can't they make anything that good on the current gen consoles?

 

[Daedalus1942]

I know I know... Half-life wasn't really supposed to be scary. But I found that I was always scared to turn a corner because I knew a little head-crab would be there. Waiting.

But enough about my tendancy to be easily scared due to being attacked by chipmunks as a child,
the old graphics of old horror games like silent hill 1 always made me feel more alone than todays version of blood splattered walls you prejudice young hipsters run into in today's current scary game. But I never feel as alone with the games today. Even with improved game play(Sometimes), environment, and graphics.

Anyone else feel the same way?

Scratches...

 

[Daedalus1942]

i saw somewhere a long time ago, that the definition of a survival horror game is, that at some point dinosaurs will just through a window at you.

sounds about right.

Dino Crisis was a decent survival horror game. Button mashing to survive becmae tiresome.

 

[JoeKickAzz]

SILENT HILL 2

I WIN!

 

[danosaurus]

It's a similar trend to movies. Lower budget films (like District 9) have to be more creative with the limited budget they have, as opposed to throwing 500 CGI explosions into a film and hoping the money rolls in (Transformers 2).

$40 Million is a lower budget? Relative to what?
The only reason why District 9 didn't cost another $60 million on top of that is because it didn't have to payout any big name actors to stick in to the cast.

But agreed with you on Transformers, I wish someone would do the world a favour and assassinate that Michael Bay douche.

 

[TrogzTheTroll]

What's scary is a polar opinion thread. NEEDS SOME "DEPENDS" OPTIONS UP IN THIS HIZZLE

Well, I was asking people's opinions on if they think the current games are more "scary"
It's your opinion.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

System Shock 2 - enough said.

AvP - case closed.

 

[Russian_Assassin]

The new horror, where enemies jump out suddenly while yelling does not amuse me.