Where has the horror games gone?

[verdugo136]

As the title says where have they gone. iv'e looked around the game stores and the xbox live market place and i can find any good horror games in this age. people say dead space 2 is a horror but they all talk bull iv'e played it and the only time it made me jump is where i get hit by people just of screen (cheap scares). no game last year was a horror or the year before that and none this year so far if anyone can recommend me some for pc or 360 go ahead and try prove me wrong.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

They're behind you! Mwahahahah!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist. Seriously though proper horror titles are a bit thin on the ground these days. As for recommendations, I have two. The first is a fairly old game, Call Of Cthulhu: Dark corners of the Earth, which I found very atmospheric and mood driven. The second is a game called Amnesia, which I haven't played personally but it has been well recieved as a proper horror revival game.

 

[gintsume]

Look up Extra Credits video on such a topic, they do bring up a few points that I'm sure will be talked about here.

I think the problem we have these days is there almost seems to be a confusion between Horror and Survival Horror. Dead Space has more been survival game if anything else.
That and I blame new realistic graphics for killing horror. May sound bad, but old horror games like silent hill and project zero 2 (aka, fatal frame 2) used fog and unclear video to hide blemishes and crappyness of their low poly monsters. Now with these high detail monsters out, those who make the game would rather show off their labor of love rather than hide it. The good old fear of the unknown is near forgotten.

May I suggest you try out Amnesia: Darkness Decent, best horror game in a long while. You can find this on the steam network, not sure about xbox live tho. Those who made this game know horror, and thank god for that.

 

[The Madman]

As mentioned above, look up Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Recently released horror game which received an extremely positive response and is largely hailed as the most frightening bit of gaming to be released in years. Then if you like that look up the other games by the developer as well as they actually specialize in horror games.

Could also delve back. Horror games have never been particularly common, but some of the best games ever are horror regardless. Or at least have horror elements such as the Thief series.

 

[Marik Bentusi]

I played the Amnesia demo, was was left completely unimpressed [http://marikbentusi.deviantart.com/art/Amnesia-Demo-Review-192920663]. I probably got my hopes up too high.

If you have Half-Life 2: Episode 2, check out a mod called "Nightmare House 2". The beginning where you have to play through the first one as a prologue is pretty dull, but the second one is actually well done. Has no replay value however since surprises only work once. But the first time was a memorable experience for me.

Dead Space confuses "horror" with "ugly monsters". I'm more of a psychological horror fan, but that genre needs an expert writer and that's not the medium's strength it would seem. Everyone's putting all they money on pretty screenshots they can use for trailers and teasers and advertisement.

 

[Cogwheel]

I've heard that they've gone to Frictional Games.

Amnesia is, yes, the one with the publicity. Maybe even their best. But don't overlook Penumbra: Overture and its sequel Black Plague, they're all kinds of amazing. All available on Steam, and cheaply at that.

Lots of people find parts of STALKER incredibly scary. I was only mildly disturbed, but then, this is post-Penumbra/Amnesia, and I was never too easily scared to begin with.

Other than that? Lessee... you have System Shock 2, certain parts of the Thief series (The Cradle, my god) and some other games I sadly can't recall at present. Also, two Half Life 2 mods: Korsakovia (awful as a game, amazing story/voice acting/script/creepy factor, at least watch a playthrough of it on Youtube) and Nightmare House 2 (excellent game, very, very scary).


Oh, and I know it's not scary - more nauseatingly cute, really - but you should try Eversion [http://zarat.us/tra/offline-games/eversion.html]. Excellent platformer, and it'll only take an hour or so of your time. Trust me, you will NOT regret this.

 

[JAYSEE DENTUHN]

They've gone to Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Legit you should check that game out if you want good horror, it's pretty scary.

 

[AndrewF022]

You could try Penumbra or Cryostais, they're pretty good for a scare, even if its a fleeting one.

Its true though, I really can't think of any new true horror experiences (that I've played anyway) from games that have been released lately that claim to be 'Horror'.

 

[Chibz]

How about you try Deadly Premonition? Pretty good game, and fits into the genre nicely.

 

[Thaluikhain]

They're behind you! Mwahahahah!!!

Aw, I was going to say that.

But...are horror games the most horrific? I like ordinary games which go off the deep end...the crazy people levels in SWAT 4 come to mind. Better suspension of disbelief that way.

 

[Super Toast]

Where has the grammar gone?

Seriously though, they're everywhere. Just check out Steam.

 

[V8 Ninja]

They went here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frictional_Games]. You're welcome, by the way.

 

[Soxafloppin]

I'm Semi interested in the Saw games, they look pretty fun and scary (I'm pretty easily scared, by jumpy things) I heard the combat was terrible in them however.

 

[galdon2004]

Yeah, sadly the last real horror game I'd played was Eternal Darkness back on the gamecube. I believe the problem is a lot to do with the love of weapons. How am I going to be scared of some monster when I have a shotgun, pistol, flamethrower, RPG launcher, samurai sword, and 78.6 pounds of C4 in my pocket?

On the other hand, if you do nothing but flee, you feel weak and useless. People don't play games to feel weak and useless typically. So, you have to be able to fight to at least an extent that people will believe. They need to sort of mix the stealth genre into horror I think. Not like the old ones where you have to hide every time your panic meter fills or whatever, but one where you hide and sneak most of the time but if you get caught you can fight and flee your way back to relative safety.

 

[oreopizza47]

I was never a big fan of horror games, as I'm not good at scares, but I think that going back in time is a good idea. If you can't handle the muddy graphics of something like the original Resident Evils or Silent Hill, then go for one of the newer ones, like Resi 4, or Silent Hill 2. Also recommended by me is Korsakovia, The Path, and I've heard good things about Amnesia. I've always been more old school though.

 

[comadorcrack]

They still exist. But they're exactly where they belong. In the Shadows lurking...
Waiting for you to stray too close then! BAM!

Anyways Cryostasis, and anything from Frictional are pretty fucking scary games. The best the mainstreams done in years is Bioshock.
Lets wait to see how Silent Hill Downpour comes out.

 

[Jazoni89]

Noone has mentioned Siren Blood Curse?

One of the most scariest games i have played in my life, let alone this gen.

Seriously, the only thing i can think of that is scarier than Siren BC, is Project Zero/Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly.

In one part You even play as a little girl in a abandoned hospital in the dark with a bunch of crazy and frightening Japanese zombies after you.



Oh sheet indeed.

 

[JochemDude]

Amnesia is the scariest game in years, try it. But for the rest of the 'horror' games ( just CoD with monsters in the way I see it ) is suffering from them being made too easy. Point, click, kill doesn't work in a horror game, you need to actually fear the things