Why Do Horror Games Stop Being Scary?

[@xdouche3608]

I am a piece of volcanic rock, and this game gave me nightmares

[@Lextorias]

Chris Redfield was the true horror villain all along

[@bloodysimile4893]

@@Lextorias another reason why Leon Kennedy refuse to help continue the Redfeild bloodline.

[@garryarganis5801]

@@Lextorias T steroid virus.

[@hodstrat3722]

can confirm, I was the volcano

[@xdouche3608]

@@hodstrat3722 mom?!

[@lordcthulhu1609]

I'd say the same shit about stealth series. Stealth and Horror franchises have a nasty habit of turning into a action series

[@Lextorias]

Someone should make a video about stealth games...

[@luisguilherme2964]

@@Lextorias yeah...someone...👀

[@Spektralwastaken]

*cough cough* metal gear series * cough cough*

[@laurenf.7922]

You mean how Mgs5 has a fucked up intro and then just becomes "you can become Commando or you can be sneaky beaky". Where Ground Zeros has more stealth elements while also having less features and a sense of tension at the end and is technically the prologue to Mgs5

[@goroakechi6126]

@@Spektralwastaken I’d say it’s fair to an extent. Far as I can tell, the only games who don’t focus on the stealth are Rising, a spin-off made by Platinum not even starring Snake, and Maaaaaaybe Phantom Pain, where you play as the man you kill in Metal Gear 1, and is still pretty debatable as more action focused.

[@stinks3137]

1:05 Fun Fact: The backrooms isnt really a recent concept and its quite different from what it used to be. The original concept of the backrooms was just the rooms, with no monsters, and no variations, just endless rooms, which is more scary if you ask me.

[@officialwhiteblocks]

It first started because of a meme

[@Suckko]

@@officialwhiteblocks that's not true

[@connorm997]

@@officialwhiteblocks i think it was a reddit post originally

[@Legenducky]

Personally i don't mind the monsters, variations and levels, as without it this backrooms phenomenon would have died rather quickly, the only and only minuscule complaint i have, are different rooms being called "levels" that's just so goofy y'know lol, sections/sectors/areas/regions/zones/environment or even dimension seems more fitting, levels huh...

[@Suckko]

@@connorm997 it was a 4chan post originally about unnerving places then it became a creepypasta

[@1thevm1]

>that callisto protocol section Oh no no no no

[@serpentine9675]

same idea here

[@jriver226]

Did not age well

[@dawgwiddaglasses]

😂

[@Sarangerel_Ura]

It did not age well

[@mzarectah]

Guess they needed “EA’s grubby little hands all over it” 😂

[@netcyber]

The fact that Heisenberg calls Chris "that boulder punching asshole" and thus canonizing it is still hilarious to me.

[@Mr.ChestHighWalls]

Also since Chris/Sheva we’re the only witnesses it means either: - Sheva told - Chris bragged 🤣

[@melnobes3364]

@@Mr.ChestHighWalls Maybe both.

[@roiroije6326]

Walter White????!?!?!???!?!?!!!??!??!!!?!??!??!!

[@naolidecomisso4108]

@@roiroije6326 yes

[@urekmazino2086]

Chris we need to cook

[@empressmarowynn]

Horror creators tend to forget that subtlety can be terrifying. Making things just a little bit off is so unsettling. That glimpse from the corner of your eye that you're not quite sure what you saw, or someone's movements being a touch unnatural, or walking through a room a second time and things have changed enough to be noticeable but just a little so you're second guessing what you saw. These are the things that can have a longer impact even after the person is done playing. You're still double checking what might be casting that shadow in the corner of your room.

[@Buglin_Burger7878]

The problem is when you're afraid, regardless of how the game does it, you'll be scared by shadows. That is what paranoia does. Subtlety can also be the least terrifying thing since it makes you safe. Subtlety is incredibly hard to use in a way that doesn't turn it into a relaxing experience.

[@Rnjesus386]

This is why I love more psychological horror games, visage is great game if you haven’t played it

[@pablo4yu]

So the creators of the sopranos knew this and thats why for the last scene the mother is in… she is CGI-ed just to look all that bit more unnatural and offsetting. She is still alive and well but they just wanted to give her a more eerie vibe so they did tony sopranos mom in cgi

[@scoutbite4334]

Huh if only a game, let’s call it PT, was subtle and was the scariest thing ever made!

[@Krimsin01]

this is a very good strategy for horror; slow burn and not in your face.

[@wadamade1]

I think Subnautica still stays scary because of how they accidentally used the fear of the unknown, and how the game makes you underpowered to the leviathans, heck, even the smaller predators make you feel quite underpowered too.

[@potatoesstarch2376]

subnautica is scary cause FUCK that's a lot of WATER

[@efxnews4776]

Actually theres a not so recent trend with horror games that have monsters that overpowers you, another example is Alien: Isolation, in A:I you can't kill the Alien only hide from him, you do have guns and you do have other enemies, but using this guns means attract the Alien to you, using this guns against the alien would mean just a quick death to you, funny thing is that you can use the Alien to kill other enemies, the Alien doesn't kill androids, but he kill humans who would kill you to take the loot from your corpse. Even tough the Alien is a constant presence that you need to be constantly hiding and outmaneuvering. Only at the end of the game, when you aquire the flamethrower, that you can scare the Alien but you still can't kill him. If you guys never played Alien: Isolation give it a shot on it, you would definitely be scared all the time.

[@moezfoez]

Until you play the dlcs and second game 😔

[@probablynotdad6553]

It's better than the majority of overly dark horror games.

[@probablynotdad6553]

@@moezfoez the 2nd game never existed

[@DarthBiomech]

Boy did the closing remark on the Callisto Protocol aged like a fine milk, lol.

[@jaesjmes5498]

Something I find incredibly scary is inhuman movements coming from very humanoid enemies/monsters

[@r3tr063]

Yeah and vice versa very human movement and behavior from non humanoid enemies/monsters

[@pluckinearchive2766]

@@r3tr063 Yeah there is just something frightening about a crooked necc monster with open organ walking slowly like a normal human, it just so uncanny because it seem so familiar yet so corrupted

[@dan74695]

Like the necromorphs

[@jaesjmes5498]

@@dan74695 yeah, also this half life 1 mod called cry of fear, check it out

[@brauliodiaz3925]

So you're scared of lag?

[@jaygamings6888]

'Why Do Horror Games Stop Being Scary?' One word: Familiarity. Humans fear the unknown, but once they get used to it it stops being unknown and thus stops being scary.

[@bok4822]

Yep. The molded from RE7 were really scary back when I first played the game. Did not have anything familiar about them beside a human-like appearance. They could pop out of anywhere, out of any corner or even out of drawers. Then I hit the end of the game, learned about everything that had happened and what the molded were. The entire game became less scary after that point. You now knew both the rules of the enemies and their background. However, recently going into the dlc to try claiming the Ethan never dies achievement still proved to bring some scares. The games atmosphere and visuals are just so well made, you'll still get frightened whenever one of the molded pops out of somewhere you did not expect. I think the most scary enemies are those that have a human-like appearance/features, but proceeds to do stuff you'd normally never see humans do. The problem with sequels to horror games come from, as you say, familiarity. You cannot use the same enemies again and expect them to create the same impact they did in the first game. Instead something new and unfamiliar is needed. What if the enemies you were already familiar with started to mutate or evolve throughout the game? Suddenly they can start using vents, and start using them at the point most people least expect it after the vents have saved you multiple times. Suddenly they learn to feign death or hide inside the roof. Alien: Isolation lets its main enemy go most places the player can go to from the get-go, making you feel unsafe no matter where you are once you hear the alien nearby. It can smell you, so don't go too close. You can't kill it. Vents? It can go through them. The xenomorph is such a familiar horror creature, yet it still scares me whenever I try playing the game. I guess the biggest thing a developer can do to keep the monsters scary is to be as vague as possible on details, as letting us see a monster using a vent even once during the entirety of the game will forever make us afraid of them. So make the monster use a vent every once in a blue moon. Not too often, that will make us expect it, but too rarely and you might never get to experience it unless through a scripted event.

[@ghostoflazlo]

Well that was my initial answer too but this video is a bit more than that. Why do so many franchises stray away from the horror genre, the same concept that made them successful. Zelda wouldn't stray away from a good formula just because car games are the flavour of the month in gaming. RE decided to start copying military shooters, dead space did the same. A better title would maybe have been "why doesn't studios have more faith in horror as a genre".

[@brezzlendean77]

@@HD-vu5vv 49:56

[@PrederNationteam74]

*I can agree with this, I went through so many horror games, and wasn't scared of the chase scenes in outlast 2, cause I had seen horror games like that. Thennnnnnn the school sections appeared, and going through the darkness with just a camera and that creature that you cannot escape from was terrifying. I dreaded the school, and it took me 17 hours to beat it the first time on second hardest difficulty. 2nd playthrough. I beat the game faster cause I wasn't just as scared.*

[@XDarkEcho]

But what of Horror that preys on that individual's phobias? One can't just overcome their phobias that easily, compared to seeing the same exact monsters pop up, in the most predictable way, and you've been given an arsenal of weapons to dispatching those creatures. I want to see a game made that is actually tailored to each individual's personal fears. It doesn't have to be a long or cinematic game, given the programing and work that would have to go into it, in order to customize an experience that fits the player. The unknown is definitely one of humanity's greatest fears, which is a shame when most Horror comes from a medium where we can become familiar of the outcome.

[@charlesmorey4298]

The dead space 2 intro got me because of the situation everyone else is in. You can visibly see other insane people standing there rapidly looking left or right or curled up into a ball in a corner while a monster stalks ever closer. They don't know what's going on, and they won't live long enough to EVER know what's going on.

[@clueless_cutie]

Agreed. Dead Space 2's focus on brutality was what made it so memorable. The mom calling to her baby who explodes her to bits (and the daycare in general) and other scenes of seeing the necromorphs absolutely destroying everyday people is what's supposed to be horrifying. Because obviously, you - the player - are Isaac Clark, you survived before and you'll do it again... But the rest of humanity? All the people who know and love? Yeah, they're going to die gruesome deaths that you are completely helpless to prevent. Hell, we know even Ellie isn't safe after the eye incident. Dead Space 2 hammers home the reality that you are a LONE survivor, and subjects you, without mercy, to the realities of watching the world around you burn while also reminding you that you are not untouchable (eye scene). Dead Space 3, when you carefully extract the actual story and horror narrative from EA's cancerous changes, they were gunning hard for the existential dread. The Lovecraft style realization that you are nothing in the face of a creature that is so incredibly beyond your ability to fight, that you should be left feeling like a helpless shell with the realization that all human life as you know it is going to end. And they definitely tried to do that with the realization of why the game is called dead space, the moons, and the realization that humans/earth are the final victims of a universal scale genocide by sheer luck... But it fell apart with too many cooks in the writing room kitchen. Hell, the co-op actually adhered to this existential dread / creep factor by having the players simultaneously experience different things in the same setting. This type of horror could have been utilized far more often to incite panic and chaos between the players had it been intended and more thoroughly developed. Imagine having friendly fire and you think its a necromorph but it's actually your friend or you're exploring an area and you think your friend is with you but it's actually some kind of mimic that's going to rip you to pieces. Instilling that paranoia between a co-op campaign could have been wild. Regardless, end of rant. I'm sad that dead space was run aground by EA, but it wasn't a surprise. We all knew it was going to happen. I'm just glad we were able to get 1 and 2 and the exposition of 3 to at least have a complete understanding of the story.

[@SB-Out51d3R-]

@@clueless_cutie I just wanted to say,I agree w/ everything U said & I'm glad U put it so eloquently... Especially,the way U talked about DS3. Most ppl don't seem to really "get" what was actually good about 3 & only focus on the negatives. That is,that the story & implications of what unfolds,are the things that the game should be remembered for... Also,altho I don't care about co-op in games(I'm a solo-gamer),I appreciate how it had been originally-intended to be what U described. That is,the possibility of friendly-fire & "mimics". Which,based-upon the way U wrote "had it been intended",it's not 100% clear U knew this. But,I apologize if I'm misunderstanding that U are. I just want it to be clear to others,this was always the original idea,before it was realized this would require too-much more development time & there wasn't certainty the 360/PS3 could handle it,properly. Which,were the reasons given,for it not being in the final version,once word spread it was being cut... That is,according to the game mag articles I read,the developers were /trying/ to find a way to make that possible. But,then cited the above reasons why it wasn't going to be in /this/ DeadSpace. But,"maybe for the next game. Since,it will be on the Next-Gen consoles"(I'm paraphrasing,as I can't recall /exactly/ what was said). But,I remember the convo about it,because I was very disappointed this was going to be the last DeadSpace game for me,for a VERY long time(I didn't know when/if I would have the $$$ for a PS4 or Xbox/whatever).... Anyway,I really like the poetic-flourishes U used & the GREAT description of the feeling of uselessness/hopelessness that's pervasive in DS2. U described everything just right & I really have nothing to add. Except,to clarify a little & add some info about that aspect of DS3,like I did... -Peace :)

[@givenchymamajama3859]

Yea dead space 2 is goated

[@simonforfan]

space2's ending really stuck with me, when isaac looks over and she's just like "what"..... such a good hint to the first game i played through them all, even the 4th dlc. i kinda wanna now what the psychotrippy-space-monolith-rock did to earth...

[@Yuki-qs5mt]

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.

[@ryanosborne7534]

As it turns out when you're being constantly assaulted with things chasing after you and trying to scare you it becomes more of an annoyance than something to be scared of. That's why I love soma, there's just as many quiet moments of exploration where there's a fear that something could be waiting aswell as moments that something is *there* but not constantly hounding you.

[@helloiamatree3091]

Something that's also really important and is forgotten is the difference between horror and terror

[@brennenpoffenroth4196]

Fear, terror and horror. Fear being the anticipation, terror being the experience of it, and horror being the gruesome experience/aftermath of it.

[@curtism8707]

@@brennenpoffenroth4196 haven’t watched the video yet just starting but I feel shock was left out , aka the jump scare and gore

[@MinkSquared]

@@curtism8707 jump scares arent inherently "horror" or "scary", its how you use them (i.e., fnaf gets boring REALLY quickly)

[@JonCom3dy]

@@brennenpoffenroth4196 thanks! This is actually insightful

[@_NutcasE_]

@@curtism8707 Jumpscare is abusing human reaction to sudden movement and unexpected appearances. Humans have a startle reaction to things they do not anticipate and to what surprises them. There was a jumpscare game that was made to drive this point home where people would get startled even to the scares were just friendly emojis on sticks. Like opening a door and there is a ladybug on the door, you know its harmless but you still get startled. In otherwords its not fear, its just dickish diclery that rarely works second time around.

[@wouju9600]

The scariest moments in Dead Space for me is when no necromorphs are around More specifically, after the player figures out that necromorphs emerge from these man sized vents And then you quickly start noticing the vents are everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE Corridor? Has a vent Empty room? Has a vent **The safe room?** you guessed it, has a vent The tension/fear comes from not knowing what will happen, and knowing you’re not alone, but not knowing who’s with you In one of the chapters you descend a large cargo lift. The vents are everywhere, all over the walls, and if you look closely you can get glimpses of necromorphs there, crawling around And then all the tension is lost when they actually show up, as it turns out a fully upgraded plasma cutter makes quick work of anything with limbs Good thing the combat is very satisfying, having to aim precisely is enjoyable

[@oreoicecream1829]

69 likes

[@shcdemolisher]

Plus when you played it through once, you memorize in general where all the spawns are, so while you can be scared by it, when you go in the second time you are much more prepared. So no random ambushes to scare you which would’ve been nice Atleast once or twice. I will agree the atmosphere of the place is fantastic and I would love to explore it without enemies and nothing but the bodies left behind and tools left over.

[@rockyroads8802]

@@shcdemolisher Then you try it on the highest difficulty.

[@_MaZTeR_]

@@shcdemolisher I hope the remake fixes that and makes the spawn points random for every subsequent playthough

[@shcdemolisher]

@@rockyroads8802 Well, here's the thing, I HAVE! And beat it!

[@gamma2816]

Isn't it ironic? Re4 was such an action success it took the whole series to a different action tone. Now that the newer titles took it back to a successful horror style it was proven so successful that it's taking the Re4 remake to a new horroristic tone. Interesting twist if you ask me.

[@sparking023]

idk man, I guess it might be my childhood memories, but I remember pretty well seeing my older bro playing RE4 in complete dark and boy! that got me scared. I guess where it had action, it also brought in a hefty dose of ambience, suspense and tension. RE5 lacks that ambience, being in the open and daylight. But oh well, this is a good excuse to play RE4 again

[@gamma2816]

@@sparking023 Indeed! Play it again, either way the game is awesome! 😎

[@ryangustavo7248]

I know RE4 focuses on action, but ngl, the game has a lot of scary parts too! Just imagine the Regenerator in the remake...

[@gamma2816]

@@ryangustavo7248 Can't wait. 😝

[@g80gzt]

Maybe they'll make it so your 'forward' isn't tilted to the side like a shitty carpentry job

[@keanuortiz3766]

The forest at first was super scary but a few hours into the game you kinda realize you can just take out the cannibals pretty easily, which kills the scare tbh

[@ghetis396]

I love the Half-Life games for their ability to make me feel absolutely terrified by certain levels while having an arsenal that would make Doomguy proud

[@anusflotze6646]

each weapon not being used is attached as armor

[@m1rac1e]

Half life 2 is the only video game that was terrifying/scared me. Headcrabs and ravenholme still give me PTSD today

[@NotAnAmerican]

Half life alyx's horror mission is the best. The end felt a bit lack luster but the build up was insanely horrifying.

[@marshalsoult3860]

Metro 2033?

[@dingus6076]

@@m1rac1e damn ravenholm got you scared? I’m so desensitized to violence, gore, and other dark shit that almost no horror game actually ever feels scary anymore.

[@KalCounty]

My favourite part is when Leon tries to verbally convince the president to stop being a zombie

[@John-X]

Graaah braaaainnnz. MR. PRESIDENT YOU STOP THAT RIGHT NOW, Grebleehh braaaaaanz I MEAN IT MR. PRESIDENT, OR YOU'RE GROUNDED >:(

[@SB-Out51d3R-]

I feel like they were purposely trying to remind ppl of the kind of "dialogue",that RE has become famous for... Kind-of like them saying,they embrace that ppl so fondly remember the early RE lines. Like,those featured in this vid... ;) Maybe,they were even trying to make it like the "modern" version of "the master of un-locking" line... :D Either that,or they just don't care how ridiculous their dialogue-choices sound,in English. After-all,in Japanese,it might sound "normal". I mean,look at the way anime lines sound,dubbed in English,but w/ the original inflection preserved(think:classic anime,especially)... ;) Maybe,we should consider it from that perspective. Rather,than think they specifically /make/ it that way,for the audiences of other countries/languages?? I mean,maybe THAT'S what's actually been going-on here,all-along??? Of course,this doesn't apply to RE1. That story is well-known,by now... Anyway,just something to consider... :) -Peace

[@carlosdgutierrez6570]

No, it makes psychological sense, the president was his boss and his friend, it would be mightly difficult for anybody, even a trained agent to just go and shoot death a person who he considered a friend, a close one at that.

[@RadioactuveToy]

I recently started playing the remakes 0f 1-3 and reading the lore. Supposedly, when they turn they slowly become brain damaged, itchy and extremely hungry for flesh. The more recent viruses help reduce the brain damage. Also, given Leon was close to the President, I can see now why he says that. Still funny.

[@Anonymouthful]

Its easier to scare someone once in a while with jumpscares and loud noises than build up tension with good writing.

[@ryszakowy]

more like keep them awake

[@light819]

That's why I say really good horror games are probably some of the most difficult to develop

[@normified]

@Obama doESn’t care "well technically it's lovecraftian cosmic horror 🤓" in all seriousness though a lot of game devs aren't really skilled enough for and/or don't know how to include psychological horror into their games

[@unlimitedbladeworks2067]

@Obama doESn’t care Well, the backrooms is a bad example of that considering the fear of the backrooms is also based on the fact that it is an unknown place.

[@marcosassari5603]

Summarized every game in this video.

[@Hyderated]

This video showed up in my recommended just today and I cannot describe the belly laugh I had when you said Callisto Protocol after everything else you said in this video. Hindsight sucks I was hyped for Callisto as much as everyone else and I never even got to play any Dead Space games as a kid. The closest I got was watching TheRadBrad play the third one.

[@Alucardtv]

Playing dead space 3 with a friend and seeing different things while looking in the same direction was a concept so crazy that isolates each player inside their own character

[@Squotty_Patty]

DS3 had it's moments, that's for sure. But it could've been done in a manner of co-op game, where both players have to split sometimes. Throughout the game you have to stick together and roam the corridors as a team, where it would be better to have some "split" segments, where one player has to leave his weapons and crawl through a vent to open the doors on the other side for the other guy, while second player navigates him through a maze full of enemies with a map. Or where both have to push two buttons simultaneously and both of them are on separate platforms, so you have to split for 30 minutes and unlock the way for the other player in the meantime while keeping that sense of fear that you can get ambushed any moment. I'm not a good idea maker for horror games, but I think that something in these lines would be a good thing in a co-op horror game. And give us back different ammo types ffs, ammo management was one of the best feats of DS 1 and 2.

[@jackp492]

@@Squotty_Patty when I first played the first gears of war game with a friend I was young enough, that the times you have to split paths and proceed on your own added a real sense of anxiety, Especially that level in the factory where you keep falling through the floor, Not a horror game in the standard sense, but they captured something with those moments

[@Okaminokami666]

@@jackp492gears 1 was a horror game man idc what anyone says

[@Rnjesus386]

@@Okaminokami666gears (any of them) on insane difficultly is a horror game the AI make you look like Anthony carmine out of no where I’d blink and all of sudden Marcus would be folded, missing his head, or just a pile of meat 💀

[@Rnjesus386]

@@jackp492insane difficulty on gears makes it into a horror game

[@TheRecklessMetalhead]

Did anybody forget SOMA? The opening in SOMA that got me thinking about how Simon woke up in a different place but isolated and abandoned. Simon got to go through the underwater factories discovering things and encountering monsters as well as finding out about himself. What happened to everybody in the underwater factories? How were those monsters created? These designs and atmospheres made the game so freaking scary!

[@3DFella]

Soma wasn’t scary.

[@TheDestr0yer106]

​@@3DFellathe intro was for me :

[@slimxshady6111]

SOMA was a masterclass game

[@TheRecklessMetalhead]

@@3DFella Those encounters with Terry Akers and Jin Yoshida were terrifying, though.

[@genotsSnor]

The story was pretty scary. What does it mean to be?

[@guilhermme5280]

In Brazil, Dead Space 1 was almost a ritual of manhood. Every boy that played it during school was seen as this badass that wasn't afraid of anything. I actually played it to the end, it took me some time, cuz, you know, I was just a pre-teen. But I KNOW my school friends probably just played the start of the game, got scared, and watched gameplays.

[@lueboytheman9508]

Once you experience a trap or ambush in dead space the game loses the fear factor. Makes getting the first strike easy. Issacs curb stomp is god tier.

[@hackcubit9663]

I will say, my first time playing through it, definitely terrifying. Subsequent playthroughs live or die based on which jump scares you can remember, though playing it on hardest difficulty also requires you to know exactly which weapons not to bother with (looking at you, pulse rifle).

[@cgqn4398]

Ah yes, the third brazilian who played the game and the others who watched from gameplayrj

[@carlosferreira2676]

"In brazil dead space 1 was almost a rite of manhood"? I think you mean "in my school" or "in my circle of friends" because as a Brazilian that was also in school when dead space 1 released I can say that that was not the case everywhere in Brazil. In my school for instance outside my circle of close friends most other "gamers" would just discount dead space as a "Resident evil clone" and among my friends we just saw it as another action horror game like re4 that we would play multiple times again and again doing challenge runs like "don't buy items on the shop" or "who can finish it the fastest". Im pretty sure the "ritual of manhood" was a thing with it in many places tough, just not exclusive or unique no Brazil of all places. I know I'm being pedantic but I just don't like when people generalize stuff.

[@lueboytheman9508]

@@hackcubit9663 learned about the pulse rifle the hard way... I started over and only used the cutter, teleki-stasis (I know that's not the name) and my spaceboots and totally crushed. I remembered all the jump scares. I think I only died to the little wiggle worms from the chunky mantis morphs and the hallway hole worms. Im a good run awayer lol

[@blakem.2611]

The scariest part about Dead space 3 was all the elevators. Seriously, I bought it when it came out and played through the game and never really noticed. I replayed it again with a friend years later and I was laughing my butt off at how many elevators and transitions there are..

[@DetectiveJones]

As someone who's currently trying to make a few horror games, I always like looking for the dos and don'ts. I watch basically anyone who plays a lot of indie horror games and especially those who play the bad ones like, John Wolfe, Kraven, CjuGames and ManlyBadAssHero, to kinda gauge what works in some games, and what details people often notice, but I find it super helpful to see the negatives. I've been trying to find videos just like this where it dives into what causes games to not be scary, or games that are scary to lose that feeling, but every video on KZbin is like 5 minutes and just rushes through the same points of "Dont do boo" which I can agree with but there's obviously a lot more to it lol.

[@efxnews4776]

One tip: play Alien: Isolation and you would pretty much will have a blueprint for a good horror game. I remember one time that i went to a room, i could hear the Alien in the vents until i stumbled into a working Joe (a creepy android), i could kill the fkr by blast his head with my shotgun, the problem is that if i did that it would draw the attention of the Alien, and the Alien doesn't attack w-Joes, so i switch to my wrench and start to bash the bastard, meanwhile i could hear the Alien approaching the room, and destroy an working Joe isn't a easy task, i beat in his head with the wrench while he strangled me, when he finally falls i look for a place to hide and the Alien just dropped from a vent on the ceiling, i almost have a heart attack but i crunch immediately and the beast didn't saw me, so i move under a table and stay there while the alien look for me... You may ask why don't you used your shotgun to kill the alien? Because it doesn't work on it, not only you would shot at best twice, but it will ignore the damage (actually the alien is immune) and jump fast straight towards you, once he does, your dead. See, this is me telling you just one encounter i had with alien, and it is fkg terrifying having an invincible foe hunting you, instead of you shooting everything that moves, not only that but, also you need to make some tactical decisions to avoid being killed, that just may result in you not dying (the fight with the android). This androids aren't exactly scary, they have creepy faces, what makes them scary is the fact that they will attract the alien towards you. But you don't fight only the alien and androids, you also sometimes fight regular humans who would kill you to loot your dead body. But in this cases, you could do something that the act itself is horrifying, bring the attention of the alien towards the "baddies"....

[@StrifeA217]

If your looking for mechanical tips DeadSpace is a good go to, look into how the "vent spawning" actually worked where if the player backed up from a fight it would often spawn things from the vents behind you. I know there are some good vids on it out there.

[@lonewolf9724]

@Elson Felix I find Silent Hill 3, in the Silent Hill series, to be the most terrifying game to play compare to the others. The monsters and camera angles wasn't what made the game terrifying, but the atmosphere and sound. I remember coming across to a room and having to give up because how god damn loud the squeaky pipe was getting and a long with the background noise in a broken up train/mall area. Lost in Vivo is also god damn terrifying by doing what silent hill 3 did and features a new game plus which made the whole game random and more terrifying.

[@themangotango95]

you should watch Indeimous too. Hes got his annual scary games month coming in october(go figure).

[@rupertmcgettrick7218]

personally i find games/movies scariest when the threat isnt shown. it eats away at me when i feel the presence of the threat while not even knowing what this threat looks like. this also prevents the issue of having to escalate things into absurdity. idk if this helps though

[@talaspiller8376]

I think the move to more open world games plays a big part. PT was very linear and narrow so you had to go through the scares. Even though you knew they were coming you didn't know when. This is why there are so many indie games like it. Evil within/psycho break also had less space to move around where as evil within 2 has entire sections which are basically open world/straight fps. Resident evil biohazard had you trapped in a house with monster people that could appear at any time. I think the claustrophobia in horror games is critical. If you can run around the scares then they're not really scares, they're obstacles.

[@Lextorias]

You’re right. Pacing is critical to horror games. The more linearity, the more control over the pacing. Which is also why intros like Dead Space’s are usually one of the scariest parts of the game.

[@soldierstride554]

@@Lextorias Now that's interesting. I'm not a horror guy, but when I think of the topic "films vs games", one of the first points is that games give you control. Which _logically_ means a good game needs to give the player control...right? If the player can't really make choices with their own volition, how would that be different from just watching a video? But what this has taught me is that just because something is linear with little freedom of choice, that doesn't automatically make something bad and in fact _can_ be used for good. It's a tool, not a rule. That aside, that doesn't undermine the fact that watching someone else do an action without your control(i.e. films) and being forced into doing an action with no control(i.e. games) are still two *vastly* different experiences. Horror games thrive on the latter's feeling.

[@efxnews4776]

What i don't understand is why when talking about horror games no one remember Alien: Isolation, seriously i play a lot of horror games in my life, but nothing scary me more than A:I, but to be fair, A:I isn't so much the horror, that get to you, is the tension, the anxiety, even though, when it happens, it happens fast, and you can't escape. You know the monster damn well, but the problem is that the monster is the perfect organism, you can't defeat it, just hide from it, and this is precisly why i don't want to play this game again, because if i do i may have a heart attack and really die.

[@acespartan5626]

@@soldierstride554 That's a pretty hotly debated topic, but a fascinating one since MANY games now incorporate cinematics throughout their runtime. Some people absolutely despise when control is taken away for any reason (like the aforementioned cinematics), but I personally do not mind it, especially if for example the setting/tone of the game is so fascinating that I want to learn more about it so I typically won't have an issue watching a cinematic, listening to exposition, etc. Now on the topic of horror, one of the reasons I cannot stand most horror games is because of the fact that many of them are made intentionally difficult, with hard to kill enemies, claustrophobic areas that make it hard to get around said enemies, sometimes no way to fight back at all, and puzzles which often make my monkey brain short-circuit. As much as I would love to play more horror games, those are the obstacles that typically keep me away, more so than restricting my control in the game.

[@soldierstride554]

@@acespartan5626 I suppose a good horror game is supposed to make you feel scared rather than frustrated. There's a lot of similarities between what causes them, so that is a fine line that developers have to cross.

[@ibysdagon4659]

I would have you know sir, RE5,is horrifying. That boulder scene really hit me hard. I mean it really puts you under a lot of pressure. Granite I might be bias, my rime with that game was really rocky.

[@MuddyAxolotl]

NAHHH UNDERRATED ASF

[@dillon9]

This comment rocks

[@Cesaryeyo]

I tried to stay stone faced with a gravel demeanor reading your comment, but oh my geode is too funny you basalt.

[@MuddyAxolotl]

@@Cesaryeyo GAHDAMMN

[@jordandoss5966]

i hate it here

[@helgmelia84]

Dude, I just discovered your channel and I have to stop and tell you what an absolute delight you are. You’re funny, insightful, and infinitely listenable. Keep making whatever you feel like making. I’ll keep coming back. 🙌

[@PolishNero]

Hearing Callisto Protocol at the end really made me sad after watching this entire video

[@Redd7206]

I havent heard about the game, what happened?

[@painhurtssometimes2185]

@@Redd7206it just wasn’t that good. It was okay but people were thinking it’d be much more and the next evolution of dead space considering who was leading it. It didn’t help an actual dead space remake was around the same time which was infinitely better.

[@jabronirigatoni4648]

@@painhurtssometimes2185 I think the game was really good except for combat. Unfortunately, combat is a huge part of the game. I definitely enjoyed the lore, the prison thing, robot killers, and the way the alien menace grew. I felt like they were building towards a huge twist which never happened which was also very disappointing. This is the type of game that I describe as a solid 7 out of 10, good for one playthrough. its only 15-20 hours campaign, good for a weekend if your expectations are lowered.

[@SnakeEater776]

​@@jabronirigatoni4648 15-20 hours? Dude i beat the game in 6 and thought i was going slow

[@fdnfdnasd7714]

Idk. I play callisto, and it's OK. It's not a masterpiece, but it have pretty good atmosphere, nice visual design. It kinda fun to beat and shoot monsters, and the game not so long, it ends before you tired of tiny corridors and the same monsters. Not such bad, than people say. Especially if you find a dark sci-fi game similar to dead space. There is literally no game as dead space, and the callisto only one alternative, if you want something as dead space style game.

[@DarkKitarist]

The HUD (or lack thereof) in Dead Space was just so excellent! Integrating health and stuff seamlessly into the game elements is just so awesome!

[@bhardnavares5903]

That HUD style of Dead Space also helped in avoiding the player to be really detached to the gameplay and the game's atmospheric environment because while the HUD appears it is still integrated within the ongoing gameplay and not just another screen that pauses the action.

[@midtierjesus]

I’d like to see that outside a horror too

[@MrNacknime]

@@midtierjesus Metro Exodus was great at this. Atomic Heart is also a really cool example in my opinion, although there it is more that the HUD is integrated into the setting instead of dropped outright.

[@GrimSoulBanisher]

Dead Space 3 DID do something right on its co op. The game would make player 2 hear and see things that weren't there but not do the same for player one. So, if the communication between the players was good, it could ramp up tension by toying with each player as to what is really there and what isn't.

[@disaster_chief]

oh shit i HAVE to find someone to play this with bc none of my friends are interested in anything other than fork knife

[@Venom87542]

Yes thank you for bringing this up. Me and my friend played the co op missions and the fact that Carter will see things that Isaac couldn't. Like for example there's an audio log that you can find that if Carter listens to it, it's a conversation between him and his wife. If Isaac listens to it, all he hears is maniacal laughter. That to me gives me chills.

[@behindthecookie8653]

@@disaster_chief your friends have bad taste if all they do is play Fortnite

[@roachdoggjr155]

@@behindthecookie8653 shush redditor

[@A_Dennis]

@@behindthecookie8653 fortnite bad minecraft good

[@billyhines474]

Callisto protocol had so much potential and whenever I played through it... I couldn't help but to be disappointed.

[@isleman2]

- "Give me back my STONE!" - "I don't have your stone and FUCK YOU ANYWAY!" That scene had me in tears.

[@MuddyAxolotl]

truly one of the scenes

[@Ardorstorm]

Definitely one of the scenes in a video game of all time

[@jurtheorc8117]

I haven't even watched the video yet, but i recognize that from Alone in the Dark 2008. One of the few non-racing games that Eden games had developed, alongside Kya: Dark Lineage. (Rayman-ish 3D platformer with a combat system like a mini Tekken). The idea of sapient earthquakes, holes and cracks in the ground as the "Monster" is still interesting to me, at least. It's an absence of something denoted by the rest of the environment, rather than something physical you can directly fight. You can only run, but the surface of where you can run to can be cut off by the "monster" just by the very nature of what it is. It slightly reminds me of the Secret Saturdays episode with the living lake.

[@ArjunTheRageGuy]

One of the scenes in some horror game ever made

[@Bronyboiiiii]

The part where she kicked him down and made a frickin takedown on him got me even more😂.

[@sortextheguy]

Dude seeing the end of this video after the launch of callisto protocol is the scariest part, you realize that there is no end to this stuff

[@RageQuitRQ]

Yeah it certainly was a kick in the groin to hear him say "maybe there's hope for horror if it goes well" with regards to Callisto

[@squippyyy]

whats wrong w it? i was really excited to look it up rn:(

[@penebrook8330]

@@squippyyy to put it simply: capitalist greed ruined it, and it turned out to be just another Dead Space clone.

[@ArcaneAzmadi]

@@squippyyy It completely fucking sucks. The story is dumb, cliched and boring, the horror is a never-ending parade of reptitive jumpscares and "ew, gross" moments, and the combat system is complete and utter fucking garbage that feels like it wasn't playtested AT ALL. Unless you were a big Saint's Row fan, it was the most-disappointing game of 2022.

[@Crabtain_Crustacean]

@@penebrook8330 wasent the whole point of calisto protocol was that because EA ruined dead space 3 they wanted to make an original game that was similer to dead spac?

[@KitsuneLexi]

I am a 10 foot wide piece of volcanic rock. I played this game and was absolutely shaken to my core. The horror is incredibly intense and when Chris Redfield punched the boulder I rolled back in my seat and quivered with fear. This is absolutely the scariest game I’ve ever played to this day, I see Chris in my Night terrors

[@Anthonybrother]

People inventing genders be like:

[@Redd7206]

@@Anthonybrother I guess your username is a lie

[@Kestas_X]

@OnyxTheShxdow I am so sorry, that you're going through that.

[@teathesilkwing7616]

@@Anthonybrotherwhat?

[@Foreseer117]

That Callisto Protocol bit at the end killed me. It seems dead space was good in spite of Schofield

[@NovusNiveus]

For me, Dead Space was scary for about an hour - that was until I felt the sensual purr of the Ripper, and at that moment I knew that nothing in the game was as scary as my alt fire. 😎

[@Lextorias]

Why be scared of the monsters when they should be scared of you?

[@NovusNiveus]

There was that one part where you get grabbed and the ripper doesn't have enough range to hit the big tentacle. If only the necromorphs had gone all-in on big tentacle. Also, you gotta play FEAR. One of the greatest FPS series of all time, sliding on your knees in slow motion, throwing flying kicks so hard they kill dudes in one shot - it is uniquely spectacular. Even FEAR 3 is super fun aside from the well-deserved criticism.

[@efxnews4776]

@@NovusNiveus what folks usually don't understand about Dead Space, is that the horror isn't actually in the gameplay but in the lore and world building, Dead Space would give a great horror movie, because it does have all elements fo it, as a videogame i agree with you, the horror part does get old fairly quickly, relying more on the atmosphere and sounds to scare you than the monsters themselves, if you really want to play a good horror game where the monster will keep you on the edge and scared all the time try out Alien Isolation. Alien Isolation is a good horror game because it captures the essence of the movie, an unbeatable alien beast that absolutely nothing you would do will stop the alien, you don't hunt the Alien, the Alien hunt you..

[@plaguedoctorjamespainshe6009]

Nothing is scarier than a tired and pissed blue collar worker in a bad company like CEC Hail Isaac Clarke Hail Ellie Langford

[@The_Obsessed]

Valid

[@ZelphTheWebmancer]

This video made me realized why my attempts of doing horror in my TTRPG sessions felt short to me (although my players will disagree). I wasn't drawing on my own fears, what scares me for real, what experiences I had that shook me to my core. I will do that now, thanks.

[@steamtasticvagabond474]

If you want more advice, you should look into The Good Friends of Jackson Elias. It’s hosted by 3 of the writers of the Call of Cthulhu RPG and there’s a LOT I’ve learned from them.

[@ZelphTheWebmancer]

@@steamtasticvagabond474 Oh, that's great, thanks!

[@sinjin8576]

I've done this in tabletop. I weaponized my (frankly childish) fear of spiders and now my PC just start sweating whenever they find a abundance of cobwebs.

[@chevronred]

That's SUCH a valuable insight that I also gained recently. I had a monster that would only be vulnerable if it was hunting a character that had multiple levels of exhaustion. I've been awake for 30+ hours straight, and I genuinely dread that experience. It's the most vulnerable my mind has ever felt, and that made the whole horror of the session sooo much more tense because I was feeling it.

[@John_1-1_in_Japanese]

I'm not even a big horror game fan, but Jesus remembering PT is so sad. That teaser is so damn captivating, more so than any other horror game I've ever seen, but the experience will not only never be complete but it isn't even available to most people in any form other than recordings. It's like if you could only see the greatest movie of all time through short clips someone recorded on their cell phone before the only film was destroyed.

[@syedarizvi7290]

What happened to the game? Sorry, I don't know anything about video games, I just like hearing people talk. The PT game clip was really scary, what happened to it? Wasn't it released? Then how is he commenting on it? Please tell me and thank you

[@John_1-1_in_Japanese]

@@syedarizvi7290 PT is short for Playable Teaser. So PT was effectively an interactive trailer for the game Silent Hill with the name "PT" being a clever way to hide that fact. The full game was never completed and the project was canceled by Konami while they were getting rid of director Hideo Kojima. In fact, one fun fan theory is that Kojima knew the project would get canceled and the story in PT itself was just one big allegory for Kojima's relationship with Konami. In that light, it's arguably more romantic than whatever the actual game would have been.

[@syedarizvi7290]

@@John_1-1_in_Japanese oh that's sad... game looked amazingly scary

[@etam8099]

@@John_1-1_in_Japanese You may like Visage then, heavily inspired by PT

[@etam8099]

@@syedarizvi7290 You may like Visage then, heavily inspired by PT

[@vogonp4287]

I've been playing a lot of indie horror games recently. Signalis in particular is a game which I can't recommended enough. It's a game which feels like it has a lot passion behind it. It was made by a really small team, and is heavily influenced by PS1/2 era horror games. It's definitely one of the scariest games I've played recently.

[@Xeconis]

PT is the single best piece of horror media I have ever experienced and it's been 8 years since it released. An absolute shame it was cancelled when Kojima left, and they've even prevented redownload of the game and blocked it on PS5 entirely. Possibly the biggest tragedy the genre has ever seen, and likely will remain as that for even longer.

[@Vandalgia]

If I remember it correctly, PT came before RE 7 did and I remember how people was saying that the demo was a lot like PT. People weren't exaggerating when they say PT revolutionize the horror genre and is one of the most important modern digital piece. There are a lot of damn good horror games after PT. People are craving that feeling of terror and indie developers are going their way to explore that kind of feelings.

[@donavonhoward114]

PT was just a glorified tech demo, nothing more. It was made to demonstrate the new engine at the time, and what was possible with audio, and graphics on new hardware at the time. It wasn't even really a game at all to be honest. It was basically a presentation to test the possibilities of Kojima producing a horror game during the seventh generation of gaming hardware. One good thing about the PT experiment is that studios took some of the design aspects of PT and applied them to their own IP's such as Alien Isolation, RE 7, RE 8, RE2, and RE 3 remake.

[@Vandalgia]

​@@donavonhoward114 It was a demo, true. But it's a damn good one and it ultimately is still a game that was being made with a lot of creative decision behind it.

[@12th.jahlil]

Lookup visage, its inspired by pt and its SCARY

[@atomicwater592]

You can ALWAYS find the files for games like this online **free**. Thats how I was able to play it..

[@FitnessTips4Ux]

One of the most frightening things about early horror games were their controls and complete lack of difficulty scaling

[@SB-Out51d3R-]

You should've also added; that in the early days of horror games,there was no internet. Or,even if it /was/ during the early days of the 'net,U might not find info. on (hardly)any games. Other,than what a game-company was listing &/or advertising. Meaning,U wouldn't find the solutions to difficult areas or puzzles. Usually,just general info. about their games(I saw that on NINTENDO & CAPCOM's sites,in particular)... So,unless you could find a game mag w/ info. or a strategy guide(for the games that even /had/ one),you had to either figure-it-out yourself,or find someone who knew what to do... That was 1 of the scariest things,trying everything you could think of & /still/ not solving a puzzle,or finding a way past an obstacle/area! I had that happen to me,the 1st time I rented/played SilentHill no.1. I had made it to the "Piano" Puzzle,in the school. But,I could NOT figure-out what keys to hit &/or in what order... I ended-up returning it early,because I couldn't find the answer in any game mag I had & I had tried /everything/ I could think-of(I spent /hours/ on it)... A year or so,later. I met a kid in school,that I became friends with. And,after telling him about the game & how I got stuck at that puzzle,he said he knew the solution. He also said he would trade SilentHill,if I offered something worthwhile,for it. As,he had grown dis-interested in it(he got stuck on the last battle & had given-up on beating the game)... He turned-out,to be interested in a game I no longer played,much(Command&Conquer:Red Alert 2:Retaliation,to be precise). So,I (reluctantly)made the trade. That is,I wanted to keep it,really. But,it was the only game I had,that he cared for... Anyway,that night,I /finally/ solved the puzzle,all thanks to using his notes,he had copied for me(since,I had told him that was my prob. w/ the game)... BTW-In actuality,when I had rented the game,I /did/ have the 'net. But,there wasn't ANY website w/ info. on that game,that I could find. Tho,possibly,I just didn't know how to find it(I didn't know how to search back-then,honestly). But,prior to that,like during the SNES-era,if U didn't have a mag/book w/ the info./cheats U needed,U were out-of-luck... In any case,not knowing what to do,before the 'net. And spending HOURS trying to solve the more-difficult puzzles/sections in a game. Or,not finding info. in the early days,when GAMEFAQS was about the ONLY site w/ info. AND there was only a handful posted(I can remember seeing only 30 or so posted,1 time,early-on). AND,they didn't yet have a FAQ for the game U needed info. for; to me,THAT was a scary thing... ;) Being able to look-up ANY game & get info. AND have vids to accompany it,is a LUXURY. Compared,to what it was like in the 80's & 90's! I /do/ miss the game mags & Strategy Guides,tho... ;) -Peace

[@nishantshade668]

- The games were much more focused on a good storyline rather than ray tracing graphics - Difficulty didn't meant bullet sponge enemies but the tense situations - Not overly relying on jumpscares

[@ni__wolf143]

@@SB-Out51d3R- Your writing is the scary thing my dude, "U, 'net, /this/, (this too), and the lack of a space every time you use a , Anyway writing aside I kinda relate even though I'm a 2000's kid or whatever, since for whatever reason whenever I got stuck I never thought to look it up? Like I just got frustrated and kept at it until I succeeded, or got bored of the game for a while and eventually forgot about it, I'm not very good at finishing stuff >.> But yeah, you seem like that one super talkative but awkward kid that talks more words than there is in the bible and explains the entire lore of a game after someone brings it up, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but sheesh.

[@SB-Out51d3R-]

@@ni__wolf143 Forgive the length of this,but I have a lot to explain,in order to address your concerns. Which,I understand,but I have VERY logical reasons as to why I type the way I do. Please,do me the courtesy of reading this,once U have the time(I understand,due to length,U will be constrained in this)... NONE of this is meant as sarcasm,btw. I wish to inform fully,w/ all due honesty... :) First-off,I'm 40 now. Not a kid by any means. So,that might explain things,just w/ that understood. Second,I was actually the opposite of the "talkative kid". I was actually quiet,unless someone else said something to me(I've always been the type that talks 2nd,not 1st). So,because hardly anyone spoke to me,until maybe 5th grade(the 1st time anyone I knew outside of school,was in my class). I was VERY quiet,most of the time. Unless,I was at home & hanging-out w/ "the neighbor kids". Which,weren't usually in my grade or just in the "other" class of that grade(we had 2 for each)... Until,High School. When,I finally became more sociable w/ kids that I actually went to school with & spent MUCH more time socializing w/ in class & at lunch. This was the case,since I befriended the class-clowns,of my classes,those last few yrs. & joked w/ them... But,this was kind-of necessary,because,NOBODY lived near me,after my family moved when I was in 10th grade. I mean,I only knew a few kids nearby before that,anyway,at most. That is,my family 1st moved us in the middle of my 6th grade year. Then,every 2 yrs.,until 10th grade when we stopped,until after HS). But,LITERALLY no one I knew was living near me,there... Anyway,I wasn't always nerdy,since my grades were poor. But,I was the kid that /seemed/ nerdy. Because,I was always reading books(hence,my strong vocab.)& was usually reading the textbooks during class,when everybody else was goofing-off(until those last yrs.,as I described)... So,that may have made it look like I wasn't the "fun" kind of person & likely contributed to my isolated treatment,by the others in most of my grades/classes... Technically,this is what contributes to my overly talkative nature,now. But,it should be known,my father is a complete conversation-hog w/ an inferirority-complex. And,he's the one I most-often end-up conversating w/(I live at home & I encounter him WAY more than my mother). So,I'm kind-of denied a convo. outlet that I got used to. Thanks,to the way I opened-up more,at the end of HS(I can't discuss things w/ him,unless I agree w/ /everything/ he's saying). Unless,I'm at work. Which,my closest friends there,have slowly quit. While,I stay & try to "hang" w/ the few that still remain... Now,to address the way I type... The main reason,is because of the way it was "kool" to type this way,back in the early '00's,from what I saw/was told. And,not wanting to misrepresent my age(I was about 18),I thought it best to emulate the behavior of those in my age-range. As,only "unkool ppl" typed like they were literate,back-then(look-up the term "grammar nazi",if you're not familiar)... Also,I use a desktop w/o emoji's or anything fancy. So,I HAVE to use "/this/" to represent emphasis. Without,resorting to CAPS. Which,is regarded as shouting/yelling,in general. Tho,I actually use CAPS to indicate "overt emphasis". Rather,than the more subtle form. Which,the use of italics,are meant to represent. Yet,because there isn't an "italicize this" key on the keyboard(at least,not mine,anyway). I'm forced to resort to the original way of indicating their use when typing,"/this/". As I've been informed,since "Keyboarding Class",way back in '99-2000... Additionally,the parenthesis are /mostly/ being correctly applied,by the standards of old English literature,as far as I can recall. Which,I was encouraged to learn,the last few years of High School... This,being due to my last Language Arts teacher teaching /exclusively/ "old/e English" literature(I literally mean,of both varieties). And,since she was VERY fond of British writing-styles & allowed us to use ANY style of writing we preferred; I chose to start adapting to a style of British that I felt was easier to understand,for me. That,was mostly formed around the cadence of speech. Which,by studying English plays(as we were doing),I could learn to successfully emulate. Rather,than continue to attempt to learn the "modern" style. Which,I was always confused too-much by... Aside,from always finding the "American" style of writing confusing & difficult,it was also a less-useful style,at this time. Given,that the literature we were studying/reading was ALL British & olde English... So,it made more sense to emulate what I was reading & studying. For those obvious reasons. And,due to the way it was SO much easier for me to understand,it became my natural speaking /and/ writing-style,from then-on... As,to an explanation for why I don't space after commas; it's actually partly-due to that 1st reason,above. Meaning,in the days of early IM-ing,ppl didn't add unnecessary spaces,unless trying to be comical,weird,or something like that. Which,included the space after a comma. As,many(possibly,all of them)had a strict-limit on how many chars. per msg & in some cases,it actually counted as part of your text-limit on your phone bill. So,some were simply trying to remain within their alotted text-limit & were being careful w/ regard to wasting valuable chars. . While,others were simply trying to make sure they would have extra space,per msg... I was part of the early "AIM" age/culture,at a time of adolescence. When,a person's habits become more ingrained in their subconscious. So,all of these things U cite,are a result of what was "kool" or efficient at that time in my life,becoming part of my behavior,while in social situations. Hence,why it will be near-impossible,if even so /at all/,for me to change from this type of behavior. Now,that I'm 40 & all of those things of my youth are not only ingrained. But,likely to re-surface ever stronger,as I reach the so-called "mid-life crisis",point... I would like to also add,tho,that I'm VERY aware I post ridiculously long msgs,anytime I comment/reply(I can't allow for lack of thoroughness,lest I be taken out-of-context). So,I'm attempting to reduce the unnecessary chars. ,in order to decrease the amount of length my responses appear as. With,a space behind a comma,being the most-wasteful,IMO... I truly regret the length of this. BUT,it's the only way to explain EVERYTHING that relates to,and extends from,your response. I'm so very sorry I couldn't shrink this,but I can't take the risk I left anything out. I LITERALLY fear being misunderstood or taken out-of-context by others. It has /always/ led to the worst things that happened to me in this life. As such,I MUST mitigate damage of this sort,wherever possible. Please be understanding of this & if possible,accepting... -Take Care & Peace :) P.S.- I'm glad U can relate to what I said,regarding the gaming. Thanks for that additional part. I talk like that about things,because I enjoy convos. But,don't have a way of engaging in them,much & I've read-about &/or played nearly EVERY game made before the PS4-era(since,I don't have anything that recent). So,I like to share what I know/remember & hear about things ppl experienced,in comparison w/ what I did. As,most of my gaming has been a solo experience. With,few that could relate,beyond those I knew during Elementary-to-Middle school(my HS friends weren't as into games,as I was & played few titles,it seemed)... Thanks for your reply,sorry again 4 length! :D

[@psychocentipede7165]

The first Outlast scared me because of how ill equipped you are to be in the asylum. You are not meant to be there and the enemies are always more powerful than you. Followed by the haunting sound design, the cramped map layout, the need to scrounge multiple areas to find batteries just to see parts of the asylum, SPOILER: losing your fingers later in the game adding to the feeling of vulnerability and helplessness, and many other reasons made this game one of my favorite games for a long time.

[@cloudshines812]

The first Outlast did have a place when it released in 2013… but its a shame that the whole franchise became a one trick pony. The DLC didn’t try anything new in terms of gameplay and it was just an extra hour of gameplay on top of a 2/30 hour game. And Outlast 2 screamed missed potential left and right. The game had mechanics that could’ve worked but either were cut off short or didn’t necessarily amplify the gameplay at all. The game also tried to do way too much with the original cut of the game actually reaching an Adults Only rating. That’s what’s getting me concerned about Outlast Trials. Aside from the fact that this game is taking FOREVER to release and STILL doesn’t have a final release date, Trials does seem to utilize a more unique gameplay but I don’t know if Red Barrels are either doing that for show, or if they’ll just cut it off so quick

[@undeadwerewolves9463]

My favourite horror game tbh.

[@Freeman4815]

@@cloudshines812 As far as I know, Trials will have coop. And it's the third part of this franchise. Coincidence?

[@shadow_in_zero3510]

I actually use horror game let's plays to fall asleep to, but outlast, well i fell asleep without issue but for some reason i woke up at like 3 in the morning pretty much exactly, when his fingers were cut off, needles to say i didn't sleep for the rest of the night

[@I_am_not_spooky]

@@cloudshines812 GOD alone

[@VueiyVisarelli]

So the short version is...the unknown is scary. But once the unknown becomes known, it stops being scary. When the known becomes _mundane,_ your series is just _done._

[@silversolarfire5473]

It's why The Ring was super scary and the sequel wasn't

[@Icetea-2000]

The great thing about the Dead Space intro is that YOU are in control. If it was a cutscene it would only have a fraction of its effect. YOU actually need to take the initiative and get away on your own to the elevator, you don’t get the feeling that you would automatically survive just because it’s the introduction

[@LeonserGT]

More over, I remember when I was playing it the effect was amped up by you getting hurt either because I wasn't quick enough to react or because devs did it on purpose, either way, each time I get damage it's like a small failure to me, so in this case, not only I'm in control, but also I'm failing to stay alive. Nice touch, although almost made me consider replaying that part just to avoid taking damage, what a perfectionist I was, heh

[@xxzippy_zebraxx4067]

I actually wrote a speech for one of my college classes about why videos can be scarier than other media and this almost word for word was one of my main points. Amnesia will always scare the pisss out of me because idk what the hell to do once I see a monster.

[@kaizze8777]

The half life 2 opening got me, the doom 3 opening got me and I don't even bother with horror games cos I'm too wuss to play any more hahaha

[@Carnakrox]

Compare it to resident evil 3 remake intro and you hit the point.

[@toxin8571]

people fear the unknown, but the longer you play something, the more you know.

[@janaekelis]

thats the issue with horror games, you dont want to rely on exposition too much youre not a puzzle/mystery game but you dont want to rely on jumpscares. which is why fnaf 1 and maybe 2 were so good bc of the simple format and vague plot. the game mechanic is so tedious that you think you know whats coming "ok night 1 i do this then that and repeat for 6 nights, game over" but its simplicity is horrifying. more games need that

[@Oakshield2]

Yes. Kinda like playing souls games. At first there are some jump scares, you also don't want to die and dread it. Then you go about it and eventually you're giving enemies nicknames and finding fun ways to kill them, you actually kill yourself to get to places more conveniently, you go through areas where your heart used to race like it's diddy kong racing not even bothering to clear rooms because you know how to maneuver them and so forth and your heart rate barely changes, the sweat is gone from your hands. Too bad we can't experience first times again.

[@eneco3965]

That's deep

[@lavishlyvice]

and jumpscares have become predictable and boring. developers and producers all bank on the same ideas and they're all shit. inflicting fear in an audience actually takes effort

[@SOLIDSNAKE.]

Imagine silent hills

[@NoName-ym5zj]

The scariest part of Dead Space is the lore behind the Nercomorphs, mayeb it's just me, but i think the franchise would benefit from making a spin-off that is more focused on exploration and lore than combat, truly the implications of the Markers and their creators are pretty fucking insane, monsters stop being scary after some times, but to discover that your whole civilization and all life in the galaxy is created by some eldritch beings, existing for the sole purpose of being harvested one day and there is no escape from this fate? That's some scary shit.

[@godzillazfriction]

you should play bloodborne then

[@breerex4957]

Sounds like mass effect

[@BenjiroSensei]

The only positive thing Dead Space 3 done is that it introduced us the Brethren Moons which is basically cosmic horror. It's hard to make a good Lovecraftian horror game because the main concept is that you can't win against the monsters no matter how much you fight.

[@NoName-ym5zj]

@@BenjiroSensei you are correct on all fronts. Only thing i would add is that in depends on how you interpret "winning", if you are talking about destroying the threat than i would agree, but escape can sometimes be an option and can qualify as winning, it can also be even more terrifying if you escape, because now you are probably living in fear, knowing that those things are still out there and at any moment they can get you. I would say that you can "win", but if you are killing Cthulhu with your AK-47 by shooting his glowing weak spots ... that's trash.

[@BenjiroSensei]

@@NoName-ym5zj Yeah, I meant winning as eliminating the threat altogether. That's why a good cosmic horror story should end with you escaping but the threat is still out there, or if you successfully delay the inevitable downfall of mankind by a few hundred years. And that's the good ending.

[@Warden-sz4nh]

At 6:04 I got a clash of clans ad right after you said “who would do such a thing”🗿

[@zachattack2775]

I played Dead Space 2 as a young teenager without having previously played the first one. That shit was terrifying. To this day I can still remember the creepy atmosphere, made even more disturbing by the mysterious occultism taking place. The grotesque monsters hiding around every corner. The panic inducing sound and visual design of Isaac’s hallucinations. Dead Space 2 is pure gold and the pinnacle of survival horror in my opinion.

[@squippyyy]

same! i went into ds2 without playing the first n i am so scared to touch it again💀

[@ad8012]

I've only played the first Can't wait to play 2 and 3

[@slckb0y65]

@@ad8012 just do 1 and 2, 3 is very meh. 1 is more horror, 2 is perfect mix of horror action, 3 is far too much action and lose what make dead space amazing imho.

[@slckb0y65]

yep, have to agree, dead space 1/2 was the absolute perfect balance. you weren't helpless at all, and yet every monster could pretty much fuck you up, making them all the more scary, being forced to push through always scarier environements ... imho the pinnacle of the survival horror genre.

[@dantealighieri4543]

​@@ad8012I would recommend you to only play 3 if you want to, is not mandatory since that one is bad and the story doesn't make much sense. Or better play the remake after one and two, in that way you'll get a much better experience.

[@soldiernom]

"the real jumpscare is unemployment" made me laugh more than I should have haha. As an aspiring game dev It is scary to see how much power the funding people have. They have the money but push their own agenda and leave no trust to the professionals and to top it off they cast them aside the moment it becomes too inconvinient to keep them around.

[@Sniper_4_Life]

Basically every game that failed due to bad management: Higher-ups: "So, you guys remember how we forced you to make a ton of unnecessary changes to the game even though you told us it would make the game a total flop ? Well the game turned out to be a total failure and someone will need to take responsibility for that." Developers: "So, are you saying you won't interfere anymore in future projects and just let us do our work ?" Higher-ups: "No, we're saying *you're* all getting fired because *we* screwed up." Developers: ". . ."

[@wjzav1971]

Not a coincidence that a lot of small indie developers are capable of making great horror games. In Horror, often less is more.

[@simplysmiley4670]

And sometimes, even make coop work well in horror. _Phasmophobia for example._

[@courier6640]

Signalis!

[@ivanpr9525]

Lethal Company

[@Squ1dsicle]

The hard cut to ‘PT’ was great. PT as a game always churned my stomach and I loved it. Seeing it just appear suddenly was like a punch to the gut. PT somehow finds a way to use that familiarity and tweak it just enough that it feels different with each iteration of the house.

[@Zapht23]

I feel like a co op idea could work but it would have to be like how horror movies make you feel comfortable with having someone there only to have them unexpectedly ripped away from you. Like imagine you and your buddy going down a hall talking in proximity chat when suddenly they go quiet only to find they have been stolen away without you noticing. I’d freak

[@andymiller1597]

So like Phasmophobia? Coop horror games totally work when that is the initial intention of the developers

[@Zapht23]

@@andymiller1597 yeah but more variations are always welcome to shake things up. Like you and your partner getting split for a section of the game and what not

[@brysonemery9232]

like in alien isolation

[@lievre460]

sadly things like this will never work unless in very niche communities because most people would just talk in discord then scream when something happens

[@FortressWolf97]

@@Zapht23 What I'm thinking is something that essentially choreographed for you to be seperated from the person you're co-oped with. Remember the game "A Way Out"? There should be a horror game that follows a similar level of cinematics with the co-op. That would be beautiful.

[@liamcollinson5695]

One problem I have with horror games is I prefer them more pychological silent hill was at its scariest when you was just fumbling around in the fog paranoid about being attacked. Most horror games now are cheap jumpscares,zombies,ghosts. I think the last horror game I actually enjoyed was the evil with in 1-2

[@ikmalhaqim6447]

Evil within 1 is sooo good man. Creeped the shit out of me the first time i played it

[@GameboyFanatic]

The audio in Silent Hill is really well done, game wouldn’t be anywhere near as scary without it, like the second floor boys bathroom in the regular school or the the same track being used in the normal courtyard and normal science equipment room

[@YVZSTUDIOS]

A fellow TEW enjoyer I see 😌✨ I totally love TEW 1. It's probably the single one game I've played the most runs & enjoy it every time. It also ticks all my personal checkboxes. The Sci-Fi, dreams, the possibility to use weapons creatively/efficiently and different tactics/play-styles, being cinematic af (yes, I also like the ultra widescreen aspect ratio), changing locations in cool & surreal ways that normal games just can't.

[@AmariMarvelous]

@@ikmalhaqim6447 I prefered Evil Within 2. It was a mix of The Last Of Us,Resident Evil and Silent Hill and i was able to play it all the way tillthe end. I couldn't get into the 1st Evil Within for some reason.

[@thelastpersononearth9765]

I think the game scared me the most was Manhunt 2 which is not even completely horror. Ig brutality made it horror.

[@SkrapSF83]

A buddy watched me play dead space and I can’t think about that game without remembering when he screamed and jumped back when the elevator was pride open. 1 & 2, definitely top 5 favorite!

[@lets_go_gamingRL]

As a piece of volcanic rock I must admit after I finished that scene I immediately threw my rocktroller into the TV and I cried because I didn't want fake man to come out of tv and do the same to me

[@BellowDGaming]

It's like what Capcom devs said paraphrasing here "it's harder to scare people now a days and our characters have powered up too much" Seeing Leon do back insane flips and Chris's boulder punching strength isn't enough of a clue.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

And then we got Ethan. The human carving wood

[@Sirpatpat]

Chris punching a boulder will be cemented in gaming history forever.

[@genericgorilla]

doesn't this happen to movies too? horror franchises that last too long simply stop being scary and start getting campy after the third entry or so. i think it's familiarity with a horror concept that makes it stop being scary. you can develop a concept so much until it starts to feel familiar and thus, less scary.

[@TheCyclicGamer]

Because horror is all about fear of the unknown, the idea of dealing with something unfamiliar. Think about not just horror movies but also horror games and ask the question "Did horror game/movie x scare me the first time? What about the second?" and onwards.

I think it's a bit of both. I remember playing amnesia when it came out an shitting my pants, but only last week picked up dead space and was not phased at all. I was just too used to the concept of shooting necromorphs from other things not dead space.

[@reetergamer521]

What abt Halloween Kills?

[@furbees2662]

@@reetergamer521 Halloween kills is one of the movies of all time 💀

[@alex.g7317]

What if your not scared of the sequel, but are scared of the original?

[@nickolson7825]

I didn’t realize this video came out a year ago till you said you were looking forward to the Callisto protocol

[@grr194302727385]

Please keep in mind that PT came BEFORE RE7, and while no one likes to admit it, it was the catalyst behind the shift to the first person claustrophobic style of horror. A whole genre of immitations were spawned from it, and it's not surprising in the least that a high budget studio would see how beloved and influential it was, and try to cash in on it. All of this is to say, the style change in RE7 was in no way a surprise to anyone following horror games in that era

[@gavindennis9988]

Outlast is pretty popular for being a 1st person horror game. It came out in 2013. There's also Amnesia, Alien: Isolation, etc. that all came out before PT and RE7.

[@rubenthekid]

Pretty sure there were other games that did that before PT, PT was just the first mainstream game to make the shift.

[@d_ruggs]

I don't know that i agree. I think the catalyst for the shift was Fractional games, it started with Pneumbra which got the ball rolling, then Amnesia completely reinvented the genre and at that point it was either change with the times or release a horror game that felt incredibly dated. Fractionals take on enemy design and the 'run & hide' style had massive ripple across the industry, Alien Isolation being another example. I will say though that PT felt like the accidental perfect horror game for that style. Not too long that the scares get weak, not too simple that you can run right through it, and not so boring that your just hiding. It's a masterclass that really makes me wish Kojima did more horror, and really upset Konami removed it from the ps store.

[@zaolodyckm2296]

Don't forget condemend.

[@cappedminer369]

@@gavindennis9988there’s also amnesia which came before outlast

[@Soliye.]

Something we don't get as much but that I enjoy is "unintentional" horror. Or having horror elements in a game where you didn't think there would be any. The best example of that would be Halo CE. Buying and playing a game designed to scare you is one thing, but playing a game that starts off with a certain vibe to then shift halfway through is pretty cool and can catch you off guard.

[@ajfite1277]

343 Guilty Spark is still on my top five scariest moments in gaming, it really does come out of nowhere

[@aleksanderolbrych9157]

I played Stalker when it came out and I expected a ton of things, but never once did I think I'd be screaming from terror whenever the night came or, even worse, I had to descent into an underground lab somewhere. Seriously, X labs terrified me especialy strongly because I did not *expect* to be thrown into a horror scenario out of a sudden.

[@TheBigH]

ravenholm >:)

[@SpringDavid]

"oh look, coal inside of this cave" -phrase moments before disaster

[@kurtisvandermiller4507]

What makes something scary for me is awkwardness. Like a character acting weird and unsettling, staring at you in the eye and making extreme eye contact, saying something completely off topic that's creepy. Walking into a room and stuff in it is slightly off. Seeing a room of gore but In the center of the room it's completely clean. That to me is scary because you don't know why and your fearing something is off and something could happen. It causes you to hightdend your senses because your alerted by said awkwardness.

[@shelbyherring92]

Yeah, anything that makes your brain go, "Wait, this doesn't seem right..." is really good at building that creepy atmosphere.

[@ErinJeanette]

Yes the feeling of dread and knowing something is off but not what it is. My favorite kind of horror.

[@somethingsomething2541]

This paragrash scared me because i started imaging it

[@near5148]

Jumpscares aren't scary

[@slendydie1267]

Everyone has different perceptions of fear. For me that is weird and non immersive for example. I also think jump scares are a cheap way to scare someone. But something like RE7 that doesn't necessarily have jump scares but the tension building and atmosphere constantly set it up to have them is what's unsettling to me. Also horror games with less ambient noise that are quiet overall are scarier to me. Games end up putting so much work into sound design and then some quite ass game scares me more :D

[@LunaJadeHanson]

Amazing video, sorry to hear about the Calipso Protocol hype though. Glad we got Dead Space remake though

[@Zockanumber1]

My Main gripe with the Horror Genre as a whole is that survival Horror has mostly been replaced with walking simulator haunted House Games Like fnaf, outlast etc. When all the gameplay mechanics are gone and I'm Just Walking from jumpscare to jumpscare theres No tension or atmosphere to me

[@pact-md5wp]

If you havent gotten the chance try Dark Wood Its a fantastic horror game that manages to hold tension through the whole game

[@cappedminer369]

yeah, thats true.

[@kryse4806]

how is there no tension in outlast? you have to hide to not die, you have no means of defense other than your legs, no green herbs to heal you, no knife or gun to protect you. just you on an insane asylum with a dimly lit camera. sure that's not the world's deepest game mechanics, but my point is it doesnt have to be, that's an approach that will still piss someone's pants

[@The88shrimp]

@@kryse4806 Because the solution to every encounter is right there in front of your eyes. On insane difficulty, despite it mentioning enemies are faster, you're still faster than them all. Hiding spaces are obvious and easy to get to, every solution to an encounter is the same and becomes very easy to deal with where you just wait to find what the AI path is and move on. When you're playing a survival horror you're solutions aren't always simple and can be different depending on how you played up to that point with how singy you were. You have to actually face your enemies, but not only that, make split second decisions such as whether it's best to double back to a save point, risk dodging an enemy at the expense of potential losing a healing item or kill the enemy using up limited ammo. When in a pinch with an enemy right behind you and one in front these sections add a hell of a lot more tension because encounters are actually dangerous when you have to line up split second headshots if you get in a sticky situation under pressure or risk running out of resources later on. When you're playing a hide and seek horror like outlast, the solution is always clearly laid out for you and is relatively easy to achieve meaning you're almost always safe and don't need to prepare for anything, that plus the generous checkpoint system makes you really not fear dying so even if you do get caught it's meaningless. TL;DR Enemies in survival horrors are generally more difficult because the game knows you have multiple ways of dealing with them so when you need to conserve resources they're more threatening with a greater punishment for making mistakes. In a hide and seek horror there isn't much of a punishment when getting caught as it's usually just reloading an auto checkpoint, that along with the fact that every encounter is dealt with using the exact same tactic over and over again lessening the threatening feel of enemies.

[@destinyhntr]

Exactly. I rarely play horror games now because I need good gameplay too. So I play mixed genres now.

[@moogiibat5845]

In the dead space 1 Isaak just survived, in dead space 2 he adapted, in Dead space 3 he brought the fight back to them.

[@efxnews4776]

Actually, the problem of Dead Space is that is a horrible horror game but a great science fiction story. The world building, the lore, the story all those things are really great to be honest, i actually love Dead Space because of this not, because the gameplay, wich does get old as horror fairly quickly in each game.

[@liamfranco9626]

Yes sir

[@mr_indie_fan]

Isaak slowly turned from a survivor to a warrior

[@godzillazfriction]

​@@efxnews4776 umm no

[@efxnews4776]

@Nonothankyou the problem with this type of games is that they have great stories, but the horror is lost for the player, because if you play smart you always become a killing machine, seriously Isaac simply can stomp to death anything that cross his path, is actually hilarious not scary.

[@yep8673]

Horror games always become less scary as you play but the good ones maintain their atmosphere and tension till the end. That's what separates the good ones from the mediocre ones. The atmosphere in DS1 was enough to immerse you and keep your attention till the end. The levels in DS1 and 2 are so well put together with the lighting and environment design that you cant help but slow walk into rooms and check every sound you hear.

[@Dargonhuman]

Eh, not really. When you realize that they give you the most effective weapon at the beginning, it really loses a lot of tension and becomes more of a run-n-gun shooter than a scary game. Don't get me wrong, I had fun with it for sure, but other than the opening sequence, I never really felt much in the way of dread or fear because I never felt powerless against the monsters, not even the one that kept regenerating. The atmosphere and aesthetics were well done, I admit, and had Isaac been less OP, I might have been more intimidated by the environment, but given how easily I was mowing down Necromorphs, it never really phased me.

[@JonCom3dy]

DS1 is still scary on the replay. Not DS2 so much. But these games are amazing and meant to be replayed.

[@robertasvaicius4437]

What i want to know is how a game like stalker can remain scary on multiple play throughs despite not even being a horror game, it's a first person shooter. Yet, despite this it's given me so many jump scares.

[@ryszakowy]

@@robertasvaicius4437 no scripted events outside main story locations great locations ambient that is nothing but water drops echoing somewhere in old basement sound design where even air breeze makes you feel alone and doomed even if nothing is withing 40 meter radius from you mutants sounding like they are either in constant suffering or angry and dangerous or old metal constructions or support squeaking or straight up making sounds like something heavy landed on them despite room being empty the same way in deadspace medical computer echoes through ishimura almost whispering behind you "persistent pursue of physical contact and gratification may result in mental resentment" wich is literally from promotional web game that was taken down before deadspace premiered

[@robertasvaicius4437]

@@ryszakowy Nothing beats going to labs in stalker, i forgot the first one i visited, but it had me on edge despite being mostly empty. Because the moment you let your guard down theres a poltergeist throwing gas canisters at you or a snork diving you from an elavated position. The fact that guns aren't perfectly accurate and have recoil adds to the tension because every missed shot counts, and the reloads are slow and realistic. Yeah you have a gun but can you use it under pressure? Asks stalker so many times.

[@josephjucal1778]

That's quite interesting, I heard that in the past, and now we got more researches that can support this theory. Thanks for the video

[@forminlo]

I have recently played Alien Isolation with a VR mod and let me just say, I have never been so afraid playing a game in my life. I've been playing with a heart monitor to stream to my friends and to put things into perspective: I screamed like my friends have never heard before and my BPM went to 160+. Best time ever.

[@SethHMG]

That sounds incredible

[@dmaxwell910901]

Alien Isolation with VR is a thing? Like an actual working VR mod?! Gotta play

[@forminlo]

@@dmaxwell910901 yep it's called MotherVR, closest to a seamless VR experience on that game. Sure it has the issue now and then, but it's like 90-95% to perfection.

[@NicolasREVA7X]

Alien Isolation is the only game that I literally gave up. I was so fucking scared of that thing that I never touched the game again. I recommend it to absolutely everyone as the best Horror Game ever made (imo).

[@endstudios9345]

I think co-op can be a great device for horror. There’s only so much impact you can make inside a game, but if your friend starts screaming in horror, that might terrify the living shit out of you. Two people could exponentially increase the scare through speculating to each other about the tension. Or you could have a game where that isn’t the intention and everything hits the fan… a fine line to walk.

[@soldierstride554]

A good example of a co-op horror game is GTFO. It forces teamwork. The scariest part isn't the actual monsters, it's the tension of not messing up.

[@Arkastopheles]

i think the issue with this is that being scared rapidly turns into laughing and jokes my best friend is super easy to scare, 5 minutes into a scary movie or game and she looks like a deer in the lights, but when we're playing together it all becomes jokes instead of fear i mean im having a good time anyway but just being with someone seems to lower the fear factor by a thousand now playing with someone you dont know and cant comunicate with at all might be able to keep the fear intact, who knows it might even scare you not knowing if the person controling the other character is even there

[@efxnews4776]

Honestly i think co op horror games doesn't work, you do have some horror but just knowing that theres someone with you don't increase the fear factor, it lower. But here comes an idea, what if you could manipulate someone or exchange their lives for yours? Like throw a pebble towards someone to attract monsters on their direction, basically co op could work with a betrayal function, and yes, no means to communicate while playing perhaps only with in game sentences and stuff like that, but no chat. Imagine you and a friend of you playing the game and all of sudden i start to play and you help me out at first to use me as a sacrificial lamb, you won't betray each other but you will betray me, got the idea?.

[@GreyOatmeal]

The original Killing Floor provided some pretty good shit pants moments, but even that becomes less scary as you become more competent.

[@gringusgaming]

Eh SCP CB and SL both have multiplayer and are supposed to be "horror" but are not nearly as scary as solo CB... that said it can still be terrifying at times, but usually it feels more just tense, not scary

[@PirateJamm]

Alien isolation nails this genre to perfection! Especially on the hardest difficulties!

[@gazzy9136]

Generally the only game that scares the fuck out of me still lol

[@tylern6420]

Plus it has that part where its audio is all over roblox+different sandbox Games, especially when the game is about a facility with a nuclear core in it

[@Supremepikachu]

No it doesn't, it's no near being a scary game at all, difficulties don't do shit either only making the game harder with like 5% than easy mode.

[@aleksanderolbrych9157]

Alien Isolation is probably the single scariest sh*t I ever played, I was and still am terrified of it. Finishing that game felt like a true achievement. Best horror game I played in my life, and I played MANY.

[@kinsgaming8197]

@@aleksanderolbrych9157 either im dead inside or everyone else sees something i dont cuz alien isolation wasnt even remotely scary it was... tedious i put it on the harder difficulty and i STILL remember the parts where the alien knows where you are so it keeps pathing right to you but he wont leave the fucking hallway so you can leave the room so you get into an endless loop of him going into your room then walking out into the hallway then within 5 seconds turning around and walking right the fuck back into the room he just left (with you still in it). i remember saying out loud this is stupid as fuck... as i looped the alien in full view of me around a table for like 3 minutes straight cuz he wouldnt leave. people touted omg the AI its so smart! No its... its really fucking not it just knows what flag you are on and starts camping the next objective IE if you need a keycard and then you go to unlock a door with that keycard all it does is camp around the keycard then the instant you pick it up starts patrolling the door you need to go to...

[@soulreaperx7x]

The over the shoulder camera wasn't literally invented by Resident Evil 4. One of the earlier Splinter Cell games would go over the should camera when aiming.

[@doodlesfrombrain4258]

I genuinely fear for my safety how fast my heart beats when I try playing horror video games, I can do haunted houses and scary movies with ease but something about a game always stresses me to no extent and I feel like my heart will explode from my chest, love watching the play throughs tho

[@Killerkraft975]

Its because you drive the progress of the story. In both media, you are engaged with the world and story but in games, you are the main character and are in control of the story. Because you have to interact with this world, you pay more attention to games and immerse yourself more than a movie. Its why watching someone play a horror game is less scary than playing it yourself because your actions dictate whether you get jumpscared or die within the game.

[@aeresys]

I feel like this is more the story of AAA games in general. Also imagine a DOOM horror spinoff where you're a demon having to escape the slayer

[@aleksanderolbrych9157]

I wish someone at ID would try to do Doom 3 again. it's a horribly underrated game.

[@gagejohnathan9641]

I think we need to be reminded why the slayer is the only one that hell fears, and why humanity needed him to begin with. Something like doom 3 that reminded us that these were unholy monsters from hell itself sent forth to onset the apocalypse is what we need.

[@jasonrhome710]

I get your railing on the co-op stuff in horror (also, the forcing it into EVERYTHING at the time), but I recall... Jesse Cox and Dodger... I think... talking about playing that and realizing that the person playing Isaac would see things that the other player couldn't. An unreliable partner due to in-game hallucinations that only affect one player at a time is kinda brilliant, and could make for some tense moments if handled properly.

[@David-gk2ml]

yes

[@brunobruno-c1d]

the issue is that horror was such a low priority, that even that just wouldnt matter to the publishers - they just wanted coop and wanted it now tho yes, such idea is very great and would've helped a lot - but the issue is, it'd be good if it was made to have such an idea to begin with, rather than forced in

[@lassekunz8567]

21:40 Funfact: there we're multiple concepts of Resident Evil 4, multiple of These concepts we're developed into their own games: Resident Evil 4 itself, Devil May Cry and Haunting Ground.

[@dr.narwhalmd4885]

I think the game Prey did an amazing job with the horror aspect of mimics (and has imo one of the best game intros ever). The fact that anything can be a creepy enemy, even helpful items likes medkits, keeps you guessing for at least the first few hours of the game. I think the main thing about horror games though is that once you have a way to defend yourself they become a lot less scary. More games should consider simply not giving the main character any lethal options, more so utilities that require the player to strategize and keep a fun level of fear.

[@snailthelostcow63]

Interestingly, Resident Evil somehow worked well with this formula. They tend to be super scary at first until they gave you a rocket launcher

[@ViperliciousOG]

Oh man that's why I COULD NOT finish Outlast! Playing in the dark 4 friends watching and one passed me the headset. I'm squirming as I run into a locker to hide. As the big dude is about to pass me by I said something kinda loud and _HE TURNED AROUND yelling "I FOUND YOU!"_ and I passed the controller right on never to take it again. TTD Idk if the game did listen for user input on the mic (before PT ever came out) or if the AI decided to try his luck after being 80% of the way past my weak locker door. Wound up watching a lovely no commentary full playthrough later on and still getting antsy 🤡

[@TsunaXZ]

I can relate to this. Literally a max out shotgun in Prey can obliterate anyone, even those hugeass nightmares.

[@tylern6420]

@@TsunaXZ atleast at that power level you dont get 3-shotted by space guys

[@mydroidid]

Prey was more stealth than horror but the scariest jump was clicking on the red dot on the viewing glass and then BAM!

[@Darek_B52]

considering how comfy I find horror as a whole the idea of genuine fear is something I don't experience much. I more enjoy the rush of excitement, creativity, campiness, or general feel of horror.

[@Jefnam]

The last 10 minutes of this video say everything I wanted out of this video. I was expecting this video to be more about the repercussions of replaying horror games, but the points you make about the game industry's approach to horror was interesting. While I'm excited for The Callisto Protocol, I do worry it might still lean into the action genre a bit too much. Indie horror feels like the one place you can still find real horror games that are willing to experiment endlessly (but even that isn't always the case with bigger indie games like hello neighbor and parts of Poppy Playtime). Good points made, probably could've been said in less than 50 minutes (in a video being watched 2 months later lol)

[@runajain5773]

And outlast Is perfect horror series I waiting for outlast trials and Callisto protocol

[@Qbasz007]

Honestly this should have been a 10 minute video.

[@RyanLemke-Doyle]

While you were talking about the intro of Dead Space, i only thought to myself "that's just 343 Guilty spark from Halo CE" 😂

[@lordgarabato7619]

I've been working on a personal horror game project just to see if I could. I get easily terrified by horror movies so I wasn't sure it would be scary enough. After a while, I released a short demo and, surprisingly, my friends told me the game was indeed scary. After watching this video I'm not that surprised anymore.

[@Kiko-sn2rk]

is the demo on steam?

[@juanjbrieva5168]

We'd love to see some footage :D

[@montegray7598]

@@lordgarabato7619 Demo was quite good, I would pay day 1 for the full game if you were ever interested in a steam release honestly.

[@lordgarabato7619]

@@montegray7598 So glad you liked it!😁

[@bahhumbug5467]

@@lordgarabato7619 what is it called can I play? 😩

[@kurono3333]

I've noticed that the indie horror games are way scarier than the big famous company's horror games because they are very passionate about creating the horror games. great video btw!! I loved it!

[@LuisSoto-fw3if]

I think the issue is that Horror has a hard time scaling up. PT is an excellent horror game, yet it was probably quite cheap to make. If you give it more locations, more npcs, etc etc the price tag starts going up which they have to make back. And horror is simply not a popular blockbuster genre

[@yeahyeahwowman8099]

The opposite in my opinion, all they seem to make is pure flight horror games where you can't fight back. My opinion they copy eachothers homework, same jump scares, same fetch quests, if I see one more horror game from an indie developer where the monster peeks around the corner, it makes me wanna barf.

[@gman7497]

​@LuisSoto-fw3if most of the best horror movies are small scale and small budget, the bigger and more bombastic a series gets the less scarier it is. In many ways, RE's and Dead Space's success worked against them being good horror games

[@hollykimball401]

As someone who has never played a horror game before, this video has me tempted to go and try out a horror game.

[@thejoeman4774]

@Ecard Ecardian bioshock is a horror? never played it but i heard its praised

[@hollykimball401]

@Ecard Ecardian Thanks for the recommendations, I'll be sure to try them out.

[@Granolahsolos]

Play SCP Containment Breach

[@ether2434]

Try dead space 1, preferably with lights off

[@eat.more.chicken]

@@hollykimball401 poppy playtime is very scary

[@Dailyfiver]

Dead space 2 was the first true horror game I ever played and it absolutely terrified me as a child 😂

[@Metalseadraking]

3:30 It was VERY Scary. My dad works as a Volcanic rock on Weekends and wanted me to continue wour Volcanic Rock empire. But playing this game ever since gave me a fear of people punching me into lava randomly :c

[@Mad1Caster]

Dead Space 2 is the reason i have a phobia for things going into my eye. 12:29 still causes me to feel extreme anxiety and hyperventilate.

[@duelgundam]

You and me both. I've never actually played the game, but a classmate of mine(I was the only person in class who owned a Xbox 360 at the time) showed me that scene, and I full on cringed, just looking at both results(the gory "you died" cutscene, and the "successful" one) I still wince at even just the thought of it.

[@paulwoodford1984]

Losing an eye is everyone’s worst fear. no eyesight means pointless life

[@Mad1Caster]

@@paulwoodford1984 Oof... im sure blind people will beg to differ about the pointless life

[@paulwoodford1984]

@@Mad1Caster if i go blind i am going to kill myself

[@Mad1Caster]

@@paulwoodford1984 Now that statement i can 100% agree with

[@Sidelight_01]

In the video you covered a lot of "AAA" horror titles but i think that the real gold mine of horror is found on indie games, a big budget studio often doesn't have the capacity to experiment with niche ideas because there is a millionaire company behind it hoping they get their money back. For that reason i believe passion projects like Visage, MADiSON, Layers of Fear and Outlast can truly engage with an audience and present real horror within the community

[@abhishekrajesh2300]

Completely agree. Most indie games I played have been miles better in terms of horror than a lot of actual AAA horror games.

[@Allknowingkeith]

Thanks for mentioning these.

[@bchristian85]

Can't believe the video didn't mention the original Amnesia. That set the standard for horror back around 2011.

[@R3TR0J4N]

AA are underrated. edit: i just learned SOMA is AA

[@beelzebub33]

Chillas art is an amazing indio horror studio, def check them out

[@willropa4226]

To give my own thought on why horror is losing its edge, it might be due to us steadily gaining the ability to fight back against the horror. Take RE8 for example, it's got one of the best fear moments by far, if you played it, you know it's House Beneviento. To set the general mood, we reach the empty village and are feeling nervous, we don't know what's around us and if anything comes to get us, we're defenseless. We then reach the Castle, our fear is dulled, we now have weapons and a few downed zombies, we don't have to run if we can fight back. Then comes House Beneviento, there are no enemies leading up to and at the house which puts us on alert for an ambush. We find our objective and the game rewards us with taking it and all our weapons away, we are now defenseless again, which sends our nerves off the deep end. That's what I think horror is missing, that feeling of being alone and helpless. FNaF is a good example since FNaF 1 had us locked in place having to defend against the animatronics attacks, meanwhile in SC we have the camera and blaster to take the offensive if the animatronics try to attack us. Fight or flight, that's what it really boils down to. Allowing us to fight it dulling the fear, we don't have to be afraid if the hunted can become the hunters.

[@Snoogen11]

I think the only game that has kept me horrified start to finish is Alien isolation, and I think it's because of two factors, firstly; the unknown, you don't know if those humans/robots up ahead are EVEN hostile, or maybe they are passive. Two: the unpredictability of the alien, it feels like a creature that is genuinely hunting you down.

[@metaparalysis3441]

the AI of Alien: Isolation is really advanced and complex

[@ceoofracism4869]

And also bc the atmosphere and sound design is so fucking good

[@Andytlp]

A video about it's a.i explained how it knew your rough location and always hung around the same place as you in that giant ship, which is hard to believe. So the gameplay revolved around dodging and stalling an enemy you cannot realistically defeat. Although players have killed it by cheesing. fear 1 had similar a.i.

[@Sky_darts]

@@Andytlp wait you can kill the xenomorph?

[@Andytlp]

@@Sky_darts Yea. It doesnt have a death animation just disappears. Dont know if it respawns later.

[@vanerek]

This video is exceptionally well edited and thoroughly researched, i'm impressed. Out of sheer curiosity, how long did it take you to go from concept to actually publishing the video?

[@Lextorias]

about two weeks, I believe

[@vanerek]

@@Lextorias even more impressive

[@orangeslash1667]

@@Lextorias Silent Hill is Back🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯!

[@shiddyangler]

The puppet house section of RE8 is one of the scariest moments in recent gaming history for me. No other game made me watch multiple playthroughs just to muster up the courage to go through it myself.

[@user-wj6eq1cx7x]

Hell yes, the chase scene was fucking excellent.

[@GBDupree]

Exact opposite for me, it was a boring chore the whole time, and the baby monster was more annoying than scary because he just gets in the way and you have to wait for him. Ruin replays of the game as well. And you feel completely safe the whole time, it's all fake manufactured horror with absolute safety rather than a naturally occurring horror from an unsafe situation which the rest of the game tries to do.

[@ahmedhamm5464]

the dlc for 8 where the manaquines only move when you look away from them was some scary shit, idk if anything in the main game was quite as scary. just wish that part was longer

[@DDCSpartan]

Damn RE 8 didn’t have one scary moment for me felt like another downgrade to an action game compared to RE7 for me.

[@shiddyangler]

@@DDCSpartan well that’s just like, your opinion, man.

[@TobyGames]

Resident evil 4 was aamaaazingg

[@FumeiYuusha]

If anyone says that co-op isn't scary, I implore them to play Obscure. It's an underrated gem, a co-op horror that has stuck with me all these years. It's an amazing game, and the only co-op horror that nailed how to stay scary while being a co-op game.

[@michaelmcdowell7096]

Dead space was the most anxiety inducing game I'm ever played, especially the beginning.

[@haidakuh3234]

I think you can make a Co-Op game scary. First thing that comes to mind is something like Phasmaphobia or Labyrinthine. I feel they execute the fear of separation and how unpredictable and easy that can happen in game.

[@jasonreed7522]

I think that fear of separation is reinforced in games like phasmo because they let you experience the comfort of strength in numbers, or atleast the knowledge that you aren't alone and someone has your back, which means not having help in reach is unnerving and finding their corpse is terrifying.

[@kimbaldun]

A simple coop game like Among Us used to be that type of game until they started adding whatever weird bs in it and if only random lobbies aren't full of dumb people that made it less creepy, You just don't really know who you trust and when are you getting killed. It's kinda similar to Friday The 13th except you already know who to run off to and you're forced to seperate to do good at the game

[@takebacktheholyland9306]

Not even including GTFO, thrtr

[@iohanngarcia]

Super late finding this video, but kudos to the quality and effort. This is a very well done video in all aspects - the essay, the research, the visuals, and editing. Videos like yours is why I watch KZbin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@Sdelcampo42]

Your Elden ring video randomly popped up in my recommended and I've watched every video since. You make great videos! Keep it up, you're killing it.

[@BlueLionsTVNiiNiiFC]

Loved this video. Something that was touched upon in this video, thats been something thats made me get quite disillusioned with gaming now, is corporate influence. The thing with corporates is that, the only talent and skill they have, is at making money. They're whole personalities have been conditioned due to this work environments as well as the competition they face from similar corporate npc's. Mentalities liike this are terrible for creative industries. As you tend to see all the time, most of their ideas come from copying competition, rarely is originality being pushed and profited from. Most games are products, few at this level are labours of love at a triple A level. The corporate influenced continue to undermine the talents of this industry. So many examples of corporate influence ruining a franchise, or stagnating it etc, yet the stories still continue, with 0 lessons being learned. For all the technology, power and talent, they will all become bottlenecked eventually, due to corporate agenda. This pursuit of cash and profit above all, just feels so redundant now, when the final products never push any advancements or creatively ambitious. Over time, top talent will just reject working in this industry, I won't blame them at all. Was a time when I was a kid, playing PS2, even imagining the time we'd get to a PS5 release, was just too much to comprehend, I couldnt imagine how gaming would advance. Now im older and own one, all sense of wonder has left. What does all this power mean, if its just to make re-makes, movie franchise games and cross gen titles sold at 70. Creative bankruptcy at the expense of execs appeasing shareholders and themselves. This video was a reminder behind the ways this industry keeps bottlenecking itself, amazing video

[@steamtasticvagabond474]

The true horror is unchecked capitalism

[@goldie6961]

When I think of a game that legitimately scared me, the only one that stands out is cry of fear. Playing that when I was little definitely helped shape my love for horror later, gave me so many nightmares

[@dylanfrye668]

Yes! Cry of fear being a free game made on the half life engine being able to scare people in SOOO many different types of ways with a twisted story as well really made it so ahead of it’s time

[@dabo77777]

Oh man, that last part talking about callisto lol