Is The Mainstream Horror Game Dead?

With the survival-horror genre suffering from a severe lack of fear-factor, this article asks whether the mainstream horror game should be declared officially dead.

[dangert12]

I don't think so just not many devs cater 2 the genre

[limewax]

I wouldn't say there aren't many who cater to it, Personally I feel a lot try but miss one or another important element to a horror game. The survival factor is rarely implemented well nowadays, Devs also have the challenge of direct fear, we are a lot more exposed to horror on a more graphic level these days, So it's likely harder to get that initial scare. For instance the lickers on resi used to freak me out something chronic. Now they don't in the slightest.

But another important factor I feel devs miss a lot nowadays is difficulty, Surviving the horrors you witness needs to be pretty hard, otherwise it just isn't scary. And in games difficulty seems to be a large part of fearing an enemy. Honestly my favorite survival horror this gen is Demons Souls, yes its and RPG, But there were paths I was scared to go down, and it definitely had the survival element

[dangert12]

I see what your saying defo agree with difficulty needing to be challenging. but i onlt know of 5 survival horror games this gen

alan wake
dead space 1/2
penumbra
anmnesia

[kramun]

You could class Stalker series as survivor horror. Excellent games btw if you haven't played them yet.

[contra157]

Definitely not dead, just not done correct

[maniacmayhem]

There needs to be an "Insidious" type of scary game. A game that makes you jump right out your seat.

[gillri]

well amnesia was a start,

I love the horror games he mentions, Eternal darkness and system shock 2 were amazing and not very well known to the maintream

also The Cradle Level in Thief is the most scared I have ever been in a video game before (yes even more than Amnesia)

but as an out and out horror game? I reckon Silent Hill 2 is the best of the lot, because it wasnt about shock scares at all, it also evoked this endless sense of dread and it was also a very polished game with a gripping, emotionally driven story

[KingSlayer]

Anyone see the remake of Dawn of the Dead? The day starts off like any other day, then the the couple wakes up to hell on Earth. I wish a game would come out and start off like that. Where you are just going through the motions (initial training and how to's) then BAM! all hell breaks loose and you have to think on your feet. Most games nowadays just don't get the horror piece right.

[naiyo]

Ppl don't understand that to make a good horror game you need a good "FILM" writer or someone that love film more than games and a very cinematic director for these games. YES and that means cut-scenes. Fatal Frame, Resident Evil (before 4) Silent Hill (1-4)and a few others like D. They all was very cinematic games because they copy from films NOT games like CoD or dumb ass games like Half Life. All horror games now are nothing more than PC shooters. Boring characters, comedic dialogue, no story line and all about killing as much as you can with no sense of survival because you get all the ammo you need.

[Machioto]

I wish resistance4 expands on its survival horror aspect,hope I didn't spoil anything for any one.

[Lord_Sloth]

I dunno. I'm nearly impossible to scare as it stands. Never seen a movie that scared me nor played a game that's scared me.

Loved Dead Space 2 though and RE4 made me tense but had very little scares in it...Though I DID fumble my controller when the Over Guy came tearing at me. Still managed to shoot him in time.

[Elcobydos]

It's more about atmosphere and mystery then anything else when it comes to survival horror. Even if you are armed to the teeth like the Dead Space, the atmosphere of the game makes it scary. The monsters are hideous and scary as well. Haven't played Dead Space 2 yet so I cannot comment.

Silent Hill 1 and 2 had the atmosphere needed to make players consistently on their toes. You never knew what was coming after you from the mist and the story kept you wondering what was actually happening the entire time.

Silent Hill Shattered Memories doesn't even have a combat system. You are forced to run or hide from enemies. The game also analyzes you psychologically while you are playing which adds to the atmosphere of the game as well.

Developers need to just focus on mystery and atmosphere. No combat necessary.

[rfowler30]

dead space is the only series left now a days that does the horror genre right, ive been gaming since resident evil 2 era and things have really gone down hill for the horror genre. look at how awful resident evil 5 was.....yeah it was bad, really bad.

[contra157]

System shock blows Dead Space into dirt

[TXIDarkAvenger]

Alan wake
Penumbra
Anmnesia

Please do yourself a favour and play these games. I say these do the horror genre justice but we need more of these games. BTW Resident Evil 5 isn't a bad game, I hate when people say that. If you look beyond the fact it wasn't a scary game then you would see RE5 was a great game and a great co-op experience.