Horror games however, do have a certain state of affairs that gives them a little golden podium in my heart. You see, in order to scare someone, you have to threaten their feeling of safety, and in a video game you can only do it by outsmarting them.
Only smart people can make a decent horror game.
Take 'Slender' for example: a little indie game based off a forum discussion about 'The Slender Man'. These are pretty basic beginnings. There was no talk of gaming, just folks discussing a modern internet-fuelled myth. Then this guy, a Mr. Mark J. Hadley, started writing a game.
The game has you, walking in a forest, with a torch and the ability to jog a bit. Those are your only forms of input. Your aim is to find 8 pages of a book about the Slender Man, which are pinned up all over the place. If the Slender Man sees you, you start to go mad and television static starts to fuzz up your screen. If he catches you, you loose. It's immensely simple and that's exactly why it's good. It's very hard to analyse a game with so very little 'gaming' going on. It's an experience and within the long gaps of you stumbling about your imagination, the horror-mind's best friend, starts to fill in the gaps. "Where am I?", "Is the next page far?" and "What the hell was that in the grass?!" were all things I started uttering to myself whilst playing. Of course, if you're not willing to get involved, you won't enjoy this game. Switch the lights off and turn the volume up though, and you're in for an amazing/nerve shattering journey!
I don't like horror games, but this is a job well done!
I must add however, that I would have not known about this game if it wasn't for a Youtube friend of mine: JPachoD. There's something evil but enjoyable about watching someone get scared at a video game, and it does the game a real justice to see what effect it can have on the willing mind. Click here to see him freak out! I will also add that his other videos are also greatly enjoyable, so check out his channel! (The review of Hambo comes highly recommended!)
 |
| Poor scared Irish boy! |
