Fans Can’t Get Enough Of Survival Horror Video Games
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Video games have always been a way to escape reality and immerse players in worlds different from our own. The horror genre offers a different kind of thrill – the heart-thumping, adrenaline-filled, edge-of-your-seat kind. From survival horror games to eerie haunted house simulations, we delve into the chilling world of video game horror.
The first horror game ever released is a point of constant discussion among fans. Some argue that the earliest horror game is Haunted House, released in 1972 on the Magnavox Odyssey, the first-ever video game console. Others point to Sweet Home, the 1989 role-playing game by Capcom released exclusively in Japan. Sweet Home was a major inspiration for Resident Evil, which was originally intended to be a remake of the earlier game. Resident Evil contains many nods to and elements of Sweet Home, a game that is still hailed as genre-defining. Alone in the Dark similarly had a lasting impact on horror games. Released in 1992 by developers Infogrames, the original Alone in the Dark game featured ground-breaking 3D graphics for its time, as well as an emphasis on puzzle-solving, inventory management, and intelligent combat decisions that would influence and inspire many games in the survival horror genre.
Resident Evil and Silent Hill could be considered the most iconic survival horror game franchises. Developed by Capcom, Resident Evil was first released in 1996 and is often credited with revitalizing the horror genre. Resident Evil 4, released in 2005, is agreed to be the best of the series. Where the franchise had started to feel stagnant, Resident Evil 4 reinvigorated it at a crucial moment and undoubtedly had a huge influence on the horror genre. This was in part thanks to its use of over-the-shoulder perspective which made players feel they were in the middle of the action – and the terror. It also used incredible adaptive AI technology that meant enemies reacted with more or less aggression depending on how easily players progressed. The Resident Evil 4 remake was released in 2023 and many fans and critics doubted that the game could be improved upon. Despite their skepticism, the game blew its audience away. Aside from improving graphics and outdated mechanics, it built on the atmosphere and tension of the original and drew on successful mechanics and effects from later games. Resident Evil 9 is reportedly in the works at Capcom and fans are eager to see what new terror the game will unleash.
The Silent Hill game series by Konami has had a similarly profound impact on the horror genre. The original Silent Hill was released in 1999 and despite outdated graphics, it still packs a terrifying punch and plenty of jump-scares. Silent Hill 2 (2001) is widely regarded as the best of the series. Its graphics were innovative and breathtaking for their time. Combined with a dark, chilling narrative, disturbing creature design, and tense, hair-raising, fog-shrouded atmosphere, Silent Hill 2 redefined what survival horror games could and should deliver. Silent Hill 3 and 4 were both popular with fans but failed to reach the heights of the second game.
Unfortunately, players and critics have been less than impressed with more recent installments. After the poor reception of Silent Hill: Book of Memories (2012), the franchise lay dormant until the release of Silent Hill: Ascension in 2022. This interactive series is neither a game nor a TV show, but a mixture of the two. Despite the success of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch in 2018, which had a similar concept, fans of Silent Hill were not fans of Ascension. The story, user interface, mini-games, and battle passes all received criticism.
Ascension’s poor performance has sadly led to a lot of concern among fans about the Silent Hill 2 remake looming on the horizon. Due to be released in October 2024, the remake promises the overhaul of graphics and gameplay, as well as character redesign. The game will feature a moveable, third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective, which differs from the original’s fixed camera – a perspective that maximized the terror of what was waiting for you around the next corner. However, the story will reportedly remain the same and the trailer allowed a glimpse of some of our favorite original monsters, lending hope that the skin-crawling atmosphere of the original Silent Hill 2 will be preserved.
Resident Evil and Silent Hill paved the way for some of the most popular horror games today. Dead Space, in particular, is heavily inspired by Resident Evil. Developed by Visceral Games and released in 2008, it brilliantly uses action-based horror and third-person perspective to thrill players. The Dead Space remake, developed by Motive Studio and released in 2023, took the space-based science fiction/horror game to the next level. It features improved graphics, truly spine-chilling audio, and smoother, more terrifying gameplay mechanics that still honor the original game. Trapped on an alien-infested spaceship, players face some of the most terrifying creatures to ever exist within the genre. Dead Space perfectly combines the bone-deep fear of being stranded in space, the claustrophobic and deadly confines of the ship, and the heart-stopping jump scares of Necromorphs crawling out of vents.
Of course, no horror game discussion would be complete without Alien: Isolation. If you’ve read our recent article on board games inspired by great movies, you’ll know we’re big fans of Ridley Scott’s Alien. With similar themes to Dead Space, Alien follows a human crew trapped on a spaceship and stalked by a merciless and invulnerable alien. As you can imagine, Alien: Isolation (2014, developed by Creative Assembly) is the stuff of nightmares. Set fifteen years after the original movie, players take control of Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, trapped in a vast, dark spaceship with only a murderous xenomorph for company. Of the many games inspired by the Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation perfectly captures the gut-wrenching fear and aching tension of the original movie.
The horror genre offers vast scope for creativity and innovation. People love to be scared, but they want to be scared in new ways. Perhaps because of this, many indie developers have achieved as much recognition within the genre as large companies. Layers of Fear (2016) by independent developers Bloober Team takes the “haunted house” scenario and twists it around a main character whose mental illness slowly and terrifyingly becomes apparent. Players notice how furniture changes location, doors appear or disappear, and corridors no longer go where they used to. Layers of Fear takes psychological horror games to a whole new level and earns itself a place as one of the best of the genre in recent years.
With the horror genre continually evolving and pushing boundaries, video games offer a unique and immersive way to experience fear and thrill. Whether you prefer the psychological torment of Silent Hill, the zombie-infested nightmare of Resident Evil, the haunted house experiences of Layers of Fear, or the sci-fi terror of Dead Space and Alien: Isolation, the video game horror genre will continue to captivate gamers who dare to enter the realm of darkness.
Have you played any of the video games we’ve mentioned? Any honorable mentions that you think are worth a shout-out? Let us know in the comment section below. And don’t forget to subscribe to our free newsletter, PopPulse Digest, for all things gaming, pop culture, online deals, and more.
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