They are! I mean, I've known him for a long time (over the internet, not personally) so I'm biased but I like his commentary and stuff even for games I wouldn't play myself.
Why do people enjoy horror games?
- Thread starter RageBurner
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You'd be surprised. I stand by the opinion that "horror games are not fun", least not in the gamey game type of sense, and that usually gets people a bit bamboozled.
"What do you mean game is not fun?"
For sure. Take Siren for example. I love it alot...but is it a fun game? I'm not sure I have "Fun" playing it in the same sense of something snappy like a platformer or a shooter, or..anything..but that atmosphere keeps drawing me in.
Perhaps it triggers a part of the brain that is not often in use; the keen sense of survival that had our ancestors know when to run from an animal or that cooperation, setting one trap or hunt that came down to a knife's edge and would guarantee sustenance for days.
I like horror games mainly because Of The thrills, gameplay, story, atmosphere, and when I finally beat them I feel more resistant to fear, like after a while it gets really hard for me to get scared Of something, like getting over barriers, barriers Of fear, Fatal Frame for example was a game that caught me off guard lots of times and it was a fun experience.
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Maybe they enjoy being scared while playing a video game?
Might sound weird, but I like how grounded horror games tend to be in comparison to other genres. Not as many heroes chosen by fate to save the world or whatever, more relatively normal people stuck in bad situations trying to get out. Gives things stakes.
That's an interesting definition, getting over barriers of fear. I probably haven't hooped over many, as I distinctly remember almost falling from my chair when the famous
doberman window shattering
The human element, yes, that's a very good point to bring up. If you don't mind a more RPG-like approach peppered with horror elements you might like Laplace's Demon on the SNES.
because it's there weather you want it or not and interesting and worth exploting. freakin wolfenstein (aka the brightest shooter) would scare me as a kid, as the enemy officers would ambush me and shout some wild pc speaker noises, or i get chased by a pack of dogs in a maze. someone else probably felt something like that and went "what if i figure out what it was and make more of it" and they did, and it's rad and you should check it out. best horror games have less gore than your avarage run and gun or hack and slash power fantasy
Perhaps it is the human fascination with Death, and the desire to fulfill the twisted fantasy of meeting one's own end, if only temporarily before the transition into the next life. Or wherever they go, depends on the individual.
I would agree with others here about survival horror and the satisfaction that comes with playing through them. I personally am not big on horror games that have the player be completely powerless and unable to fight back like in Outlast and the like( and its not because I suck at them honest). Much prefer when you can fight back but are at a disadvantage and combat is a last resort. Plus having locations with a great atmosphere is also appealing like the Spencer mansion.
Oh I understand there's more to it than that, I was just being a little facetious.
Yeah, you make a very good point, though I can't say I'm particularly thrilled by the thought of my own demise, virtual or otherwise LOL.
Not everyone is twisted..
Why Do I enjoy it? First thing first, I do not count "jumpscares" as part of horror. Second: I enjoy 2D horrors more than 3D. And finally answering why. Build up, tension, mystery, environmental story telling, diaries of unlucky survivors and visuals. Most of times it's more important than the actual monster (Unless it's Resident Evil 3). And examples of my favorite horrors Corpse Party (2D) Spooky cursed school, everything in shambles, remains and bones of previous victims, some are stuck in a horror loop of their demise, evil ghosts that slowly curse you and drain you of your sanity and a bunch of unfortunate student who now must find their way out of this place. And for 3d horror It's either Resident Evil 3 or Parasite Eve 2. I really enjoyed first location in PE2.
So, you appreciate the true aspects of horror?
Such as, things that don't need blood, gore, violence, or jumpscares to terrify you and leave you unable to sleep, lying petrified in fear in the dark and ridden with nightmares from the ordeal?
...Because that's my style, anyway.
everyone's going all high horse and philosophical on human condition and stuff and dismissive of the actual scares, i'm trying to advocate for the simple "boo!" and "ahh?!" side of things here, turn off the lights put on the headphones and play penumbra i say, shit bricks and have fun
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Exactly! ...and don't forget to wear your brown pants.
I like a good horror game. Especially older survival horror titles, but I do enjoy newer ones too. Dead by daylight is an absolute blast to play with friends.
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I guess for the same reason they like horror movies. They like being stimulated, being in fear. I personally dont like that stuff, to me it seems pointless to absorb something negative. There are already enought negative feelings all over the place.
fear is not negative necessarily.Is an emotion and is okay to let your emotions do their thing. But if you don't like it is okay to not engage with it.
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To me, horror games often have the BEST atmosphere
I am not scared easily, at least not anymore after playing many of them... But when they are done RIGHT, you notice because of how it "feels". The Soulsborne games have (outside of boss battles) a very similar feeling despite not being horror games.
No music, no adrenaline, just you exploring in a cautious way, being careful on not being killed, waiting for the next scare or jumpscare to appear.
It's almost... relaxing, in a way.
Imagine yourself playing at night, just hearing the sound of your footsteps... It's the complete opposite to me, I'm not scared, I feel super chill lmao
When horrors are done wrong, I feel bored.
This happens mostly when the exploration isn't done right.
I am not scared easily, at least not anymore after playing many of them... But when they are done RIGHT, you notice because of how it "feels". The Soulsborne games have (outside of boss battles) a very similar feeling despite not being horror games.
No music, no adrenaline, just you exploring in a cautious way, being careful on not being killed, waiting for the next scare or jumpscare to appear.
It's almost... relaxing, in a way.
Imagine yourself playing at night, just hearing the sound of your footsteps... It's the complete opposite to me, I'm not scared, I feel super chill lmao
When horrors are done wrong, I feel bored.
This happens mostly when the exploration isn't done right.
There’s no straight answer I could find.
Some people genuinely cannot handle Jumpscares, others barely flinch. I’m of the former group.
If we look at like this, we can see the factor of Jumpscares being nonexistent, thus they’re able to look past it and as such, see the game ad just a normal game where you… do stuff.
I suppose one could make observations about atmosphere but I find that aspect far more subjective than it’s given credit. That’s no quantifiable measurement for it.
Just my two Pennies.
It is, perhaps, more divisive than most other genres by virtue of enjoyment of it being predicated in the player being able to handle being surprised, shocked and under the pressure of dread.
I don't actually like it, I just find it interesting. If the game is good I would most likely not finish it cause at some point I'd be too scared to continue.
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this i feel is a largely unexplored space with a lot of potential, multiplayer horror? I can't think of any good examples that i would find actually scary, there are some random odd indie games i've seen that come close, but i can't even remember their names... the key points IMO are, there should be almost no communication between players, and their goals in the game must not be perfectly aligned, to give it a more of a fend for yourself kind of feel
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I love going past my comfort zone , first time i played resident evil 7 biohazard i cried like a bitc@ and screamed so MANY times , and after i finally finished the game i felt soooooooo happy
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