"Survival Horror And Games That Label Themselves As Such"

I Thought It Might Be Interesting To Know Your Feelings On The State Of Survival Horror Games,And The Genre As A Whole, Games Like Resident Evil 5 And Dead Space Just To Name A Few Are Labeled As Such,But Lack The True Scare Most People,and Even More So Dedicated Survival Horror Fans Crave, Just From My Opinion Bioshock Had Such A Deep Enthralling Setting Drenched With An Eerie Feeling That Could Cut The Tension In A room With A Knife,
While Other Games Toting The Label Of Survival Horror Lacked All Fright.

Survival horror to me - i.e. Dead Space, Res Evil series and Silent Hill series - are basically action/adventure games where there are action elements and adventure game elements (puzzles to solve).

Puzzles Are A Must ,But I'm More Or Less Talking About The "Horror Aspect"
Of The Genre As A Whole,Games Like Silent Hill and early Resident Evil Titles Have The Unique Facet Of Being Action Adventure Games,But Have A Main Underlying Setting Of Pure Dread.

Some of the best ones that I played are of course the System Shock series. I would also rank the following as quality Survival Horror titles... Cold Fear, The Thing, The Undying, FEAR Series, Resident Evil 4 (only good one), Dead Space, BioShock, The Suffering, Cryostasis, Prenumbra, Dark Corners of the Earth are just a few that I have played and loved.

Bioshock never felt like horror to me. It was eerie and tense, sure, but I never jumped out of my seat or sat frozen in fear. Fatal Frame 2 got me like that; friggin weird shambling dead girls creep me out. I jumped a couple times while playing Dead Space too.

FEAR creeped me out. And when I was playing the FEAR 2 demo, i heard something behind me so I turned around. It was a pipe that had sprung a leak. So I'm like okay, that wasn't scary. I turned back around and BAM! Creepy naked girl standing right infront of me! As you can see it doesn't take much to freak me out.

I personally feel like System Shock 2 is the most Survival Horror game that I have ever played... despite the fact that it actually invokes horror in my mind... The RE series just doesn't fit in with that whole thing.

Doom 3 scared me a bit, but only because the guns seem next to useless against the enemies. The demo to FEAR was scary, but the game was a let down. The only time I jumped was when a little kid from down the street knocked on the door while I was playing a tense part.

Bioshock wasn't scary, except for this one time that I found a secret area after playing the game a couple of times, and the whole room turned steamy, and when I turned around a guy was there. I freaking clicked the mouse so freaking fast. I was scared. haha!

Shooters with horror elements aren't Survival Horror.

There should be very limited resources and constant character vulnerability with maybe some risk/reward. Most games don't do this because it's more "fun" having the user feel strong and games are generally less difficult to be more accessible.

System Shock 2 is a good example of Survival Horror mixed with some FPS and RPG elements. You have very limited ammo and items(resources), infinite enemies(respawn), and your weapons seem to break every 5 seconds. Constant vulnerability and extreme tension to lament of less core gamers everywhere. System Shock 2 wasn't a walk in the park. It was a nightmare hellscape in the form of a spaceship filled to brim with hunter-killer hybrids light years away from any hope of rescue. You never feel safe ever.

Games that classify themselves as horror games have always felt pretentious to me - it's like someone saying "Hey look, I'm funny!"

IMO, horror in and of itself isn't a genre, it's a modifier of a genre. It's not like a first person shooter, where it's as easy as is setting the camera at a certain position. Horror is such a personal and individual emotional feeling, it's hard to make something that will scare everyone. Monster closets might scare some, bloody imagery others, and an oppressing atmosphere yet even another group. It's impossible to make a game and just say "Yup, this is scary for 100% of the people that play it".

To this day, the game that has scared me the most isn't Silent Hill, or Resident Evil, but Ecco the Dolphin for the Sega Genesis. That feeling of loneliness and isolationism, combined with ambient music, and the truly fucked up shit that happens at the end of the game - it hasn't been matched for me. But would I call Ecco a horror game? Absolutely not.

Moving this into General Discussion.

FEAR was a game that truly scared the crap out of me. Playing that with the lights off late at night really got the blood pumping. I just think the whole idea that this girl could pop up anywhere at anytime was what really got me. I was paranoid the whole time.

It was mentioned in the last podcast and it really rings true with me: you fear most what you don't see. Your brain goes crazy coming up with all sorts of insane ideas of what just made that noise or what is going to be in the next room. I'd have to say my favourite horror-type game is Silent Hill 2. It really eff'd with your mind and your nerves. You were always on edge and it never let up.

Another fine example of this is System Shock 2. Same concept: continuous anxiety to the point of exhaustion. There were many times I had to take a break because it was so intense.

Then again, I might be alone on this. I tend to let my imagination run rampant when playing video games.

EDIT: As for the state of survival horror games, there appears to be a decline. It seems less about surviving and more about blowing away something. I think the last good survival horror game is Dead Space. Captured that "wow, I'm totally screwed" atmosphere very well.

I think the only time I was really scared in Bioshock was when I first got my surround sound system (a good one mind you, not the Wal-Mart special I replaced) and before I could see him or hear him, I could feel the ground tremble from the Big Daddy in the distance thanks to my sub.

As for survival horror--I think Resident Evil has become a viable franchise again, but I wouldn't call it scary really anymore--the last battle in RE:5 was very traditional video game boss fare. Not the tense stuff that I'd expect from a horror film or game. Doesn't mean it wasn't amazing--it just didn't scare me.

I'm hoping Alan Wake is the horror revival everyone says--I guess I'll find out soon.

I'm usually not into this genre of movies or games but Bioshock did get me when I played the demo for the first time and you first meet a splicer. I didn't know what was coming so it was pretty scary. I've barely played any of the RE games and none of the Silent Hill games. I tried the Dead Space demo and didn't like how the monsters were so hard to kill (maybe I was just horrible at the game) but maybe that was so it was actually scary.

The game has to draw you in first, the suspense has to build. Then when you least expect it... WHAM! IT hits you, to me that is what the genre is about.

I think survival horror is hard to pull off because of *exactly* what roguefrog said. Most people don't like playing games where they feel underpowered, outgunned, scared, alone, and surrounded. That's what the "survival" part of "survival horror" is all about. Think of it like being a shot-down fighter pilot behind enemy lines. You maybe have a pistol, a couple magazines of ammo, you're probably hurt and bleeding, and the enemy is looking for you. Escaping with limited to no resources is "survival." The "horror" part can come from any number of ways: aliens, monsters, supernatural, whatever. I think the "horror" part is probably easier to pull off than the "survival" part. Survival involves balance, making the player feel like he is always about to lose, but in reality, is equipped enough for intended gameplay. Survival in itself should add enough tension to make almost everything else scary.

A couple games have really nailed the "survival" feel. Condemned is great because you are forced to get up close and confrontational with melee weapons in first person view. This puts your health in serious risk. If you're fortunate to find a gun of some kind, it has 3-4 rounds in it before its useless. The first parts of Dead Space are the same way - the player isn't experienced enough yet to kill necromorphs quickly and use almost all the ammo they find. And System Shock 2 had that down pat too with respawning enemies. It deprived the player from thinking "Okay, I already cleared this area, let me just run through here." And with infinite baddies but limited ammo, fight or flight was a reoccurring dilemma that often involved flight as often as fight.

I love survival horror games even after working on a bunch for five years. Sadly most have been moving to more action with horror elements.

I was always confused that games empower the player so much in games that are suppose to be keeping them on edge. Of course I guess it depends on what you find scary. I am always more at edge when watching a thriller then a gory horror movie.

I'd like to see a game attempt to put more attention on the survival, then cheap scares.

You might want to check out Pathologic and The Void then. Both games are pretty much about keeping yourself from starving to death.

I've always liked survival horror games like the old RE games because of the scarcity of ammo and limited inventory. It forces you to make really tough decisions and, most importantly, makes you really appreciate your weapons and ammo like no other genre (especially shooters). This makes each shot a very important one, thus making it feel more realistic and significant, unlike shooters in which ammo is only relevant to heavy weapons and such (for which the developers what to limit your use, obviously). I simply love the feeling of walking around a creepy environment, not knowing what to expect, with very low ammo and no idea when I'll find more.

I'm in the middle of Dead Space at the moment, and although I am loving the hell out of it, I'm not sure how I feel about the inclusion of the store. It feels like way too much of a help in a game about limited resources and whatnot. For instance, if I'm having trouble at one point, I'll always have the thought in my head: "Well, I could always take a resistance-less trip back to the store and buy some extra ammo or health kits or stasis," etc. I don't like that you can always fall back on that thought, when I should be feeling helpless. It'll make actually getting through the problem that much more rewarding. I'll have to play it again on the hardest difficulty to (hopefully) get the true survival horror experience.

Agreed on Dead Space and the store. I prefer being surprised by the discovery of new tools than see them off in the distant future of my economy. TBH, nothing is more boring than money. If anything is out of context in terms of pure survival, it's money.

IG.Collin said:
I love survival horror games even after working on a bunch for five years. Sadly most have been moving to more action with horror elements.
I was always confused that games empower the player so much in games that are suppose to be keeping them on edge. Of course I guess it depends on what you find scary. I am always more at edge when watching a thriller then a gory horror movie.
I'd like to see a game attempt to put more attention on the survival, then cheap scares.

You pretty much nailed the point that I was going to make about the genre, Collin.

I'm far more the fan of a game that can thrill me, you know? I'm talking about a game that basically keeps my expectations on edge, something that is sensitively designed in such a way that predicts what I might come to expect -- ie, walking down a dark hallway with windows to the right and expecting zombie rotweilers to pounce through at me, to use a Resident Evil example -- a game that looks at that basic expectation and manipulates it to add to the overall experience. Sometimes, the dogs will fly out at me and I'll jump; other times, there won't be any dogs. I'll pass the set of windows and will experience the disquieting feeling of being wrong in a situation where it would benefit me to be right more often than not. That's just priceless.

Specific to Resident Evil and Silent Hill (although, my commentary applies more to RE, as I'm not as familiar with the later installments of SH) - okay, I'll go with Resident Evil exclusively, actually. There's this growing trend with the franchise to lean more on the history of the game. They've come a long way from the initial installment, but have since gradually folded in more and more of their familiar cast into later games, which lends itself away from the unease of survival horror.

The problem that this presents, in my opinion, is that you end up with this level of comfort from playing characters you are already familiar with in situations you basically know by now. There's a great advantage to introducing a completely new character to a regular player, because that ends up playing off of the effect that Andrew Weaver discussed in the latest podcast (see: commentary on empathy and mimicry in intense situations). You're immediately able to establish in your mind the character (and yourself) as a rookie. Intense!

That's all I got, for now...

-Andrew Marathas

"Survival Horror" games and I have always had an uneasy relationship. I'm a huge fan of genuine tension and the feeling of impending doom in story telling but I don't believe that cheap, jumpy frights count as horror. As such, I haven't given much more than a demo's time to most of the current survival horror games.

However, there is a new title on the horizon that I am very interested in. It's called "I Am Alive" and it takes place in contemporary post-cataclysmic-earthquake Chicago. Imagine being a joe schmo living in Chicago when, out of nowhere, a 10.5 earthquake hits the city. Government and infrastructure are completely wiped out and every man is one his own to survive the aftermath. Now, the most valuable items aren't rocket launchers and green herbs, but rather clean bottled water and energy bars.
On top of that, you've got a whole city of survivors that are just as desperate to survive as your are. Sure, you might find the odd pistol off of a dead cop but your most powerful weapons will be your wit, ability to avoid conflict and whatever items you might have worth bartering with.

On paper, it might seem pretty mundane. There aren't any zombies or aliens or psychotic prison inmates hunting you down. But just think for a second what being in a situation like that would actually be like. Being all alone in a ruined city, surrounded by desperate, starving survivors with no compassion for your own well being sounds pretty horrifying to me.

But that's just me.

Also, game websites for reference: http://www.iamalivegame.com/

I'm really excited and proud that F.E.A.R. and Condemned are being listed on on here. I worked on them both

dutch said:
"Survival Horror" games and I have always had an uneasy relationship. I'm a huge fan of genuine tension and the feeling of impending doom in story telling but I don't believe that cheap, jumpy frights count as horror. As such, I haven't given much more than a demo's time to most of the current survival horror games.
However, there is a new title on the horizon that I am very interested in. It's called "I Am Alive" and it takes place in contemporary post-cataclysmic-earthquake Chicago. Imagine being a joe schmo living in Chicago when, out of nowhere, a 10.5 earthquake hits the city. Government and infrastructure are completely wiped out and every man is one his own to survive the aftermath. Now, the most valuable items aren't rocket launchers and green herbs, but rather clean bottled water and energy bars.
On top of that, you've got a whole city of survivors that are just as desperate to survive as your are. Sure, you might find the odd pistol off of a dead cop but your most powerful weapons will be your wit, ability to avoid conflict and whatever items you might have worth bartering with.
On paper, it might seem pretty mundane. There aren't any zombies or aliens or psychotic prison inmates hunting you down. But just think for a second what being in a situation like that would actually be like. Being all alone in a ruined city, surrounded by desperate, starving survivors with no compassion for your own well being sounds pretty horrifying to me.
But that's just me.
Also, game websites for reference: http://www.iamalivegame.com/

I'm usually not interested in "survival horror" games but I Am Alive really piqued my interest. I don't like the cheap scares that most games employ to put you on edge, give me limited resources and since I'm a resource horder in every game I'll be freaking out when I have to manage them carefully. I really hope they do the game right.

aliborio said:

I'm usually not interested in "survival horror" games but I Am Alive really piqued my interest. I don't like the cheap scares that most games employ to put you on edge, give me limited resources and since I'm a resource horder in every game I'll be freaking out when I have to manage them carefully. I really hope they do the game right.

Couldn't agree with you more, on all points.

With Ubisoft at the helm, I'm inclined to think it'll turn out pretty well.

I haven't seen this game mentioned yet -- Eternal Darkness, great game for the game cube. That game would have you on the edge of your seat playing it!!!

Resident evil aint survival horror any more.... Dead space is.I´n my opinion.

IG.Collin said:
I'm really excited and proud that F.E.A.R. and Condemned are being listed on on here. I worked on them both

I have played both of them, the scariest agmes i ahve struggled trough... 1 playtrough that means . condemned was more survival horror than FEAR since i always high on ammo and such, never felth alone and valunrable. But that dosent mean i wasnt scared...

Woo! F.E.A.R.! I just finished playing that game a second time through. It's still a fantastic game, and there are still parts that give me the creeps. I've played the second installment as well. It still had its scary moments, but it seemed to focus more on gunplay than frights. The first was amazing though.

I've played parts of the first Condemned at a friends house, and from what little I played, I enjoyed it a lot.

I've played a lot of other horror games and I really don't know if Bioshock fits in there..
I mean, it's eerie, gory, amazing, but it didn't scare me as much as, for example, Silent Hill. I think the intentions are different. Bioshock tries to portray a story, whereas Silent Hill tries to scare the shit out of everyone almost pointlessly. Personally I prefer Bioshock...