Comments on: Editorial: Five Scary Games http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/ Presenting the Sundry Opinions of Lusipurr and Friends Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:32:25 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Master Chief http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-717 Master Chief Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:22:50 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-717 Well, the problem with any JRPG is that it's really hard to create the sort of jolts that are needed for a good scare. Koudelka came a lot closer in my opinion than any other RPG. The Persona games are macabre, sure, but not scary in the traditional Alfred Hitchcock sense. Bioshock also fails as a horror game because death poses no threat by default. Resident Evil 1-3 and Code: Veronica were scary because you never really knew A) what was around the corner, or B) if you were equipped to handle it. Likewise with Dead Space, the sound of monsters skittering about in the vents kept you jolted at all times. Truly a wonderful experience. Well, the problem with any JRPG is that it’s really hard to create the sort of jolts that are needed for a good scare. Koudelka came a lot closer in my opinion than any other RPG. The Persona games are macabre, sure, but not scary in the traditional Alfred Hitchcock sense. Bioshock also fails as a horror game because death poses no threat by default. Resident Evil 1-3 and Code: Veronica were scary because you never really knew A) what was around the corner, or B) if you were equipped to handle it. Likewise with Dead Space, the sound of monsters skittering about in the vents kept you jolted at all times. Truly a wonderful experience.

]]> By: SiliconNooB http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-707 SiliconNooB Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:43:23 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-707 IMO Fear was pretty insipid in the scares department, you could practically see all the Alma triggers before you stepped on them (and Fear 2 was even worse in this regard). Condemned criminal origins and Call of Cthulu are much better examples of horror in the first person genre. That said the majority of the best horror titles are third person. The trouble with scripting a first person horror title is that the designer never knows what direction the player will be facing so it's harder to impliment set-piece scares, unless of course they take control of the player and make them look in a specific direction which sort of gives away the forthcoming scare. Persona 4 is scary in one respect: The ammount of my life it will consume if I'm to finish it. IMO Fear was pretty insipid in the scares department, you could practically see all the Alma triggers before you stepped on them (and Fear 2 was even worse in this regard). Condemned criminal origins and Call of Cthulu are much better examples of horror in the first person genre. That said the majority of the best horror titles are third person. The trouble with scripting a first person horror title is that the designer never knows what direction the player will be facing so it’s harder to impliment set-piece scares, unless of course they take control of the player and make them look in a specific direction which sort of gives away the forthcoming scare.

Persona 4 is scary in one respect: The ammount of my life it will consume if I’m to finish it.

]]> By: Michael http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-706 Michael Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:46:08 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-706 [*rec} as a video game would be absolutely crazy to do, especially if it was all in that claustrophobic blurry nightvision style. Fatal Frame / PZ have that concept sort of but it's a largely underated way of creating a horror game. That's why FEAR and FF/PZ are on my list, FPS horror is the best way to deliver the genre, Dead Space and SH have a real clever way of doing that in 3rd person, but tit's not the best way to experience horror, no matter how good those two games are. As with Persona 4. I have not played it yet as you know with the situation with P3, but IF the subject is driven enough, say, to the scale of the subconscious digital world of The Matrix, which by all means isn't a horror film BUT it's concept is radical and frightening when it's explored in discussion/debate what have you, then maybe your decision to include P4 in the list may be a more intelligent one. Our notions of horror especially in the gaming industry - not so within the film industry as explained above - is to experience it at first hand like Dead Space and the like. Future games like Heavy Rain and the vapourware-ish title Alan Wake will most definately challenge that notion, they're the games to watch in the coming year or so in this genre. Even the early Silent Hill games, specifically the second one delves into the notion of commiting sins and exploring the character rather than throwing monsters at you (SH 4 / homecoming). Silent Hill 2 for me gave the biggest clue to the purpose of Silent Hill as a whole. it manifests your sins in the form of the town, it's people, real or not and the monsters it produced for you to face, like you have to face a problem head on sort of thing. [*rec} as a video game would be absolutely crazy to do, especially if it was all in that claustrophobic blurry nightvision style. Fatal Frame / PZ have that concept sort of but it's a largely underated way of creating a horror game.

That's why FEAR and FF/PZ are on my list, FPS horror is the best way to deliver the genre, Dead Space and SH have a real clever way of doing that in 3rd person, but tit's not the best way to experience horror, no matter how good those two games are.

As with Persona 4. I have not played it yet as you know with the situation with P3, but IF the subject is driven enough, say, to the scale of the subconscious digital world of The Matrix, which by all means isn't a horror film BUT it's concept is radical and frightening when it's explored in discussion/debate what have you, then maybe your decision to include P4 in the list may be a more intelligent one.

Our notions of horror especially in the gaming industry - not so within the film industry as explained above - is to experience it at first hand like Dead Space and the like. Future games like Heavy Rain and the vapourware-ish title Alan Wake will most definately challenge that notion, they're the games to watch in the coming year or so in this genre.

Even the early Silent Hill games, specifically the second one delves into the notion of commiting sins and exploring the character rather than throwing monsters at you (SH 4 / homecoming). Silent Hill 2 for me gave the biggest clue to the purpose of Silent Hill as a whole. it manifests your sins in the form of the town, it's people, real or not and the monsters it produced for you to face, like you have to face a problem head on sort of thing.

]]> By: Lee http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-705 Lee Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:26:07 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-705 Persona 4 is not scary in your eyes but this was a subjective list. Persona 4 is not scary in your eyes but this was a subjective list.

]]> By: SiliconNooB http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-704 SiliconNooB Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:03:22 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-704 I think I might have watched too many horror vids as a child, and inadvertantly immunised myself to jump scares. I can't really get scared unless everythings done really well like in some of the better Silent Hill games. Persona 4 is not a scary game by any metric though. I think I might have watched too many horror vids as a child, and inadvertantly immunised myself to jump scares. I can’t really get scared unless everythings done really well like in some of the better Silent Hill games.

Persona 4 is not a scary game by any metric though.

]]> By: Lee http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-703 Lee Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:56:19 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-703 Glad we agree on Fatal Frame. Resident Evil is a different kind of horror as you state. I find that type of horror to be quiet scary. It might be that I am a wimp or something. Glad we agree on Fatal Frame. Resident Evil is a different kind of horror as you state. I find that type of horror to be quiet scary. It might be that I am a wimp or something.

]]> By: SiliconNooB http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-702 SiliconNooB Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:01:37 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-702 I'm at the end of the first dungeon, IMO SMT3 was a far darker game. RE never scared me and I had few preconceptions when playing it as a 13 year old kid. The RE series has always been over reliant on monster closet shocks, which have never really been that scary to me. For a game to really scare me it has to have a really unsettleing and disturbing atmosphere, the RE series has always been more about B-grade cheese then genuinely disturbing atmosphere. I’m at the end of the first dungeon, IMO SMT3 was a far darker game.

RE never scared me and I had few preconceptions when playing it as a 13 year old kid. The RE series has always been over reliant on monster closet shocks, which have never really been that scary to me. For a game to really scare me it has to have a really unsettleing and disturbing atmosphere, the RE series has always been more about B-grade cheese then genuinely disturbing atmosphere.

]]> By: Lee http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-701 Lee Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:34:23 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-701 How much of Persona 4 have you played Silconnoob? It is very hard to say why I think it is at number two without spoiling things. Resident Evil was scary the first time played when you nothing about the game. Knowing about the dogs of course reduces the tension, but I bet most people would have jumped the first time they played it. Fatal Frame is a must play..... How much of Persona 4 have you played Silconnoob? It is very hard to say why I think it is at number two without spoiling things.

Resident Evil was scary the first time played when you nothing about the game. Knowing about the dogs of course reduces the tension, but I bet most people would have jumped the first time they played it.

Fatal Frame is a must play…..

]]> By: Oyashiro Sama http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-700 Oyashiro Sama Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:14:15 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-700 Fatal Frame will make you shit your pants, Play with the sound up and the lights off! Fatal Frame will make you shit your pants, Play with the sound up and the lights off!

]]> By: SiliconNooB http://lusipurr.com/2009/04/02/editorial-five-scary-games/#comment-699 SiliconNooB Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:59:38 +0000 http://lusipurr.com/?p=359#comment-699 Persona 4? Are you serious? It's like a technicolour Burton acid trip. Imo the RE series isn't scary either. My list would be 1. Silent Hill 2 2. Silent Hill 3. Silent Hill 3 4. Dead Space 5. Some parts of Bioshock (Keep in mind I haven't played System Shock, Fatal Frame or Forbidden Siren) Persona 4? Are you serious? It’s like a technicolour Burton acid trip. Imo the RE series isn’t scary either.

My list would be

1. Silent Hill 2
2. Silent Hill
3. Silent Hill 3
4. Dead Space
5. Some parts of Bioshock
(Keep in mind I haven’t played System Shock, Fatal Frame or Forbidden Siren)

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