Tag: Fear in games
Research Log
Drawn Into Dread: Technical Drawing Techniques That Sharpen Horror Game Level Design
Monsters are great right. I mean, I love a good monster as much as the next guy but even the most terrifying monster can’t match the subtle dread of a hallway drawn slightly too long, or a room that feels just *off*. Over and over again in this blog, I come back to the question,…
Research Log
Transforming Everyday Objects into Horror
In horror game design, the familiar can become the unexpected, as everyday when items are subtly twisted or used out of context to provoke unease. This unsettling effect is grounded, again, in the psychological concept of the uncanny, where the familiar become hauntingly strange (Virno & Ricciardi, 2005; Freud, 1919). By altering an object’s placement,…
Research Log
Top 5 Horror Game Mechanics Every Designer Should Know
In the world of horror games, mechanics are the building blocks that create tension, fear, and a sense of unease for players. The best horror games, and I’m talking about the likes of classics like Silent Hill or modern masterpieces such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the use of various tools that keep players on…