Tag: horror game design
Research Log
Beneath the surface: Thinking about crafting suspense in horror games
Watching horror movies or playing horror games makes it easy to forget that horror is one of the most intricate genres. Crafting suspense in horror game design relies on a multitude of subtle, atmosphere-driven techniques to captivate and terrify audiences. Unlike more overtly action-based horror, environmental horror leverages setting and sensory cues to evoke fear…
Research Log
Creating a Simple Horror Scene in Unreal Engine: A Step-by-Step Guide
When designing a horror game, the atmosphere is everything. A single room, a flickering light, and a strategically placed shadow can evoke fear and anticipation. In this blog post, I’ll create a basic horror scene in Unreal Engine. I have focused on lighting and interaction. This is a simple setup: a hotel room where a…
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…
Research Log
Common Horror Game Mistakes: What to Avoid When Starting Out
Although our discussions in this blog have focused mainly on theory, creating a great horror game is more than that, it’s an art form that requires careful balance between atmosphere, game mechanics, and creative narrative. For game designers, there are many potential traps that can undermine a game’s potential to be truly terrifying. There are…