08-26-2014, 03:15 PM
I downloaded the demo of Friday Nights at Freddys. I admit, it's pretty damn good and after reading about the lore/hidden story parts it does make the game that bit better. That being said, after playing it, I don't feel the need to go back. 2 or so demo playthrough is enough. Even for £3 it's not worth it.
Good game though.
Multiple factors to consider.
Firstly I like a game that respects the player.
It doesn't insult you by treating you like a baby. I get a lot of shit (like I care) about why I think Amnesia is a terrible game that is only popular due to YouTube trends, but it's true. Those types of games are haunted house attractions. Filled with tropes that follow the same lines of thinking. You need a game that respects the player and treats horror as a character. Not, as a distraction.
I cite games like Silent Hill. The director (Keiichiro Toyama) made a game that was about the characters in a horror setting. It wasn't about the enemies, but what they represent. This is evident in games like Silent Hill 2 which one of the most highly praised games within the industry. The characters (Pyramid Head, Crooked nurses) are creepy as shit, but their inclusion in the game revolves around the games narrative. They add tension, claustrophobia (Pyramid fight in that room) but in the end they have a reason for being there (James past). I'm not expecting the next jump scare in Silent Hill as opposed to Generic Indie Horror Game X which is about taking you out of the games world just to make you feel tense for a bit while scary stuff happens. (There's so much more like sound direction, graphics, gameplay mechanics, voice acting but I'd be writing an essay at that point).
All I can say is, play Silent Hill 2 and you'll know what makes a good horror game. If not Silent Hill 2, then Resident Evil 1. If not Resident Evil 1, then Condemned 1. If not Condemned 1, then Clock Tower on the SNES. If not Clock Tower, then I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. So many good titles.
TL:DR
Amnesia/Indie Games are just uninspired is a haunted house attractions made for cheap thrills:
Be vague leaving the player questioning
Be first person
Make the player run around do pointless shit
Add a mechanic that notifies the user about scary stuff that's about to happen
Add horror looking enemy/enemies
Be dark and hard to see
Don't care for good gameplay, polish, sound design or even making sense. Just make jump scares.
[congrats, you're an indie dev]
Good game though.
(08-25-2014, 03:08 PM)CLXcool Wrote: At least the game grumps are having fun with it on Steam train. setting that aside. A question for everyone. What defines/makes a good horror video game?
Multiple factors to consider.
Firstly I like a game that respects the player.
It doesn't insult you by treating you like a baby. I get a lot of shit (like I care) about why I think Amnesia is a terrible game that is only popular due to YouTube trends, but it's true. Those types of games are haunted house attractions. Filled with tropes that follow the same lines of thinking. You need a game that respects the player and treats horror as a character. Not, as a distraction.
I cite games like Silent Hill. The director (Keiichiro Toyama) made a game that was about the characters in a horror setting. It wasn't about the enemies, but what they represent. This is evident in games like Silent Hill 2 which one of the most highly praised games within the industry. The characters (Pyramid Head, Crooked nurses) are creepy as shit, but their inclusion in the game revolves around the games narrative. They add tension, claustrophobia (Pyramid fight in that room) but in the end they have a reason for being there (James past). I'm not expecting the next jump scare in Silent Hill as opposed to Generic Indie Horror Game X which is about taking you out of the games world just to make you feel tense for a bit while scary stuff happens. (There's so much more like sound direction, graphics, gameplay mechanics, voice acting but I'd be writing an essay at that point).
All I can say is, play Silent Hill 2 and you'll know what makes a good horror game. If not Silent Hill 2, then Resident Evil 1. If not Resident Evil 1, then Condemned 1. If not Condemned 1, then Clock Tower on the SNES. If not Clock Tower, then I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. So many good titles.
TL:DR
Amnesia/Indie Games are just uninspired is a haunted house attractions made for cheap thrills:
Be vague leaving the player questioning
Be first person
Make the player run around do pointless shit
Add a mechanic that notifies the user about scary stuff that's about to happen
Add horror looking enemy/enemies
Be dark and hard to see
Don't care for good gameplay, polish, sound design or even making sense. Just make jump scares.
[congrats, you're an indie dev]