For me it was Dead Space 2 when I was 12-ish. For reference, at this point the most gruesome/gorey/violent media I was exposed to was the Halo 3 Flood levels and the original 2 Alien movies.
I had way too much fun playing it to be traumatized by it at the time, although when i was old enough to understand the horror of the whole “your memories and experience becoming food for a god-like being that has absolutely zero respect for your existance”, that did inform my perspective of other media such as Evangelion or Childhood’s end when I watched them for the 1st time.
What was your equivalent to this? I’ve heard the Resident Evil games are quite common for this but I want to hear your perspective.
Shivers - that game absolutely nailed the atmosphere, and for the players that don’t know the ixupi hotspots and the game’s tricks, it’s genuinely terrifying. I’d say give it a look, on GoG you could do worse for six bucks.
I never played horror games when I was a kid, but Dead Space and Amnesia: The Dark Descent were the two games that really solidified what I wanted out of a horror game. Having the ability to defend yourself instead of running is still something that makes or breaks a horror game for me.
I remember when I first rented FEAR at blockbuster, that section of the hallway at the start is so memorable.
I don’t remember specifics but it’s when you’re going through the building and keep seeing the little girl, then you get to a cluttered hallway and I think it was set ablaze and you were thrown back by her
I remember having just the demo installed for the longest time and just playing that brief section of the game over and over. It was just so damn cinematic and awesome.
Fallout 3 isn’t a horror game but man that atmosphere is crazy. I remember one of the very first missions has you go to galaxy news radio from the first settlement, megaton to talk to the DJ. It’s a really long journey through subway tunnels and ruined DC streets. The wasteland is pretty horrific and lots of enemies are disgusting and almost disturbing to look at.
As much as Bethesda gets shit for that game, they did an amazing job converting the atmosphere from the first two games into a 3D world.
I loved Resident Evil but it was the third one that really got me, with the havoc in the streets and the scare where you realize Nemesis can literally chase you from room-to-room and/or show up literally anywhere at any time.
Yep. It had a script over 550 pages long; about the same length as an average hollywood film and also had a huge 25 actor cast, many of which were classically trained actors.
And here I am only remembering the basement and the scary sounds that made me stop playing for a week.
One of two. Ghosts and Ghouls on snes, I was like 4 but wasn’t scared. And the other one is not a horror game but for 6 year old me it was scary as shit, Halo CE. The Library level and the one before, 343 Guilty Spark, were hell for me. Beating those levels was a goddamn relief.
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Shivers - that game absolutely nailed the atmosphere, and for the players that don’t know the ixupi hotspots and the game’s tricks, it’s genuinely terrifying. I’d say give it a look, on GoG you could do worse for six bucks.
I never played horror games when I was a kid, but Dead Space and Amnesia: The Dark Descent were the two games that really solidified what I wanted out of a horror game. Having the ability to defend yourself instead of running is still something that makes or breaks a horror game for me.
Dead Space still scares the hell out of me.
The body horror has always been one of the best things about Dead Space, the creatures are just horrifying
Eyes
F.E.A.R.
I remember when I first rented FEAR at blockbuster, that section of the hallway at the start is so memorable.
I don’t remember specifics but it’s when you’re going through the building and keep seeing the little girl, then you get to a cluttered hallway and I think it was set ablaze and you were thrown back by her
I remember having just the demo installed for the longest time and just playing that brief section of the game over and over. It was just so damn cinematic and awesome.
FEAR was so darn good.
A seminal classic!
The first NES Castlevania. Still a classic.
I actually have a 3E diorama of from the opening level hanging in my condo. I replay it once or twice a year. Still holds up.
Eternal Darkness for the Gamecube. Got me more into Lovecraftian horror and horror in general.
Not sure it counts, but I played a loooot of Killing Floor in my early teens.
Silent Hill 2 on ps2
Fallout 3 isn’t a horror game but man that atmosphere is crazy. I remember one of the very first missions has you go to galaxy news radio from the first settlement, megaton to talk to the DJ. It’s a really long journey through subway tunnels and ruined DC streets. The wasteland is pretty horrific and lots of enemies are disgusting and almost disturbing to look at.
As much as Bethesda gets shit for that game, they did an amazing job converting the atmosphere from the first two games into a 3D world.
I loved Resident Evil but it was the third one that really got me, with the havoc in the streets and the scare where you realize Nemesis can literally chase you from room-to-room and/or show up literally anywhere at any time.
Phantasmagoria.
No, not the more recent VR Game, Phasmaphobia. Phantasmagoria was a DOS PnC adventure game that absolutely scared the shit out of me when I was 9.
Goddamn did that game push some limits. I guarantee something like that remade today would get an AO rating.
I remember that game. It came on like 7 CDs and was pretty much entirely FMV if I remember correctly.
Yep. It had a script over 550 pages long; about the same length as an average hollywood film and also had a huge 25 actor cast, many of which were classically trained actors.
And here I am only remembering the basement and the scary sounds that made me stop playing for a week.
F.E.A.R. and Penumbra
One of two. Ghosts and Ghouls on snes, I was like 4 but wasn’t scared. And the other one is not a horror game but for 6 year old me it was scary as shit, Halo CE. The Library level and the one before, 343 Guilty Spark, were hell for me. Beating those levels was a goddamn relief.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
The old Japanese village scene with the super dark graveyard area. Somehow the image still stuck hard in my head.
Hugo’s House of Horrors.
The dog and the butler (chef?) terrified me.
One of them would shank you, wouldn’t they? The butler? I’m struggling to remember the exact specifics, I just remember someone would kill you.
Yeah, if you walked in to the dining room the butler would cut your head off. If you walked out to the backyard the dog would tear you up.