Survival Horror

[CitizenErazed]

This is going to be a little long and ranty:

When I was younger I used to love playing survival horror games, Silent Hill scared the crap out of me first time I played it (I was to young to be playing them TBH) so I mostly played Resident Evil games, I loved the first three, especially 2. I also enjoyed survivor (which was really just an arcade shooter) though not as much, I mostly enjoyed that because the lack of option to save meant the pressure was on to complete the entire game in one sitting. Then I got back into Silent Hill again a bit, but... Then it all seemed to go to pot, Resident Evil 4 came out and destroyed my love of the games. Admittedly I never actually bought the game, but I played my mates copy for a bit, watched the trailers, read a lot about it and it just didn't seemd like a survival horror game at all. The gameplay was far more action orientated with an over the shoulder camera, the enemies weren't so much zombies as just people. With the older games I loved solving the puzzles (one of the main features), I loved the atmosphere, being sucked in and having the crap scared out of me, not just when a zombie dog suddenly burst through a window but just the atmosphere itself creeping me out. In resident Evil 4 there was also a roaming shop selling weapons... WTF! what happened to having to search and scrounge to get a weapon in order to get rid of that one zombie in your way while nemesis or pyramid head stalked you, it became mowing down hundreds of people with assault rifels and missile launchers you just bought... It was an action game, not a survival horror. I've heard resident evil 5 did away with the zombie idea entirely so that actually was just an action game then?

The reason I'm having this mini rant is because for a while now I've been itching to play a good survival horror game again but I'm worried about touching the resident evil series from 4 and after for the reasons stated above. Did Silent Hill follow the same route or is it still a good Survival Horror series? Are their any other games out there that fit the bill of the sort of thing I'm looking for? (hence the mini rant, so you know what I'm looking for ) I know people mention 'Dead Space' a lot, which TBF I've never played, but, that looks a little more in the style of RE4 and after then the classics isn't it?

[Sly Reflex]

Try Penumbra. Wear headphones. Play at night. Play alone.

[CitizenErazed]

Done a quick google: 'Penumbra is a first person horror adventure focussing on story, immersion and puzzle solving. Violence and combat is hardly an option - the player has to use wits to guide Philip through his final test, and this makes the series unique in offering a truly dangerous and terrifying experience.' Sounds ideal! Just a pity it's a PC/ Mac game only, hopefully I'll be getting a new mac next month so I'll hold out and download it then. Thanks for the pointer

[HandsomeDead]

To start off, Resident Evil 4 is one of the greatest games ever made. It takes elements of classic survival horror and runs with them an puts them in a game that is only matched by Half-Life 2 in terms of pace. When you're frantically pushing ladders down from the second flaw while guys who want to rip your face up climb them and you hear the chainsaw of a guy who is gonna take your head off behind you that is survival horror in the truest, purest and most literal sense. And the guys who are blind with the big claws? dealing with those is the most tense thing in games. Slowly walking past them as you hear their heavy breathing and knowing they can also take your head off with one swipe if they hear you. The craft in that game is just amazing. Resident Evil 1 is just an ingredient where Resident Evil 4 is the meal.

Anyway.

I feel like I've talked about it a lot maybe, but Lone Survivor is definitely what you're looking for. And maybe Silent Hill:Shattered Memories though it's not really a traditional survival horror either but it's very different to the action game with monsters in it genre.

[dante76]

Call of cthulhu. You can't shoot for shit, and if you see too much you go insane...

[HandsomeDead]

Take no notice of DC.... I'm sure he's on Mikami's payroll....

On his knob roll mair like... or I want to be.

[CitizenErazed]

Well Like I say, I've never actually owned RE4, but 'puts them in a game that is only matched by Half-Life 2 in terms of pace' that kind of seems like it's reinforcing what I'm saying, is that the sort of pace you really want in a survival horror game? That's an action game pace. The section you describe with blind claw people does sound bang on the money, but does that excuse the rest of the game? I'm not saying it's a bad game at all, I'm just saying I think it's an action game, not a proper survival horror.

Lone survivor looks quite cool, I'm not sure how scary 2D pixelated graphics can be but I fancy giving it a bash. Silent Hill: shattered memories actually looks like what I'm after, Silent Hill looks like a good direction to go in, I might get the pack with 2 & 3 to get some back story.

A masterclass in the use of sound is definitely up my street, I've got a set of Turtle Beach Headphones so I'm going to have to give Dead Space a go now Lol

Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the earth is intriguing me, even though it looks like a FPS

[radiofloyd]

I played Dead Space a couple of months ago, really good game. The scares are fairly predictable but but still the game has a good atmosphere. I've played the start of Lone Survivor, it's pretty creepy alright.

I'd highly recommend Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Also, a not so well known PC game called Pathologic (there's a good write-up on it on RockPaperShotgun).

Of course, on the slim chance you haven't played Bioshock, some parts of that are quite creepy as well...although not surival horror.

[HandsomeDead]

I never played Call of Cthulhu but I read the story recently and I have no idea how they would interpret it into a game. I see it's on sale on Steam so i'll probably take a punt on it.

[Hendo]

As much as I love the series, I'm not sure Dead Space is right for what he's looking for - it very much follows on from Resi 4.

[Hendo]

If you haven't played it, Eternal Darkness on the GameCube should be perfect.

[Guest Lang]

For me a survival horror game needs to have a sense of suspense that just wasn't there with Resi 4. It was a great game - one of my all time favourites - but it's an action game.

I'll second Eternal Darkness, and Amnesia is a terrifying game. I'd never been reduced to a shivering wreck by a game before until playing this alone at night. It understands that the unseen is scarier.

[HandsomeDead]

I think Dead Space is no more scary than Resident Evil 4. In Dead Space the scares come from jumps after building an atmosphere where RE4 the fear comes from having to deal with and interact with the horror, you know, T-Rex peering though the jeep window stuff or getting up and close with the horde.

Along the way I think gamers have really limited the potential of horror. It's not just what old games did. A game like Dead Space is like Event Horizon/Aliens where RE4 is more The Evil Dead/Army of Darkness. They're both completely valid style of horror that are very different and explore within the genres potential.

[CitizenErazed]

I love Bioshock it's a fantastic series, it's not survival horror though.

I feel like some people think that horror is being pinned down by a horde of enemies all around you, having little ammo or time to react etc... But you get in that situation whilst playing Halo, and Call Of Duty, even Fable, not exactly survival horror games, that point in the game is just standard game tension. Perhaps that's some peoples idea of survival horror, in which case fair play to them, It's just not mine. As I've said, I haven't played the latter Resi games but what Nag said about the characters being a bit super hero does seem a bit silly TBH, I prefer the character to be just me or you, the average joe who has woken up in a town or somewhere to find everyone has either evacuated or turned into zombies or whatever and just has to do his best to stay alive and work out what's going on, or something similar. As Mr Lakitu said, it seemed to go quite Hollywood in style, all action and explosions with the 'horror' coming from things jumping out and going BOO! Much like the Holywoods horror films, which is why I prefer asian horror films, Holywood just isn't scary to me. Different strokes for different folks :-)

DC is right, Horror isn't JUST what the old games did, and different things are scary to different people. However, there's a difference between an original take on the genre and making an action game with little horror, human enemies and super heroes, when it gets to that level it moves into a different genre entirely, much like 'Blade' Is a great action movie, but it's not my idea of horror.

So here's what I've decided to do, I've bought Silent Hill HD collection (2&3) for the xbox and I've bought a new macbook, when it arrives I shall be getting Penumbra, Lone Survivor and Amnesia: The Dark Descent. I'll see if I can get any sleep after that.

[Sly Reflex]

This is a bit of a curveball, but have you tried Deadly Premonition? It's very... Well. Um. It's fucking weird. It's not survival horror per se, but it is something that. Well. It's hard recommending the game without spoiling it. The game in it is actually really shit, but the atmosphere, characters and direction of it are excellent. It's specifically B-movie but in a game. You can pick it up for really cheap, I guarantee you've never played anything like it. Unless you happen to have played it.

[Hendo]

Deadly Premonition is a good shout but like Dead Space, I think it's closer to Resi 4 than he would like.

Those ones you picked will be good.

[HandsomeDead]

I feel like some people think that horror is being pinned down by a horde of enemies all around you, having little ammo or time to react etc... But you get in that situation whilst playing Halo, and Call Of Duty, even Fable, not exactly survival horror games, that point in the game is just standard game tension. Perhaps that's some peoples idea of survival horror, in which case fair play to them, It's just not mine. As I've said, I haven't played the latter Resi games but what Nag said about the characters being a bit super hero does seem a bit silly TBH, I prefer the character to be just me or you, the average joe who has woken up in a town or somewhere to find everyone has either evacuated or turned into zombies or whatever and just has to do his best to stay alive and work out what's going on, or something similar. As Mr Lakitu said, it seemed to go quite Hollywood in style, all action and explosions with the 'horror' coming from things jumping out and going BOO! Much like the Holywoods horror films, which is why I prefer asian horror films, Holywood just isn't scary to me. Different strokes for different folks :-)

But it's not all action. When I compared it to Half-Life 2 I did so because it has pace. Yes, bits are actiony... very actiony at times, but there are also bits where you're making see-saws and stuff or driving around just finding things. RE4 has the quiet moments too. Writing off RE4 as just an action game is such a disservice to what it accomplishes.... It is an action game, arguably one of the best, but there is so much more to it. Every game designer should be made to study it... made to get a PhD in it or something.

It's a damn labour of love that game. Mikami took his original vision and tore the shit out of it and made it better, like a darn artist or something.

All it is with Are Ee Four when I see someone turn their nose up at it and say 'it's not survival horror so I'm not playing this' it blows my mind and I want to clip them around the ear. It's like when you make a kid a nice chicken fricassee and you've got the rice perfect with some light seasoning and he just moans that he wanted cheesy beans and waffles.

never bring up RE4 here when I'm around 'cos this is what happens.