Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Horror Game Research, Entry One.

Horror Game Research, Entry One.
GAME 1: Anatomy

Game Name: Anatomy
Developer/s: Kitty Horrorshow
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2016
Setting: Regular Home

Research:

  • How the regular home can be compared to aspects of the the human body (hence the name, Anatomy).
  • At 2:32, Markiplier says; "There is something strangely unsettling about all of this, but I can't put my finger upon it. So it's like a subtle expectation that something should've happened by now."
  • Pictures of body parts/organs through medical scans as internal decoration.
  • At one point in the video, Markiplier felt uneasy exploring the darkened upstairs as he felt he wasn't supposed to as the game had not directed him there yet. At 7:12, he says; "Hello? I guess I haven't gone upstairs yet. I don't like it. I don't like it. Ugh I don't like it. I don't like being up here. Okay, maybe there's no reason to be up here. Why would I be up here? I'm not allowed up here?" And at 8:29 he says; "See! the weird thing is like I feel better going upstairs now that I know that there's something up here to get, which is weird right? That's got to be weird. It was like I wasn't allowed to come up here before."
  • Lack of stimulus and foreboding atmosphere causing dread and fear, creating a sense of horror - Markiplier says at 9:21; "This is weirdly creepy for nothing going on! There's absolutely nothing happening! Then why am I afraid in any way, shape or form? There's nothing happening. Absolutely nothing. There's nothing happening."
  • The above is evidence of the Environment and the absence of Events creating horror through anticipatory dread.
  • Absence of stimuli, darkness, a mundane task and a familiar architectural layout was all that was necessary to create unease.
  • At 10:13 in the video, the Tape says that the basement is "the place we spend our childhood filling with monsters."
  • Going through some places again, but now some things are different to how they were before; familiarity with the Environment prior to its change creates horror when it does change... and changes again.
  • Anatomy Monologue Transcripts:
  • At 32:56 in the video, the Voice says this; "...because the truth is this. When a house is both hungry and awake, every room becomes a mouth."
  • Markiplier says the following in the video at 38:35; "This though, was incredible. I have no idea how they managed to make that so creepy. You have to play this for yourself. Like, this is nuts! I, I can't be crazy, right? Let me know what you guys think of this down in the comments below. Like, there was just this perpetual sense of dread that just built and built. How did they get away with that?"
  • At 39.05, Markiplier describes the game as follows; "That was, just like I said, a completely different experience from almost any other horror game that I've played. I've played horror games with great stories that were scary. I've never had a horror game with just an absolutely horrifying story. Where the entire experience was about this horrifying tale and you scared yourself the whole way, 'cos to be perfectly honest, that's what makes horror great is dread. Fearing what's around the next corner and I did that. So, kudos to Anatomy, kudos to the developer of Anatomy. Amazing! Loved it!"
Additional Research:

Game Name: Maple County
Developer/s: Thorne Baker
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2021
Setting: Regular Home

  • Using the hallway to frame the Antagonist.
(Research deemed too limited for use.)


Game Name: Discover The Ocean
Developer/s: Warkus
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2021
Setting: The Ocean

  • Using a drone camera as a means for the Player to see.
(Research deemed too limited and somewhat irrelevant for my goals.)


Game Name: Corpse Ocean
Developer/s: Akuma Kira
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2020
Setting: The Ocean

  • Game starts bright and open; gradually becomes darker and more claustrophobic.
  • Minimalist style.
  • Me: "I feel nothing." - The game was made in 10 days for the DreadXP Dredge The Depths Game Jam, and though impressive and interesting, did not evoke fear.
  • Use of strange geometries at the end of the game, playing to the Lovecraftian flavour of the Jam.
(Research deemed to limited and somewhat irrelevant for my goals, despite my love of Lovecraftian
 horror.)


Game Name: Verso
Developer/s: LuTDC
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2020
Setting: A House and its warped state in a reflection
Research Source:

  • Mirrored realities.
  • Simple but effective.
  • Doors and keys; a simple premise of escape with a simple mechanic to enable it (hopping through mirrors at the right time to sneak past a patrolling Antagonist to gather the keys needed to open aforementioned doors).


Game Name: Do Not Take Your Eyes Away From The Red Fridge
Developer/s: Co5monaut
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2020
Setting: A Basement

  • Low poly. Basement.
  • Fridge steadily gets closer; anticipation and dread.
  • Simple but effective Environmental Story-Telling.
Game Name: The Fridge Is Red
Developer/s: Co5monaut, 5word team
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2020
Setting: A Basement

  • Simple but effective mechanics like the previous game.
  • The Fridge moves when you aren't looking directly at it whilst making ominous sounds/saying threating things.
  • The Player's eyes close if the mouse cursor remains still for too long to simulate being over-tired.

Game Name: Group - 864 Training Program
Developer/s: Joe Capo
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: Unknown
(Insufficient Data For A Meaningful Answer.)


Game Name: Home Invasion
Developer/s: Darkos
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: Unknown
(Insufficient Data For A Meaningful Answer.)


Game Name: Home Invasion
Developer/s: Alpine Arts
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2020
(Insufficient Data For A Meaningful Answer.)


Game Name: Iron Lung
Developer/s: David Syzmanski
Released On: Itch.io
Release Date: 2022
Setting: A Submarine, the 'Iron Lung'
  • Cramped confines of a submersible/prison cell.
  • There are no real changes to the Player's Environment besides a light showing the current oxygen level, increasing water leaks, water pooling across the floor, the rare fire and an extremely noticeable "change" at the end of the game.
  • Lack of view to the submarine's outside Environment with exception to the photos the Player takes that appear on a screen in the cockpit after a short delay.
  • Creepy sound effects, limited awareness and the vagueness of the sub's surroundings as well as what may potentially be lurking outside creates tension and dread.


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