Things you like and hate in Horror Games.

[Alex Ros]

I've been playing the Betrayer for some hours. And while playing I've been thinking about one parasitic thing in all (or most of) horror games. There's no transformation of usual into unusual. From the very beginning you're already brought into uncommon situation. You're entering an abandoned research base; waking up in a spooky castle; investigating empty streets of a foggy town; empty island; hospital; mansion... etc. Surely, while talking about nice games like Penumbra there's a horror build-up. Nevertheless I can't remember when as a player I was drawn into something common and usual and only at some point of the story development situation transformed into something frightening. I can't remember of such a transformation. Apocalypse is not only going to happen, it's already happened or happening.

I do not know how it might work with a horror story. I suppose the problem is that usual-common part of the game would be boring. If everything is usual, then what is the interest to be immersed into such a commonness? But I think the transformation of usual into unusual is something that might increase overall horror-ness in theory. Perhaps.