Summary
Whilehorror gameshave become immensely popular over the last few decades, there are so many of them on the market these days that it can be hard for new entries in the genre to stand out. However, the best way to get players interested right from the get-go is by providing a unique and interesting gameplay hook that can shake up the traditional formula enough to provide a fresh and new experience.
Of course, this can’t be anything so ambitious that it would end up breaking the game or ruining the dark and creepy atmosphere that players would still want to remain intact. Thankfully, though, there have been several horror developers who have managed to insert some pretty fun gameplay hooks in the first few moments of a playthrough, letting players know early on that this is a game that is willing to experiment rather than sticking to what came before it.
In most horror games, players will either have asmall arsenal of weaponsto protect themselves with or nothing at all, depending on how defenseless the developer wants them to feel throughout a playthrough.Fatal Frame, however, does things a little bit differently, as while it doesn’t give the player a firearm, it instead allows them to use a mysterious item known as the Camera Obscura. The way it works is by taking a peek through the camera lens, players will be able to spot any ghosts and spirits that are roaming around them.
Being able to snap the ghost at just the right time is the best way to take them down for good, and it’s definitely a very unique form of offense, considering players still feel like they’re on the back foot even with this item equipped. As a result, while the first few minutes of the originalFatal Framemay seem pretty familiar to long-time horror fans, the inclusion of the camera ensures that it still feels like something that stands on its own in terms of gameplay.
ThoughTelltaleis well-known for their multiple-choice games nowadays, their first title, which really garnered them mainstream attention, wasThe Walking Dead. Inspired by the hit TV series and comic, the game follows survivor Lee as he and his new friend Clementine try to survive in a world that has become infested with flesh-hungry zombies. Though it may not sound all that original on the surface, what hooks players in from the moment they start the game is the choice system.
The game is packed full of optional dialogue that players can choose from, much of which will drastically impact not only how Lee is treated, but also who gets to live and die in the band of survivors. This makes for some truly intense moments, especially those where Lee is forced to confront someone, and it’s up to the player to decide whether it’s worth pulling the trigger or not. It’s a mechanic that ensures the game never feels boring or stale, which is why it has been replicated by so many horror games since The Walking Dead’s release.
After players step into theMount Massive Asylumat the beginning ofOutlast, they are quickly introduced to the camera. Though this item can’t be used as a weapon like it can in theFatal Framegames, instead, it is used to make the game feel as immersive as possible. Anytime the protagonist, Miles, comes across gory imagery or something written on the walls in blood, he will make a comment on it after it has been recorded with the camera, encouraging players to search every room they come across to see what he has to say.
The camera also works especially well in dark areas, where players must continue fueling it up with batteries in order to avoid the crazy killers who stalk the hallways. It might sound like a pretty small gameplay mechanic, but it’s one that makesOutlastfeel like much more than an everyday FPS horror game.
While most horror games will give the player at least a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the controls of the game, the immensely popularFive Nights at Freddy’sdecides to skip this entirely. Instead, upon booting up a new game, players will find themselves in a dark office strapped to a chair where all they can do is either monitor the cameras or open and close the side doors that surround them.
With a crazed batch of animatronics slowly making their way towards the office, players need to quickly learn how to manage their electricity and energy without running out of gas too soon. There hadn’t really been anything likeFive Nights at Freddy’sin the horror genre before the game came out, with its heavy emphasis on resource management and punishing difficulty, shooting the game to mainstream popularity not long after it was first released.
Noisehas always been something horror games have struggled to implement, in the sense that it can be hard to create AI enemies who respond realistically to how the player shuffles around their environment.Amnesia: The Bunker, however, relies entirely on this mechanic for the gameplay to work. With players being trapped in an underground bunker during the First World War, they soon realize they are not alone, as there is also a giant, mutated beast lurking in the Shadows who will stalk the player if it manages to pick up on their whereabouts.
As a result, everything in the game that can make noise will draw the beast to the player’s location, creating a very unique gameplay style where players need to pick and choose what items are most necessary to throw out for a particular scenario. For example, there are a few locked doors in the bunker that can only be taken down by creative means, encouraging players to think outside the box on how to progress to the next area without making too much of a disturbance.
Resident Evil 0feels like a game that was far ahead of its time. Not only does the gamefeature two protagonists, but players are able to switch between Rebecca and Billy with the press of a button. Needless to say, this results in some pretty fun and unique gameplay segments where both survivors need to coordinate across other sides of the map to acquire a key item or take down a dangerous mutant. Thankfully, players don’t need to wait very long until this mechanic is introduced to them, since it only takes a minute or two for Rebecca to meet Billy on the train to kick off the game’s story.
While the traditional gameplay loop of scavenging resources and gunning down zombies hasn’t changed, keeping track of two characters at once can make the game feel a lot more intense and strategic, especially since both Rebecca and Billy have their own pros and cons.
While it’s already a ton of fun running around a mall and cutting down zombies with anything Frank can get his hands on inDead Rising, this would ultimately start getting a little boring after a few hours. The reason players are encouraged to continue playing, though, is because of the time mechanic, where certain missions and activities can only be completed by a certain deadline, which will impact the ending of the game, alongside the items and weapons players can receive.
WhileDead Risingis known for having a fairly goofy tone and aesthetic, the ticking timer adds a lot of urgency and intensity to the core gameplay, getting players involved in the action right off the bat. A simple mechanic that turned an otherwise fun but basic horror game into an all-time classic.
ThoughAlan Wake 2clearly follows the survival horror template formula laid out by games likeResident Evil, the addition of the Mind Place almost puts the game in its own genre entirely. Anytime players pause the game as Saga, which can be done very early on in the game, they will appear in this detective room where they are able to pinpoint key characters and events on a crime board to solve a mystery.
This can also be done with Alan, who enters the Writers' Room, allowing him to literally manipulate the story and the environment through his own words. However, causing the game to enter these rooms will not prevent enemies from attacking, meaning players always feel on edge anytime they’re trying to solve a case. There’s a lot to love aboutAlan Wake’shotly anticipated sequel, including thejaw-dropping graphicsand stellar gameplay, but it’s this mechanic that ultimately acts as the main hook for players who want to try a horror game that offers something new.
