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It’s time to acknowledge that the horror style is making an enormous comeback; not simply in TV and films, however in video video games as properly.
As somebody who grew up with the classics like old-school Resident Evil and Silent Hill, the previous 5 years have been an absolute marvel. Iconic franchises have been getting revived one after one other, and there have been extra promising horror video games to sit up for on the horizon than ever.
Simply this 12 months alone, we’ve seen the discharge of the Useless Area and Resident Evil 4 remakes. And earlier than you begin wagging your finger at me, sure, I do know they’re remakes of a lot older video games, however hear me out. How lengthy has it been since we’ve gotten to play a contemporary survival horror sport that really prioritizes useful resource and stock administration?
For a strong few years now, the horror style was largely saturated with the disguise and observe type of horror sport. We had the likes of Amnesia, Outlast, and Alien: Isolation firmly planted within the highlight and on the heart of debate amongst followers of the style.
All of them are strong horror video games — don’t get me mistaken — however by and enormous, they adopted the identical method: Get dropped into a brand new spooky setting, stroll round and conceal from the baddies, run when you get noticed, and rinse and repeat till you attain the tip of the sport.
The energy of those video games lied of their tales, they usually shouldn’t be faulted for that. I’m a agency believer that one of the best varieties of horror are at all times psychological. That mentioned, what’s so nice concerning the horror style is that it will probably make the viewer or the participant really feel empowered, too.
Enter the survival horror style and its choices over the previous few years. Capcom’s Resident Evil collection entered its newest renaissance period with Resident Evil VII, the place it lastly felt like stock administration was a factor once more. That sport introduced collectively one of the best of each worlds: you had been nonetheless compelled to run away from the unkillable baddies, however you weren’t defenseless both. You can collect assets and weapons to offer your self a preventing probability in opposition to your foes, and it’s not an immediate sport over when you do occur to get caught.
Then, we noticed the discharge of Resident Evil 2 Remake, and inside 2023 alone, we’ve additionally gotten remakes of Useless Area and Resident Evil 4. All of those video games perceive the significance of setting the temper and creating atmospheric stress, but additionally ensuring that the participant is rarely utterly helpless.
There’s a motive why the most well-liked horror motion pictures at all times finish with the ultimate woman turning the tables on her pursuer within the final act. It’s satisfying to have the ability to face your fears and topple the massive unhealthy in the long run. It’s the Resident Evil equal of getting an enormous rocket launcher on the finish and ending off the ultimate boss with a single rocket.
Maybe extra thrilling is the upcoming launch of Treatment Leisure’s Alan Wake II. Initially launched for the Xbox 360, Alan Wake turned one thing of a cult hit earlier than garnering extra mainstream consideration because of its distinctive strategy to storytelling and its main Stephen King vibes. Extra importantly, it additionally stood out from the Amnesias of 2010, bringing again survival horror components and an progressive mechanic in having to weaken your enemies with a flashlight earlier than blasting them.
Alan Wake II brings again lots of those self same components, however with a twin protagonist system and, extra importantly, useful resource administration in addition to the flexibility to combat again.
This isn’t to say that the survival horror subgenre needs to be the end-all-be-all of horror. 2023 additionally noticed the discharge of the Layers of Concern remake and extra fringe titles like Dredge, which introduces Lovecraftian horror components in a fishing simulator. Wanting even additional out, Konami appears dedicated to bringing Silent Hill again as properly; not simply as a remake of Silent Hill 2, however via different narrative-driven subgenres like Silent Hill: Townfall, too.
As an alternative, I simply hope this implies the style will maintain onto its numerous discipline of choices and at last obtain one other lasting interval of innovation. The horror style has felt manner too oversaturated with one type of sport for much too lengthy, and 2023 lastly looks like a turning level the place we’re getting an excellent number of video games throughout the style, which means there’s at all times one thing you possibly can get pleasure from.
Whether or not it’s taking a gradual stroll via the thoughts of a demented artist, fishing in darkish corners, or blasting your manner via zombies questioning once you’ll make it to the following save level, we’re firmly in a golden age of horror video games. And that feels nice.
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