Games scarier than Films?
Can horror games be scarier than horror films?
It depends on a number of factors; the most important one being whether you are are watching/playing with friends. I think it's fair to say that you are more likely to watch a horror film with friends when compared to playing a horror game with friends. (Let's be honest- gaming can be lonely sometimes
)
The effect of this varies from person to person; it also depends what kind of friends you are watching/playing with.
But in my opinion games can most definitely be more scary than films. Since you are controlling the character, you are the one who is at risk of being torn apart by the horrors that lie beyond.
Whereas in a film, you are watching others at risk of being torn apart by what lies beyond. The trick for a filmmaker is to make us empathetic towards the characters in the film. But I think it's easier to emulate horror in a game than it is in a film.
I have been itching for some new horror games to pop-up on Steam. Outlast and Amnesia are probably amongst my favorite horror games
What's your opinion? What are your scariest games/films?
It depends on a number of factors; the most important one being whether you are are watching/playing with friends. I think it's fair to say that you are more likely to watch a horror film with friends when compared to playing a horror game with friends. (Let's be honest- gaming can be lonely sometimes
)The effect of this varies from person to person; it also depends what kind of friends you are watching/playing with.
But in my opinion games can most definitely be more scary than films. Since you are controlling the character, you are the one who is at risk of being torn apart by the horrors that lie beyond.
Whereas in a film, you are watching others at risk of being torn apart by what lies beyond. The trick for a filmmaker is to make us empathetic towards the characters in the film. But I think it's easier to emulate horror in a game than it is in a film.
I have been itching for some new horror games to pop-up on Steam. Outlast and Amnesia are probably amongst my favorite horror games
What's your opinion? What are your scariest games/films?
Scroll to see replies
Easily games are scarier than films. Interactive vs Passive, innit.
Original post by mikeyd85
Easily games are scarier than films. Interactive vs Passive, innit.
But for films: the director has 100% control of what is shown on the screen. Timing in films is perfect.
Whereas in games, the player might be in the wrong place or do something at the wrong time- the developers can't always control this lest the game become a train-track of simple 'stop and stare' moments.
Also for films: there is a feeling of helplessness since you are not in control.
Just throwing some ideas around
Original post by WesleyT
But for films: the director has 100% control of what is shown on the screen. Timing in films is perfect.
Whereas in games, the player might be in the wrong place or do something at the wrong time- the developers can't always control this lest the game become a train-track of simple 'stop and stare' moments.
Also for films: there is a feeling of helplessness since you are not in control.
Just throwing some ideas around
Whereas in games, the player might be in the wrong place or do something at the wrong time- the developers can't always control this lest the game become a train-track of simple 'stop and stare' moments.
Also for films: there is a feeling of helplessness since you are not in control.
Just throwing some ideas around
Play Slenderman.
Timing in films may be perfect, but in games it is not needed. The feeling of being lost in Slenderman with no idea where to go, only that something is going to get you is terrifying. The atmosphere is crucial in games and sometimes it's pulled off incredibly well with the simplest of things, such as the radio in Silent Hill.
Films use timing to make you jump. End of. I've never watched a film that got me so scared that I HAD to stop watching. This has happened in games on several occasions!
yeah defo the games cos im in control of it, Resident Evil 2 back in the day scared the crap out of me 
Original post by mikeyd85
Play Slenderman.
Timing in films may be perfect, but in games it is not needed. The feeling of being lost in Slenderman with no idea where to go, only that something is going to get you is terrifying. The atmosphere is crucial in games and sometimes it's pulled off incredibly well with the simplest of things, such as the radio in Silent Hill.
Films use timing to make you jump. End of. I've never watched a film that got me so scared that I HAD to stop watching. This has happened in games on several occasions!
Timing in films may be perfect, but in games it is not needed. The feeling of being lost in Slenderman with no idea where to go, only that something is going to get you is terrifying. The atmosphere is crucial in games and sometimes it's pulled off incredibly well with the simplest of things, such as the radio in Silent Hill.
Films use timing to make you jump. End of. I've never watched a film that got me so scared that I HAD to stop watching. This has happened in games on several occasions!
I agree- the atmosphere in Slenderman is so tense! The sound alone is amazing- all your hear is your rustling footsteps and that bass drum (oh God, that base drum!
), and the fact that Slendy doesn't make a sound probably makes it that much more frightening when you suddenly catch sight of him haha!The only Silent Hill I have played is SH4: The Room back on the original Xbox- and the only thing I remember from playing that was a face in the wall..? I need to go back and play that, and indeed the newer SH games as lots of people say they are a good scare!
Original post by WesleyT
I agree- the atmosphere in Slenderman is so tense! The sound alone is amazing- all your hear is your rustling footsteps and that bass drum (oh God, that base drum! ), and the fact that Slendy doesn't make a sound probably makes it that much more frightening when you suddenly catch sight of him haha!
The only Silent Hill I have played is SH4: The Room back on the original Xbox- and the only thing I remember from playing that was a face in the wall..? I need to go back and play that, and indeed the newer SH games as lots of people say they are a good scare!
), and the fact that Slendy doesn't make a sound probably makes it that much more frightening when you suddenly catch sight of him haha!The only Silent Hill I have played is SH4: The Room back on the original Xbox- and the only thing I remember from playing that was a face in the wall..? I need to go back and play that, and indeed the newer SH games as lots of people say they are a good scare!
:yup: Exactly.
Never played SH4 (I only really played the first one tbh). The Last of Us had some terrifying moments too. A particular area involved turning on an electric generator in the basement of some building. All hell breaks loose after that. When you realise you've not enough ammo to kill everything (Hard Mode FTW), and that running away is your only option... damn man... that's scary as hell.
Silent Hill 2 is the scariest game of all time. It still holds that scare factor as well.. it's not really jumpy... but you just know every time you go into another building, something worse is coming. It's terrifying. Nice grainy effect. I've never been that scared watching a film.
(edited 10 years ago)
I watch horror games being played on YouTube rather than films. I don't like playing horror games though, and I HATE when a non-horror game I'm enjoying suddenly turns into a horror. It's also why I don't like your standard FPS.
There isn't any films that scare me now I'm an adult, though the first-person bits in Paranormal Activity are a start. Often the scariest things are bits that aren't meant to be particularly scary, like robot Michael Jackson in Moonwalker or the new robocop in Robocop 2.
There isn't any films that scare me now I'm an adult, though the first-person bits in Paranormal Activity are a start. Often the scariest things are bits that aren't meant to be particularly scary, like robot Michael Jackson in Moonwalker or the new robocop in Robocop 2.
(edited 10 years ago)
Outlast is terrifying... I can barely watch it on Youtube and there's no way I'm playing it for real unless I'm offered a very very large sum of money.
Video games are easily scarier than films. I went to an arcade/ bowling place a few weeks ago with my bf for valentine's day, and one of the games we played there was so intense!
It was one of those 2-player games where you sit in the little darkened booth and shoot at the screen with model guns. It was a zombie killing game, and it was in 3D, it blew air on you and the seats vibrated. It also measured your pulse rate through the gun handles. IT WAS THE MOST TERRIFYING THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.
Lots of jump scares, very noisy. At one point we walked into a room, and a big metal pole swung down, it felt like it was going to go straight through your forehead. The zombies were ****ing horrible too.
I really want to own one of those booths and keep it in my house.
It was one of those 2-player games where you sit in the little darkened booth and shoot at the screen with model guns. It was a zombie killing game, and it was in 3D, it blew air on you and the seats vibrated. It also measured your pulse rate through the gun handles. IT WAS THE MOST TERRIFYING THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.
Lots of jump scares, very noisy. At one point we walked into a room, and a big metal pole swung down, it felt like it was going to go straight through your forehead. The zombies were ****ing horrible too.
I really want to own one of those booths and keep it in my house.
No doubt that it's the games, as the first commentator said, it's all the passive vs interactive.
Watching a film you will tend to be a lot more laid back and relaxed, and have a good idea what's going to happen when.
Difference in the game is that, while you still have an idea what's going to happen where, you are in control of when it happens, the stress and anxiety build up as you get closer and you are a hell of a lot more tense when you cross the activation threshold.
Watching a film you will tend to be a lot more laid back and relaxed, and have a good idea what's going to happen when.
Difference in the game is that, while you still have an idea what's going to happen where, you are in control of when it happens, the stress and anxiety build up as you get closer and you are a hell of a lot more tense when you cross the activation threshold.
Hannah Montanna The Movie Game.
That dialog....*shudder*
Think most PC FPS the first few times you play them would get me,
maybe its just more nerves than being scared, but Halflife is up there.
Going into Ravenholm on HL2 creepy as hell.
I remember going pretty crazy (ironicly) in the asylum on Painkiller.
VERY cramped rooms, and many enemies! Bunny hopped the crap out my keyboard.
That dialog....*shudder*
Think most PC FPS the first few times you play them would get me,
maybe its just more nerves than being scared, but Halflife is up there.
Going into Ravenholm on HL2 creepy as hell.
I remember going pretty crazy (ironicly) in the asylum on Painkiller.
VERY cramped rooms, and many enemies! Bunny hopped the crap out my keyboard.
Games are scarier hands down. What's more scary? Watching a fictional character getting scared or BEING the character getting scared? I'd think the answer is obvious.
And games are free to do freakishly weird things most horror movies can't do (cgi vs live action debate).
And for fear purposes there is a lot more replay value in games. Once you see it in the movie it will no longer scare you as much if not at all. But in games (most at least) the experience is different every time, for example there will ALWAYS be something freakishly scary you missed, which will scare you even more because you weren't expecting it at all, or just because you know where the monster is and the method to avoid it, doesn't mean you will succeed!
And in games being able to control what happens (well, hiding in the corner at least, lol) forces it to be so much more immersive than movies.
And games are free to do freakishly weird things most horror movies can't do (cgi vs live action debate).
And for fear purposes there is a lot more replay value in games. Once you see it in the movie it will no longer scare you as much if not at all. But in games (most at least) the experience is different every time, for example there will ALWAYS be something freakishly scary you missed, which will scare you even more because you weren't expecting it at all, or just because you know where the monster is and the method to avoid it, doesn't mean you will succeed!
And in games being able to control what happens (well, hiding in the corner at least, lol) forces it to be so much more immersive than movies.
Original post by WesleyT
(...)But in my opinion games can most definitely be more scary than films. Since you are controlling the character, you are the one who is at risk of being torn apart by the horrors that lie beyond.
Whereas in a film, you are watching others at risk of being torn apart by what lies beyond. The trick for a filmmaker is to make us empathetic towards the characters in the film. But I think it's easier to emulate horror in a game than it is in a film. (...)
Whereas in a film, you are watching others at risk of being torn apart by what lies beyond. The trick for a filmmaker is to make us empathetic towards the characters in the film. But I think it's easier to emulate horror in a game than it is in a film. (...)
Those are nice arguments, but in fact I have not played a video game so far which was scarier than a film. A possible reason is that I don't play scary video games so often than to watch scary films.
(edited 9 years ago)
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