Horror has been a genre which has fascinated mankind for more than three centuries. Horror fiction dates back to the 18th century, but horror films themselves are a much more recent trend. Horror films began to occupy the mainstream media from the start of the 20th century and now in these fast moving times technology has meant that we have been able to successfully enter a whole new era of horror, especially when it comes to more immersive experiences such as horror video games, which tend to provide more fright than ever before.
One of the main reasons that people nowadays opt for a scary video game over a horror film is the realism that the experience provides for the player. A game manages to exceed every aspect of those classic cliche horror elements that you typically find in a feature film. There are a number of hugely successful horror game franchises and titles out there including ‘Dead Space’, ‘Amnesia: The Dark Descent’, and ‘Left 4 Dead’ for example. Even casinos have started providing slot games – like those found at https://pokiestar.com/free-slot-machines/ – that have a horror theme running through them. The bonus there being that these types of games not only offer that horror element but can also provide a decent cash reward at the end if you’re lucky enough to win.
One of the primary reasons for the success of horror games is the extremely well thought out plotlines that drive the story and characters. And its these rich stories that help immerse players into their gameplay more. When it comes ot movies the viewer gets to watch a storyline unfold without being able to have that feeling of playing a part or having invested interest in what’s actually happening on screen. This enhances the horror element by several magnitudes, as players tend to get drawn so much into the action that after a little while they become strongly involved in the fantasy and the horrors that come along with it. And now that virtual and augmented reality is developing at a rapid rate that immersion will only get stronger and stronger.
The games themselves are improving all the time and they are simply becoming more and more realistic. High-end video games in particular employ incredible graphics and animations which differed so much from games released into the market just a decade ago. Graphics-based technology has grown so significantly that zombie themed games for example are meticulously detailed to the point that the entire experience feels like you’re in an episode of ‘The Walking Dead’.
Games like ‘Slender’ work to help to bring back the Boogeyman and it is extremely convincing, to say the least. It’s a game based on a number of stories and memes but just goes to show how even low-budget gaming efforts like this can still be immensely frightening for gamers. Whereas games like ‘Among the Sleep’ can take players back to their childhood at a time when everything was far scarier. This creepy environment, and the need to solve puzzles, draws players in and gives them well deserved jump scares when they least expect it.
Horror games are truly innovative when it comes to taking the next step, and with slot games and other horror-themed spin-offs popping up on more and more types of modern era media catching up with this ever-popular market we’ll soon be seeing a whole new slew of horror gaming experiences in development ready for willing gamers to enjoy.
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