While horror games are specifically created to frighten the player, video games across all genres have incorporated horror elements. Developers have also dedicated entire sections of their games to being scary. While this is not true of all games, many well-known titles have incorporated the occasional 'scary level.' I will discuss a few that I have played in today's post.
Ravenholm (Half-Life 2)
In my opinion one of the best games for PC, Half-Life 2 is worth mentioning on this blog due to the Ravenholm chapter. During a part of the game, the player must escape to the fictional town to Ravenholm after Combine (pronounced with emphasis on the first half of the word, 'COMbine') forces attack the facility the player is in. This entire chapter is frightening due to a great atmosphere, countless headcrab zombies (alien creatures that attach themselves to a victim and take over their bodies), and notably the introduction of the spider-like poison headcrab. I loved this part of the game (aside from the poison headcrabs) because it really shows the polish that developer Valve puts into their games.
Nightmare levels (Max Payne)
Max Payne was developed by Remedy, who also created the horror game Alan Wake (Remedy Games, 2011). Max Payne is a very story-driven noir game about Max Payne, a New York cop who goes undercover after tragedy strikes his family. at one point in the game, Max is drugged, and falls into a drug-induced nightmare. The game does an amazing job of presenting a context in which the player can understand a character. Max's swirl of emotion is visually presented as he internally struggles with feelings of guilt and helplessness because he wasn't in time to save his family. The end result is a level that is haunting and stays with you long after the game is over. The level also provides an interesting look at the psyche of a video game character, something few games I have played (aside from Silent Hill) try to do.
The Sorrow (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)
The Sorrow is interesting because unlike the previously mentioned games, The Sorrow is not a level but a character. The Sorrow is a former member of the Cobra Unit, an elite mercenary group whose members serve as the bosses in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The reason I say former member is because during the events of the game, The Sorrow is dead; however, his ghost appears throughout the game either helping or hindering the player. While The Sorrow's appearance is not disturbing, his random appearances are unsettling and the eventual boss fight with him is eerie. Instead of a traditional showdown, the player must wade through a waist-deep river avoiding the ghosts of anyone they have killed within the game. For someone who has gone through the game simply knocking enemies out, this encounter maybe a creepy journey. For someone who has killed everyone they could up to that point, this peaceful journey turns into a daunting task as they fight to avoid the angry spirits.
I am sure more non-horror games exist that contain some horror elements, but the games listed above are the few I have personally played that contain horror elements, I hope this post encourages you to explore the topic more.
References
Remedy Games. (2011). Remedy - Games [Games Page]. Retrieved From: http://www.remedygames.com/games
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