A Discussion on Two Presentations of Horror in Electronic Entertainment

Videogames, like all other forms of art, have attempted present the genre of horror through their medium. Two specific sub-genres are worth mentioning here: Action Horror and Survival Horror.

Both are particular types of games that have particular elements unique to them. Compare them to different sorts of horror if you haven’t ever really participated with electronic entertainment and would like something more akin to your interests to relate this to. Compare Saw to the Shining, and you’ll have a pretty decent grasp of the difference here.

Action horror has its roots in First-Person Shooters, a genre of game that is played from the perspective of the main character as if the player assumes that identity in a literal sense. These games, traditionally, feature things like health bars and ammo counters that are present on-screen at almost all times through a Heads-Up Display. Doom is a classic example of this particular genre of gameplay as well as the subgenre of action horror. The game features creatures from hell supplemented by technological advancements such as nuclear armaments and the like. These demonic entities are presented in a very terrifying, disgusting manner. The resolution that occurs in these games consists of the main player shooting and, hopefully, killing these monsters and proceeding on to the larger and more intimidating foes culminating with the Final Boss. This attempt at horror focuses heavily on the aspect of disgust and revulsion. By nature of the gameplay, the main character is usually heavily armed and very capable of fighting these monsters. They are not very threatening or, rather, the main character is really just as threatening. Monsters tend to be numerous and fall before the mighty hero. These games manipulate the reactions to visual stimulus regarding horror; disgusting antagonists make disgusting game, essentially.

A different approach to horror in videogames is the survival horror game. This genre was coined by the developers of Resident Evil that was originally released for the PlayStation. This particular game works from an isometric third-person perspective – a fixed camera observing the character’s actions. This method is not the exclusive method, but the third-person perspective frequently is utilized in this genre. This game includes the visual element that displays disgusting things – Resident Evil features some terrifying creatures of the undead persuasion including dogs, people, crows, and sharks. In addition to this is the emphasis on creating an atmosphere, through the use of other elements besides visually disgusting features on the creatures. Sound is one element that contributes heavily – creaking doors and moaning zombies help to establish an eerie setting. But, the mechanics of the game illustrate the weaknesses of the player. The player is inhibited when compared to action horror games: player movement is restricted to more normal physics, weapons are far and few, ammo is sparse, and the player character is so weak that three to four hits made against them usually results in death. Compare this to action horror where fifty bullets to the head may take only a tenth of the total life bar of the player character. By manipulating mechanics, a new sort of aesthetic appears in the game. The atmosphere is more charged with horrific elements, made more palpable by the need to explore the game in a tactful manner. Instead of “running and gunning” through levels, the player has to carefully consider where priorities lie. It’s a psychological experience more so than a merely visual one.