Cry of Fear

[sexbad?]

There's a mod for Half-Life 2 called Nightmare House 2. It's more of a shooter than an adventure, but it's got some great scares and I enjoyed it very much.

Here's one of my favourite mindfuck moments -

but why mannequins? Why would anyone find mannequins scary? what's next, desks? Oh no I'm surrounded by desks that moves when the light goes off! The exciting world of "scary" videogames, not for the faint of hearts! Be prepared to be scared of little girls and furniture! BOO! Aha ah, I bet you just died of fear.

Seriously though I'm starting to think trying to make scare based game is just a retarded idea in concept.

Horror is good when it builds off an unsettling idea, so that there's buildup and all the sp00ky moments are justified. What I notice with lots of indie horror recently is that it's driven entirely by a drive to get popular, and the surefire way to at least sort of accomplish that is to add in as many meaningless scares as possible, whether or not they are well orchestrated, and then send the product to facecam YouTubers who are guaranteed to scream at it for money. It's how we get shit like Cry of Fear, Anna and Nightmare House 2.

I am also not fond of scare memes, you could call them, like little girls or mannequins or clowns, because none of those things are actually threatening. The Dear Esther guy's Amnesia game is apparently going to focus around a story to do with children and pigs, and the trailer I saw featured instances of both. Except children and pigs aren't fucking scary. Even if monster encounters evoke mad animal fear like they did in Penumbra or Amnesia for me, I doubt the buildup to them will be commendable.

 

[dnf]

Watch from 8:00. Horror masterpiece.

The guy got friendzoned in the video. Tr00 horror right here Also, Dat flying carcass

 

[HoboForEternity]

this game has excellent atmosphere, but sadly the later part are just tedious and repetitive. from chapter 4 onwards it rely too much on backtracking , and in chapter 6 there is a platforming sequence with limited time that is so frustrating and made me uninstall.

basically you have to to climb out of a hanging train before it crash, and whoever made this level was probably high, drunk, or stupid (or all 3) and thinks platforming in half life is fun so he just said "yo dawg, i heard you like first person platforming, so i put a timed platforming sequence in this very cramped level and nausea inducing level design."

no. just no. it's the final stretch of the game that i feel is already stretched a lot, and this section basically killed it for me as i get motion sickness easily. sorry simon.

 

[jebsmoker]

this game has excellent atmosphere, but sadly the later part are just tedious and repetitive. from chapter 4 onwards it rely too much on backtracking , and in chapter 6 there is a platforming sequence with limited time that is so frustrating and made me uninstall.

basically you have to to climb out of a hanging train before it crash, and whoever made this level was probably high, drunk, or stupid (or all 3) and thinks platforming in half life is fun so he just said "yo dawg, i heard you like first person platforming, so i put a timed platforming sequence in this very cramped level and nausea inducing level design."

no. just no. it's the final stretch of the game that i feel is already stretched a lot, and this section basically killed it for me as i get motion sickness easily. sorry simon.

i have this same exact critique; the game would have been a lot better if it wasn't stretched with filler

 

[HoboForEternity]

this game has excellent atmosphere, but sadly the later part are just tedious and repetitive. from chapter 4 onwards it rely too much on backtracking , and in chapter 6 there is a platforming sequence with limited time that is so frustrating and made me uninstall.

basically you have to to climb out of a hanging train before it crash, and whoever made this level was probably high, drunk, or stupid (or all 3) and thinks platforming in half life is fun so he just said "yo dawg, i heard you like first person platforming, so i put a timed platforming sequence in this very cramped level and nausea inducing level design."

no. just no. it's the final stretch of the game that i feel is already stretched a lot, and this section basically killed it for me as i get motion sickness easily. sorry simon.

i have this same exact critique; the game would have been a lot better if it wasn't stretched with filler

Yeah, chapter 4 should reduce backtracking and god please no first person platforming. Especially the half life jump+crouch thing.

I don't mind doing it jumping out of a window or a ventilation whatever. You put an entire section with timer and it's just terrible.

Shame. I thought atmosphere wise it was one of the best horror game i have ever played, but pretty much after chapter 3 the game just stretched a little bit too far with questionable design. I heard there is an unreal 4 remake / port thing, if it does get made i wish they take out these section and keep everything else.

 

[agentorange]

Sounds like the exact same thing as Afraid of Monsters. Guy can't decide he if wants to make a relatively slow paced, moody horror game like Silent Hill, a more action based survival horror game like Resident Evil, or stick close to the framework of Half-Life and make a straight up shooter with horror elements and platforming. So the end result is an amateurish pastiche of all of the above, the typical kitchen sink modder.

If anyone wants a good HL1 horror mod I recommend Paranoia. This game has some really unique pacing and very tightly made. https://www.moddb.com/mods/paranoia

 

[Zombra]

Gave this a try after recently seeing it on a list of timeless horror classics. Sadly the gameplay is dated trash. Combat feels outright silly, in stark and disappointing contrast to the bleak atmosphere; and yes, first person platforming with no mantling, no speed control, and crappy hitboxes is true garbage.

Shame because the vibe is strong, and I gather there is some good mindfuckery later in the game.

 

[Morenatsu.]

I don't know that I'd call it a 'timeless classic', but I do know that you don't even lift bro

Also anyone reading this should stop and (re)play Afraid of Monsters rite nao