Main Categories of Horror Games
Horror games include a variety of different subcategories, and different types create fear experiences in different ways. Common classifications include:
Based on the analysis of the horror game genre, I position “Kowloon” as a psychological horror game. Therefore, this article will focus on studying how to make a good psychological horror game
Keep Guessing
Without a well-written script that tells a captivating and emotion-filled story, it’s impossible to create a good horror game. – G2A
Indeed, story Settings such as the world view, background stories, and character motivations are crucial in horror games, but environmental narratives should not be overlooked either.
For instance, the constantly flashing red lights in Escape the Backrooms, or the real and unfamiliar mental hospital environment in Outlast, both create a strong sense of unease through visual and spatial design. This kind of environment does not explicitly tell players what is about to happen. Instead, it forces players to make mental imaginations through the unknown and hints, commonly known as scaring themselves
Vulnerability Creates Fear
The real fear stems from insufficient firepower.
When players feel weak, fear will naturally arise. Limited ammunition, slow movement or huge differences in body size will force players to act more cautiously and intensify psychological tension.
Audio and Sound Make Fear
Music can directly influence how we feel and respond emotionally (British Psychological Society, 2022).
Extreme silence or sudden screams are both excellent ways to create fear. When players are in a state of extreme mental tension and are suddenly disrupted by stimulating audio, fear will burst out. This reminds me of when we are alone at home watching a horror movie and then someone happens to knock on the door….
Controlling the Tension
“Aspects like safe rooms and overwhelming feelings of relief are actually a key aspect of why we find horror games so engaging” (Platinum Paragon, 2020).
If the game constantly scares players, they will adapt to the emotion of fear, thus greatly reducing the experience. Therefore, before designing the levels, we need to consider how to get players into a cycle of emotions from tension – release – tension again
HUDs and UI also Important
Minimalist HUDs and UI play a crucial role in psychological horror games, as overly complex or information-intensive HUDs often weaken players’ sense of tension and immersion.
The HUD in Outlast only indicates the battery status of the camera, and the screen remains highly concise for the rest of the time.
I think removing task information from the main HUD and integrating it into the backpack or menu system is a design approach that is more in line with psychological horror
Overall, a good horror game does not merely rely on scares; it must also have a complete narrative, sufficient tension, unique character designs, and matching sound effects, etc.