Horror Games were designed to be played quickly. Here’s why
Some of the most memorable video games ever made are a horror. There’s something special about being scared by a game, from Silent Hill and Resident Evil to F.E.A.R and Little Nightmares. There is an even better option: beating a horror video game quickly.
Many of us were delighted to play through 2019’s Resident Evil2. The RPD’s Tyrant encounter is only one of its amazing moments. RE2 shines when you understand what’s ahead. The surprise factor is not what makes horror games so enjoyable. It’s not the surprise factor that makes a horror game truly enjoyable.
You can see Mr. X swinging and Miss Claire Redfield as you manipulate the AI through specific camera movements. This gives you a stronger feeling. It requires you to look beyond the surface horror to the real fear of Resident Evil2: making a mistake at high stakes.
To beat RE2 in less than an hour, you need patience, skill, and technique. You also have to be able not to use typewriters. The game is now on Hardcore difficulty. This adds fear to the equation. Death is more terrifying than the possibility of William Birkin taking you down.
There’s also the satisfaction of everything happening simultaneously to create a perfect speedrun. It’s the combination of optimized movement, blessed RNG (random number generators going your direction), and a general feeling of luck that is hard to pinpoint. Because of the combination of visual terror and brutal gameplay mechanics, these elements shine even more in horror games than any other type of speedrun.
If you don’t care about speed, it’s not so bad to be caught by the teacher in Little Nightmares II. You reset the area. The pulsating sensation that you narrowly avoid her line of sight when you are against the clock is uncanny.
Every boss fight in Bloodborne can cause overwhelming anxiety. However, adding urgency to the experience increases the tension beyond comprehension. Fear of Micolash dying and hearing him repeat his nightmare monologue while you try to run as fast as you can create a new level of anxiety. (Seriously, Micolash, shut up).
It’s not that speedrunning other genres of games aren’t enjoyable. We all know that. Look at the dedicated Elden Ring community and all its categories. You can also see the schedule for any Games Done Quick events.
Horror titles often start with intense scenarios, so adding a time limit is an important enhancement. It’s a kind of unofficial “hard mode” for those who desire something more than the game’s intended options.
The idea that you must beat both the clock and the game simultaneously is perfect for scarier games. Dead Rising or Majora’s Mask are both frightening Zelda titles. Both games have a grim clock that counts to success or failure. Only you will decide the end.
