|
Crabtree posted:Any games with good synth soundtracks ala Halloween or Phantasm? With all the emphasis on nostalgia in games I find it odd that seemingly no one takes that approach in emulating 60s-80s horror music, so I'm hoping someone can prove me wrong in assuming it hasn't been done much if at all. Funny enough, the most 80s soundtrack I've ever heard (not including 80s pastiches that try to intentionally sound overblown like Kung Fury) was Max Payne 3. It's got a really synth-heavy soundtrack that wouldn't be out of place at all in an old Schwarzenegger film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaYsnP8QYfE
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 04:33
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 01:08 |
|
|
Odd that most of games that utilize that sort of music are the ones where you're the crazed murderer and not the one being chased by one.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 04:40
|
|
|
They're not horror games but most of the Castlevania series is basically werippedoffgoblinsongs.wav Rockstar did a similarly great soundtrack in that vein for The Warriors and Manhunt has some very effective tracks as well (stay far away from Manhunt 2 though, what a piece of poo poo). It was natural to take a similar approach for Max Payne 3 since that was basically a Michael Mann movie in all but name. Much more effective than Kane and Lynch. Rockstar man, I kind of wish they'd never make GTA again and just do weird one off things like The Warriors, Manhunt 1, Bully, even Max Payne 3 was a sequel but waaaay different in tone from the first two and much better in some ways (though really dumb in others). Either way, BEHOLD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG5wa33FxrY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFcc9m5xCWM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SJF7OqwmpQ Incredible and very intense game, worth playing even though it's not horror technically, like Manhunt it nails the kind of decrepit and dangerous atmosphere that games like Silent Hill 2 were going for anyway. It actually has some of my favorite lighting of any game. It's technically outdated now but for the time they did such a great job making it look like a random exploitation flick you rented from the back of a video store, and the game is REALLY DARK like most of the movie too making it feel like there's guys waiting for you around every corner. Not video game bonus required listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huothmszKCU from 1988 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGLJ1QyLcak from 2001  Neo Rasa fucked around with this message at 04:58 on Feb 23, 2016 |
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 04:51
|
|
|
Crabtree posted:Any games with good synth soundtracks ala Halloween or Phantasm? With all the emphasis on nostalgia in games I find it odd that seemingly no one takes that approach in emulating 60s-80s horror music, so I'm hoping someone can prove me wrong in assuming it hasn't been done much if at all. The Nazi Zombie Army games have an '80's sounding soundtrack. Babysitter Bloodbath, which is fitting since it was originally a Halloween fan-game.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 05:03
|
|
|
Crabtree posted:Any games with good synth soundtracks ala Halloween or Phantasm? With all the emphasis on nostalgia in games I find it odd that seemingly no one takes that approach in emulating 60s-80s horror music, so I'm hoping someone can prove me wrong in assuming it hasn't been done much if at all. Dying Light has a pretty drat good synth soundtrack, actually! And a lot of its systems (a nighttime which is more dangerous but more rewarding, parkour, zombie judo where you throw them aside by waiting until after they attack etc) make the over-tired zombie setting pretty fresh. GORGEOUS environments too.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 05:38
|
|
|
Speedball posted:Dying Light has a pretty drat good synth soundtrack, actually! SHIIIT. I guess I never noticed between all the zombie groans, drop kicks and me swearing at the game for loving up full screen.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 05:45
|
|
|
Crabtree posted:SHIIIT. I guess I never noticed between all the zombie groans, drop kicks and me swearing at the game for loving up full screen. For me I noticed it mostly whenever I was in a quiet place on top of a building, or during the Bozak Horde (which was a pain in the rear end, even if it was creatively designed)
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 05:52
|
|
|
Crabtree posted:Any games with good synth soundtracks ala Halloween or Phantasm? With all the emphasis on nostalgia in games I find it odd that seemingly no one takes that approach in emulating 60s-80s horror music, so I'm hoping someone can prove me wrong in assuming it hasn't been done much if at all. Accordion Man fucked around with this message at 07:33 on Feb 23, 2016 |
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 07:30
|
|
|
Neo Rasa posted:Either way, BEHOLD:
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 21:01
|
|
|
How is Sylvio? I feel like I must have missed all of the discussion on the game when it came out. Also, I would like to recruit the horror game thread brain-trust here: I'm starting down the (very very) long road of developing a game, and while I don't think it'll be a strictly-speaking horror game, it's definitely going to pull a lot of inspiration and tropes from horror. So what are everybody's favorite games that lean more heavily on the creepy/unsettling side of the horror spectrum than the out-and-out scary? I've been thinking through recent games I've played and I honestly haven't come up with good examples, beyond some of the quieter moments in the Silent Hill games and that sort of thing. Edit: maybe a better way to put it, for my purposes, is I'm looking for games with very creepy atmospheres/environments, but less reliance on monsters & scary situations, if that helps.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 21:27
|
|
|
MockingQuantum posted:How is Sylvio? I feel like I must have missed all of the discussion on the game when it came out. It's a shame the Kickstarter for the sequel fell through because it was a big improvement, but the dev said he'll go back and work on improving on the first game some more MockingQuantum posted:So what are everybody's favorite games that lean more heavily on the creepy/unsettling side of the horror spectrum than the out-and-out scary? I've been thinking through recent games I've played and I honestly haven't come up with good examples, beyond some of the quieter moments in the Silent Hill games and that sort of thing.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 21:43
|
|
|
Accordion Man posted:It's a shame the Kickstarter for the sequel fell through because it was a big improvement, but the dev said he'll go back and work on improving on the first game some more Ahh I totally forgot about Year Walk, I'll have to go re-download that immediately. I played through Fran Bow recently, took some notes. Not sure I could be convinced to go through Gone Home again. The rest I'll check out, I actually just had someone recommend Cryostasis to me an hour ago, interestingly.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 21:47
|
|
|
I remember the original Manhunt had a pretty synth heavy soundtrack done in the style of 80s slasher movies. It isn't technically horror in the traditional sense but the concept is disturbing enough that it could fit. Edit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYS5ABK7Ye8&t=5m30s Yeah, I remember correctly. Selenephos fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Feb 23, 2016 |
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 21:47
|
|
|
MockingQuantum posted:The rest I'll check out, I actually just had someone recommend Cryostasis to me an hour ago, interestingly. Also the Darkfall/Lost Crown series for more recs.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 21:52
|
|
|
MockingQuantum posted:How is Sylvio? I feel like I must have missed all of the discussion on the game when it came out. I wouldn't consider Bloodborne a "horror" game, but the way it's settings gradual start Victorian and descend into cthulhu madness is really cool and good. Hemwick Charnel Lane is cool and so is the DLC stuff. Basically Bloodborne has some fantastic settings
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 22:01
|
|
|
Rockstar had to have went to the lengths it did with The Warriors game as they wouldn't be true boppers if they didn't match the same sort of soundtrack to it. It'd be like making a Suspiria game but not taking any inspiration to blend horror with ballet. I'm glad they put as much effort as they did in it; however, I unfortunately cannot even imagine what garbage they could have made if they didn't go all out exactly like they did.MockingQuantum posted:Also, I would like to recruit the horror game thread brain-trust here: I'm starting down the (very very) long road of developing a game, and while I don't think it'll be a strictly-speaking horror game, it's definitely going to pull a lot of inspiration and tropes from horror. So what are everybody's favorite games that lean more heavily on the creepy/unsettling side of the horror spectrum than the out-and-out scary? I've been thinking through recent games I've played and I honestly haven't come up with good examples, beyond some of the quieter moments in the Silent Hill games and that sort of thing. I don't know if I'm anywhere near an expert but what exactly are you implying by no "monsters & scary situations"? I remember a friend telling me how they got uncomfortable at Moonside and the Happy Happy Cult in Earthbound when he was young, but I'm not sure how you can create horror without some sort of agitator or situation that is threatening to some extent. Are you talking about the beginning of Patholgic where the horror comes from a very real but not fantastical terror of a great plague? The aforementioned Rule of Rose where the more scary thing was trying to mingle in an oppressive society of rear end in a top hat children? Sanitarium where the monsters were part of a dream that held your memory? Theresia where most of the dangers are old adventure game styled traps you have to find through trial ans error as you try to discover memories that probably are better to never know? I don't want to make you share information you'd rather keep close to your chest for now but what exactly are you looking for?
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 22:14
|
|
|
Crabtree posted:I don't know if I'm anywhere near an expert but what exactly are you implying by no "monsters & scary situations"? I remember a friend telling me how they got uncomfortable at Moonside and the Happy Happy Cult in Earthbound when he was young, but I'm not sure how you can create horror without some sort of agitator or situation that is threatening to some extent. Are you talking about the beginning of Patholgic where the horror comes from a very real but not fantastical terror of a great plague? The aforementioned Rule of Rose where the more scary thing was trying to mingle in an oppressive society of rear end in a top hat children? Sanitarium where the monsters were part of a dream that held your memory? Theresia where most of the dangers are old adventure game styled traps you have to find through trial ans error as you try to discover memories that probably are better to never know?
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 22:18
|
|
|
Plus Rockstar paid out the nose so much that they were willing to drop $$$ to defeat Roger Hill in court instead of paying him the $250,000 he sued them over for using his voice and likeness as Cyrus without permission. Video games.  MockingQuantum posted:How is Sylvio? I feel like I must have missed all of the discussion on the game when it came out. There's a very simple old Taito beat'em up called Pu-Li-Ru-La you should play through MockingQuantum, it works on MAME if you use that emulator. It's actually super cutesy and happy except for this one point about halfway through the game that isn't particularly more graphic or violent, but is like, drat. Check it out, or if now I can spoil it and say why it impressed me. A lot of the examples that come to mind though are quieter moments in games generally filled with monsters to kill and stuff though. Pu-Li-Ru-La is from 1991 but looks like a Miyazaki or CLAMP anime in game form, and it's one of those things where the game is mega happy and cheerful looking all the time but the underlying story is slightly hosed up, which comes through even in the game's poor translation. I would check out From Software's Echo Night series. Ghosts and things can kill you in these games but they're the result of going to a place at the wrong time or not solving a puzzle correctly. Echo Night: Beyond as an example takes place on a smalls pace colony where the character was flying to meet their fiance. The ship crashes and when he comes to everyone seems dead except for an android or two. Anyways the player wanders around in a clunky space suit feeling vulnerable and going around solving puzzles by running to ghosts, and then from whatever they say figuring out a thing to do or item to bring them that makes them leave forever so you can progress or locate another item. You can only really get hurt by dying from a heart attack by hanging in an area where more malevolent ghosts are gathered, but this is very obvious and there's no combat or anything in the game. Finally, you MUST play Cosmology of Kyoto. This is a game built around demons and ghosts and stuff, but the thing is all of it is historically accurate. It's creepy as hell even before you encounter anything untoward because of the sound design atmosphere. It perfectly duplicates this dystopian fear and paranoia of the supernatural to explain why life sucks rear end and is also an educational game because at any time you can click a button and learn more detail about what someone is talking about or why ___ thing is worshiped like it is. A timeless picture of hopeless urban decay even if it is firmly set in the location and culture of Heian era Kyoto. If it means anything this is the only video game Roger Ebert ever said was legit awesome and good. Neo Rasa fucked around with this message at 22:48 on Feb 23, 2016 |
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 22:32
|
|
|
I feel like this is an immensely stupid question but: how well has System Shock 2 aged? If I started my first playthrough of it right now - would it hold up?
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 22:38
|
|
|
fennesz posted:I feel like this is an immensely stupid question but: how well has System Shock 2 aged? If I started my first playthrough of it right now - would it hold up? You might want to download some texture mods (this didn't make a difference to me honestly) but in general yes. I'd say it almost holds up better now because it has a lot of things we see in games more now like the game not pausing when you bring your inventory up, buttons for leaning left/right/forward, etc. When you start the game there's three classes to pick, one is like generic shoot everything, one is about using psionic powers, and one is about hacking computers and shooting/clubbing stuff. That third one is the easiest for a first time play because you can get a lot of extra items. I played through the game several times without internet help/faqs/whatever and I'm generally pretty lovely both at FPS and figuring out how to min/max stuff so I don't think it's possible to totally screw yourself over with how you level up your character.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 22:45
|
|
|
Crabtree posted:I don't know if I'm anywhere near an expert but what exactly are you implying by no "monsters & scary situations"? I remember a friend telling me how they got uncomfortable at Moonside and the Happy Happy Cult in Earthbound when he was young, but I'm not sure how you can create horror without some sort of agitator or situation that is threatening to some extent. Are you talking about the beginning of Patholgic where the horror comes from a very real but not fantastical terror of a great plague? The aforementioned Rule of Rose where the more scary thing was trying to mingle in an oppressive society of rear end in a top hat children? Sanitarium where the monsters were part of a dream that held your memory? Theresia where most of the dangers are old adventure game styled traps you have to find through trial ans error as you try to discover memories that probably are better to never know? Accordion Man kind of put it better than I did. Basically the concept I'm researching right now is a game with a heavy reliance on atmosphere and environments as the source of what makes the game unsettling, rather than tense action or horrific creatures. I'd even like to stray away from the sense of being pursued since I think it almost without fail leads to more jump-scare situations than anything. FWIW a lot of the stuff I'm reading up on for inspiration are on failed expeditions with mysterious outcomes, like the Franklin northwest passage expedition or the Dyatlov Pass incident. Whoever said Fran Bow earlier pointed to a good example of a game that's unsettling and "scary" without really ever forcing you to take action in response to a threat. I wish I could give a better answer than that, but at the same time I kind of don't. I'm so early in this process that I'm kind of trying to be receptive to any inspirations that I might stumble on, so I really don't know exactly what I'm looking for. I'd say the environment/setting is extremely important, though.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 22:54
|
|
|
Maybe The Room series? They have a creepy atmosphere, and they're based around the fear of discovery as you're basically trying to unlock the Lament Configuration.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 23:23
|
|
|
Thanks for the response  I played through DX for the first time a few years ago and the graphics didn't bother me in the slightest. I'll probably give this a go sometime this week!
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 23:24
|
|
|
MockingQuantum posted:Accordion Man kind of put it better than I did. Basically the concept I'm researching right now is a game with a heavy reliance on atmosphere and environments as the source of what makes the game unsettling, rather than tense action or horrific creatures. I'd even like to stray away from the sense of being pursued since I think it almost without fail leads to more jump-scare situations than anything. FWIW a lot of the stuff I'm reading up on for inspiration are on failed expeditions with mysterious outcomes, like the Franklin northwest passage expedition or the Dyatlov Pass incident. Whoever said Fran Bow earlier pointed to a good example of a game that's unsettling and "scary" without really ever forcing you to take action in response to a threat. So a better Kholat? Do you just want expeditions or do you also wanting lost cities or disappearing colonies like Roanoke Island? Crabtree fucked around with this message at 23:48 on Feb 23, 2016 |
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 23:45
|
|
|
Also, totally play System Shock 2 on Normal. Not for any "Game is hard  " reasons, but Because they increase the costs of upgrades per difficulty and that can screw you at a certain plot point without foreknowledge or googling up workarounds. They even give you free cyber cookies to cover the cost when it happens, but the free tokens don't scale with difficulty so if you had spent most of your stuff on upgrades around then, welp  Yes I ran into this like an idiot  On a better pitch note for SS2. Back when I first played it an early game enemy type brought me from  to  that I would never have expected to, after just shrugging and dealing with the basics before that. For all your showing years, you'll still have that one over me, game 
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2016 23:58
|
|
|
Seconding that adventure games are a great vein for "creepy passive environments". I found Myst extremely spooky when I was younger, since you spend the whole game wandering desolate environments that clearly have been lived in and OUGHT to have people in them, but don't. In a vaguely-similar direction, "Bad Mojo" was a weird little game about a guy being turned into a cockroach and having to navigate his own (filthy) apartment building, mixing equal parts camp and creepiness.Section Z posted:On a better pitch note for SS2. Back when I first played it an early game enemy type brought me from Is this a reference to the psychic lab monkeys or the suicide-bombing helper droids? Because I could see your comment applying to either (just typing that reminds me how great SS2 was)
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 00:08
|
|
|
Oh yeah forgot about Bad Mojo, Bad Mojo is rad definitely check that out.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 00:10
|
|
|
King of Bleh posted:Is this a reference to the- The first one. And then of course, when I think I got a handle on them OH YOU MOTHER FUCKERS. They are also linked to the best Easteregg in the game, though 
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 00:14
|
|
|
One of my favorite horror games of last year(ish) actually ended up being Albino Lullaby. I dunno if I missed any Albino Lullaby discussion, but I really liked its unrelenting weirdness and atmosphere over jump scares. I'm just so tired of jump scares lately. AB just had a nice sense of 'wrongness' to everything and the voice acting was so over the top and hammy I really liked it. Like while the big ugly heads are chasing you, they say weird poo poo like how they just want to give you chocolate and why won't you just be good and resonate with joy!?
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 02:13
|
|
|
Well its goal was to be a game with absolutely no gore or jump scares so its seems to have done such in all the parts that have been released. Can't say I appreciate a game cut up into chunks like that, but Albino Lullaby is okay for an attempt to be something different.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 02:49
|
|
|
Huh, this actually looks pretty neat. Looks like a game my girlfriend and I would want to play together!
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 02:51
|
|
|
chitoryu12 posted:Huh, this actually looks pretty neat. Looks like a game my girlfriend and I would want to play together!
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 03:07
|
|
|
We Know The Devil is some kind of weird visual novel thing but it has a strong noise/synth soundtrack and creepiness
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 04:57
|
|
|
fennesz posted:I feel like this is an immensely stupid question but: how well has System Shock 2 aged? If I started my first playthrough of it right now - would it hold up? If you're playing the GOG one I think it comes with all the patches that let you run it in current resolutions, so you should be good there. Neo Rasa mentioned texture mods which are mostly fine (they just do stuff like the make the in-game computer screens and posters and messages scrawled on the walls in blood not look like poo poo) but I'd stay far away from any of the model replacements like Rebirth. People like to bag on the Titty Midwives in Rebirth, but honestly all the model replacements are really ugly and not as scary as the original low-poly models.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 15:47
|
|
|
What ever happened to Floppy Discs in Space? Can't remember the name. At the time, seemed like SOMA's contemporary. Protocol? e: Stasis? Bogart fucked around with this message at 16:07 on Feb 24, 2016 |
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 16:02
|
|
|
It got delayed by a pretty big margin, IIRC? The cynic in me thinks it's because Alien: Isolation stormed in and nicked their retro thunder.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 16:07
|
|
|
Bogart posted:What ever happened to Floppy Discs in Space? Can't remember the name. At the time, seemed like SOMA's contemporary. Protocol? Routine. Last update was December, but I live in hope..
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 16:49
|
|
|
Even though it's probably destined to be vaporware, I really like the idea of that new Camp Crystal Lake game or whatever where one dude plays as Jason and the others as hapless sexy teens.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 17:04
|
|
|
MockingQuantum posted:Also, I would like to recruit the horror game thread brain-trust here: I'm starting down the (very very) long road of developing a game, and while I don't think it'll be a strictly-speaking horror game, it's definitely going to pull a lot of inspiration and tropes from horror. So what are everybody's favorite games that lean more heavily on the creepy/unsettling side of the horror spectrum than the out-and-out scary? I've been thinking through recent games I've played and I honestly haven't come up with good examples, beyond some of the quieter moments in the Silent Hill games and that sort of thing.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 17:27
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 01:08 |
|
|
Firstborn posted:Even though it's probably destined to be vaporware, I really like the idea of that new Camp Crystal Lake game or whatever where one dude plays as Jason and the others as hapless sexy teens. Why can't we be a sexy Jason.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2016 20:47
|
|