Survival Horror Game
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Survival horror is a
subgenre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...
of horror games. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel less in control than in typical action games through limited ammunition or weapons, health, speed, and vision, or through various obstructions of the player's interaction with the
game mechanics In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics define how a game works for players. Game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide player actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, whi ...
. The player is also challenged to find items that unlock the path to new areas and solve puzzles to proceed in the game. Games make use of strong horror themes, such as dark mazelike environments and unexpected attacks from enemies. The term "survival horror" was first used for the original Japanese release of ''
Resident Evil ''Resident Evil'', known as in Japan, is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environments ...
'' in 1996, which was influenced by earlier games with a horror theme such as 1989's '' Sweet Home'' and 1992's ''
Alone in the Dark ''Alone in the Dark'' is a survival horror video game series originally developed by Infogrames. In most of the games, the player controls private investigator Edward Carnby, who goes to investigate a haunted house or town that is full of undea ...
''. The name has been used since then for games with similar gameplay and has been retroactively applied to earlier titles. Starting with the release of ''
Resident Evil 4 ''Resident Evil 4'' is a 2005 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom for the GameCube. Players control the special agent Leon S. Kennedy on a mission to rescue the US president's daughter, Ashley Graham (Resident Evil), Ashley ...
'' in 2005, the genre began to incorporate more features from action games and more traditional first person and
third-person shooter Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...
games. This has led game journalists to question whether long-standing survival horror franchises and more recent franchises have abandoned the genre and moved into a distinct genre often referred to as "action horror."


Definition

Survival horror refers to a subgenre of
survival Survival or survivorship, the act of surviving, is the propensity of something to continue existing, particularly when this is done despite conditions that might kill or destroy it. The concept can be applied to humans and other living things ...
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s that include
horror game A horror game is a video game genre centered on horror fiction and typically designed to scare the player. The term may also be used to describe tabletop games with horror fiction elements. Unlike most other video game genres, which are classif ...
elements. The player character is vulnerable and under-armed, which puts emphasis on puzzle-solving and evasion, rather than the player taking an offensive strategy. Games commonly challenge the player to manage their inventory and ration scarce resources such as ammunition. Another major theme throughout the genre is that of isolation. Typically, these games contain relatively few
non-player character A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...
s and, as a result, frequently tell much of their story second-hand through the usage of journals, texts, or audio logs. While many action games feature lone protagonists versus swarms of enemies in a suspenseful environment, survival horror games are distinct from otherwise horror-themed action games. They tend to de-emphasize combat in favor of challenges such as hiding or running from enemies and solving puzzles. Still, it is not unusual for survival horror games to draw upon elements from
first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
s, or even
role-playing games A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, eith ...
. According to ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'', "Survival horror is different from typical game genres in that it is not defined strictly by specific mechanics, but subject matter, tone, pacing, and design philosophy."


Game design


De-emphasized combat

Survival horror games are a subgenre of horror games, where the player is unable to fully prepare or arm their avatar. The player usually encounters several factors to make combat unattractive as a primary option, such as a limited number of weapons or invulnerable enemies; if weapons are available, their ammunition is sparser than in other games, and powerful weapons such as explosives are rare, if even available at all. Thus, players are more vulnerable than in
action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, rhythm games and ...
s, and the hostility of the environment sets up a narrative where the odds are weighed decisively against the avatar. This shifts gameplay away from direct combat, and players must learn to evade enemies or turn the environment against them. Games try to enhance the experience of vulnerability by making the game single-player rather than multiplayer, and by giving the player an avatar who is more frail than the typical action game hero. The survival horror genre is also known for other non-combat challenges, such as solving puzzles at certain locations in the game world, and collecting and managing an inventory of items. Areas of the game world will be off limits until the player gains certain items. Occasionally, levels are designed with alternative routes. Levels also challenge players with mazelike environments, which test the player's navigational skills. Levels are often designed as dark and
claustrophobic Claustrophobia is a fear of confined spaces. It is triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms with a l ...
(often making use of dim or shadowy light conditions and camera angles and sightlines which restrict visibility) to challenge the player and provide suspense, although games in the genre also make use of enormous spatial environments.


Enemy design

A survival horror storyline usually involves the investigation and confrontation of horrific forces, and thus many games transform common elements from
horror fiction Horror is a genre of speculative fiction that is intended to disturb, frighten, or scare an audience. Horror is often divided into the sub-genres of psychological horror and supernatural horror. Literary historian J. A. Cuddon, in 1984, defin ...
into gameplay challenges. Early releases used camera angles seen in
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...
s, which allowed enemies to lurk in areas that are concealed from the player's view. Also, many survival horror games make use of off-screen sound or other warning cues to notify the player of impending danger. This feedback assists the player, but also creates feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Games typically feature a variety of monsters with unique behavior patterns. Enemies can appear unexpectedly or suddenly, and levels are often designed with scripted sequences where enemies drop from the ceiling or crash through windows. Survival horror games, like many action-adventure games, are sometimes structured around the
boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...
encounter where the player must confront a formidable opponent in order to advance to the next area. These boss encounters draw elements from antagonists seen in classic horror stories, and defeating the boss will advance the story of the game.


History


Origins (1980s–1996)

The origins of the survival horror game can be traced back to earlier horror fiction novels. Archetypes have been linked to the books of
H. P. Lovecraft Howard Phillips Lovecraft (, ; August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American writer of Weird fiction, weird, Science fiction, science, fantasy, and horror fiction. He is best known for his creation of the Cthulhu Mythos. Born in Provi ...
, which include investigative narratives, or journeys through the depths. Comparisons have been made between Lovecraft's
Great Old One Cthulhu Mythos deities are a group of fictional deities created by American author H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937), and later expanded by others in the fictional universe known as the Cthulhu mythos. These entities are usually depicted as immens ...
s and the
boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...
encounters seen in many survival horror games. Themes of survival have also been traced to the
slasher film A slasher film is a subgenre of horror films involving a killer or a group of killers stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as a generic ...
subgenre, where the protagonist endures a confrontation with the ultimate antagonist. Another major influence on the genre is
Japanese horror Japanese horror, also known as J-horror, is horror fiction derived from popular culture in Japan, generally noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre differing from the traditional Western representation of horr ...
, including classical
Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. It is Japan's oldest major theater art that is still regularly performed today. Noh is often based on tales from traditional literature featuri ...
theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...
, the books of
Edogawa Rampo , better known by the pen name , was a Japanese author and critic who played a major role in the development of Japanese mystery and thriller fiction. Many of his novels involve the detective hero Kogoro Akechi, who in later books was the ...
, and
Japanese cinema The , also known domestically as , has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world; as of 2022, it was the fourth largest by number of feature films produced, producing 634 fi ...
. The survival horror genre largely draws from both
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
(mainly
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...
) and Asian (mainly
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
) traditions, with the Western approach to horror generally favoring
action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
-oriented visceral horror while the Japanese approach tends to favour
psychological horror Psychological horror is a genre, subgenre of horror fiction, horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and Mental state, psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The subgenre freque ...
. ''AX-2: Uchū Yusōsen Nostromo'' was a survival horror game developed by Akira Takiguchi, a
Tokyo University The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several pre-westernisation era ins ...
student and
Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, Toy, toys, arcade cabinets, and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, Vending machine, vending machines, and Juk ...
contractor, for the
PET 2001 The Commodore PET is a line of personal computers produced starting in 1977 by Commodore International. A single all-in-one case combines a MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor, Commodore BASIC in read-only memory, keyboard, monochrome monitor, ...
. It was ported to the
PC-6001 The PC-6000 series is a series of 8-bit home computers introduced in November 1981 by NEC Home Electronics. There are several models in this series, such as the PC-6001, the PC-6001 MK2 and the PC-6001 MK2 SR. There is also an American version, c ...
by Masakuni Mitsuhashi (also known as Hiromi Ohba, later joined
Game Arts is a Japanese video game developer and publisher based in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, it expanded into producing for a number of game console and handheld systems. Its President and CEO in 200 ...
), and published by
ASCII ASCII ( ), an acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, is a character encoding standard for representing a particular set of 95 (English language focused) printable character, printable and 33 control character, control c ...
in 1981, exclusively for Japan. Inspired by the 1979 Japanese only
stealth game A stealth game is a type of video game in which the player primarily uses ''stealth'' to avoid or overcome opponents. Games in the video game genre, genre typically allow the player to remain undetected by hiding, sneaking, or using disguises. S ...
'' Manbiki Shounen'' (Shoplifting Boy) by Hiroshi Suzuki and the 1979 sci-fi horror film '' Alien'', the gameplay of ''Nostromo'' involved a player attempting to escape a spaceship while avoiding the sight of an invisible alien, which only becomes visible when appearing in front of the player. The gameplay also involved limited resources, where the player needs to collect certain items in order to escape the ship, and if certain required items are not available in the warehouse, the player is unable to escape and eventually has no choice but to be caught and killed by the alien. Another early example is the 1982
Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
game ''
Haunted House A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the property ...
''. Gameplay is typical of future survival horror titles, as it emphasizes puzzle-solving and evasive action, rather than violence. The game uses creatures commonly featured in horror fiction, such as bats and ghosts, each of which has unique behaviors. Gameplay also incorporates item collection and inventory management, along with areas that are inaccessible until the appropriate item is found. Because it has several features that have been seen in later survival horror games, some reviewers have retroactively classified this game as the first in the genre. Malcolm Evans' ''
3D Monster Maze ''3D Monster Maze'' is a 1981 survival horror game designed by Malcolm Evans and published by J. K. Greye Software for the ZX81. Rendered using low-resolution character block "graphics", it was one of the first 3D games for a home computer, ...
'', released for the
Sinclair ZX81 The ZX81 is a home computer that was produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Dundee, Scotland, by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and designed to be a low- ...
in 1982, is a first-person game without a weapon; the player cannot fight the enemy, a
Tyrannosaurus rex ''Tyrannosaurus'' () is a genus of large theropoda, theropod dinosaur. The type species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' ( meaning 'king' in Latin), often shortened to ''T. rex'' or colloquially t-rex, is one of the best represented theropods. It live ...
, so they must escape by finding the exit before the monster finds them. The game states its distance and awareness of the player, further raising tension. ''
Edge Edge or EDGE may refer to: Technology Computing * Edge computing, a network load-balancing system * Edge device, an entry point to a computer network * Adobe Edge, a graphical development application * Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
'' stated it was about "fear, panic, terror and facing an implacable, relentless foe who’s going to get you in the end" and considers it "the original survival horror game". ''
Retro Gamer ''Retro Gamer'' is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering Retrogaming, retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Launched in January 2004 as a quarterly publication, ''Retro Gamer'' ...
'' stated, "Survival horror may have been a phrase first coined by
Resident Evil ''Resident Evil'', known as in Japan, is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environments ...
, but it could’ve easily applied to Malcolm Evans’ massive hit." 1982 saw the release of another early horror game,
Bandai is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered ...
's ''Terror House'', based on traditional Japanese horror, released as a
Bandai LCD Solarpower Handheld electronic games are interactive electronic games, often miniaturized versions of video games, that are played on portable handheld devices, known as handheld game consoles, whose controls, display and speakers are all part of a singl ...
handheld game. It was a
solar-powered Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to conve ...
game with two LCD panels on top of each other to enable impressive scene changes and early
pseudo-3D 2.5D (basic pronunciation two-and-a-half dimensional) perspective refers to gameplay or movement in a video game or virtual reality environment that is restricted to a two-dimensional (2D) plane with little to no access to a third dimension in ...
effects. The amount of ambient light the game received also had an effect on the gaming experience. Another early example of a horror game released that year was
Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...
's
arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...
''Monster Bash'', which introduced classic horror-movie monsters, including the likes of
Dracula ''Dracula'' is an 1897 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. The narrative is Epistolary novel, related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist and opens ...
,
Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein's monster, commonly referred to as Frankenstein, is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' as its main antagonist. Shelley's title compares the monster's ...
, and
werewolves In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf–humanlike creature, either purposely or after bei ...
, helping to lay the foundations for future survival horror games. Its 1986 remake '' Ghost House'' had gameplay specifically designed around the horror theme, featuring haunted house stages full of traps and secrets, and enemies that were fast, powerful, and intimidating, forcing players to learn the intricacies of the house and rely on their wits. Another game that has been cited as one of the first horror-themed games is
Quicksilva Quicksilva was a British games software publisher active during the early 1980s. Quicksilva was founded by Nick Lambert in 1980. The name Quicksilva was inspired by a particular guitar solo in a track on the album Happy Trails by Quicksilver Me ...
's 1983 maze game ''
Ant Attack ''Ant Attack'' is an action game written for the ZX Spectrum by Sandy White and published by Quicksilva in 1983. A Commodore 64 version was released in 1984. While ''Zaxxon'' and ''Q*bert'' previously used isometric projection, ''Ant Attack'' ad ...
''. The latter half of the 1980s saw the release of several other horror-themed games, including
Konami , commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
's ''
Castlevania ''Castlevania'' (), known in Japan as is a gothic horror action-adventure video game series and media franchise created by Konami. The series is largely set in the castle of Count Dracula, the arch-enemy of the Belmont clan of vampire hunters. ...
'' in 1986, and Sega's ''Kenseiden'' and Namco's ''Splatterhouse'' in 1988, though despite the macabre imagery of these games, their gameplay did not diverge much from other
action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, rhythm games and ...
s at the time. ''Splatterhouse'' in particular is notable for its large amount of bloodshed and terror, despite being an arcade beat 'em up with very little emphasis on survival. ''Shiryou Sensen: War of the Dead'', a 1987 title developed by Fun Factory and published by Victor Music Industries for the MSX2, PC-88 and PC Engine platforms, is considered the first true survival horror game by Kevin Gifford (of ''GamePro'' and 1UP.com, 1UP)Kevin Gifford
Shiryō Sensen: War of the Dead
, ''Magweasel.com'', November 10, 2009
and John Szczepaniak (of ''
Retro Gamer ''Retro Gamer'' is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering Retrogaming, retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Launched in January 2004 as a quarterly publication, ''Retro Gamer'' ...
'' and ''The Escapist (magazine), The Escapist'').John Szczepaniak
War of the Dead
Hardcore Gaming 101, 15 January 2011
Designed by Katsuya Iwamoto, the game was a horror Action role-playing game, action RPG revolving around a female SWAT member Lila rescuing survivors in an isolated monster-infested town and bringing them to safety in a church. It has Open world, open environments like ''Dragon Quest'' and Real-time game, real-time side-view battles like ''Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Zelda II'', though ''War of the Dead'' departed from other RPGs with its dark and creepy atmosphere expressed through the storytelling, graphics, and music. The player character has limited ammunition, though the player character can punch or use a knife if out of ammunition. The game also has a limited item inventory and crates to store items, and introduced a Persistent world, day-night cycle; the player can sleep to recover health, and a record is kept of how many days the player has survived. In 1988, ''War of the Dead Part 2'' for the MSX2 and PC-88 abandoned the RPG elements of its predecessor, such as random encounters, and instead adopted action-adventure elements from ''Metal Gear (video game), Metal Gear'' while retaining the horror atmosphere of its predecessor. However, the game often considered the first true survival horror, due to having the most influence on ''Resident Evil'', was the 1989 release '' Sweet Home'', for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was created by Tokuro Fujiwara, who would later go on to create ''Resident Evil''. ''Sweet Home''s gameplay focused on solving a variety of Puzzle video game, puzzles using items stored in a limited inventory, while battling or escaping from horrifying creatures, which could lead to permanent death for any of the characters, thus creating tension and an emphasis on survival. It was also the first attempt at creating a scary and frightening storyline within a game, mainly told through scattered diary entries left behind fifty years before the events of the game. Developed by Capcom, the game would become the main inspiration behind their later release ''Resident Evil''. Its horrific imagery prevented its release in the Western world, though its influence was felt through ''Resident Evil'', which was originally intended to be a Video game remake, remake of the game.Time Machine: Sweet Home
''Computer and Video Games''
Some consider ''Sweet Home'' to be the first true survival horror game. In 1989, Electronic Arts published ''Project Firestart'', developed by Dynamix. Unlike most other early games in the genre, it featured a science fiction setting inspired by the film '' Alien'', but had gameplay that closely resembled later survival horror games in many ways. Travis Fahs considers it the first to achieve "the kind of fully formed vision of survival horror as we know it today," citing its balance of action and adventure, limited ammunition, weak weaponry, vulnerable main character, feeling of isolation, storytelling through journals, graphic violence, and use of dynamically triggered music - all of which are characteristic elements of later games in the survival horror genre. Despite this, it is not likely a direct influence on later games in the genre and the similarities are largely an example of parallel thinking. In 1992, Infogrames released ''
Alone in the Dark ''Alone in the Dark'' is a survival horror video game series originally developed by Infogrames. In most of the games, the player controls private investigator Edward Carnby, who goes to investigate a haunted house or town that is full of undea ...
'', which has been considered a forefather of the genre. The game featured a lone protagonist against hordes of monsters, and made use of traditional adventure game challenges such as puzzle-solving and finding hidden keys to new areas. Graphically, ''Alone in the Dark'' uses static Pre-rendering, prerendered camera views that were cinematic in nature. Although players had the ability to fight monsters as in
action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, rhythm games and ...
s, players also had the option to evade or block them. Many monsters could not be killed, and thus could only be dealt with using problem-solving abilities. The game also used the mechanism of notes and books as expository devices. Many of these elements were used in later survival horror games, and thus the game is credited with making the survival horror genre possible. In 1994, Riverhillsoft released ''Doctor Hauzer'' for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, 3DO. Both the player character and the environment are rendered in Polygon (computer graphics), polygons. The player can switch between three different perspectives: Third-person (video games), third-person, First-person (gaming), first-person, and Overhead perspective, overhead. In a departure from most survival horror games, ''Doctor Hauzer'' lacks any enemies; the main threat is instead the sentience, sentient house that the game takes place in, with the player having to survive the house's traps and solve puzzles. The sound of the player character's echoing footsteps change depending on the surface. In 1995, WARP (game developer), WARP's horror adventure game ''D (video game), D'' featured a First-person (gaming), first-person perspective, Computer-generated imagery, CGI Interactive film, full-motion video, gameplay that consisted entirely of Puzzle video game, puzzle-solving, and taboo content such as Human cannibalism, cannibalism. The same year, Human Entertainment's ''Clock Tower (1995 video game), Clock Tower'' was a survival horror game that employed point-and-click graphic adventure gameplay and a deadly stalker known as Scissorman that chases players throughout the game. The game introduced
stealth game A stealth game is a type of video game in which the player primarily uses ''stealth'' to avoid or overcome opponents. Games in the video game genre, genre typically allow the player to remain undetected by hiding, sneaking, or using disguises. S ...
elements, and was unique for its lack of combat, with the player only able to run away or outsmart Scissorman in order to survive. It features up to nine different possible endings. The term "survival horror" was first used by Capcom to market their 1996 release, ''Resident Evil''. It began as a remake of ''Sweet Home'', borrowing various elements from the game, such as its mansion setting, puzzles, "opening door" load screen, death animations, Types of fiction with multiple endings, multiple endings depending on which characters survive, dual character paths, individual character skills, limited item management, story told through diary entries and frescos, emphasis on atmosphere, and horrific imagery. ''Resident Evil'' also adopted several features seen in ''Alone in the Dark'', notably its cinematic fixed camera angles and pre-rendered backdrops.Resident Evil Creator Shinji Mikami Reflects on the Series' Roots
GameSpot (March 22, 2016)
The control scheme in ''Resident Evil'' also became a staple of the genre, and future titles imitated its challenge of rationing very limited resources and items. The game's commercial success is credited with helping the PlayStation (console), PlayStation become the dominant game console, and also led to a series of ''Resident Evil'' films. Many games have tried to replicate the successful formula seen in ''Resident Evil'', and every subsequent survival horror game has arguably taken a stance in relation to it.


Golden age (1996–2004)

The success of ''Resident Evil'' in 1996 was responsible for its formula being used as the basis for a wave of successful survival horror games, many of which were referred to as "''Resident Evil'' clones." The golden age of survival horror started by ''Resident Evil'' reached its peak around the turn of the millennium with ''Silent Hill'', followed by a general decline a few years later. Among the ''Resident Evil'' clones at the time, there were several survival horror titles that stood out, such as ''Clock Tower (1996 video game), Clock Tower'' (1996), ''Clock Tower II: The Struggle Within'' (1998), and ''Dino Crisis'' (1999) for the PlayStation. These Clock Tower (series), ''Clock Tower'' games proved to be hits, capitalizing on the success of ''Resident Evil'' while staying true to the graphic-adventure gameplay of the original ''Clock Tower'' rather than following the ''Resident Evil'' formula. Another survival horror title that differentiated itself was ''Corpse Party'' (1996), an indie game, indie,
psychological horror Psychological horror is a genre, subgenre of horror fiction, horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and Mental state, psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The subgenre freque ...
adventure game created using the RPG Maker engine. Much like ''Clock Tower'' and later ''Haunting Ground'' (2005), the player characters in ''Corpse Party'' lack any means of defending themselves; the game also featured up to 20 Types of fiction with multiple endings, possible endings. However, the game would not be released in Western markets until 2011. Riverhillsoft's ''Overblood'', released in 1996, is considered the first survival horror game to make use of a fully 3D computer graphics, three-dimensional virtual environment. ''The Note (video game), The Note'' in 1997 and ''Hellnight'' in 1998 experimented with using a real-time 3D First-person (gaming), first-person perspective rather than pre-rendered backgrounds like ''Resident Evil''. In 1998, Capcom released the successful sequel ''Resident Evil 2'', which series creator Shinji Mikami intended to tap into the classic notion of horror as "the ordinary made strange". Rather than setting the game in a creepy mansion no one would visit, he wanted to use familiar urban settings transformed by the chaos of a viral outbreak. The game sold over five million copies, proving the popularity of survival horror. That year saw the release of Square (video game company), Square's ''Parasite Eve (video game), Parasite Eve'', which combined elements from ''Resident Evil'' with the RPG gameplay of ''Final Fantasy''. It was followed by a more action-based sequel, ''Parasite Eve II'', in 1999. In 1998, ''Galerians'' discarded the use of guns in favour of psychic powers that make it difficult to fight more than one enemy at a time. Also in 1998, ''Blue Stinger'' was a fully 3D survival horror game for the Dreamcast incorporating action elements from beat 'em up and shooter games.Bartholow, Peter
Blue Stinger review for DreamCast at GameSpot
''GameSpot''. Accessed July 17, 2005.
Konami , commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
's ''Silent Hill (video game), Silent Hill'', released in 1999, drew heavily from ''Resident Evil'' while using real-time 3D environments in contrast to ''Resident Evils pre-rendered graphics. ''Silent Hill'' in particular was praised for moving away from B movie horror elements to the Psychological horror, psychological style seen in Art film, art house or J-Horror, Japanese horror films, due to the game's emphasis on a disturbing atmosphere rather than visceral horror. The game also featured stealth elements, making use of the fog to dodge enemies or turning off the flashlight to avoid detection. The original ''Silent Hill'' is considered one of the scariest games of all time, and the strong narrative from ''Silent Hill 2'' in 2001 has made the Silent Hill, ''Silent Hill'' series one of the most influential in the genre. According to IGN, the "golden age of survival horror came to a crescendo" with the release of ''Silent Hill''. A game similar to the ''Clock Tower'' series of games and ''Haunting Ground'', which was also inspired by ''Resident Evil'''s success, is the Korean game known as ''White Day: A Labyrinth Named School'' (2001). "White Day" was reportedly so scary that the developers had to release several patches adding multiple difficulty options, and the game was originally slated for localization in 2004 but abruptly cancelled. Building on its previous success in Korea and interest, a remake was developed in 2015. ''Fatal Frame (video game), Fatal Frame'' from 2001 was a unique entry into the genre, as the player explores a mansion and takes photographs of ghosts in order to defeat them. The ''Fatal Frame'' series has since gained a reputation as one of the most distinctive in the genre, with the first game in the series credited as one of the best-written survival horror games ever made, by UGO Networks. Meanwhile, Capcom incorporated shooter elements into several survival horror titles, such as 2000's ''Resident Evil Survivor'' which used both light gun shooter and
first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
elements, and 2003's ''Resident Evil: Dead Aim'' which used light gun and
third-person shooter Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...
elements. Western developers began to return to the survival horror formula. ''The Thing (video game), The Thing'' from 2002 has been called a survival horror game, although it is distinct from other titles in the genre due to its emphasis on action, and the challenge of holding a team together. The 2004 title ''Doom 3'' is sometimes categorized as survival horror, although it is considered an Americanized take on the genre due to the player's ability to directly confront monsters with weaponry. Thus, it is usually considered a
first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
with survival horror elements. Regardless, the genre's increased popularity led Western developers to incorporate horror elements into action games, rather than follow the Japanese survival style. Overall, the traditional survival horror genre continued to be dominated by Japanese designers and aesthetics. 2002's ''Clock Tower 3'' eschewed the graphic adventure game formula seen in the original ''Clock Tower'', and embraced full 3D computer graphics, 3D survival horror gameplay. In 2003, ''Resident Evil Outbreak'' introduced a new gameplay element to the genre: Multiplayer online game, online Multiplayer video game, multiplayer and Cooperative video game, cooperative gameplay. Sony employed ''Silent Hill'' director Keiichiro Toyama to develop ''Siren (video game), Siren''. The game was released in 2004, and added unprecedented challenge to the genre by making the player mostly defenseless, thus making it vital to learn the enemy's patrol routes and hide from them. However, reviewers eventually criticized the traditional Japanese survival horror formula for becoming stagnant. As the console market drifted towards Western-style action games, players became impatient with the limited resources and cumbersome controls seen in Japanese titles such as ''Resident Evil – Code: Veronica'' and ''Silent Hill 4: The Room''.


Transformation (2005–present)

In 2005, ''
Resident Evil 4 ''Resident Evil 4'' is a 2005 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom for the GameCube. Players control the special agent Leon S. Kennedy on a mission to rescue the US president's daughter, Ashley Graham (Resident Evil), Ashley ...
'' attempted to redefine the genre by emphasizing reflexes and precision aiming, broadening the gameplay with elements from the wider action genre. Its ambitions paid off, earning the title several Game of the Year awards for 2005, and the top rank on
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
's ''Readers' Picks Top 99 Games'' list. However, this also led some reviewers to suggest that the ''Resident Evil'' series had abandoned the survival horror genre, by demolishing the genre conventions that it had established. Other major survival horror series followed suit by developing their combat systems to feature more action, such as ''Silent Hill: Homecoming'', and the 2008 version of ''Alone in the Dark (2008 video game), Alone in the Dark''. These changes were part of an overall trend among console games to shift towards visceral action gameplay. These changes in gameplay have led some purists to suggest that the genre has deteriorated into the conventions of other action games. James Stephanie Sterling suggests that the genre lost its core gameplay when it improved the combat interface, thus shifting the gameplay away from hiding and running towards direct combat. Leigh Alexander argues that this represents a shift towards more
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horror aesthetics, which emphasize action and gore rather than the psychological experience of Japanese horror. The original genre has persisted in one form or another. The 2005 release of ''F.E.A.R. (video game), F.E.A.R.'' was praised for both its atmospheric tension and fast action, successfully combining Japanese horror with cinematic action, while ''Dead Space (video game), Dead Space'' from 2008 brought survival horror to a science fiction setting. However, critics argue that these titles represent the continuing trend away from pure survival horror and towards general action. The release of ''Left 4 Dead'' in 2008 helped popularize Cooperative video game, cooperative multiplayer among survival horror games, although it is mostly a
first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
at its core. Meanwhile, the ''Fatal Frame'' series has remained true to the roots of the genre, even as ''Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, Fatal Frame IV'' transitioned from the use of fixed cameras to an over-the-shoulder viewpoint. Also in 2009, ''Silent Hill'' made a transition to an over-the-shoulder viewpoint in ''Silent Hill: Shattered Memories''. This Wii effort was, however, considered by most reviewers as a return to form for the series due to several developmental decisions taken by Climax Studios. This included the decision to openly break the fourth wall by psychologically profiling the player, and the decision to remove any weapons from the game, forcing the player to run whenever they see an enemy. Examples of independent survival horror games are the Penumbra (video game series), ''Penumbra'' series and ''Amnesia: The Dark Descent'' by Frictional Games, ''Nightfall: Escape'' by Zeenoh,'' Cry of Fear'' by Team Psykskallar and ''Slender: The Eight Pages'', all of which were praised for creating a horrific setting and atmosphere without the overuse of violence or gore. In 2010, the Cult video game, cult game ''Deadly Premonition'' by Access Games was notable for introducing open world nonlinear gameplay and a comedy horror theme to the genre. ''Five Nights at Freddy's'' effectively incorporated jump scares into the genre with the Five Nights at Freddy's (video game), first game in the series releasing in 2014. Further evolution of the genre was carried out via platforms such as itch.io that allowed independent creators to distribute games more easily and therefore became hives of experimentation, an example of which is the emergence of games with PS1-style low-poly aesthetics, such as those developed by Puppet Combo, that became a genre unto itself which eventually went on to be published on more mainstream storefronts such as Steam. Overall, game developers have continued to make and release survival horror games, and the genre continues to grow among indie game development, independent video game developers. ''The Last of Us'', released in 2013 by Naughty Dog, incorporated many survival horror elements into a third-person action-adventure game. Set twenty years after a pandemic plague, the player must use scarce ammo and distraction tactics to evade or kill malformed humans infected by a brain parasite, as well as dangerous survivalists. This was followed by a The Last of Us Part II, sequel in 2020. Shinji Mikami, the creator of the ''Resident Evil'' franchise, released his new survival horror game ''The Evil Within'', in 2014. Mikami stated that his goal was to bring survival horror back to its roots as he was disappointed by recent survival horror games for having too much action. That same year, ''Alien: Isolation'', developed by Creative Assembly and based on the ''Alien (franchise), Alien'' science fiction horror film series, was released. The game updated the concept of a single un-killable villain chasing the protagonist throughout most of the game, requiring the player to use stealth in order to survive. In 2015, ''Until Dawn'', developed by Supermassive Games, was published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. The game is an interactive drama in which the player controls multiple characters and features a butterfly effect system in which the player's choices can change the story and may dictate who survives the night. All playable characters can survive or die, depending on the choices made. Players explore the environment from a third-person perspective and find clues that may help solve the mystery. Multiplayer Asymmetrical gameplay, asymmetrical survival horror games gained popularity as well. ''Dead by Daylight'', released in 2016, features one player taking on the role of a killer and four others play as survivors. The game is also notable for featuring multiple characters from other survival horror franchises, such as ''Resident Evil'' and ''Silent Hill''. Other examples which use similar one versus four gameplay include ''Friday the 13th: The Game'', ''VHS'', ''Evil Dead: The Game'', and ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (2023 video game), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre''. The ''Resident Evil'' series abandoned its action-oriented direction beginning with 2017's ''Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.'' The game utilizes a first-person perspective and encourages resource management and puzzle-solving, more akin to earlier entries in the franchise. Many of these earlier entries were also remade with modern graphics while retaining their survival horror aspects with the remakes of ''Resident Evil 2 (2019 video game), Resident Evil 2'', ''Resident Evil 3 (2020 video game), Resident Evil 3'', and ''Resident Evil 4 (2023 video game), Resident Evil 4''. After these were well received, other games were remade, such as the 2024 remake of ''Silent Hill 2 (2024 video game), Silent Hill 2''.


See also

* List of horror games * Survival game


References

Sources * Sam Ozturk
"Scariest PC Games of All Time"
Savvyitinfo. {{Good article Horror genres Survival horror video games, Video game genres 1990s neologisms 1996 neologisms Horror fiction Popular culture