Last week I kicked off October with my post about survival games. This week I wanted to talk about survival horror games as there is a bit of difference. Now, there is definitely some overlap here as well, but generally speaking, survival horror is its own genre.
The Big Difference
Obviously, the biggest difference between survival games and survival horror games is the added horror element. Players not only need to keep themselves alive, but are almost always put in situations that leave them terrified. The player should feel uneasy, unsafe and definitely not too powerful.
Survival horror games can take the route of 7 Days to Die and demand the player keep track of things like hunger and thirst, or they can be geared more towards action like The Last of Us and the Resident Evil titles. Either way the important thing to incorporate is the horror element.
The Last of Us is hands down my favorite franchise, but in my opinion it leans more into action-adventure rather than survival horror. While supplies and ammo are limited, the game gives you a lot of options when choosing how to handle your enemies.
When I think of survival horror, I think of games that are more like Outlast or Alien Isolation. Games that make me feel like I actually might not escape. However, many different types of games can fit into the survival horror genre. If nothing else, they can at least borrow similar elements from the genre.
My Survival Horror Experiences
My first experience with the genre was in fact with The Last of Us. Ironically it is still my favorite to this day, but I have enjoyed many more titles since. The Last of Us changed my life and really opened my eyes to what games could be. With an amazing story, rock star cast and a fresh take on the “zombie” theme, The Last of Us went on to become an instant classic.
As I mentioned above though, I don’t exactly put that game in the survival horror genre because I never felt like anything was to my disadvantage. Even playing the game on the hardest setting that takes away things like your health bar, I still felt like the game gives you enough to survive.
Take a game like Outlast though, and you’ve got yourself a survival horror game. Outlast is a game that doesn’t give you any way to fight back whatsoever. Instead, you’ll need to run, hide and pray that no one finds you. It is a game that kept me from ever feeling like I could take a second to breathe. I remember dying many times in that game and having to change my strategy in order to survive.
The Resident Evil franchise is another one like The Last of Us that borders that line between survival horror and action adventure, especially depending on which one you play. However in my experience, the Resident Evil Games are a little more unforgiving when it comes to weapons and ammunition. Do I want to waste a bullet on this zombie or will I need it later for a boss fight?
I have played a few other games that would fall into this category like 7 Days to Die and honestly even Don’t Starve. It’s definitely a genre with many layers and a lot of wiggle room. Regardless though, I adore the genre and the challenges it brings to games.
The Whole Experience
When you get right down to it, a survival horror game should put you on the edge of your seat. It should make you feel like there’s a strong possibility that you won’t make it out alive. That horror element really adds something special to survival games and it is what keeps me coming back for more. Time and time again I experience more survival horror games and each time I fall in love.
For me, first-person is much more terrifying, but everyone is different. There’s just something about truly not knowing what could be behind you that makes the experience more intense. Add environmental challenges to the mix, and I am hooked. I love trying to figure out how to get out of a room or building while also being scared to death of what is lurking in the shadows.
I also enjoy when a game limits your supply on items and ammo. Sure it’s fun to tear through enemies like they’re nothing, but survival means so much more when it doesn’t come easy. I think that’s when these games truly shine. Whenever I have to ask myself if my bullet is worth the enemy the game has done its job. I look forward to exploring this genre in the future and will continue to fall in love with each game I play.
