The Game Plan 10.05.07: Halloween Horror Spotlight, Part 1
Posted by James McGee on 10.05.2007
In honor of the Halloween season, I'll be spending the month of October looking at some games from my favorite genre: survival-horror. I kick things off with the grand-daddy of 'em all.
I love being scared. I don't know why, really. I have an over-active imagination, which makes me prone to nightmares. Still, I keep seeking out horror wherever I can get it, the creepier and more terrifying, the better. Must be some form of masochism, I don't know. My quest for the macabre was even a primary motivator for me to get back into video games after my long hiatus. Okay, so the actual game that got me back into gaming was Luigi's Mansion, but to be fair, that is scary by Mario Brothers standards, so cut me some slack!
When I started researching the state of video games (remember, I'd been away for a long time), I came across another series of games set in a dark, spooky mansion. Maybe you've heard of them…they're called Resident Evil. It's one of those titles I had definitely heard of, and after seeing some footage of the games in action, I decided it was time for me to take the plunge. The very first game I bought during my Great Gaming Renaissance was Resident Evil 0, and I've been an unabashed survival-horror junkie ever since. I'm a fan of good horror anyway, so making it interactive, with creepy atmosphere, puzzles and exploration is all right up my alley. So, in honor of the season, I'll be looking at some key franchises in the genre over the next few weeks. Considering Resident Evil is to blame for my obsession, that's as good a place to start as any. I'm James McGee, and here's The Game Plan.
A ghostly voice from my academic past is urging me to define what exactly I mean by "survival horror," so I'll heed its advice for those of you not familiar with the genre. Obviously, they involve horrific settings, situations, enemies, etc., whether it be "boo!" style scares or more psychologically disturbing themes. What really separates these games from just plain ol' horror is the "survival" aspect. Players usually take control of a character in an unfamiliar surrounding—an "average joe" type who is not qualified to be facing the kind of un-holy terrors he/she comes up against. They're usually in a central location (such as a mansion, or sometimes an entire town) trying to escape, armed only with their wits and what limited resources they can scrounge from their surroundings. Whereas the goal in most video games is to vanquish the evil at hand, survival horror games really are more about survival. Saving the world may be a convenient by-product, but you're more concerned with getting the flip out of Dodge, so to speak. This "Everyman against God-knows-what" dynamic is one of the elements that really draws me to this genre, as I generally find it more interesting than a super-soldier, capable of anything, just doing what he's designed to do. The survival horror tradition has built-in tension and intrigue going for it.
The term "survival horror" was first used on the original packaging for Resident Evil, but it didn't exactly invent the genre. Earlier titles (Alone in the Dark especially) established many of the conventions later popularized by RE (mysterious mansion, monsters, firearms, puzzles, etc). But, Resident Evil refined and perfected its predecessor's formula, upped the production values, and was lucky enough to arrive just as Sony's new Playstation started dominating the market. This series made horror games a huge, mainstream success, and popularized the formula that every single game of its type has shamelessly copied ever since.
So, what about Resident Evil was so engaging that it spawned going-on-three generations of imitators? The biggest factor was the subject matter. Face it: zombies are cool. From the moment George Romero unleashed Night of the Living Dead on the world, we just can't get enough of the shambling, rotting, flesh-eating buggers. Resident Evil made players feel like they were actually taking part in one of those great b-movies. It's taken a lot of heat over the years, but the story and voice acting in the series is all part of the appeal for me. The mystery surrounding the Umbrella Corporation and its T Virus is convoluted, campy, and down-right silly at times (the twisted tale of Alfred and Alexia Ashford from Code Veronica immediately comes to mind). Likewise, the voice work ranges from competent to gloriously awful (oddly enough, I'm still thinking of the Ashfords!). But all of this is a case of "so bad it's good." The story is so hammy that it just adds to the experience of watching/playing through an edition of The Late-Night Movie.
The series isn't all about the story, though, and that's another aspect that has made RE's formula so successful. Basically, the gameplay combines the best of both worlds when it comes to action and adventure. Puzzles play a huge part in these games, and the combination of gathering key items and scouring cryptic documents for clues is very reminiscent of old point-and-click PC adventures like Maniac Mansion. Taking things one step further, players get to move more than a cursor around. The 3D characters navigate through pre-rendered environments (until the environments became three-dimensional as well later in the series), and they get to actually shoot enemies rather than just running away or clicking on them. It doesn't get much better than blowing off zombie heads with a shotgun—another undeniable truth exploited to great effect by this series. Survival horror gameplay is one of those love it or hate it things. Some people find the controls cumbersome, the backtracking too methodical, the puzzle and weapon-placement too contrived. To each his own, but this style of gameplay really provides something for everyone: combat for the action inclined, story and exploration for adventure fans. It's a win-win situation.
Some games may be scarier, and others may have a better handle on the action side of things, but few series can boast the kind of "total package" that Resident Evil has. Its name belongs up there with Final Fantasy, Doom, and Super Mario Bros. as a game that defined a particular genre. Every time you turn down the lights, switch on your console, and mess your pants during a game, you owe the experience to Resident Evil. If for no other reason, the franchise deserves some respect for that.
Next week, I'll move on to the second biggest horror franchise going, Silent Hill. Just like other games in the genre, it borrows a lot from RE, but it also manages to distinguish itself and establish some conventions of its own. While you're waiting for the next installment, let me hear about some of your favorite horror games. I'm always looking for some new scares!
