Thanks to forums member faDeD for turning me on to a new WiiWare horror/puzzle game called LIT. I haven’t had time to play it yet–as you can probably tell from the dearth of posts recently, it’s been a busy month–but it looks like a lot of fun. I am keenly interested in how horror games might perform on services like XBLA and WiiWare; I suspect that the types of horror/adventure games that are being made for DS could work on these platforms really well, for about the same development cost. And damn it, somebody has to make a proper point-and-click adventure game using the Wii remote (to be fair, there are a couple of attempts already).
I am trying to decide if I should loosen the Quest criteria to include hand-held games. I am still working my way through Nanashi no Geemu (damn, that game needs save points), and with titles like Silent Hill: 0rigins already in the wild it seems like it might be a good move. I initially omitted hand-held games because there are very few portable horror games and I didn’t want to have to track down every last NeoPocket or Wonderswan to complete the Quest. But it seems like the only real contenders are the PSP and the DS, and even then most of the titles are on the DS. So maybe I should go ahead and count games on those platforms–they are certainly relevant from a content perspective. What do you think?
I’d say there shouldn’t be an issue in listing them, especially seeing as how most of the ‘horror-related’ games I can think of on more obscure handhelds are either ports (Clock Tower) or text-only (Uzumaki).
Besides, Nanashi no Game could always use more love.
Well, look on the bright side: with Silent Hill Origins you’ve already covered 100% of the survival horror games on psp.
dont see why they shouldint be, only problem I would have is playing it on a tiny screen, wouldint keep me quite as gripped =/
Hell, why not?
As u’ve said many times, u dont include PC-only horror games because there r so many of ’em.
At the same time, there cant be many handhald-only horror games, so why not count them?
(and yeah, LIT does look quite interesting)
Hmm, the concept to that game sounds exactly the same as the Darkest Fear mobile phone games.
It boils down to a matter of what they’re intended to do. With a PC, anyone can make a once-off game in Game Maker and proclaim it the next Silent Hill but when you go to review it, you find out that it’s got more in common with “The Ring: Terror’s Realm.”
Now repeat that several hundred times. I’m guessing you’ve already been through this thought process. No PC games.
A handheld, especially the DS, is going to require some actual investment to make a game, put it on a cart, and sell it. I’d venture that most people aren’t going to play your game if they can only use an emulator.
Automatically, you’ve set the bar higher. I say you include handhelds, if only the PSP and the DS for now.
You should include hand-held games, without a doubt.
In DS, you have a lot of horror-themed games: Dementium: The Ward, Nanashi no Game, Dead n’Furious, Mitewa Ikenai, The Zombie Crisis, The Haioku Byoto, Theresia: Dear Emile… Although most of them aren’t survival horror.
I vote yes. You should include handheld games in the quest.
Oh and BTW, a DS port of the PSX version of Clock Tower would be nice, don’t you think? It’s basically a point and click survival horror.
Definitely on handhelds. And a DS version of Clock Tower would be amazing– but I don’t think it will happen. I bought a Wonderswan JUST to play a port version of that game. Too bad it’s in black and white…
I agree very much with the handheld inclusion.
Personally, what I don’t understand the exclusion of PC titles. It leaves out not only many great PC horror games like FEAR and Penumbra, but also leaves out many very important games for the genre, such as the classic Alone in the Dark titles.
Personally, what I don’t understand the exclusion of PC titles. It leaves out not only many great PC horror games like FEAR and Penumbra, but also leaves out many very important games for the genre, such as the classic Alone in the Dark titles.
To add to this, the biggest factor in excluding pc only titles (the sheer volume) could be solved simply by having some sort of a notability requirement.
Personally, what I don’t understand the exclusion of PC titles. It leaves out not only many great PC horror games like FEAR and Penumbra, but also leaves out many very important games for the genre, such as the classic Alone in the Dark titles.
To add to this, the biggest factor in excluding pc only titles (the sheer volume) could be solved simply by having some sort of a notability requirement.
Excluding PC titles excludes hundreds–literally hundreds–of titles. Most of them were made before 1995. Probably 1% of them still work on modern computers. If one could get their hands on them, another 30% might work with DOSBox or other old-system emulators. Excluding them is first and foremost an attempt to make completing the Quest actually feasible.
I can’t use notability as a requirement because so many of the games that are pillars in this genre are not particularly notable (assuming “notability” means that they sold well or are well-known outside of horror game circles). Many of them never left their native countries, or are popular only within a hardcore group of fans. Take Sweet Home, for example; it’s a minor movie tie-in game for a mediocre (by all accounts; I haven’t seen it) film that was released for the NES in exactly one country. It’s not well-known. It doesn’t have a cult following or anything like that. Yet it is extremely important for my research because it is the basis for the design of Resident Evil.
Excluding handheld games was originally another attempt to make Quest completion an actual, realistic goal. But since I started only a few handheld devices have come out, and only a very few number of horror games have shipped for those devices, and there are also very few for previous devices, so I can reasonably include them without bloating the Quest list. PC games, on the other hand, are an endless rabbit hole that may contain some gems but is simply too deep and too time consuming to warrant delving into.
I think it would be wise to broaden you’re quest to include PSP & DS titles as it shouldn’t be too difficult to chip away at that back log as there isn’t many horror titles on the DS & PSP.
Chris is there going to be a review of ‘Silent Hill: Homecoming”?
Yes of course, once I finish it. I haven’t even started yet. I am mostly finished with Dead Space, but I haven’t even had the chance to play in about a month (it’s been a busy February; I’m sitting in an airport about to get on an international flight as I write this). But yeah, I have the game and it’s next on my list after Dead Space.
I was unaware of how massive the number of old PC titles there were.
I apologize if I sounded rude.
Yes of course, once I finish it. I haven’t even started yet. I am mostly finished with Dead Space, but I haven’t even had the chance to play in about a month (it’s been a busy February; I’m sitting in an airport about to get on an international flight as I write this). But yeah, I have the game and it’s next on my list after Dead Space.
No worries! As long as it’s going up 😉
Good to hear about the Dead Space review! Also..what about Siren: Blood Curse?
http://www.wsprod.com
I agree about the PC games exclusion, there are far too many titles in that area (good and bad) and while some of them are pretty darn good (Nocturne being my favorite) it’s understandable keeping the volume down. Though, for my own horror quest, I’m including Nocturne and alone in the dark 3 but that’s about it (just cause I say so :P).
Anyway, if you’re interested in handheld horror games, you might want to know about Insmouth no Yakata (though you probably already do). I’ve played it on my virtual boy and while it is an incredibly difficult game, it was a pretty creepy one. Anyway, it’s one of the few handheld horror games I had ever heard of before the DS and PSP came along. Just throwing it out there.
I guess I understand the PC exclusion (No system shock 1/2 🙁 ) but I think the quest is a little to literal if you think you HAVE to get EVERY PC title that’s a survival horror, no offense. I’m curious if it’s on a console but only native (say Japan) you have to import it and well.. learn the language even if you can play it on a PS2 for example, well then you can’t play it or at least it’s full extent and experience. So hope for it to be shipped over the seas and translated which can take years and maybe never. So it’s still hard to complete such a quest if it’s bound to only being English translated yet a console game all the same.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not ragging on your goals or trying to be the downer I’m being a realist as much as you are to keeping the quest as a real possible goal.
I understand the reasons for PC I do, most old games are NOT going to work even if they sold well in the past or were well known is a moot point if they won’t work on new comps. But what I’m saying is a exception, yes most PC games are console as well these days but there’s got to be some exceptions for very good games that still work on a PC or at least are not older than say year 2000 or so. At any rate that’s just how I feel and doesn’t mean it’s law. :p
Anyway I do LOVE your sight even if I have a different view on the PC thing I’ll get over it. ;3