I you do not follow me at Kotaku, well, I figured I would let you know about some of my recent posts over there as I've been busy. Perhaps something will be of interest to you! Or not, who can say. It's your life, man, be interested in whatever you want.
Today I've got a piece called Video Games, According to Horror Movies, a look at some of the ridiculous (and often hilarious) ways games and game developers are portrayed in horror movies. Films like Brainscan, Stay Alive, Nightmares, and Hellraiser: Hellworld all get it delightfully wrong and I couldn't be more pleased.
Also, Hellworld is the EIGHTH Hellraiser movie and it is not the last. It's shocking just how massive some of these franchises are–like, everyone knows there are more Friday the 13th movies than you could count on all of your fingers (I assume). But there are almost 20 Amityville movies! How can that be? And don't get me started–don't even get me started–on Witchcraft. Last I knew they were up to Witchcraft MCMXVIII.
I also wrote a piece about the current state of horror games (spoiler alert: it's pretty dang great!). Basically there's a shit ton of good stuff out there in every imaginable subgenre. It parallels the ebbs and flows of the horror film industry, to an extent: when "corporate"/big budget stuff gets too bland and fans get tired, the indies experiment with new ideas and make it all feel fresh again.
I done did my first review of a AAA, The Evil Within 2, huzzah and hooray! (spoiler alert: it's pretty dang great!) I loved it. Fantastic open world-ish survival horror. If that's your bag at all, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
It's all fulla nope.
I wrote a bit about a recent Friday the 13th: The Game update, although since then there's been another update that adds Fox as a playable character and I don't even know why I'm still writing here when I could be playing as Fox?
Finally, I wrote a list of horror movie recommendations for horror game fans. You know, if you like this game, watch this movie kind of stuff. Of course, the inverse also applies–if you're a fan of one of these movies, maybe you'll enjoy the game. It's not 1:1 stuff, like "If you enjoy playing Resident Evil, watch Resident Evil!" because man, what a boring list that would be. It's more moods and vibes and maybe some lesser known films, so maybe someone somewhere got introduced to something great and then my life will feel complete.
It's been a great SHOCKtober all around, and it ain't over yet!
While not strictly horror (or even strictly a GAME) but dripping with suspense, atmosphere and mystery Thechineseroom's DEAR ESTHER completely blew me away a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt could be looked at as a glorified tech demo as you make your way around a gorgously rendered island, but with each 'checkpoint' you hear a voiceover from a journal of a man who was stranded here, writing to his beloved back home.
As you delve deeper and deeper into the island the journal becomes more disturbing. And by the end, as you descend the final mountain to reach the flashing beacon you have been following this whole time it becomes almost unbearably intense.
It's an incredible piece of work. Not something you will go back to again and again but you'll never forget that first journey.
That’s been on my “must play” list for a while now and I literally realized tonight I have it for Xbox (haven’t turned it on in a while). I’m psyched!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear your thoughts on it, Stacie.
ReplyDeleteI played the demo of THE EVIL WITHIN 2 and was very impressed. Maybe after I'm done with the new WOLFENSTEIN I might give it a go.
ReplyDeleteI also bought DARKSIDERS II on the Halloween Steam sale. Love that game for some mindless hack-and-slashery.