10 Horror Video Games That Broke All The Rules

10. Stories Untold - Getting Rid Of Jumpscares

One of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to horror movies or games is the jumpscare.

When used sparingly, they can be an effective way to raise a player’s heart-rate and make them feel a little more on edge. The key word here is sparingly, of course, because when over-done jumpscares can absolutely kill a game’s atmosphere.

If you rely completely on the threat of a screaming monster flashing up full-screen to lend your title some tension, then you’ve not made a very good game. Similarly, if it’s happening every few minutes then it stops being scary.

Luckily for the jumpscare-averse, games completely devoid of this staple do exist!

Stories Untold tells its story through four episodes, in which you slowly uncover the player-character’s situation, mainly through playing games inside of the game itself.

By virtue of its style, the title doesn’t lend itself to the classic scares of monsters hiding around corners. Instead it uses atmosphere and intrigue to build tension and drive the narrative forward, with the final episode giving you the satisfying ending you’ve worked towards.