8 Tricks Horror Video Games Use To Terrify You
5. Claustrophobic Level Design
Have you ever noticed plenty of horror films take place in buildings with narrow corridors or labyrinthian woodlands? One of the reasons this trope has stuck for so long is because it turns the setting into a maze, a maze where the character is being chased (usually upstairs) by a knife-wielding killer.
It helps build suspense, creates a claustrophobic atmosphere and (most importantly) makes viewers feel trapped, too.
You may have also realised that a lot of horror video games also take place in claustrophobic, maze-like environments. There's the Spencer Mansion with its twisting corridors and pathways in Resident Evil, the repeating hallway in P.T, and Mount Massive Asylum in Outlast with its cramped and dirty spaces.
On their own, the various dead ends and interconnecting paths add a level of challenge and nudge players in the right direction, but add in some enemies on your pursuit and making the wrong turn could mean replaying the section all over again.
This can be taken to a whole new level when games like Slender: The Eight pages procedurally generate their levels, meaning that even the most seasoned players never know where to go.