In recent years, horror games have begun to take on a very strange trend. The horror aspect has been slowly replaced by seemingly wall-to-wall action. When Resident Evil reached its fourth entry, the survival part of "survival horror" seemed to be gone, and, in fact, so was the horror. Survival horror seems less interested in scaring you these days. Maybe that speaks to our own sensibilities, and growing somewhat immune to the gruesome images these games show us. But I don't think that's entirely the case. Games like Amnesia and Bioshock make a strong case that players can still be scared with the right atmosphere and setting. It's still possible to scare even the most jaded gamer, and Kojima is no stranger to that. While it's true that Kojima has never directed a straight up horror title, what's also true is that a few of the games made under his watch have had moments that would be right up there with the scariest of their generation. Take the scene from Metal Gear Solid 1, where Snake arrived in a blood-soaked corridor, filled with the bodies of slaughtered enemy guards. Kojima can also create a very subtle and intense feeling of uneasiness, the source of which is as varied as his entire career. He often leaves you scared to turn the next corner, for fear of what he may throw your way next. Kojima knows how to scare you, which is ironic since he considers himself such a wimp when it comes to horror. But when you consider how many players he's sent into a state of acute awareness, desperately hiding from enemy guards and hoping not to be seen, it's hard not to walk away feeling Kojima is the best man for the job. But now it's your turn. Am I way off base? Should Kojima stick with Snake and the gang? Sound off in the comments and let me know what you think about the future of Silent Hill.
