Horror as a genre would seem simple to execute, but there's a lot more going on behind the scenes to make horror video games that actually scare players. Some gamers love being scared, having their heart rate rise as they round that dark corner to take on the next challenge. Knowing in the back of your mind that it's not real, yet still being frightened is a hallmark of any good horror.

When it comes to horror, creating scary gameplay is challenging, as the player can become the protagonist or antagonist, and their decisions can have a direct impact on how the game unravels. The best horror video games excel in the same core categories of immersion, interaction, and narrative. These can be broad categories, with lots of different elements needing to come together to create a terrifying gaming experience.

Interaction

Interaction in horror games is especially important, as it is the primary function of a video game for the player to interact with their environment. While movies and other types of visual horror can have some level of interaction, in video games the player controls the interaction with the environment. If the interaction between the player and the game world is poor, then the overall experience will suffer, and the effectiveness of the other horror elements will suffer as well.

Interaction comes mainly through the controller, with the movement of the character and the responsiveness of input. If movement feels clunky, they lose the suspension of disbelief which makes horror so exciting. Horror video games on the PS5 can have improved interaction because of the haptic feedback on the controller itself, which heightens tension and emphasizes key moments in the gameplay.

Immersion

Immersion is the second characteristic of a good horror video game. If a game is immersive and well-realized, the player can completely lose themselves in play, allowing everything to feel more real. This sense of false realism is what make the scares that much more effective. Immersion can come in many forms, but the primary factors are the atmosphere, the graphics, and the narrative.

Atmospheric games make effective horror video games because they create a sense of the unknown, of the weird, and of the downright creepy. It can change horror from simple jump scares, to the kind of grotesque horror that make franchises like Saw so popular. Graphics are also a very important element, especially in today's modern age when consoles and PCs are capable of creating ultra-realistic imagery.

Narrative

The narrative is the final important element of a horror video game. If the story is uninteresting or lacks cohesion, how can the player be expected to be drawn in and feel any sense of tension, dread, or fright? A bad narrative can completely ruin the experience of a horror video game. Narrative also has a big impact on a player's immersion, because they can be left asking lots of questions rather than being able to focus on what really matters, which is being scared out of their minds.

Some of the best horror video games are known for their narratives, like the Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises. Of course, these games also have incredible interaction and immersion, but the story is the driving force that draws players. People still go back to the early installments of these games to experience the thrill of the narrative, which goes to show that graphics aren't everything.