Non-RPG General News - Horror Universes Games could explore

PC Games says that there are many interesting horror universes worth to be to explored in computer games:

Screw Lovecraft, let's talk about other horror universes games could explore

Enough H.P. already. Our tentacles have gone limp.

H.P. Lovecraft told some great stories, sure. His ability to push readers to attempt to grasp ‘unknowable truths’ and ‘unspeakable horrors’ and to build stupefying worlds out of impossible geometries was largely unmatched in the public eye upon discovery of his work. But despite his widespread posthumous fame and contributions to horror, we’re tired of videogames’ love affair with Lovecraft.

There have been some great Lovecraft inspired games throughout the years, but the bulk throw in some tentacles, weird shapes, the occasional penis statue, and call it a day. The horror genre is infinitely deeper and wider than one (undeniably xenophobic and racist) man’s work. We believe games can do better. Here’s just a few horror universes set forth by our favorite creators that future games could pull from.

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Thanks henriquejr!

More information.

Other universes horror games could explore? Just about any real world mythology. Ancient people came up with some dark stuff.

I prefer semi-plausible, non-supernatural horror settings, particularly sci-fi. For example, the Fallout setting or Alien/Prometheus.

Originally Posted by rjshae
I prefer semi-plausible, non-supernatural horror settings, particularly sci-fi. For example, the Fallout setting or Alien/Prometheus.

I'm not really a fan of horror, but I definitely find the semi-plausible, non-supernatural stuff scarier. When it's monsters, magic, and stuff like that I just don't find myself as scared as when I watch something where I can go "Shoot, something like this could really happen. Or probably even has happened."

There are truly some scary places you can go in most of the mythology mythos. Ancient priests knew just how to scare the pants off the local population and made sure the children were even more frightened.

Originally Posted by Rhawkas
I'm not really a fan of horror, but I definitely find the semi-plausible, non-supernatural stuff scarier. When it's monsters, magic, and stuff like that I just don't find myself as scared as when I watch something where I can go "Shoot, something like this could really happen. Or probably even has happened."

Absolutely. That's why I prefer series like Dead Space and Resident Evil to anything that involves ghosts, etc.

World of Darkness/Vampire the Masquerade. Still tons of untapped potential there.

I'm not sure Lovecraft is done "too much," but even if it is, it certainly hasn't been done enough well to be exhausted yet. Bring on the tentacles!

The article is pretty weak, smacking of deadline doldrums. China Mieville is horror? Maybe if you squint. I have a friend who loves his work to pieces, I found it… less so.

But I'm not opposed to new kinds of horror to experience, the interactive PC medium (and the upcoming VR/AR stuff) brings us ways to really scare people that movies simply never could.