Arkham Asylum VS. Arkham City

[Silver Nemesis]

"What IS this?" - "Barry, where's Barry?"- did Paul WS Anderson really have to kill Barry Burton?

They killed Barry? Ugh, I'm glad I missed that movie. You can't top the voice acting in the original RE anyway.

Nowadays, even widely read and "respectable" sources like Edge say that RE has little to do with survival horror anymore and, in the wake of what RE6 felt like, a reboot is long overdue. There's still hope if they decide there's a market for more "traditional" survival horror gameplay.

Sadly Capcom producer Masachika Kawata recently said:

"I think the series needs to head in that [action-oriented] direction [...] Looking at the marketing data [for survival horror games] ... the market is small, compared to the number of units Call of Duty and all those action games sell. A 'survival horror' Resident Evil doesn't seem like it'd be able to sell those kind of numbers."
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/167135/Survival_horror_market_too_small_for_Resident_Evil_says_Capcom_producer.php#.UQq-2WejZGo

It's a real shame. Do you remember the beginning of Resident Evil 2? The first time you play it you try killing all the zombies in the street. Then you realise you don't have enough ammo and you have to run instead. It's a great start to the game, one that emphasises the true nature of 'survival horror' and makes the player feel vulnerable.

RE3 was ok, but I hated the way you started off with a ton of ammunition. It totally undermined the feeling of vulnerability, instead replacing it with a feeling of empowerment. And that isn't frightening.

They got it right in the REmake where they made it so you have to burn the dead zombies to prevent them from coming back as Crimson Heads. But they don't give you enough fuel to burn all of them. So you have to be strategic about it, try and predict which corridors you're likely to use the most and make sure those are cleared. Forcing you to make economic use of limited resources in that way enhances the sense of vulnerability, which in turn enhances the sense of fear. Giving the player loads of ammunition and a feeling of secure empowerment has the opposite effect. And that's why modern action horror games will never be as scary as the old school survival horror classics.

The scariest games nowadays tend to be indie titles like Slender and SCP-087.

[Azrael]

They killed Barry? Ugh, I'm glad I missed that movie. You can't top the voice acting in the original RE anyway.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=a41TAy7RfVI

Agreed, lol. How "sad" it is that I remember most of these dialogues by heart?

I don't spoil anything by saying that in the film's ending cliffhanger, the man with the sunglasses returns, again  (yes, there will be another sequel).

Sadly Capcom producer Masachika Kawata recently said:

"I think the series needs to head in that [action-oriented] direction [...] Looking at the marketing data [for survival horror games] ... the market is small, compared to the number of units Call of Duty and all those action games sell. A 'survival horror' Resident Evil doesn't seem like it'd be able to sell those kind of numbers."
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/167135/Survival_horror_market_too_small_for_Resident_Evil_says_Capcom_producer.php#.UQq-2WejZGo

What is also sad is that the last Silent Hill games, didn't do too well.

It's a real shame. Do you remember the beginning of Resident Evil 2? The first time you play it you try killing all the zombies in the street. Then you realise you don't have enough ammo and you have to run instead. It's a great start to the game, one that emphasises the true nature of 'survival horror' and makes the player feel vulnerable.

RE3 was ok, but I hated the way you started off with a ton of ammunition. It totally undermined the feeling of vulnerability, instead replacing it with a feeling of empowerment. And that isn't frightening.

They got it right in the REmake where they made it so you have to burn the dead zombies to prevent them from coming back as Crimson Heads. But they don't give you enough fuel to burn all of them. So you have to be strategic about it, try and predict which corridors you're likely to use the most and make sure those are cleared. Forcing you to make economic use of limited resources in that way enhances the sense of vulnerability, which in turn enhances the sense of fear. Giving the player loads of ammunition and a feeling of secure empowerment has the opposite effect. And that's why modern action horror games will never be as scary as the old school survival horror classics.

Agreed. Add to this the "cinematic", Alone in the Dark-inspired camera. It made the job of fighting the enemies harder, but added to the atmosphere and tension.

The scariest games nowadays tend to be indie titles like Slender and SCP-087.

And Amnesia: The Dark Descent is definitely worth checking out. The Path is also interesting. Like those you mentioned, there's a lot of interesting games, horror or not, coming from small, indie developers. It shows that all it takes for a good game is still a relatively small team with talent and a modest budget, and not necessarily the production values of so-called AAA titles.

[Silver Nemesis]

What is also sad is that the last Silent Hill games, didn't do too well.

Yeah, Konami seems to be taking Silent Hill down the action-oriented path now too. Silent Hills 1, 2 and 3 were amazing. Silent Hill 4 was ok. SH: Origins and Homecoming weren't my cup of tea at all.  But I did enjoy Silent Hill: Shattered Memories immensely. I was hoping the series would progress in that direction. But sadly that doesn't seem to be the case.

Agreed. Add to this the "cinematic", Alone in the Dark-inspired camera. It made the job of fighting the enemies harder, but added to the atmosphere and tension.

Exactly. The fixed camera angles increased the tension and made it feel like you were in a George Romero movie. For all the player knew, there could be a not-quite-dead zombie lying on the floor just out of shot. So they'd have to take their time and proceed carefully.

The same applies to the tank-like control scheme. The critics always complained about the gameplay, but the clunky controls just made the game more frightening and challenging. It forced the player to be on the alert and advance cautiously. And that made it more suspenseful.

And Amnesia: The Dark Descent is definitely worth checking out. The Path is also interesting.

I haven't played either of those games, though I've heard a lot of good thing about them. Amnesia: The Dark Descent in particular has a reputation for being one of the few genuinely frightening games released in the past few years. I'll have to try and get hold of a copy.

[Azrael]

Agreed, Shattered Memories was the best of the recent ones, especially when it comes to story/characters. And yes, the tank controls and the slow pace of the RE games was part of what made them enjoyable. Each Hunter was practically a mini-boss, entering a room and hearing their footsteps, without seeing them, is still unforgettable as far as gaming moments go.

Amnesia certainly lived up to its reputation when I first tried it - night, lights out, headphones. A great experience.

Another interesting independent title is Dear Esther. It's not exactly "horror", it barely classifies as a traditional game, but it's a unique experience worth seeing.