Summary
Survival horror is one of the mainstays of the gaming medium. Many survival horror games often share the same common tropes, such as distinctive fixed camera angles, which made old-school titles such asResident EvilandSilent Hillso cinematic.
Although theResident Evilfranchise has improved upon the realism of its graphics as time has gone on, many indie survival horror titles in the modern era take after the retro aesthetic of the original PlayStation. This is in keeping with theirSilent HillandResident Evilinfluences. However, not all modern survival horror games attempt to adopt a nostalgic veneer, with games such asAlien: IsolationandAlan Wake 2offering high-fidelity experiences that are consistently immersive.
WhileCrow Countryisa stylistically retro game, taking inspiration from old-school classics such asSilent Hilland evenFinal Fantasy, it offers a distinctly modern experience.Crow Country’stheme park environments almost look like the pre-rendered backgrounds of the originalResident Evil, but this illusion is quickly broken when players rotate their cameras. This results in a truly unique art style.
The visual style also complementsCrow Country’s gameplay, which is equally old-school. However, a few modernizations, such as optional tank controls, allow it to be more accessible for newcomers to the genre.
The originalDead Spacelooked brilliant at the time, but the 2023 remake of the classic sci-fi survival horror title immerses players even deeper in the dark and twisted corridors ofthe USG Ishimura.Dead Spaceis jam-packed with long stretches of disquieting, uncomfortable exploration, broken up by short bursts of nail-biting action.
WhileDead Spacemay be better known for its unique combat system than its graphical fidelity, the stylish environments and moody lighting of the remake offer a spine-chillingly unsettling atmosphere. This is mostly thanks to the disquieting environments of the game’s well-realized setting, the USG Ishimura.
The less said aboutSignalis, the better, as it’s a game that can only be truly experienced once. However, in a nutshell,Signalisisan indie survival horror gamethat takes inspiration from old-school horror such asResident Evil, but with a wildly different theme and setting.
The game’s dystopian sci-fi setting, winding narrative, and interesting characters make for a compelling experience. This experience is only bolstered by the game’s sense of style, featuring pixelated 3D characters and animations from an isometric perspective. Furthermore, the game features several anime-styled panels and short cutscenes to tell its dark story.
TheResident Evilremakes are a far cry from the graphical style of the original games, but their attention to detail and visual fidelity are consistently impressive. The expansive, immersive environments of Raccoon City and its Police Station are packed with detail, and the horrific creatures of Umbrella Corporation have arguably never been more terrifying.
Resident Evil2 Remake’s variety of detailed textures and high-quality models createan immersive experience. Furthermore, the lighting of the game’s environments helps to put players on edge, making the game scarier as a whole.
Nostalgia glasses aside,Silent Hillwas a graphically impressive title for its time, making creative use of post-processing effects such as fog to hide limited draw distance. Despite its age,Silent Hill’s PlayStation aesthetic and overall graphical style hold up well. This is thanks to well-crafted 3D models and surprisingly detailed texture work.
Furthermore, it could be argued thatthis PlayStation aestheticonly adds to the eerie, disquieting themes and unsettling atmosphere of the game. It’s clear that many still enjoy the graphical style of titles such asSilent Hill, as an abundance of modern indie horror games are following suit.
Remedy Entertainment is arguably one of the most creative studios in the video game industry, having titles such asMax Payne,Control, and the originalAlan Wakeunder their belt. In their efforts to combine worlds and themes reminiscent of David Lynch’s fiction such asTwin Peakswith third-person action, Remedy hasn’t always been successful. However,Alan Wake 2is an outstanding achievement both as a game and as a showcase of games as a visual medium.
Alan Wake 2’s consistent breaks of the fourth wall, creative combinations of live-action and in-engine cutscenes,and dense atmosphereare consistently impressive. This is all facilitated by modern graphics and brilliant use of lighting effects, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind graphical style that only Remedy could cook up.
This deeply immersive survival horror game takes place in the universe of theAlienfranchise. The attention to detail and loyalty to the source material is beyond admirable, and the game’s visuals - while certainly stylized to a degree - do a great job of realizing the atmospheric environments of the Sevastopol space station.
The designs of each environment, the character models, and the Xenomorph itself work to create an unsettling, immersive experience. The superb art direction also makes the game tremendously scarier than it otherwise would be, offering a nail-biting adventure that’s sure to appease many fans of the classic sci-fi horror franchise.
