Is the Survival-Horror genre dead?

[Lord_Fornelius]

Now this may seem like a weird question to you, but let me explain. A game that's in the survival-horror genre is one where you find yourself in the role of someone who is an a location with a spooky atmosphere and has a real limited amount of rescources at his/her disposal. However, ever since Resident Evil 4 came out with no tension, a large amount of ammo and resources, and a combat engine that's more action-oriented, it dosen't really feel like I'm trying to survive in a setting that's filled with horror. Ever since RE4 was released, all the latest games that belong to a survival-horror series (like Silent Hill 5 and Alone in the Dark [2008]) have adopted RE4's style of action-oriented gameplay. So after the information I've given you, do you think that the genre is dead?

 

[masterchris]

I don't think the survival horror / psych. horror genres were ever totally that popular...but these days I agree, it's harder and harder to find a good horror game. I don't know if its the newer generations of gamers or what, but it seems unless there's non-stop action and blowing shit up, it doesn't seem to hold peoples' attentions, and doesn't sell.

People today play a game like Silent Hill and call it boring, slow, no action. They're totally missing the point of the game, and the genre.

 

[xxlordskullxx]

although left 4 dead is an action game more so than a survival horror game, i do find that game to be quite scary. i have plenty of moments when i am unexpectedly captured by a smoker or hunter, or when i hear that dreaded music signifying a tank and i look around in a panic hoping to find it before he smooshes my face. i usually try to play on advanced or expert so encounters with tanks usually have a good chance ending with me being dead. i think L4D is a survival horror game, even though you have tons of ammo and its action packed.

how bout survival horror be split into camps? you have western and JRPG's, why can't you have action survival horrors and, uhhh, non-action survival horrors?

 

[keepithowitis]

The new games like BioShock, Dead Space, they're great games, but miss the genre as well. Dead Space loses out on the 'limited resources' once you progress further into the game, as you can soon just buy out whatever you want. And BioShock doesn't have enough character variation to actually be scary. I think the best horror game would be one where there are no similar characters. Every enemy is different, and is harder to take down with so-and-so than the other one is. And they all look different, and come at you in unique ways. If there was a game like that, it would truly be horror, because you'd have to think on your feet to get anything done in terms of getting rid of the threat, which is what the genre has become these days.

 

[Tykk]

I don't think a single good survival-horror game have been released since Fatal Frame 2, unless you count SH Homecoming, wich is kinda 'meh' in my book.

I sure hope the genre is not dead, jumping 10 feet up from the chair because your cat wanted to play never loses novelty.

 

[used44]

These days, most gamers require some good amount of control over their character. And game publishers misinterpret that to mean we want to be able to shoot a million badguys with giant guns, which isn't always true.

Survival games will still have that niche market, but there will be more games like Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 made then there will be Silent Hills.

 

[masterchris]

non-action survival horrors

Often called psychological horror games.

 

[GRColin]

Is RE5 going to be a blend of RE4 and the original or is it going to have the same gameplay mechanics of RE4 and focus on action?

 

[Bloodletter]

As RE4 came, the RE series turned into a shooting game. Nowdays only real survival-horror games that i know are silent hills and dead space.

 

[Kijan]

As RE4 came, the RE series turned into a shooting game. Nowdays only real survival-horror games that i know are silent hills and dead space.

I'd say Dead Space is a clone of Resident Evil 4 and thus doesn't fall into the category survival. More like action.

I can't really even divide horror into survival and or non - survival horror. For me it is Psychological horror as in Silent Hill, Fatal Frame etc. and Action horror as in Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 5 etc.

 

[Diabolus]

I'd say Dead Space is a clone of Resident Evil 4 and thus doesn't fall into the category survival. More like action.

I hear people say that all the time. But really, stop and think a moment. What does Dead Space REALLY have in common with RE4?

The camera angle. That's it.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

I'd say Dead Space is a clone of Resident Evil 4 and thus doesn't fall into the category survival. More like action.

I hear people say that all the time. But really, stop and think a moment. What does Dead Space REALLY have in common with RE4?

The camera angle. That's it.

And that there is a huge group of religious fanatics that all turned murderous and became monsters. And that it claims to be Survival when there are guns and ammo lying everywhere. And the crazy monsters only attack with bladed weapons despite the aforementioned guns, giving you plenty of time to shoot them in the legs, knock them down, and then go up and kill them with a kick. And there is a parasite that kills everything and morphs.

But besides that, they aren't alike at all.

 

[GRColin]

Is RE5 going to be a blend of RE4 and the original or is it going to have the same gameplay mechanics of RE4 and focus on action?

I pose this question again. I saw a video today that led me to believe that. It was outdoors. It looked like fun but also disappointed me. Where the fuck are my creepy zombies, scary moments that make me jump and spooky settings?

 

[Bloodletter]

Is RE5 going to be a blend of RE4 and the original or is it going to have the same gameplay mechanics of RE4 and focus on action?

I pose this question again. I saw a video today that led me to believe that. It was outdoors. It looked like fun but also disappointed me. Where the f*** are my creepy zombies, scary moments that make me jump and spooky settings?

I agree with you. RE was much more better with zombies and all those classic enemies, not some fuck*** ganados. :?

 

[xxlordskullxx]

RE4 is one of my favorite games of all time, regardless of its action oriented twist on survival horror. granted if it is your 3rd or 4th run through the game, you will be less scared since you know what to expect and your familiar with the controls and nuances of the game. my FIRST time through the game though was pretty scary. since i feared for my life most of the time, i figured it was still a good survival horror type game.

 

[Diabolus]

I'd say Dead Space is a clone of Resident Evil 4 and thus doesn't fall into the category survival. More like action.

I hear people say that all the time. But really, stop and think a moment. What does Dead Space REALLY have in common with RE4?

The camera angle. That's it.

And that there is a huge group of religious fanatics that all turned murderous and became monsters. And that it claims to be Survival when there are guns and ammo lying everywhere. And the crazy monsters only attack with bladed weapons despite the aforementioned guns, giving you plenty of time to shoot them in the legs, knock them down, and then go up and kill them with a kick. And there is a parasite that kills everything and morphs.

But besides that, they aren't alike at all.

Yes, because Aliens and The Thing were obviously influenced by RE4.
Hey, that game Extermination was a Resident Evil 4 rip off. Even though it came out years before RE4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEoYWtGC ... re=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extermination_(video_game)

 

[masterchris]

Yes, because Aliens and The Thing were obviously influenced by RE4.
Hey, that game Extermination was a Resident Evil 4 rip off. Even though it came out years before RE4.

Umm, he never mentioned Aliens, The Thing or Extermination... so I don't know where you got those from...

 

[Diabolus]

Yes, because Aliens and The Thing were obviously influenced by RE4.
Hey, that game Extermination was a Resident Evil 4 rip off. Even though it came out years before RE4.

Umm, he never mentioned Aliens, The Thing or Extermination... so I don't know where you got those from...

Uh...I guess I'll have to clarify.. :roll:

He claims that Dead Space is a straight up RE4 rip off, despite the fact that it was clearly influenced by John Carpenter's The Thing and Aliens. Despite having a religious cult in it(carbon copy!)and...monsters(rip off!), it really isn't that similar.

And Extermination had infectious parasites long before RE4 was a gleam in Shinji Mikami's eye.

 

[GRColin]

I always saw a lot of comparisons between RE4 and Sword of The Berserk: Guts' Rage.

 

[Diabolus]

I always saw a lot of comparisons between RE4 and Sword of The Berserk: Guts' Rage.

Hey! I still have that. It's a MGS4 rip off(long cutscenes).