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Cuckooland Ghost in the Machine by Zero-G is a sound library with one of its tracks, "Is That the Door?" being commonly used in horror games.
A characteristic many game characters share when their eyes emit a colored light instead of what a regular eye should look like. This is often evident in robots and characters possessed by some evil force.
A system that gives a game the technical capability to implement the effects of gore which include but are not limited to, dismemberment, charring, beheading and gibbing. Gore systems have progressed significantly over the years from enemies scattering into pixels to highly detailed body tearing.
When a conscious character perceives something that either does not exist or is a contorted reality manifested by the character's unstable psyche.
All dogs go to heaven? Nobody told these.
A game in which the "seeker" covers his/her eyes while the other players try to find a good hiding spot. It is then up to the seeker to find the hiding players.
A concept where players have the ability to conceal themselves from enemies. Common hiding places in games include closets, lockers, or even just crouching in the shadows.
A school of game design often associated with Looking Glass Studios, in which the player is free to act as they choose in a richly simulated world. The term was coined by Warren Spector in his Deus Ex post-mortem.
The use of everyday objects as weapons of destruction, often combination.
When stuff that always used to work suddenly break down when you need it the most and you either have to fix it or find another way around.
A plot device where innocent characters are killed. Sometimes players forced to watch it happen and can do nothing to prevent it.
Insanity is a condition whereby the sufferer is of unsound mind. Depending on the condition of the individual, he or she may be prone to fits of uncontrollable violent behavior, hallucinations, or other symptoms.
A gameplay mechanic allowing players to store their items and freely carry them around.
Sometimes, players experience an unfortunate event that results in all their weapons and items being taken away from them.
An invisible enemy is an antagonist that cannot be seen under normal circumstances. Sometimes these enemies are only temporarily invisible or can be made visible somehow.
Placing the player in an environment and making them feel alone. Games often use this for atmospheric effect.
Horror games influenced predominantly by the look, feel, and themes of Japanese horror cinema, or non-horror games that allude to the cultural horror aesthetic. J-Horror, or psychological horror, is sometimes classified as a sub-genre of survival horror.
A method of attempting to scare the player by the sudden unexpected occurrence of an event - often accompanied by some sort of audio sting.
The act of killing a child is considered taboo in most games. There are, however, some games that allow this breed of tomfoolery.
Basically you're given a flashlight and then sent to a dark place.
Loud ambient noises are often included in many thriller/horror games. These sounds are associated with panic and terror, and can heighten these feelings. Examples of these sounds would be metal chains clanging, footsteps, knocking, creaking doors, etc.
The idea of deriving a feeling of pleasure through experiencing pain or torment.
Somebody wrote or drew a message on the wall, maybe it was in blood, maybe they had a marker handy; but now here you are, reading it.
A small, closed-off area in a game containing enemies that opens at some trigger point. Often used to surprise the player, or as an alternative to spawning enemies out of thin air.
Genetically evolved humans, animals or aliens.
Nightmares are foul horses from the netherworld that terrorize people in their dreams. Nightmares as creatures derrive from Germanic folklore (mare=spirit) and have since become popularized by the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game (mare=female horse).
A phobia is an irrational fear of something that can be concrete or abstract. Many video games have characters deal with their phobias.
When the character the player is controlling dies as part of the game's plotline.
Psychopaths are noted for generally lacking a conscience, getting enjoyment from various forms of destruction, and an inability to learn from their mistakes.
Puzzles may need to be solved before the player can progress to the next section of the game. Often it may not be clear to players exactly what the puzzle is, or whether the an in-game items needs to be attained before it is even possible to solve it.
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