I just want to chime in with agreement on the original poster's comment.
Something else that bugged me; while I enjoyed Mark of the Ninja - which the Bomb crew were using as the example of how to handle modern stealth gameplay/UI- despite its many visual cues I found it a lot more opaque and puzzle-like than Dishonored. One wrong choice and you're often dead in MotN, especially during the platformy parts (which I loathe), but I can fuckup in Dishonored and still get the job done. It just feels more intuitive and fun to me.
As always, it seems to come down to expectations and play styles.
I think there's something really interesting going on here and in the article about Spec Ops: The Line when it comes to the player's complicity in what happens in games. Even if the outcome is a foregone conclusion you're forced into by the narrowing list of options given by the designer, there's still something powerful about being the one who initiates the action.
Regarding Scary Moobies: Ever see The Changeling? Its an old, somewhat obscure George C. Scott ghost story from late '70s or early '80s. It sort of blindsided me when I saw it, and its also interesting as a clear source of inspiration for lots of later stuff (esp. Ringu).
The thing I find interesting about Slender (aside from being too much of a sissy to play it rather than just watch other people play it on YouTube) is just how goddamn simple it is. No real attempt at a narrative, just the barest hint of a setting - which you can barely see - and bare bones art, sound effects, and music.
But it works. Apparently really damn well.
Think they boiled down the Horror Game to its primal elements; isolation, tension, and the unknown.
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