Game Design Deep Dive: Horror

by Joshua Bycer

Overview

The Game Design Deep Dive series examines a specific game system or mechanic over the course of the history of the industry. This entry will examine the history and design of the horror genre and elements in video games. The author analyzes early video game examples, including the differences between survival, action-horror, and psychological horror. Thanks to recent hits like Five Night’s at Freddy’s, Bendy and the Ink Machine, and recent Resident Evil titles, the horror genre has seen a strong resurgence. For this book in the Game Design Deep Dive series, Joshua Bycer will go over the evolution of horror in video games and game design, and what it means to create a terrifying and chilling experience.

FEATURES

• Written for anyone interested in the horror genre, anyone who wants to understand game design, or anyone simply curious from a historical standpoint

• Includes real game examples to highlight the discussed topics and mechanics

• Explores the philosophy and aspects of horror that can be applied to any medium

• Serves as a perfect companion for someone building their first game or as part of a game design classroom

Joshua Bycer is a game design critic with more than eight years of experience critically analyzing game design and the industry itself. In that time, through Game-Wisdom, he has interviewed hundreds of game developers and members of the industry about what it means to design video games. He also strives to raise awareness about the importance of studying game design by giving lectures and presentations. His first book was 20 Essential Games to Study. He continues to work on the Game Design Deep Dive series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032058061
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	10/08/2021
Series:	Game Design Deep Dive
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Joshua Bycer is a Game Design Analyst with over a decade of experience writing for major sites, doing YouTube, and the author of the Game Design Deep Dive series. In that time through Game-Wisdom.com, he has interviewed hundreds of game developers and members of the industry about what it means to design video games.

Table of Contents

1 The Goal of Game Design Deep Dive: Horror

2 The Pre-survival Horror Period

3 The Rise of Survival Horror

4 Basic Horror Design

5 The Philosophy behind Horror

6 Creating Scary Gameplay

7 The “Death” of Horror

8 The New Horror

9 Complex Horror

10 The Future of Horror