Check out the 10 things every horror game needs to be terrifyingly amazing

Who doesn’t love great horror games? There’s nothing like spending hours in the dark, glued to your TV, and wondering if that sound you heard was just your imagination or if something’s about to slice into your virtual (or maybe actual) head. Check out what makes the horror games we love so great and find why we are always coming back to them for some good scares. 

10. Unpredictability

What’s truly horrifying is not knowing what’s lurking around you. For all you know in a moment Alien will pop down from the ceiling and rip right through you. That tension is painful.

The consistent unpredictability of a game is what separates good horror games from the bad. When you can’t memorize the enemies and their patterns you’ll always be on edge for a fatal strike. Once a horror game becomes predictable it becomes utterly boring and isn’t likely to scare you. A great game will reduce predictability by introducing new enemies and game play elements.

These creeps are ready to pick you off at any time

When playing a horror game for the first time you have no idea if the next door you open, item you pick up, or puzzle you solve will trigger a slew of enemies or other unsightly horrors. Many games will create fear through their enemies. A good set up will make an enemy introduction truly terrifying. A great horror game will build up the anticipation of an incoming horror with subtle sounds or images, rather than throwing it right at you.

Your mind will make everything that you can’t see scarier. The player’s greatest power in games is their knowledge of the game’s environment and enemies. Without this knowledge players are weak and vulnerable.