Amnesia: The Bunker developer Frictional Video games is trying to reduce on horror video games “to offer better deal with different emotional qualities”.
Chatting with 80.lv, Frictional inventive director Thomas Grip echoed the emotions of fellow horror studio Bloober Staff, which additionally lately stated it was stepping away from the video games it was historically identified for.
“Whereas all of our video games have been horror in a roundabout way, what we actually attempt to do is to get a sort of playable immersion,” Grip stated. “We wish to give the participant some form of immersive fantasy, be that being a [World War 1] soldier trapped in a bunker or a robotic caught on the backside of the ocean.
“Horror video games naturally are the place feelings are entrance and centre. Video games actually excel at this. Nonetheless, we’re additionally exploring themes outdoors of constructing issues spooky.”
Grip defined that Frictional has made video games about non-horror themes, like caring for an unborn youngster in Rebirth or concepts of consciousness in SOMA, however simply packaged them in a horror setting. “It’s not in regards to the concern, it’s in regards to the holistic fantasy we ship in every of our tales,” he stated.
“For future initiatives, I feel we are going to reduce a bit on the horror points to be able to give better deal with different emotional qualities. I’m assured that these video games will nonetheless really feel like Frictional ones. The immersion, the non-public journey, and a holistic imaginative and prescient are what I see as defining traits of a Frictional sport — not simply horror as such.”
Bloober Staff, the developer behind the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake and different horror video games like The Medium, Blair Witch, and Observer, made the same announcement in June. As a substitute of stepping away from the style altogether, nevertheless, Bloober Staff stated it was transferring on from psychological horror to one thing extra “mass-market”.
Frictional had discovered vital success with the horror style, with its most up-to-date launch of Amnesia: The Bunker being praised by followers (holding a 92% “very constructive” score on Steam) and critics.
In our 8/10 evaluate, IGN stated: “Amnesia: The Bunker is a smaller, extra self-contained episode within the groundbreaking horror franchise that reveals Frictional nonetheless has some chilling new methods up their sleeves.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll speak about The Witcher all day.
