Horror games can be trying experiences that force you to make some difficult decisions in order to survive and progress through the story. While there are a lot of differences between games, there are frequently choices you must make that can make survival easier or harder.
The following are some examples of the worst choices you could possibly make in a horror game with some games to give you an idea of why those choices are bad. Horror games are often tough challenges as it is and you aren’t doing yourself any favors by making these decisions.
10 Being Alone (Until Dawn)
Obviously, this isn’t always in your control and some horrors are meant to be faced alone, but if you ever have the chance to be accompanied by someone or stick with the group in any game, take it. Until Dawn is a great example of where choosing to go alone will get you killed in horrific and horrible ways.
At times in the game you are given the chance to explore things on your own and it’s always a bad idea. If Ashley wanders off to check out the mysterious voices in the mines she is probably going to die, so stay glued to someone whenever possible.
9 Staying Hidden Too Long (Alien Isolation)
It’s tempting for players to hide longer than necessary to get a break from the scares and game developers are increasingly finding ways to punish players for hiding too long. Alien Isolation is a great example of this, if you stay hidden in a locker or under a table too long the creature will eventually find you and it’ll be game over.
Obviously you should hide when you need to, but when the coast seems clear and it’s time to get moving then get moving. When you’re lost in the woods and search and rescue is looking for you then staying put is a good idea, but when it’s a hostile alien on a dying ship in space, then get your butt in gear.
8 Throwing Caution To The Wind (Man Of Medan)
Being foolhardy and haphazard in a horror game is always a bad plan. Man Of Medan is a great example where abandoning caution and taking chances is not going to work in your favor. It’s always better to think things through, take a moment, and explore all your options, as long as it’s not a quick time event.
Julia should take her time resurfacing or she’ll get the bends, encountering strange monsters when you know hallucinations are a thing should make you hesitate to attack, and definitely don’t force open doors if it seems like the other side is flooded, be cautious.
7 Choosing Health Over Ammo (Resident Evil 7)
When your health is running low it can be tempting to use up your resources to get your health back up, but this is usually a bad idea if doing so robs you the resources needed to attack your enemies. Resident Evil 7 is the best example of this.
When you find a chem fluid and you need to pick between healing yourself or replenishing ammo, always pick ammo. If you get into a fight with only ten percent health and a full clip you can put down the creature and survive, the same can’t be said with a full health bar and no bullets in your gun.
6 Wasting Ammo (Resident Evil 2 Remake)
Horror games often implement survival mechanics which often means having enough ammo to survive encounters, but not enough to kill everything you come across. The zombies in Resident Evil 2 Remake are a great example of this and the invincible Mr. X is an even greater example.
If you can get around an enemy without getting injured or using your ammo, do it. The stealthy or evasive option should always be implemented if it’ll save you resources. Some encounters can’t be avoided and you’ll want enough ammo for those moments.
5 Being Passive (Bloodborne)
This might sound like a contradiction to the don’t waste ammo or being cautious rule, but it actually complements them. It’s important to stay moving when you can move and fight when you can fight and Bloodborne will definitely punish you for being too passive.
Often times the barrier to progress is a horrific foe or a terrifying boss and the only way forward is by walking over their cooling corpse. Don’t go looking for fights if you don’t have to, but when it’s time to confront your fears you want to do so aggressively and violently.
4 Not Working As A Group (Dead By Daylight)
When you do find a group or someone to side with you want to make sure you’re acting in coordination with each other to survive. Dead By Daylight teaches this lesson well as the only way to escape the Killer and open the door is by working as a team.
It might be tempting to use your teammates as pawns to progress but doing so will often put you alone and without backup which breaks the rule mentioned earlier. Work together to evade the Killer, fix generators, free each other from hooks, and heal injuries.
3 Going Out At Night (Dying Light)
Horror games are often set at night because its much more terrifying than the daytime, so you know if the game gives the option of doing things in the day or the night like Dying Light does, then always pick the daytime.
Nothing good comes from wandering in the dark and some of the most nightmarish creatures in horror games come out to play at night. Even without the lurking creatures it’s harder to see and you can often miss important resources or fall into traps, whatever it is it can wait till morning in a horror game.
2 Becoming Impatient (Last Of Us)
Horror enjoys putting the player in tense situations that makes the seconds creep by and ratchet up the tension with each passing moment. But if you’ve ever played a game like The Last Of Us then you know it’s a bad idea to become impatient.
You might have enough ammo to shoot through the enemies barring your way, but you may not have enough for what’s on the other side or for the things chasing you. The tension can be painful, but it’s always better to take your time and wait for your moment.
1 Losing Your Mind (Amnesia: Dark Descent)
The final dumb choice you can make in a horror game is to lose your mind. Horror games often present terrifying, scary, or creepy scenarios that can get on your nerves and Amnesia: Dark Descent is a good example of this.
After suffering too much tension Daniel will lose his sanity and his ability to do things will be impacted. Blurred vision, hallucinations, and hysterical babbling will draw enemies in and lead to a swift death. Keep yourself sane by taking breaks now and then to avoid doing something foolish when your character is under duress. When the horror becomes too overwhelming hit pause and come back when your heartbeat settles down a bit. Don’t worry, if it’s a good horror game it’ll get it going again soon enough.