Not Get Scared While Playing Survival Horror Games
Ever wanted to play a survival horror game but were too scared? You'd definitely expect to be, considering that is the aim of a horror game! However, sometimes it's nice to be able to be play a game and not be terrified of every single thing that moves, so here's a guide on how to not get so scared!
Steps
- Pick your game! There are many "survival horror" games. Some of the more recognizable ones are the "Silent Hill", "Resident Evil", "Five Nights at Freddy's", and "Left 4 Dead" series. Some other smaller titles include the well known "SCP: Containment Breach" or "Penumbra", the spiritual predecessor to "Amnesia", another survival horror game.
- Distinguish reality from imagination. These are just video games, and nothing in them can hurt you. It's fake. There are no such things as zombies, monsters with pyramid-shaped heads, tentacle beasts, or killer animatronics, as far as we know, at least. Never forget that a video game is a video game, nothing more. Remember that playing games like these too much can cause you to get paranoid, and the often tense atmosphere can leave you quite on edge once you stop playing.
- Be prepared to be scared. Survival horror games are meant to scare you! If you jump out of your skin a couple of times, that means that the creators have done their job. If games or movies scare you to the point that you lose sleep for extended periods of time or provoke paranoia, you should stop playing/watching them all together. It's not worth making yourself feel uncomfortable and causing inconvenience for the sake of a cheap thrill.
- Never play late at night or in the dark. While this may seem obvious, a lot of these types of games are in an extremely dark environment, so as to add the level of fear and excitement the player experiences while playing. You should move on to playing a Horror Game in the dark after you have gotten over your fear, till then play with the lights on.
- Be aware of game cliches. This can be anything from a simple jumpscare to rising tension. Being able to detect when a typical type of scene might play out, especially when it involves jumpscares as these are often the selling points of many "horror" games, notably, "Slender". Jumpscares aren't actually scary, rather just startling, and you can get good at avoiding at having a response to them by experiencing them a few times in different forms.
- Make fun of the monsters and force yourself to laugh at the characters. Attempting your hand at humor, even if false, can lessen the mood of the game and make it less scary. You can also watch spoofs of some video game monsters, such as Pyramid Head, on the internet which may make the characters less scary. Sometimes it can even help to picture yourself as a stronger entity compared to the monster or object that scares you. Other ideas include imagining the protagonist using bright colorful weapons to fight the monsters, which bleed rainbows. It may be a bit ridiculous, but it will lessen the paranoia you may experience.
- Reduce the game audio. This is extremely effective, you will notice how a horror game or movie becomes soft and easy after the sound is taken away. It's all in the sound, While this doesn't work for everybody, not having screams or high-pitched noises when you least expect them should do a decent job of making the game slightly more tolerable, especially in the Silent Hill series since usually the music adds to the terrifying mood. Don't forget about those jumpscares!
- Listen to music that makes you relax once you turn off the game audio. Listen to music on either your computer, radio, or iPod. The music should make it less scary. After all, imagine listening to a happy, bubbly pop song whilst slaying hordes of undead. It's almost comical, and you'll find yourself far more relaxed than you would with the original game soundtrack. Try something from Tiny Tim.
- Play when someone else is in the room. Having company beside you could help you relax, especially if you trust this person. They could also help for making small chat in between action-intense parts of the game. Even if it's your pets!
- Keep in mind that a horror game is only as scary as you want it to be. Do not play horror games if you do not enjoy them, people play horror games because they like being scared. It's an exciting feeling! Feel free to embrace it. Move on to playing a game in the dark, alone, with headphones, if possible after you have gotten over your fear. If you are going to buy a survival horror game; you might as well get the full experience. Also, if you have a headset, you could possibly record the video and upload it on YouTube, so later you can laugh at it and it will make it less terrifying!
Tips
- Lowering the volume should also help!
- If it helps, try to listen to your favorite band's music while playing, especially a light, happy, or upbeat rock song.
- Watching videos of people playing and commentating on the game is a big help. It's just like having someone in the room and you also get an idea of what the game is like before you play yourself.
- Look up a video walkthrough of the game on YouTube, unless you consider that as cheating. Knowing where the monsters are and the objectives so you aren't wandering around so much will help.
- One thing to keep in mind is that some survival horror games are scarier than others! If you like to get kind of scared but not terrified, then a game like Silent Hill would not be a good game for you!
- Remember that it's just a game and none of it is real.
- If you just want to get your feet wet, try Bioshock! It's pretty scary but it's not nearly in comparison to a game like Silent Hill!
- Play with the lights on. (Until you can handle playing the game with them off.)
- Play with someone, or find a multiplayer survival horror, like Killing Floor!
- Be wary of the game rating and/or warnings. For example, if a game is rated M, do not play it unless you're 17 or older. It may also have mature themes (from sexuality to suicide). It is not recommended to play horror games if you have a heart condition.
Warnings
- Try to avoid playing for long periods; take regular breaks.
- Never play in the dark with headphones/earbuds. Not being able to hear as well as not being able to see is doubly terrifying.
- If these games absolutely terrify you, survival horror may not be for you. Unless you enjoy it.
- If nightmares occur after playing a game, take a long break from it.
Things You'll Need
- A game system or computer
- A video game
- A little courage
- A stereo, headset, or MP3 player
- A friend (optional)
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