The House [Gone Home]
There’s something disquieting about the empty house of Gone Home. There’s an air of menace throughout, as if something terrible is waiting around every corner. The stillness of the home lends itself to fear — our imaginations have to fill in the gaps. From the very beginning, we’re left to wonder what exactly happened in this house.
By the end, you’ll know that your worst fears are unfounded. The game has more subtle goals that terrifying you. It’s all about understanding your character’s life, and the surprisingly complex house tells your story through notes, diary entries, and other physical clues. We all know there isn’t anything to be afraid of now, but that doesn’t change the dread that first trip shook out of us. Who knew something that isn’t even remotely scary could be so scary?
Queen Vanessa’s Manor [Hat In Time]
From one menacing house to another. In this bright, shiny, Mario 64 / Banjo-Kazooie collect-a-thon platformer, you probably wouldn’t expect a level that’s straight out of the Outlast playbook. The creepy Queen Vanessa’s Manor is already much spookier than anything else in the game, and that’s before Queen Vanessa’s twisted visage starts hunting you down.
Queen Vanessa is a killer monster with glowing red eyes, and she can’t be stopped like normal enemies. When she spots you, the world rumbles and skews — signaling that you absolutely have to run. You can’t fight her, so you’ll need to hide in marked spots in each room to avoid her wrath. Escaping behind a closed door only gives a momentary breather. Before long, you’ll see her shadow slowly stalking down the hallway once again. It’s a twisted little homage to horror games, and it’s arguably even freakier than its inspiration.
Gird your loins, and prepare for even more super scary moments from non-horror games on the next page.
