Survival Horror Framed in the Culture of Fear: Analysis of the Video Games 'Amnesia' and 'Visage'
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33732/ixc/12/02ElsurvKeywords:
Mass Culture, Videogames, Fear, Risk, SurvivalAbstract
In a context characterized by the culture of fear, it is interesting to know how this is reflected in different cultural manifestations, be they literary, cinematographic or videoludic. This study identifies the features and characteristics of context that appear in the mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics of gameplay (MDA) in survival horror, a genre that places the player as a first-person protagonist and where death is the main attraction. For this purpose, an MDA case analysis of Amnesia: The Dark Descent (Frictional Games, 2010) and Visage (SadSquare Studio, 2020) is carried out. This leads to conclusions such as the importance the player attaches to survival of fears that are not even part of the narrative or, for example, how to avoid enemies, as this is often the player's only chance to confront their fears.
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