Well, for this article in my series about horror videogames, I thought that I’d compare how monster encounters are handled in two different horror games – “Silent Hill 3” (2003) and “Dead Space” (2008).
These are screenshots of monster encounters in “Silent Hill 3” (2003) and “Dead Space” (2008).
Both games have a surprising amount in common when it comes to their monster encounters. The monsters are designed to look disturbing, the locations can often be claustrophobic, there is a general atmosphere of desolation, the player has limited ammunition and scary dynamic music/sound effects will also play whenever monsters appear. Yet, monster encounters in “Silent Hill 3” often manage to be considerably more frightening than those in “Dead Space”. Why?
Well, the first reason probably has to do with the timing of the dynamic music and sound effects. In “Silent Hill 3”, these audio warnings will often play at least several seconds before the player even sees a monster – they serve to build suspense and dread, warning the player that something is nearby. The player is then torn between fleeing, waiting nervously for the monster to show up or – if they are feeling brave – finding and fighting the monster. These moments create a “fight or flight” response that is drawn out over several seconds, forcing the player to think and make a decision. It is a slow-paced moment of suspenseful dread.
On the other hand, the audio warnings in “Dead Space” are more like a traditional jump scare – with the monster often appearing almost instantly, sometimes very close to the player, when the audio changes. Yes, this can be startling sometimes – but it is just that, startling. Instead of having to make a drawn-out decision, the player is often forced to rely on their reflexes. Yes, the sudden jittery shock of this can make precise aiming a bit more difficult and add a bit of tension to the combat. Yet, like all jump scares, the “shock factor” wears off after the audience has experienced it a few times. And it happens a lot throughout the game.
The second reason is the amount of visual information given to the player during monster encounters. “Silent Hill 3” features no on-screen HUD elements – so, unless the player checked the inventory/status screen recently – they won’t know exactly how much health or ammunition Heather Mason has whenever she encounters a monster. This lack of information not only adds an extra note of suspense to each encounter, it also encourages the player to be a bit more cautious too. Whether this means regularly checking their supplies and health levels during quieter moments or cautiously treating each shot as if it were their last, the lack of information adds a bit of extra uncertainty and tension.
In “Dead Space”, there are several HUD-like displays that instantly tell the player all of this information. Isaac Clarke has a glowing health meter on his back and, when you aim a weapon, a holographic ammo counter will appear beside it. This extra information allows the player to be more strategic during monster encounters – but this also makes the game feel more like a non-scary action game. You instantly know in advance when you need to reload, you can quickly check your health and decide whether to heal etc… It makes everything feel a bit more game-y, rather than suspenseful or frightening.
The third reason is how the two games handle weapons and resources. Even in larger areas in “Silent Hill 3”, monster encounters will often feel a bit more claustrophobic because the player is encouraged to use close-range melee weapons in order to conserve ammunition. This can also create a bit of a dilemma for the player – do they keep a safe distance and waste bullets that they might need later or do they take the riskier option of getting closer and using a melee weapon? This dilemma creates unease and tension in the player, adding an extra note of scariness to each encounter. Likewise, whilst the player has unlimited inventory space, resources can sometimes be scarce enough that keeping it well-stocked requires careful searching and cautious conservation.
In “Dead Space”, there are no dedicated melee weapons – only a couple of weak hand-to-hand attacks that often serve more to repel, rather than harm, larger monsters. Yes, this does emphasise conserving ammunition and it makes the times when you run out of ammo some of the most suspenseful and frightening moments in the game. However, not only does the focus on ranged combat add a little bit of “distance” but many of the monsters will also drop ammunition or healing items upon death. Yes, the amount is carefully balanced to make the times when you’re running low still feel a bit suspenseful – but “conserving resources” isn’t quite as much of an issue or dilemma for the player (especially since you can also find in-game currency that can be used to “buy” these resources too). Even the game’s limited inventory space is surprisingly roomy and – after a suit upgrade or two – you don’t usually have to worry about an “inventory full” message a lot of the time.
Fourthly, there is the issue of complexity and skill. In “Silent Hill 3” combat is relatively simple – if you fight a monster, then you either just hit it repeatedly with something or shoot in its general direction. Although this might not sound very scary, it adds to the immersion because Heather Mason is just an ordinary person trying to survive in a scary situation. She isn’t a trained soldier or anything like that – and is instead relying on instinct during combat. So, the slightly more basic combat system reflects this. It also adds a certain amount of disturbingly brutal “ugliness” to the combat, in contrast to the “cool-looking” violence found in action games.
In “Dead Space”, the combat is a bit more strategic and skill-based. Yes, you can just mindlessly blast at the monsters, but this does relatively little damage and wastes resources. Instead, the player often has to sever the mutated limbs or tentacles of a monster in order to defeat it quickly. Although this has a certain “gross out” value to it, it is a skill that the player will quickly learn and become better at as the game progresses. This focus on building combat skills feels a bit more empowering… and perhaps a bit closer to the thrilling “power fantasy” of an action game, than the disempowering dread of a scary horror game. Likewise, the combat also includes lots of cool-looking laser beams too – again, more of an action genre thing…
Finally, there is pacing. Monster encounters in “Silent Hill 3” are slower-paced affairs, with a good number of the monsters often either just hanging around until they spot the player and/or moving relatively slowly towards them. Like in some earlier points on this list, this serves to create a more drawn-out feeling of dread. Running away or – if you want to take the risk – running past/around the monsters is very much a valid option in this game. This slower pacing gives the player time to think… and worry. Likewise, because monsters can be dodged relatively easily, this also adds a slight note of unsettling moral ambiguity to the combat since, is it always … really… self-defence? Or is the player just attacking the monsters out of disgust or repulsion?
In “Dead Space”, monster encounters are fast-paced things. A monster will either appear after a choreographed set-piece, jump out of an air vent or charge towards you as soon as you spot it. These monsters are aggressive, fast-moving adversaries. Yes, you can dodge or flee them if you absolutely have to – but your reflexive instinct will probably be to fight. Yes, the faster-paced monsters do feel like more of a threat – but there is often little in the way of a dilemma for the player. You see a monster, swiftly raise your weapon and defend yourself against it. Just like in an action game, there is little to no moral ambiguity.
In conclusion, “Silent Hill 3” has scarier monster encounters than “Dead Space” because of the way that they will often put the player in a drawn-out dilemma. Instead of frantically confronting the player and demanding an instant fast-paced response, danger creeps up on the player slightly more slowly – creating suspense, uncertainty, ambiguity, indecision and dread. This may be less thrilling… but it is ten times scarier!
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Anyway, I hope that this was interesting 🙂
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