I’m not a fan of horror. Not because Freddie Krueger keeps me up at night, horror films just don’t really pique my interest at all. I’m a big fan of films that particularly stand out to me, such as Get Out, but I’m not into the horror classics of the last X number of decades. That distaste extends to gaming as well. My anxiety can’t deal with being chased in horror games. You’re telling me I’ll be defenceless and a thing is going to come after me in the dark? Nah, I’m good.
But here’s the thing: I know I’m missing out. There are some excellent games out there that boast expansive stories and experiences and are highly regarded among fans, but I just don’t play them. I never thought about it too much, having watched the entireResident Evil Serieson YouTube, but I knew there was a gap in my Gamer Résumé™.
So, kind of unintentionally, I started playing horror games for myself, and I think I figured out how to enjoy them: exposure therapy.
It All Started In A Small Town Called Bright Falls
Back in 2023, I’d heard all about how greatAlan Wake 2was,with praise making it as far as nominations, awards, and an incredible performance at The Game Awards. At this point, I was really feeling the FOMO, so I decided to make my way throughAlan Wake Remasteredto ready myself for a personal attempt at Alan Wake 2, having known very little about it as a whole.
After a somewhat hasty eight hours through the first game, it wasn’t too much of a horror experience - the classic, Xbox 360-era game held up well, though it was simplistic in its flashlight-based shooting and walking from area to area. After that, it was time for me to tackle Alan Wake 2, preparing myself for the horrors. And while the terror was certainly there from the get-go this time around, I was hooked. The opening of the game might be Naked Man Simulator, but it’s one of the best openings to a game I’ve played - not because of the naked man - and as I continued through the game, I couldn’t put it down.
The story was immediately enticing, the characters excellently written and acted, and the way the game would split itself up into episode-like chapters with a song from the incredible soundtrack the break them up is something I’ll never forget. Not to mention just how bizarre the game can be, and the ways it uses the environments - sometimes flicking between multiple versions of the same environment at once - was like nothing I’d ever seen in a game before.
Suddenly, I didn’t care about the screen flashing jumpscares, the whispering Shadows lurking around every corner, or the psychological terror the game so brilliantly depicted - I just wanted to keep going, eager to experience more of this game. Not just for the thrills, but because they’re so masterfully done.
Seriously, if you struggle with horror, Alan Wake 2 won’t hold back, but it will pull you in.
Bring Some Friends Along For The Horrific Ride
While I didn’t go on to play every Resident Evil game for myself right after this, Alan Wake 2 opened me up to tryPhasmophobiafor the first time - a game I’d also seen plenty of on YouTube but never thought I’d actually play for myself. Yes, it’s terrifying, but it was surprisingly more hilarious than anything else.
Maybe it was because I had friends with me, but I’d suddenly barge in, saying the ghost’s name over and over (yes, I’m one of those players) and die way too many times during the hunts. I went from hiding behind a bookshelf to fully embracing my role as a ghost hunter on the team - something I never expected.
Soon after, I was asking friends to playRepo, yet another cooperative horror game. When did I become the person asking people to play horror games with me, finding it funny when they were more on edge than I am?But there I was, delving into the cursed unknown, face to gruesome face with fresh horrors- sometimes more face to face than I would have liked - and having more fun than I’d had in a while.
Now, I’m eager to go further back to play Lethal Company, Content Warning, and whatever Remedy puts out next - includingFBC Firebreak, which I’m hoping has just as many laughs as it does jumpscares.
Alan Wake 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Alan Wake 2 is the sequel to Remedy’s hit survival horror game. It blends two separate stories into one, following FBI agent Saga Anderson as she investigates both a series of brutal murders and a story written by Wake himself.
