Horror Games Are Too Torturous to Play

Resident Evil 7

Picture this: I’m sitting at home, alone. It’s late into the night. I want to play a video game. I stare at “Resident Evil 7” as a potential title to play in my game library. I continue to stare. I think about how play this game will impact my emotional well being. I stare some more. I think about how uncomfortable the gameplay will make me feel. I take one last look at the title–and turn on “Rainbow Six Siege.”

I am plagued by the scenario above. The idea of being able to sit down and causally enjoy a horror game on a whim is lost to me. I have to psych up, cry a little and then finally jump into a horror game.

This could be why I’m a chicken:

  1. I’m too roasted. Coffee and multiplayer games are a winning combo. But add coffee to a horror game and it’s an anxiety filled nightmare with a side of heart palpitations.
  2. It’s not like a horror movie. I have to play the character in the game who is going through a terrifying scenario. I’m the decision maker, making the experience like 100x scarier.
  3. I’m a quitter. Areas in a game like “RE7” may require more than a couple of tries to complete. All they while a foe is hot on your heels wreaking havoc. My heart can barely handle one effort let alone multiple.
  4. I legit scream at jump scares. I can’t help it! I find it embarrassing for me and those around me.

Ideally, gaming should be relaxing, not torture. In a perfect world I would be able play the horror genre but it’s just a pain!

Watch the “RE7” trailer here: