by Phoenix, HSM team writer

Kicking off this new series: a horror game perfect for the season.

This year in gaming saw some bona fide horror genre games released. These games have all the components for a truly scary experience. I picked three that have what I like to experience at this time of the year, as we get close to Halloween.

Just as the horror genre defines itself as having the elements to create a sense of fear, panic, alarm and dread, these video games have all these in spades. These games offer the usual unsettling scenarios and rely on the process of pushing the player through an array of their worst fears and nightmares. There is the arrival of an evil force, be it a person or a thing, even an event of such unbelievable magnitude that you have the feeling you should maybe rethink this setup. The best part being it isn’t over in an hour and a half, unless you are the type to complete a game in that time.

These games have the needed atmospheric element to set the stage for the feelings that will lead your mind down that path of immersed experiences that a movie can gave you. There is the darkness, with sudden and unexpected expected light, breaking the impenetrably black, revealing the horror that waits and the building tension of the sound track as you track down or are tracked down, by that carnivorous fiend in the dark.  There’s the desperate struggle to survive the terror that has the hero’s life in your hands. There are the inclusion of unnatural beings, vampire, ghost, zombies, alien creatures, combine these elements with the rise in body count, the blood and gore, the violence that populates the scenery around you – the hero, whither inside or outside in the elements; there is even the added mission to save or be the catalyst that saves humanity.

Then, finally, these games have the elements classic to the horror genre, that overlapping of fantasy into thriller and sci-fi, this mixed with the story line itself. There has to be a storyline and plot; good or bad, the storyline will explain just enough to get you as the hero on the move to make it through the proverbial dungeon these games offer.

The first game on my list is Aliens: Colonial Marines, a sci-fi horror title from Gearbox Software, published by Sega. Colonial Marines was released in February 2013. It is the third in a series of Alien titles published by Sega Publishers. Aliens vs. Predator was first in the series in 2010.

If you are at all familiar with the movies (I am) of the same name from the creative mind of James Cameron, then the environments in the game will be recognizable: Hadley’s Hope, the Sulaco and LV-426. While playing these maps you will find yourself in situations where, aided by memories, you relieve the action and drama that could bring you to a sudden and horrific death.  Aliens: Colonial Marines has familiar weaponry at your disposal in your fight through these dark and infested halls.  The pulse rifle and flame thrower and motion-tracker devices are all here, as well as the new line of upgrades that can be attained through perks you can earn. These new items allow you to customize your squad to become the most badass killing machines in the galaxy. This new customization further allows you to play the way you want to or think your character would play.

In co-op play, there is the drop-in/drop-out play mode, allowing you to call on a friend’s help when the Xeno horde is overwhelming — and believe me, it will happen. You and your co-op partners — three if needed, bringing the total in play to four including yourself — will have the time of your lives beating down the Xeno threat.

I remember spending at lot of time screaming at the screen, “Kill it, kill it!”  I thought about how I would handle the Xenos, were I in charge.  Aliens: Colonial Marines gives the best opportunity to do just that. Keeping in mind what the game commander cites as the only way to proceed, “If it moves, kill it. If it’s not moving…kill it again!” That’s only way to clear the ships and save your ass.

Aliens: Colonial Marines is a cross platform game available on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Its distribution is optical disc, digital download and download. Modes of play available are single and multiplayer. The game engine is Red Ring (Unreal Engine 3) with an upgraded render process, making the action and visuals stunning in HD. Check it out.

Share

One Response to “Games For the Coming Season #1”

1. KrazyFace says:

   September 28, 2013 at 8:27 am

   Cool. I kinda do this too; play seasonal games. I might just add to this list if I get some spare time, nice idea.

   Reply