Horror Play

Year Walk isn't the easiest game to describe. It's cartoony, it's creepy, it's part side-scroller, it's first-person, it's adventure, it's full of puzzles, it breaks the fourth wall, and to acquire the full back story you must beat the game.  If you're looking for a short indie game that's haunting this is the game for you. We play it this week to find out if it's haunting nature is truly scary.

Thanks to Kickstarter, this horror game was able to see the light of day.  We take control of a baby in Among the Sleep and run away from a giant alcoholic monster. Hurry up and find those memories, and then tune into Horror Play as we rate and review this unique indie.

White Noise is a game that sees a player running around a map, looking for eight items. In this game, you look for eight tape recorders.  What could be considered a fun Easter egg hunt, is actually much more menacing, since a monster is hiding in the shadows, ready to pounce.  We try not to compare this game to the highly regarded Slender series, but it turns out to be tougher than we expect. 

Harry Mason is searching for his adopted daughter in the creepy, foggy town of Silent Hill. One of the original survival horror games, Silent Hill came out in 1999 on the original Playstation.  When people think horror games, Silent Hill is usually one that comes to mind. It has spawned tons of sequels and spin-offs and the franchise continues to thrive to this day. On this podcast we take a look at the one that started it all. Is it as scary as it once was? We'll let you know!

A purple bunny, a yellow chicken, and a brown bear highlight this game... But don't be fooled. This isn't some walk in the park. It's a sit down in the dark. Five Nights at Freddy's is an indie horror game that has been getting rave reviews. We decide to see if it lives up to the hype. 

Alien: Isolation is the newest Alien game to hit shelves, and with the Alien franchise having a shitty track record when it comes to videogames, we proceeded cautiously. We took control of Amanda Ripley (Ellen Ripley's daughter) and made her traverse dark hallways full of baddies, from androids to face huggers! But let's not forget the biggest threat: A full-grown Alien! Join us as we dissect what could be the scariest game we've played yet. All aboard the Sevastopol!

On this special Halloween bonus episode, John and Robert get together to discuss all the games that have been reviewed so far. A speedy recap leads the guys through the entire catalog of Horror Play games. They discuss their favorite horror games, their least favorite games, and what games they are looking forward to playing in the near future.

Dear Esther has been classified as more of an experience rather than a game. Waking up on some uninhabited Hebridean island with nothing but a flashlight, you lead your character toward a distant radio tower. This is the first, and probably only, walking simulator we will play, and while it's not necessarily a horror game,  its eeriness was enough to land it a spot on our review list. Also! There are ghosts!

Like side-scrolling adventure games? What if there were zombies? Deadlight is like a horror Super Mario adventure... Okay maybe not really but you see what I'm getting at. Set in Seattle, in 1986, Deadlight has you taking control of Randall Wayne as he goes searching for his family. I know what you're thinking, side-scrolling games can't be scary! Maybe not, but how will you know for sure unless you listen to our podcast!

A somewhat sequel (or better yet, re-imagining) to the free downloadable game of the same name (although this one has a new subtitle). Slender: The Arrival finds you taking control of Lauren, a silent protagonist in search of a missing friend.  But these woods and corridors hide more than just the tall monstrous meme known as Slender man. Is this the scariest game we have played so far? Let me put it this way: All four of us played this game together and all four of us screamed at one time or another. John and Robert are joined by Jonathan, and new guest reviewer Ricky Lehner for this week's terriying episode!

Miku Hinasaki is a quiet, innocent girl on the search for her brother Mafuyu. Mafuyu disappeared in a creepy old mansion filled with ghosts. You know what that means! Time to grab the ghost repellent camera.  In Fatal Frame, you control Miku as she explores this large haunted mansion. Just keep telling yourself: "I ain't afraid of no ghosts!" John, Robert, Kyle, and Adam discuss Japanese survival and whether or not Fatal Frame is a scarier interpretation of the Resident Evil formula!

Sarah has awoken and she is in an abandoned mental hospital... How did she get there? And who keeps talking to her, directing her where to go? And where did she get that cool phone? Ahhh, the mysteries pile up in this new survival horror game developed by Zombie Studios. Tyler and Adam join John and Robert this week as they review the highly anticipated game. Will it hold a candle to anything else that has been reviewed?? Possibly... But that candle may go out at anytime... 

Oh my God! The gates of hell have opened! Time to grab a BFG and get to work! This week Jonathan Maas joins Kyle and John as they review and rate Doom.  One of the first FPS games has definitely left it's impact on video game history, but the question must be answered: Is the game scary?? Listen in to find out!

Returning guest Adam joins John, Robert, and Kyle as they play and rate the classic survival horror game Resident Evil! Stuck in a mansion of horrors, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield (depending on whom you choose) must solve puzzles and gun down zombies in an effort to escape the madness. Does the Granddaddy of survival horror still hold up?!? Listen to find out!

Kyle can't make it for this episode and Cody has joined the army! Don't worry! John and Robert take the reins and steer this podcast in the right direction with newly-found guest Tyler.  So what is Outlast? Miles is a freelance investigative journalist who has just received a tip about some weird experiments being conducted at Mount Massive Asylum.  So like any good horror game protagonist, he goes to investigate... ALONE!  We take control of Miles in this recently released horror game to see if it really provides the scares everyone was talking about pre-release.  Listen in as we discuss the likes and dislikes of Outlast and compare it to the other horror games we have played thus far. Is it scarier than Slender??? Find out here!! Download: HP 5    iTunes: HP 5

For this podcast we discuss the critically-praised indie game Gone Home. Is this a true horror game? We discuss that. Are there scary moments? We discuss that also. So listen in as we rate the game and compare it to both Slender and The Last of Us. Download: HP 3 (Gone Home)     iTunes: HP 3

In this episode, John, Kyle, Cody, and Robert discuss and rate the free PC game Slender: The Eight Pages. A short game with a terrifying enemy, Slender is a unique gaming experience.  Slender gets its name from the horrifying villain known as slender man: a tall, suited, no-faced stalker who kidnaps and kills children (and in this game YOU!). We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this free PC game and rate its scariness. Is it scarier than The Last of Us?? Listen, and find out!!! Download: HP 2 (Slender)      iTunes: HP 2

In the first ever episode, John, Kyle, Robert, and Cody discuss and rate PS3's 2013 hit The Last of Us. The Last of Us has been praised as not only one of the best games of 2013, but one of the best games on the PS3. We sit down to discuss our likes and dislikes, and find out just how it ranks on the "scariness" level. Some may not think this is a true survival horror game, but that's up for debate. Download: HP 1 (The Last of Us)     iTunes: HP 1