The horror game genre is one of the most exciting, encouraging creativity and imagination. While there are those who claim to be unaffected by horror, they are actually missing the point of the experience. So, what exactly is the history of the horror game genre?
Have you ever wondered what exactly was the first horror game in the world? As it turns out, the answer isn’t as obvious as we might think, as there are several games that can be considered pioneers of the genre.
History of Horror Games
The history of horror games can be seen in 1972, there was an arcade game called Haunted House. Although not a modern horror game, the concept was quite simple where the player controlled a white box that explored a haunted house with the help of plastic overlays on the screen. The game attempts to create a tense atmosphere despite its simple appearance.
A year later came Hunt the Wumpus (1973), which was a text game with survival horror elements. In this game, players would be tasked with hunting down the Wumpus monster in a dark cave.
Players cannot see them directly and can only rely on clues such as smells or gusts of wind. Even scarier, you can suddenly encounter Wumpus in person without being able to predict when and where it happens.
Stepping into 1982, 3D Monster Maze is said to be one of the first first first-person horror games. The game was released for the Sinclair ZX81 and immediately made players feel the tension.
Horror Game Sub Genre
Horror has evolved into various sub-genres, such as survival horror, action, psychological, narrative and supernatural. One prime example of survival horror is Resident Evil, which requires players to manage resources for survival.
Narrative horror, such as Blair Witch, lets players experience the character’s trauma through a first-person perspective, while Dead Space combines action and horror to provide a tense experience.
Sub-genres in horror games broaden the appeal of the genre, preventing it from becoming monotonous like other games. This diversity fosters creativity and makes for interesting storytelling in the gaming industry.
Early games in the horror genre, while not comparable to modern titles like Resident Evil or Outlast have formed an important foundation for the industry.
3D Monster Maze is considered a pioneer of survival horror games with a first-person perspective, focusing on atmosphere and suspense, not just jumpscares. Therefore, views on the history of the first horror game may vary depending on one’s perspective.
