It seems like the horror genre is losing its bite for some of us. No matter how many terrifying games I play, that primal fear just doesn’t hit the same way it used to. Is it me? Have years of exposure desensitized my brain? Or is something else going on?
The Fear Factor
Take 2026 games for example. While visually impressive, it just didn’t deliver the bone-chilling experience I craved. Apart from a few tense moments in the opening sequence, the game lacked that genuine sense of dread. In fact, I find it hard to be truly scared by any horror game that throws a gun in your hand – unless it’s something like Amnesia: The Bunker, which genuinely felt like a threat to my digital existence.
It turns out I’m not alone in this sentiment. Even Hideki Kamiya, the legendary director of Best PC games, has expressed concerns about the current state of horror at Capcom.
Kamiya’s Concerns
“I’ve never been a fan of horror,” Kamiya confessed in a recent interview. “Even as a kid, I couldn’t handle it. I don’t like scary things, and I struggle to get through scary movies.”
He continued, “But nowadays, with the incredible realism in video games, the level of horrifying detail that developers can put on screen is insane. I think people working on Resident Evil at Capcom might be completely numb to how scary their own creations are.”
A “Non-Horror Mode” and Beyond
Kamiya has even floated ideas for making Resident Evil more accessible. He envisions a version where Leon Kennedy is fishing in the countryside, foraging for vegetables, baking bread, and walking his dog – a far cry from the zombie-infested streets of Raccoon City. Alternatively, he suggests a “non-horror mode” that transforms the horror experience into something lighter: “zombies get cute, blood splatters turn into cherry blossom petals, the music becomes upbeat, and you can purely enjoy the puzzles and battles in a fun mood.”
I often find myself trying to recommend Resident Evil games to friends who wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole. It’s a shame that these fantastic stories and characters are locked behind a requirement for a functioning amygdala.
A Director Shut Out?
“Recently, we had Resident Evil Requiem, where Leon Kennedy returned to Raccoon City,” Kamiya explained. “As the director of the original Resident Evil 2, I was curious to experience it as a player, but the game was too scary for me.”
That’s a worrying thought – that even the creator of one of the most iconic horror games ever made can’t fully enjoy its modern iterations. “I genuinely wished it would include some kind of non-horror mode,” Kamiya added. “I talk to people on the Resident Evil teams at Capcom, and I tell them their games are too scary, and they’re like, ‘what, come on, they’re not that scary.’ They seriously seem unaware of how scary their own creations actually are.”
While a softer mode could open up the horror genre to a wider audience, similar to The Dark Pictures Anthology’s cinematic mode, I don’t want Capcom to completely abandon its commitment to scares. I secretly hope they push the boundaries even further and experiment with more intensely terrifying experiences – something akin to Best FPS games. But maybe, just maybe, there’s something wrong with me.
Comments
Be the first to comment.