Survival-Horror

Gameplay and Themes

Character survival [1]

Scaring player

Vulnerability

Limitation

Puzzle solving and item collection

Evasion

Isolation, single-player

Pieced-together storyline

More powerful and/or more numerous enemies

Hostile environment

Inspiration from Other Media

Horror fiction

Horror film

Dim lighting, claustrophobic, restricted camera angles and other film conventions designed to build suspense

Enemies lurking concealed from view

Off-screen sound and other warning cues (impending danger)

History

Haunted House (1982)

Series of games throughout 80s (Monster Bash arcade game, Castlevania 1986, War of the Dead 1987)

Sweet Home (NES 1989) directly inspired RE

Early 90s releases (Alone in the Dark 1992, Doctor Hauzer 1994, Clock Tower series began in 1995)

Resident Evil (1996) defined genre, started out as remake of Sweet Home, began "Golden Age" of survival horror

Overblood 1996, The Note 1997, Hellnight 1998, Resident Evil 2 1998

Silent Hill (Konami, 1999) incorporated Japanese horror film psychological themes, many call climax of golden age, many call scariest game ever

Early 2000s saw transition to Western action, visceral horror (The Thing 2002, Doom 3 2004, incorporate horror elements into shooters)

Resident Evil 4 (2005) marked departure from Japanese style and started Western shooter theme more prominently

Spinoff Genres

"Action horror" (Resident Evil 4, 2005)

Zombie Shooter

Departure from helplessness to militance

Science-fiction survival horror (Dead Space 2008)

Multiplayer co-op survival horror (Left 4 Dead 2008)

Indie Horror games (Penumbra series, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Slender: The Eight Pages) emphasize horrific setting rather than action or violence, genre continues to grow here

Horror comedy and open-world nonlinear model (Deadly Premonition)

References

1. Fear 101: A Beginner's Guide to Survival Horror. IGN.com.