How color influences your emotions – What makes horror games beautiful?

1. How does color factor into horror?

When you’re feeling cold, what color do you associate with it? Was it Green? Well, that’s the color Silent Hill 2 chose for its freezer level. And ever wondered why the executioners in Resident Evil 4 wear red? The color is typically associated with evil and all that jazz, but is there a deeper meaning behind it all? Let’s take a closer look at some of our favorite horror games to find what’s hidden in plain sight.

2. A history of horror

One of my first horror experiences came from Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion. As a young kid that game freaked me right out, but it also drew me in. Later in life I stumbled upon Silent Hill 2 and that changed everything. That game had it all – a gripping storyline, an eerie atmosphere, and a world that haunts your dreams. So, naturally, it inspired me to create my own atmospheric horror game, Whispers of West Grove, which has been in the works for the past three years. It’s an ambitious project, but I’m here to dissect some of my favorite horror games and spill the artistic secrets behind them.

3. Can a green environment make you feel cold?

Today, we’re starting with a fundamental aspect of horror game aesthetics – color. Yeah, that’s right. How much does color factor into horror? Well, get ready to have your mind blown.

Let’s kick things off with Silent Hill 2. Remember that meat freezer scene? You might expect it to be all blue and icy, but what color was it? Green. Now, why the heck did they go with green instead of the obvious choice? Well, it’s all about symbolism and creating a sickening atmosphere, my friend.

You see, our boy James, the protagonist, views the town through a lens of sickness and violence. He’s got some serious guilt on his shoulders for killing his sick wife, and guess what the town does? It turns his darkness into a nightmarish reality. Green can represent growth, but it can also symbolize sickness. So, when James steps into Eddie’s twisted world, it’s a clash of two characters’ messed-up realities. That greenish hue is not just cold and detached like Eddie; it’s downright sickly like James.

Now, you’re probably wondering, where’s the beauty in all this? Well, my fellow horror enthusiasts, this sickly green scene offers a break from the constant dread and terror of the unknown. The color choice gives the scene an artistic appearance, while also still being creepy as hell.

In Whispers of West Grove, I use green to represent things too, but in a different manner. I want the players to associate green with peace and freedom, represented through nature creeping into the asylum’s ground floor, teasing them with the cruel reality of their confinement. And later in the game, that green will take a dark turn, representing sickness and despair in the general patient ward. It’s all about playing with that color psychology, baby.

4. Does red always mean evil?

Now, onto Resident Evil 4. You gotta love those executioners, right? But why the heck are they dressed in red? Well hold your horses, my friends. There might just be a deeper meaning behind it all. See, Resident Evil 4 is all about a religious group called Los Iluminados. They’re all about spreading a plague and stuff, and their beliefs are a mix of Roman Catholicism and some sacrificial ceremonies.

Now, check this out. In Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, there’s this scene with a crowd of cardinals, rocking their vibrant red outfits. And you know why they wear red? It’s not just for style points. It represents their own blood and sacrifice for their faith. And, guess what? When you Google “Halloween costumes of cardinals” you’ll find a pretty damn close match to our executioners’ getup. So, maybe, just maybe, that red is not meant to scream “evil” but rather to honor the passion and dedication to protecting the twisted beliefs of Los Illuminados.

Now, when it comes to Whispers of West Grove, my upcoming masterpiece. A padded room is painted with blood and everything is tinted red. There’s a revenge plot and it’s about what you’d expect the design of the room to look like. But making red a positive color? Now that’s where the real challenge lies.

I wanted to use nature as inspiration for the player, especially in the early levels of the game while there’s still some hope. So, I thought, why not go with red flowers of love. I try to use red in a positive context, but also a twisted one in the case of a mannequin that stalks you wearing a stunning red dress. Oh, the wonders of psychological horror.

5. Color is just a word in a sentence

Now, let’s take a step back and appreciate the sheer beauty of horror games. Yeah, they can be dark and terrifying, but they can also be breathtakingly beautiful. Think about games like Alan Wake II, where you experience terrifying nights followed by beautiful sunrises. Or Little Nightmares 2, where you have that beautiful light at the end of the dark, twisted tunnel. These rare moments of beauty amidst all the horror, they recharge you, they give you a sense of relief before diving back into the abyss.

Color is like a word in a sentence. On its own, it’s just a word. But when you combine it with others, it becomes more than its definition. In horror games, color is a part of the sentence that evokes fear, excitement, sadness, and sometimes even a sense of beauty. It plays a crucial role in the world of horror as it messes with your emotions and adds an extra layer of depth to the experience.

6. Next post will cover beautiful and terrifying environments

In the next post, we’ll dive even deeper into the beautiful and terrifying environments of horror games. So if you’re digging this kind of content, check out the link below and follow to stay updated. And don’t forget to let me know your favorite horror game and any examples I might have missed in the comments. Thanks for tuning in, and I’ll catch you in the next post. Stay spooky, my friends!