Can this game be actually scary?
I've been playing DbD for awhile now, and I still remember when I first started playing the feeling of fear my friends and I had when doing anything on the map. The fear when we saw a killer walking toward us and the fear of being chased. It was a ton of fun and honestly made the game super entertaining.
Now we are all pretty much veterans and play the game as red ranks on both survivor and killer. The game is still entertaining but not in the same way it used to be. I really miss the feeling of terror I had when I first played the game as a survivor. Now I can say it feels like killers have more to fear from SWFs teabagging their way out the exit gate than any survivor has from a killer even hooking them. And yeah I know about jump scare wraith and Meyers but those require some pretty rare add-ons and aren't played that often.
I've thought about it a lot and Im pretty excited for the graphics update because I know that will help, but I genuinely think they should make killers just better overall. I really believe BvH should make survivors at every rank terrified of killers in most matches. I've been in too many matches where my friends and I LOOK for the killer just to get chased because it's funny and we get points for it. For a game classified as "horror" it's not very horrifying at all.
I am genuinely curious what other people in the community think about DbDs actual level of terror. This is all just my opinion so feel free to express yours!
Comments
-
The only time I ever really get scared is if I get grabbed off of a gen. Makes me scream, although right after I'm laughing my head off, so... kind of I guess. More of a shock than a scare.
5 -
How many times do get scared watch the same horror movie over and over again?
9 -
That's a good point for sure, but there is a difference in being less scared because of repetition and just straight up bullying/teabagging the monster that is trying to kill you and have your soul eatin by a dark entity and the killer not really being able to respond in a way that makes the survivor... scared :/
1 -
Its not a horror game, its a horror themed game.
3 -
But it's not real🤣 It's a video game
0 -
This^
Once you play it for like more than 30 hours the horror factor's gone. I mean jumpscares are meant to be a surprise but the whole heartbeat thingy doesn't match.
That's why like the few moments you can get scared are against MM or ghostface.
0 -
It definitely can be. There's still newer players who go in terrified of the killer, and there's still plenty of people jumping when they get grabbed off a gen or when they catch Myers or Ghost Face staring at them. Though after you've played the game for hundreds (if not thousands) of hours, that scare factor is bound to wear off. The vast majority of people will stop getting scared by stuff at some point.
It's like watching a horror movie. The first time, it's scary. You don't know what's going to happen. The second time, you know what's coming. Something might startle you, but you know who's going to make it and who's going to die, when all the scares are going to happen. Third time, maybe a little less scary. By the tenth time you've watched it, it probably won't even phase you anymore. The same goes for games, even though it may take longer since the game can play out differently each time. Even in a game like Resident Evil 7 which has loads of scares packed in and a very tense atmosphere wears off after a while (I've played it maybe 6-7 times at this point and it doesn't phase me anymore).
As far as making killers way more powerful, though, I don't think it would bring it back. People who have played the game for hundreds of hours are no more scared of Freddy or the Spirit than they are a Wraith (that is to say, they're probably not, they've seen it all and it's just a game to them at this point). Sure, they might want to avoid the killer a bit more, but they're not scared. If you were to buff killers to crazy levels, it would more than likely just be frustrating for people more than scary.
16 -
Yes but allowing survivors to rush gens, get hooked multiple times without really caring, and run a killer for 3 or 4 mins isn't helping. And I'm not saying make killers "crazy strong" just give them more of an advantage over survivors then a really sorry speed boost after chasing for 20-30 seconds and this is all coming from someone who plays survivor a lot with friends. It's just not really as entertaining as it used to be
2 -
I still get scared when triggering a hag trap unexpectedly, though that is more of a jumpscare.
1 -
Run scratch mirror myers on the game, or shackles hag on lerys/game, youll scare the ######### out of plenty of people.
Also, dark devotion + tinkerer + nemesis on freddy when used properly will scare the ######### out of peoole too
1 -
You cannot scare people way more powerful than you. Mike Tyson is not gonna be scared of a scrawny teenager in the ring. Similarly, survivors are significantly more powerful than killers right now. From what I've heard and seen it has only been worse in the past. Killers have never been equal in power to survivors once a moderate amount of experience is acquired. Meanwhile survivors have always been severely overpowered to the point it is literally impossible to win against a good 4 man swf. It's just not a fun game for most people when they play killer because the discrepancy of skill in the game and then the following outcomes are nowhere near where they should be. For every killer mistake, there must be 8 survivor mistakes or more. I'm not surprised so many people have quit the game already, it's honestly time for a change where killers are equal or slightly overpowered.
Every other game shifts the balance every so often, but this game is an outlier. Instead of attempting to balance the game, it spoon feeds one faction and kicks the other in the mouth for whatever reason. I think that the few killers that have held on to this game did so by forcing themselves to see the game through rose colored glasses with a touch of nostalgia and a hint of false hope for a day when the game is as fun as it seems it can be. Alas these veteran killers still yet, continue to get kicked in the balls.
0 -
It's not technically horror/suspense it's simply horror/slasher themed. Themed meaning it's got aspects visually for a genre. But in escense the game is just survival.
0 -
Once you play any game long anough any "scary" elements fade away.
Most horror games are simply jump scares and not actually fear inducing.
1 -
I live for this games moments of terror......but sadly....its extremely rare, and far and few between because BHVR would rather make the killer a non threatening joke and not promote hiding from the killer and making gens go by in 2 seconds etc.
It makes me a sad panda....but at least I can collect a scream or two from time to time....
2 -
This is kind of what Im referring to, I don't think it's quite as bad as you described but I do think survivors have all the power which makes the game not scary and just not fun. Killers don't have strong pressure, if I get chased I can control where the killer goes and i know I'm good enough to make the killer go where I want for a good 2-3mins before they ether give up or hit me once even if it is a nurse or spirit and at that point 1 or 2 gens are done. We have it down to a science and we all get bored after like two games and go play something else pretty quickly now lol
0 -
Yes! This is what I'm talking about! Great clip btw
I do think BVHR should make the game more about hiding from the killer, which I believe the graphics update will make that much more viable... you'd obviously still have chases but just make them less of a joke then they are right now.
0 -
The jumpscares of myers, pig, ghostface, etc. are still scary. Just newly released is a completely silent billy build - that was ######### terrifying watching an instant death maniac running at you at the speed of sound.
The actual "oh ######### ######### ######### the killer is near me" scary parts are still there, but only when Haunted Grounds pops, Myers tiers up and starts hunting, or when it's revealed that the killer has NOED. When you're exposed the game gets a lot scarier
3 -
You can absolutely get scared even if at some point it's mostly jump scares. I imagine the survivors I got earlier as Trapper by trapping around the exit gate and letting insidious go off while I sat in a corner, only to come out swinging the second they touched the gate and they immediately ran into my traps got a pretty good jump scare out of it. Probably seemed like I came out of literally nowhere, and then the immediate double-whammy of running right into traps!
Those are the moments I also find the most fun, not winning or anything, just being able to surprise people with novel (to me at least, I'm sure it's been done a million times by people who have thousands of hours) strats and ideas.
0 -
so this isn't about making killers scary. it's just another Survivors bad killer good post
0 -
I fully agree with you. I sometimes miss the scare/thrill factor of being new to the game and being genuinely frightened. It's basic psychology, though - you habituate to things you experience numerous times and learn to predict them.. which wears off the emotional response. That's why, as a killer main, I love to throw unpredictability at the survivors. Unpredictability hinders habituation, bringing back traces of the emotional response. Nothing will get your hairs on end better than not predicting a killer playing Doctor going into stealth and grabbing you off of a gen. My favorite thing to do is run a stealth build and constantly change my tactics mid-match. Keep them guessing. Run Dark Devotion, Tinkerer, Trail of Torment, and (chose another stealth perk like Deathbound or Nemesis or pick aura reading perk - preferably Nurse's Calling).
0 -
No because survivors are op
0 -
The jumpscares still get me.
A few days ago I had no clue who the killer was until I ran through a Hag's trap. Scared the crap out of me.
1 -
Have you never played against a Myers ninja with 5 tokens of devour hope... in Lery's?
that is scary 😬
0 -
Solid point. It's the way our brain works. However the game could be a little more atmospheric. As for the killers, it's not the same playing a m1 killer on top tier games (or top mmr now?) as playing a nurse/spirit. You can sense how survivors (me myself when playing survivor btw) have little fear to a ghostface, clown, etc cause i know they rely on me making mistakes to catch me, so i am in control. Regardless of how good they can be, if i don't make mistakes they won't catch me. Which is one of the reasons why most people that understand this game to such a deep level, don't fear.
Not just because of time invested into it, you don't fear things when you are in control. Whether a survivor should be in control of the situation or not it is up to you guys to define ofc.
Things change when facing a nurse/spirit. Control is no longer pre-given to survivors, it actually gets disputed between both parties and the best player comes on top. When I play nurse, I can notice I actually scare people. And when I face a really good spirit or nurse, I get scared as ######### as well. And I enjoy it a lot!
However I am a very competitive person, not to mention I used to play Dota 2 almost at a professional level. So i understand how most people don't care about these situations. Which these killers also account for thanks to their design.
If u are a casual player, chances are you will also face a casual player (thanks to mmr being implemented), if this casual killer plays nurse or spirit, won't do as good as someone that practices and plays them a lot (you rely on your skill!). I honestly think you have created the best surv-killer scenario possible with these two killers. Dota 2 balance level, but i digress.
Point is these killers allow a new type of fear in the game, the type of fear only good competitive games can provide. Actual fear to your opponent's skill.
0 -
I still jump every time I trigger one of Hag's traps. Little shriek included.
Also I finally saw Hag's locker-pull animation for the first time recently (after months and months of playing) AND HOLY HELL IS THAT TERRIFYING SHE JUST POUNCES I WAS SO SCARED.
And I still get crept up on by some killers. Not every game is terrifying, but there are definitely still moments that have me sweating on the edge of my seat aha.
0 -
I have 1100 hours in the game, I still get scared.
Yeah, I can loop the killer for awhile. I can commit to a gen as the killer gets closer.
Does it remove the fear of getting caught? No.
Hag's traps will always get me 'cause of the damn jump scare + forced camera pull.
Sometimes Trapper's traps too.
0 -
Haha noo!
A reasonable nerf to survivors would be a slight change in their overpowered perks like DS, Unbreakable, DH.
experienced survivors are having a field day ever since they nerfed Nurse and Spirit.
0 -
Well, it's as I've said in a forgotten thread that about 5 people have seen.
Horror is largely based on the unknown, suspense and HOPE. The single scariest games for me are the ones where I don't have any indication of who the killer is for a good 3 minutes and paranoia sets in.
You kill the 3rd survivor, and the 4th has hope they'll find hatch. They are scared that they might not. Or at least more scared than the 4th after you slug the 3rd.
Spine Chill flickers, but there's no heartbeat. You've narrowed it down to 4 base killers, possibly one of 7 with a perk, or maybe it is one of the other 13 with standard stats but you don't recall a bell, phasing noises, traps, a chainsaw and now paranoia has set in.
And honestly, I believe this is something that the devs should play up more @Peanits since that is indeed the best part of horror, and not just because I love the stealth killers.
Seeing a secret killer offering gives me dread. Basically fear but without hope. Nothing to be gained from dread. Now, if the killer were to NOT use that obvious Ebony Mori on first hook, then I would be cautious and suspicious. Even scared that they could kill me at any time, that THEY feel in control.
In terms of horror ranking unknown/existential is king, but a lack of control and a slight bit of hope is a close second that players CAN use and manipulate.
0 -
The game is quite scary. Have you ever been chased by a Nea with a flashlight while Feng & Dwight are being gen jockies & David is looping you on the busted Ormond map? That's some scary stuff right there if you ask me.
1 -
Oni during his power and Mikey in general are very scary if you ask me.
0 -
just because you aren’t constantly terrified does not mean the game isn’t fun.
I have a little over 4K hours and I still get scared sometimes. The atmosphere is still there, the sense of questioning whether you are in a bad position alltogether or will you be able to get grabbed etc.
I don’t see how learning how to play the game makes survivors exactly “have all the power” when if you do play red ranks (as you claim) you’ll know that the threat level is in the ability of the killer. Yeah you might get a nurse who barely lands a hit but you’ll also get those that will make you question if they have wall hacking abilities. To a point where if they have a slugging build your team will be annihilated within seconds.
0 -
I mean it's a perspective thing, I don't think the atmosphere is scary at all, but as I said earlier, I do think the graphics update they talked about will change that for someone like myself
Also, unless you play solo, on the survivor side I never feel as though the killer is "in control" and when I play killer I can 4k but am still getting teabagged the whole time lol which it is what it is, plus the statistics are there, in higher ranks survivors preform better in a wide margin of more games then killers, not complaining
0
