Combat has been an integral part of video games since their inception. By giving the player the ability to take the fight to those that stand in their way, they become empowered and emboldened to a certain extent. And while on paper, this seems like a no-brainer in terms of giving players agency, combat can be a tricky beast to tame when it comes to the horror genre.
Over the past decade, there has been a rise in horror games that strip away decades-old empowerment fundamentals such as combat in favor of less confrontational means. But is something lost in this break from tradition, or does it further widen the types of unique horror experiences in store for players?
And in this week’s episode of Safe Room, Neil and I were joined by freelance games writer Andrew King to discuss the merits (or lack thereof) regarding combat-less horror games.
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