What constitutes a survival horror game?

Need a little advice here- since i'm working on a RE4 review and a deadspace review.

I'm still unsure as to whether RE4 is considered survival horror because it wasn't scary 95 percent of the time.

How scary a game is- is a bit to subjective to say for certain, and hallmarks of the survival horror genre have been thrown away lately (clunky movement, changing camera angle, scarcity of all items, etc)

So, what qualities do games need to be considered in the "survival horror" sub-genre?

This pretty much sums it up :)

Survival horror is a subgenre of action-adventure video game inspired by horror fiction. These games make the player vulnerable by providing them with less ammunition and fewer heavy weapons than other action games. Although combat is a part of the gameplay, the player must ration ammunition by evading enemies and avoiding direct confrontation. The player is also challenged to find items that unlock the path to new areas, and solve puzzles at certain locations. Games make use of strong horror themes, and the player is often challenged to navigate dark maze-like environments, and react to unexpected attacks from enemies.

The term "survival horror" was first used for the original Japanese release of Resident Evil in 1996, which was influenced by earlier games with a horror theme such as Sweet Home and Alone in the Dark. The name has been used since then for games with similar gameplay, and has been retroactively applied to games as old as Haunted House from 1981. Starting with the release of Resident Evil 4 in 2005, the genre began to incorporate more features from action games, which has led game journalists to question whether long-standing survival horror franchises have abandoned the genre. Still, the survival horror genre has persisted in one form or another.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival_horrorWikipedia

Pretty much any game that doesn't give you enough bullets

Pretty much any game that doesn't give you enough bullets

Microsteve

[QUOTE="Microsteve"]

Pretty much any game that doesn't give you enough bullets

Chickan_117

First time I played, in the earlier stages of the game I ran out all the time. Ended up using a sword :).

Altered my playing style and I rarely had that trouble again.

RE4, to me, easily qualifies as a Survival horror game. You have to rescue Ashley, while keeping both of yourselves alive then escape. Some people may think differently though.

RE5, on the other hand, is a different story. There's nothing scary in the game at all. Even as an action game, it's complete trash. Broken AI, broken controls, and broken item selection.

Silent hill 2

Survival Horror is used to describe any action game that has a horror theme.

Fallout 3 is an RPG/FPS, not an action game. Plus, while it has some missions that were horror themed (e.g. the Dunwich building) the main theme of the game is not horror. Ghouls exist in the game because of sci-fi reasons (scientific result of nuclear war) not a supernatural reason.

"Scary" is definitely not going to be helpful in determining whether a game is survival horror because most people don't agree on what scary is. Take your example of Dead Space, there are always threads here full of people who insist that they were scared to death when they played that game. I've played thru Dead Space twice and other than a few jump out at you type scares, I fail to see what people could possibly find so terrifying when they play that game. Just goes to show that there are very few things out there that scare everyone equally.

To sum up its anything that has zombies or has random things jump out of no were and try to maul you to death

RE4, to me, easily qualifies as a Survival horror game. You have to rescue Ashley, while keeping both of yourselves alive then escape. Some people may think differently though.

RE5, on the other hand, is a different story. There's nothing scary in the game at all. Even as an action game, it's complete trash. Broken AI, broken controls, and broken item selection.

seanehawk

[QUOTE="seanehawk"]

RE4, to me, easily qualifies as a Survival horror game. You have to rescue Ashley, while keeping both of yourselves alive then escape. Some people may think differently though.

RE5, on the other hand, is a different story. There's nothing scary in the game at all. Even as an action game, it's complete trash. Broken AI, broken controls, and broken item selection.

gameguy6700

If you found her, or you were looking for her, it's still the same concept. And you DO play as Ashley without any weapons in parts of the game. Have you ever played the game?

Probably the first 2 resident evils (I guess 3 as well since the Nemesis pretty much drains all your ammo) and the Silent Hill series (The first two as well I guess).

Games which take

This pretty much sums it up :)[QUOTE="Wikipedia"]
Survival horror is a subgenre of action-adventure video game inspired by horror fiction. These games make the player vulnerable by providing them with less ammunition and fewer heavy weapons than other action games. Although combat is a part of the gameplay, the player must ration ammunition by evading enemies and avoiding direct confrontation. The player is also challenged to find items that unlock the path to new areas, and solve puzzles at certain locations. Games make use of strong horror themes, and the player is often challenged to navigate dark maze-like environments, and react to unexpected attacks from enemies.

The term "survival horror" was first used for the original Japanese release of Resident Evil in 1996, which was influenced by earlier games with a horror theme such as Sweet Home and Alone in the Dark. The name has been used since then for games with similar gameplay, and has been retroactively applied to games as old as Haunted House from 1981. Starting with the release of Resident Evil 4 in 2005, the genre began to incorporate more features from action games, which has led game journalists to question whether long-standing survival horror franchises have abandoned the genre. Still, the survival horror genre has persisted in one form or another.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival_horrorChickan_117

A horror game is usually scary, and you find yourself in situations most hairy, so says Mr. Stewart.

Think Survivor (the TV show), except in a dark hospital with zombies in it.