Horror Play

John and Robert each pick a non-horror game with a horror moment. The games they choose are not horror games, but each have a moment within the game that turned out to be quite scary.

How scary are abandoned amusement parks? In this game, quite scary. On this episode of the Horror Play podcast, we review the indie horror game The Park, and search for our son as we ride scary swan rides, flashback to eletro-shock therapy, and talk to a weird demon dude. Follow @sharkdropper

At the time of this recording the HP crew had played 47 games. If you're a frequent listener of Horror Play you know there are four reviewers per game, but the reviewers aren't always the same. On this bonus episode, John and Robert get together to discuss the amount of guests that have appeared to help rate the horrific games of Horror Play. Follow @sharkdropper

The HP crew gets together this week to discuss and rate the indie lookout game Firewatch.  Not a horror game persay, Firewatch still packs on some tension throughout its short narrative campaign as the lead character Henry uncovers the mysteries of the surrounding Wyoming woods.  

In the second bonus episode of Horror Play, the HP crew gets together to discuss IGN's Top Ten Horror Games list. Do we agree or disagree? Listen to find out.

Resident Evil 7 is a true return to horror for Capcom's famous franchise.  After three action-based installments, Capcom decided to reign it in and focus solely on the horror aspect of the series. Imagine the first Resident Evil game, but in Lousiana, and replace zombies with monsters.  Resident Evil 7 is truly terrifying and we couldn't wait to play. So listen here as John, Adam, Robert, and Amber discuss their likes and dislikes, and decide whether this game belongs in the top ten. WARNING! There will be spoilers Follow @sharkdropper

On the inagural episode of Horror Play Bonus, John, Robert, and Adam sit down to discuss what will become of the newly released bonus episodes. In an effort to release more content, expect more episodes with reviews, horror game topics, trailers, playthroughs, discussions, and erratic banter. Don't forget to rate and review on iTunes. If you would like to help donate you can do so on our website www.sharkdropper.com, or through Patreon. Just search Shark Dropper Studios.  Enjoy!!

Emily wants to play with her creepy dolls, and she wants us to play with her creepy dolls as well. For this episode of the Horror Play podcast, John, Robert, Adam, and Amber review Emily Wants to Play, a hide and seek, spot the clown, run from dummies, type of horror game.  Follow @sharkdropper

Ever hear of the Playstation Classic Siren? No? Us either... until it was recommended by a fan. We decided to try our luck against the evil gun-toting monsters as we try to solve puzzles..? Siren is a game that's hard to classify and we go to great depths trying to figure out exactly what type of game it is. Some may think that having 10+ main characters would be confusing, but luckily Siren comes with a handy spreadsheet before every chapter!

What is it about mansions that make them so creepy? For this episode of Horror Play, the HP crew gets together to discuss a game that goes a little mad. Winding corridors, blood splattered paintings, and a room full of crazy dolls are just some horrific things they experience.  This is a game like no other.   Follow us: @sharkdropper www.sharkdropper.com

We play a mom haunted by her legless monster kid in the Swedish school project known as Notes of Obsession. It may be a short game, but the HP crew has a lot to talk about including the amazing graphics, the grotesque monster, and whether blueberry Redbull is the best flavor of Redbull out there. Also! This is our 50th review!!!!! Follow @sharkdropper

This week we review a game Adam hates and everyone else thinks is okay. Cry of Fear was a mod based off the Half-Life engine. Many seem to think it is one of the scariest games out there, often appearing on Horror Game Top Ten lists. We take our crack at it and see if it holds up as a truly terrifying experience. One day we'll review the sequel Cry Harder. Follow @sharkdropper

As usual the Horror Play crew mixes it up for Halloween. Rather than rating another game, Robert, John, Adam, and Amber get together to rerate both Slender: The Arrival and P.T. Both games are tied atop the Horror Play Scariest list and that must finally come to an end. Through general discussion and some point/counter-point arguments, find out which game will be crowned the true winner (so far...) of the scariest games that the HP crew has played. 

Zombies, everyone loves them! Well at least everyone in 2009 did. Value brings up the sequal to the successful Left 4 Dead franchise. Where does it stack up to the original? Is the a quality sequal or just another re-skin of the original? How does the Source engine hold up to this day? Find out on an all new HORROR PLAY.    www.lootcrate.com/shark promo code: SHARKDROPPER

Some call it the unoffical 3rd movie, some call it a disappointment. We've played the 2009 Ghostbusters video game so you don't have to. How does it stand with the rest of the Ghostbusters titles? Is the game scary? Find out on an all new Horror Play Podcast. 

Welcome to dinosaur island! This week we sit down and discuss the newest game on the roster-- Dino Crisis! It's like Resident Evil, but with raptors. We take control of Regina, the red-haired protagonist, as she explores a creepy facility that's been overrun with big-ass lizards. This ain't no walk in the park. Let's see how it ranks against some of the great survival horror games. Tune in to see!

A Horror Play in the making for almost as long as the game itself. Well, not quite. Alan Wake from Remdy Entertainment took almost 10 years to make. This Stephen King/Twin Peaks love letter sets you in a rural town in the upper north west. You play Alan Wake, a writer who's is hunted by a mysterous presence in the town known as "the Darkness." Alan suddenly awakens without his memory for the last week, and his wife missing. Find out just how scary this game is as we discuss it on a new Horror Play Podcast. 

Historically 16 bit games have not fared well on Sharkdropper. We know that a lot can be done with a little technology but, not every game can pull this off. This week we look at an offering from Hailstorm Games, Claire. Claire tells the story of a young woman who wakes up alone in a hospital. From there its up to the player to decypher why she is there, and more importantly how to get out of there. Where does the game stack up for us? Find out on a new Horror Play Podcast.  www.sharkdropper.com/list www.lootcrate.com/shark @sharkdropper @KyleWOTB @ElAdam @rlamb713

The Evil Within was supposed to bring horror back to its roots. This was the game that was supposed to be for fans of the original Resident Evil games; a game for fans of true survival horror. John, Robert, Adam, and Amber sit down to discuss their likes and dislikes for the game. Spoiler alert: There are more dislikes. But listen in to find out if they thought the Evil was Within or Without. 

Limbo may not be a true horror game, but it definitely has moments that exude creepiness and tension. We play as the lost boy looking for his sister, exploring the forest, mines, and broken-down buildings. Is this the scariest game we've played so far? Is it supposed to be scary? Listen and find out what we think!!

The HP crew decides to once again go indie for the Horror Play podcast by playing the free downloadable RPG Misao.  We explore a haunted school, find dead girl body parts, and choose between killing a hot boy crush or a creepy teacher.  We also break down the most important question: Can an indie game like this be scary? We'll let you know.

In space no one can hear you scream, but in your room with the lights off they can. The HP crew welcomes a new guest as they rate and review this insta-classic and determine whether it ranks among the elite when it comes to pure terror.

Good things come in threes, right? Well we put that to the test this week as we review the third installment of the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise. Where does it stack up to the first two? More cheap jump scares, or are there some neuanced horror elements at play? Find out on a new Horror Play Podcast.

Another indie pixel game?! Thats right! The horror play guys are back to bring you though this pixelated nightmare. Is it scary? Boring? REALLY boring? Find out as we talk about Calm Time.

New guest Amber Simpson (Snubbed, Dopple Avenue Hurt) joins the HP crew to review the Outlast DLC known as Whistleblower. We take control of a voiceless tattletale as he tries to escape the craziest of asylums. It's been a while since we stepped foot in Mount Massive Asylum when we first played the original game... Now it's time to return to see what evil awaits.

Robert, Kyle, Adam, Tyler, and John sit down to talk three classic video game turned horror movies: Alone in The Dark, Resident Evil, and Silent Hill. We use the word "classic" loosely.

Paranoiac, a game that's hard to say, but not hard to play. This free download comes to us by way of indie developers Uri & Vgperson and follows the story of Miki Takamura as she stays in her aunt's masion for some well deserved R&R. But unfortunately for Miki, everything is not as it seems in this old house. Find out how this 16-bit indie game stacks up as we unlock all the doors to bring you a new Horror Play Podcast. Also, we delve into the intricacies of a Purge Day, a totally unrelated topic, but important nonetheless. 

When Resident Evil 2 came out in 1998 it garnered tons of praise, and rightfully so. The game was a sequel to a classic, and eventually became a classic itself. This week the HP fellas sit down to discuss their playthroughs of this haunting survival horror. Did they play as Claire or Leon? Did they have to fight a Tyrant? Did they suffer through the classic tank controls? Were they scared? Answers to all these questions and more on this episode of Horror Play.

On the surface, Spooky's House Of Jump Scares appears to be an audible romp though a haunted mansion. But something dark and mysterious lurks beneath this game. Lag Studios brings us a unique take on the indie horror genre as the player is tasked with nagivigating 1,000 rooms in Spooky's haunted house. Find out if jump scares were enough to scare the HP crew, or if it was just another dud? 

Telltale's The Walking Dead won many awards when it came out, including Game of the Year. We play the entire first season of this story-driven experience to see, not only if it's scary, but also if we can truly classify it as a video game. John, Robert, Adam, and Tyler get together to discuss the zombie apocalypse, hard choices, and Clementine's hair.

Indie horror games tend to be hit or miss. Is Dream Of The Blood Moon just another Slender knock-off? Or can it stand up on its own? John, Robert, Adam, and Kyle play Dream and determine if this game brings anything unique or new to the horror table. See how it stacks up against the likes of Slender and White Noise on this episode of the Horror Play Podcast.

1989 gave us so many things: Paula Abdul, Micheal Keaton as Batman, and everyone's favorite killer in his very own video game, Friday the 13th for the NES. This horror addition to the Nintendo may give you nightmares, but not in the way you're thinking.  Find out just how well Jason's video game debut went on an all new Horror Play Podcast. 

On this episode of the Horror Play podcast, the guys discuss a student created game known as Kraven Manor. Listen in, as we walk through the dark halls of an eerie mansion, solve simple room-moving puzzles, and play hide-and-seek with a bronze man. The Steam game has some cool tricks up it's sleeves, but is it scary enough to hold our attention throughout it's short campaign? Listen to find out! 

Ah the age old question, is it a Horror Game, or is it an action game? Valve's Left 4 Dead blurs the line between them to offer you a unique experince with every playthrough. But where does it stack up with the likes of P.T. or Outlast? Find out on the Horror Play Podcast. 

We know you're all a little bummed after the cancellation of Silent Hills, we are too. Whats even worse, is the playable teaser was also taken off the PSN network. Luckily our very own Adam Jetmore still had the P.T. downloaded on his playstation. So you know what that means. We're playing and reviewing the 2014 Playable Teaser to Silent Hills. 

Well, here we are, back again. Back at the wonderful Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, and yes, the animatronics are still acting up.  This time there are no steel doors to give you that false sense of security. We play Five Nights at Freddy's 2, the first true sequel we play for the Horror Play Podcast.

The HP crew explores a desolate cabin for their wife serena. Serena is a Kickstarter-funded PC game that brings back the old method of point-and-clicking. Will we find Serena? Why can't we leave the cabin? Why is it so dirty? Find out here!

How well versed are you in Indonesian culture? Not so much? That's okay. You can still play this game. DreadOut is a mixture of Silent Hill and Fatal Frame.  You take control of a school girl as she explores a desolate town and haunted school. We won't tell just how scary this game is, but let us just say Robert and John jumped out of their seats a few times.

First Encounter Assault Recon. That's what F.E.A.R. stands for, not that the title has to be an acronym for anything. Fear could easily be the word used to describe this scary first person shooter. Released in 2005, this scary shooter became an instant hit and spawned several expansions and sequels years later. We play F.E.A.R. to give us a break from all the indie and third person horror games we have recently been playing. Join us as we rate and review this classic.

Imscared: A Pixelated Nightmare is a free to download game where you take control of a character who explores pixelated worlds, but is constantly followed by a scary skeletal face.  Consistently breaking the fourth wall, Imscared is a unique gameplay experience that makes you question if the game is playing you. We play this pixelated gem and try to find out whether graphics matter when it comes to playing something truly terrifying.

Year Walk isn't the easiest game to describe. It's cartoony, it's creepy, it's part side-scroller, it's first-person, it's adventure, it's full of puzzles, it breaks the fourth wall, and to acquire the full back story you must beat the game.  If you're looking for a short indie game that's haunting this is the game for you. We play it this week to find out if it's haunting nature is truly scary.

Thanks to Kickstarter, this horror game was able to see the light of day.  We take control of a baby in Among the Sleep and run away from a giant alcoholic monster. Hurry up and find those memories, and then tune into Horror Play as we rate and review this unique indie.

White Noise is a game that sees a player running around a map, looking for eight items. In this game, you look for eight tape recorders.  What could be considered a fun Easter egg hunt, is actually much more menacing, since a monster is hiding in the shadows, ready to pounce.  We try not to compare this game to the highly regarded Slender series, but it turns out to be tougher than we expect. 

Harry Mason is searching for his adopted daughter in the creepy, foggy town of Silent Hill. One of the original survival horror games, Silent Hill came out in 1999 on the original Playstation.  When people think horror games, Silent Hill is usually one that comes to mind. It has spawned tons of sequels and spin-offs and the franchise continues to thrive to this day. On this podcast we take a look at the one that started it all. Is it as scary as it once was? We'll let you know!

A purple bunny, a yellow chicken, and a brown bear highlight this game... But don't be fooled. This isn't some walk in the park. It's a sit down in the dark. Five Nights at Freddy's is an indie horror game that has been getting rave reviews. We decide to see if it lives up to the hype. 

You are Stanley. You work in an office. You decide to leave the office one day and explore. The narrator helps guide Stanley around, but it's up to you whether you want to listen to the narrator or deviate off course. You end up finding that the office is more than just an office. The Stanley Parable is a popular indie game that some may call more an experience rather than an actual game. There are no wrong choices. We play this experience, and while not truly horrific, we rate it anyway!

Alien: Isolation is the newest Alien game to hit shelves, and with the Alien franchise having a shitty track record when it comes to videogames, we proceeded cautiously. We took control of Amanda Ripley (Ellen Ripley's daughter) and made her traverse dark hallways full of baddies, from androids to face huggers! But let's not forget the biggest threat: A full-grown Alien! Join us as we dissect what could be the scariest game we've played yet. All aboard the Sevastopol!

On this special Halloween bonus episode, John and Robert get together to discuss all the games that have been reviewed so far. A speedy recap leads the guys through the entire catalog of Horror Play games. They discuss their favorite horror games, their least favorite games, and what games they are looking forward to playing in the near future.

Dear Esther has been classified as more of an experience rather than a game. Waking up on some uninhabited Hebridean island with nothing but a flashlight, you lead your character toward a distant radio tower. This is the first, and probably only, walking simulator we will play, and while it's not necessarily a horror game,  its eeriness was enough to land it a spot on our review list. Also! There are ghosts!

Home can best be described by its subtitle: A unique horror adventure. This is unlike any game we have played. The game could be considered more a mystery than a horror game, but it still has the ability to instill a sense of dread when exploring the different horror-inspired environments.  A side-scrolling adventure that sees players taking control of a nameless man who awakens with no recollection of what has happened around him.  Finding clues and weapons helps the protagonist draw conclusions but it's ultimately up to the player to figure out what exactly happened.

The year is 1839 and Daniel wakes up in castle with amnesia, hence the title of the game. The Dark Descent refers to not only the castle trekking you must do but the inner secrets you find out about yourself and your life before you mysteriously woke up in this castle. Considered to be one of the scariest games ever we put it to the test and see how it does through our standards and impeccable rating system. So check out this week's episode of Horror Play for some tense moments and scary castle monsters!