Horror games have been my bread and butter for as long as I could remember; ever since I played Slender: The Eight Pages as a kid, it has been a genre of games that I’ve loved.
From the classic big names like the Silent Hill franchise or Resident Evil to more indie games like Mouthwashing or Mad Father, I just always had an interest. However, there’s been a recent branch of the genre that has continued to churn out more and more games that end up on the mainstream side of our algorithms.
Mascot horror: when nostalgia becomes twisted. It was originally a genre that was spare and few between, with the first ever Five Nights at Freddy’s game being the one to break the mold and gain so much infamy. One could even say it caused the genre to be forced into the spotlight with how many popular YouTubers jumped to play it and how large the fanbase had grown practically overnight. A diamond in the rough, a needle in a haystack, a once in a lifetime sight of a horror game of the genre becoming so big – big enough for plushies, Lego sets, and even a movie deal. It’s no wonder other game developers soon tried to join in.
Nowadays, you can’t even scroll the Steam storefront without seeing at least some variation of a mascot horror game being displayed. Poppy Playtime (which I have a love/hate relationship), Joyville, Garten of Banban (and its many, many entries), Finding Frankie all fit into this category. Each one is slightly different but still somewhat the same, like a formula was found amongst them and each game is trying its luck to be the favorite of the week.
This isn’t just to talk bad of the games. Some of them are absolutely unique and I won’t lie and say I don’t try to play every single horror game I come across, which includes mascot horror. My biggest issue is the fact that there just seems to be so much and many of them seem to be capitalizing and focusing on the wrong things. Either they focus on only using jump scares to make sure that they’re “scary” or they try to heavily handfist the lore of their game to appear terrifying. That’s not always the best route to go with such games. Use the environment to scare, don’t just rely on the fear of twisting nostalgia or simple jump scares and loud noises.
What do you think? Is there such a thing as too much when it comes to mascot horror or is there still room for more? Share your reactions below or join the conversation on the Boss Rush Discord.
Featured Image: SUPERLOU GAMES (via Steam)
Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games
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