Editorials
6 MORE Upcoming Horror Games That Look Terrifying!
There’s no shortage of horror games to look forward to right now, but of the bevy we have on the way, only a select few have the singular goal of being truly terrifying, and fewer still aim to “chill you to your core.”
Actually, only one developer has said they want to achieve that, but you’ll have to read on to see which one it is. I’ve spent a fair amount of time scrounging up some of the more promising horror games that are on the way — you can find the rest here and here — and today, I’d like to share a few more.
Read on for my list of 6 MORE Upcoming Horror Games That Look Absolutely Terrifying! (Part 3)
The makers of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, considered by many to be one of the scariest games of all time, revealed their next project last October through a clever (and thoroughly unsettling) viral marketing campaign. The game is called SOMA, and their goal is that it chills you to your core.
It’s slated to release in 2015, but I’m willing to wait — mostly because I have faith in Frictional, but also because the following games, most of which should arrive much sooner.
Continuing the theme of sci-fi horror is the indie horror game Routine. It’s a roguelike that’s set on a seemingly abandoned lunar outpost where some thing is hunting you down. The problem is, you have no real way of defending yourself, and when you die, it’s game over. Such is the unforgiving nature of the roguelike genre.
If you’re beginning to notice a trend here (i.e. sci-fi games where you’re unarmed and being chased) that’s only because there are a lot of upcoming horror games that are taking that familiar formula and running with it. Literally. I mean, there’s so much running in most of them. I get winded watching some of their trailers.
Whereas Routine takes place on the Moon, Quadrant is set in a NASA lab in the 1970s. It’s being a period piece certainly helps to set it apart from the growing number of games that are doing something similar, though in it — you guessed it — you’re being chased by something. You’re also unarmed, so when given the choice between fight or flight, the latter is always the best option.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
You must be logged in to post a comment.