Anomaly Horror Video Games with SFR the Rabbit
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WARNING: VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
Anomaly Horror Video Games with SFR The Rabbit contains strong language. SFR the Rabbit is a series about horror video games. Some video game footage may include scenes of violence and horrifying imagery.
Content may not be suitable for children. Viewer discretion is advised.
ANOMALY HORROR VIDEO GAMES WITH SFR THE RABBIT
Hello. My name is Suffer. That’s SFR because I’m a scary fucking rabbit.
I want to talk about Anomaly horror video games. These games are a lot of fun and I play as many as possible. Some are better than others. Many offer variations of gameplay. Some are scary as shit. My overall experience has been positive.
Let’s get started.
Anomaly horror video games put the player in charge of identifying and reporting strange, eerie anomalies. The locations are usually dark, creepy, and full of apprehension. You’ll need a keen eye and a great memory to be successful.
There are two types of gameplay mechanics. I call them observation and exploration.
Let’s talk about observation gameplay first. The gameplay is stationary and places you in control of cameras. You switch between cameras to observe and report anomalies. Anomalies are reported through a list of options or by clicking on them. There is a timed buffer when you report an anomaly to prevent spamming reports, so you need to be careful. 10 seconds between reports can be detrimental to your success.
Anomalies continue to appear. If too many anomalies go unreported, you lose. Then it’s time to start the fuck over.
Exploration gameplay is more complex. They are in first-person view and you can walk around freely. Anomalies are reported using various methods but the general idea is to report a certain amount of anomalies correctly. If you fuck up, you’ll suffer penalties. A penalty may set you back a few loops or start all over.
STOP!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS A LOOP? Alright, alright, calm down. Give me a minute and I’ll explain. Let me finish explaining the exploration gameplay mechanic….damn….
What makes exploration gameplay unique are loops and the cycle. I’ve heard talk about the loop but never about the cycle. I probably made this shit up and it doesn’t matter all that much so fuck it. I’m going to talk about the cycle anyway.
So, about loops. Loops are required for exploration gameplay to work. The objective is to memorize a location and then loop back through to look for anomalies. The loop can be circular, linear, or leveled. Circular loops are segmented by a door or hallway that completes a circle when you enter. Linear loops are segmented just like circular loops but they are not circular. It’s like a new iteration of the same room appears ahead of you. Leveled loops are usually segmented by an elevator. You move up or down a level. Regardless of the loop type, a loop is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a location that repeats itself and changes if anomalies are present.
Okay, it is time for a metaphor. Try and follow along. Let’s talk about the cycle. The cycle is a cup. Inside the cup is a bunch of ice cubes. Those ice cubes are loops. As you complete a loop, an ice cube is removed from the cup. If the cup is empty, you win. If you fuck up and fail to report an anomaly successfully, you have to fill the cup with ice cubes and start over. Do you follow me?
I hope I did an okay job of explaining the gameplay mechanics.
Now, let’s quickly discuss anomalies. Anomalies can be something obvious like a TV that turns on by itself. Anomalies can be subtle such as an object that disappears. Some anomalies can be downright horrifying. In a nutshell, if something changes or wants to murder you, it’s an anomaly. No matter what type of anomaly you come across, you need to report that damn thing.
Now that you have a basic understanding of what an anomaly horror video game is, I’d like to mention a couple of games within the genre. These two games are what I consider to be an anomaly.
Haha! Get it? You know….because they are so good.
Let me be clear about something first. I don’t do spoilers so if it sounds like I’m hiding something or I’m not detailed enough, it’s on purpose. I hate spoilers and I’m guessing you don’t like them either so…moving on.
The first anomaly horror video game that comes to mind is Captured. This one scared the shit pellets out of me!
Captured combines anomaly and analog horror. The VHS effect adds an immersive element. Implicit hints suggest a horrifying scenario.
The idea is your home is fucked. There is no way out. The windows have disappeared. The door out of your home loops you to the beginning of the hallway. By the way, Captured is a good example of a linear loop.
Some demon toys with your head and sends its minions to take you out. One of them is very problematic. I won’t mention which one it is, but…..it’s behind me, isn’t it?
While all this is happening, you must look for anomalies and report them correctly. You’ll use your camera to report anomalies. There can be more than one anomaly in a loop and you must report them all to succeed.
The next anomaly horror video that comes to mind is Ten Bells. This is another one that made me shit pellets.
(You know what rabbit poop looks like, right? Google it if you don’t. I won’t spoil it…………….pellets.)
Ten Bells takes place in an Old English Pub. The pub is set up in a U shape so you’ll loop around the bar searching for anomalies.
Immediately upon entering the pub, you’ll see the bartender casually maintaining the bar. There are no customers and I’m pretty sure the bartender knows you aren’t there for a drink.
On the other side of the bar is the barmaid. She seems seriously distraught and anxious while she paces back and forth, crying into her hands.
You can tell something is amiss and the anomalies you discover reveal a harrowing tale. Every anomaly contains a clue. When everything comes together, you are bound to drop your jaw. Fuck, just thinking about it rattles my bones.
Ten Bells is fun, too. The anomalies are fun to find. Many of them are scary and well done. I played through several times to discover all the anomalies and had a blast looking for them all.
I started playing anomaly horror video games in June 2023. The first one I played was Alternate Watch, which is more commonly classified as an observation horror video game but to me, observation and anomaly go hand in hand. I randomly found Alternate Watch on Itch.io and gave it a try. My obsession with anomaly games has snowballed ever since.
I still enjoy observation gameplay. However, anomaly games have evolved a bit since I started playing them. I love the trend of embedded storylines that are told through the anomalies. Captured and Ten Bells are great examples with plenty more to explore. Go on the Ties That Bind Gaming website and look for the Hidden Gems page. It’s easy to find and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
I’ve got one more thing to say about anomaly horror video games. I’d like to address this directly to the developers. Please keep making them, I beg you! I can’t get enough. They are so much fun!
Hey, indie horror game devs. TTBG wants you to know that we offer free marketing for qualifying games. Visit our website for more info.
That’s all I’ve got for now but I’ll return soon. I’ve got plenty more horror to talk about. Do me a favor. Subscribe, like, and all that other shit. You can do it here and on various other social media platforms. Check out the description below for some awesome links. You’ll want to see them.
My name is Suffer. That’s SFR, because I’m a scary fucking rabbit.
MEET SFR THE RABBIT
SFR loves horror video games but doesn’t get to talk about them. Everyone it knows doesn’t like horror video games like it does. It’s tired of having no one to talk to about them so it wants to talk to you.
SFR the Rabbit is a video series where SFR talks about horror video games. It tends to play obscure games so there is a chance that you may not have heard of it. That’s okay because then it would be doing you a service. If you have heard of the game, that’s okay, too. You may or may not have enjoyed the game yourself. Either way, SFR the Rabbit is excited to discuss horror video games with you.
Topics include analog horror games, anomaly video games, liminal space games, psychological horror games, walking simulator horror games, and more. The focus is on obscure horror and indie developers.
Check out the trailer below. SFR the Rabbit will introduce itself in the first episode. The second episode is almost complete and will come out soon after. The subject of that video will be Anomaly Video Games.
Episodes are available on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, and Discord. Be sure to subscribe so you know when new episodes arrive.
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