Hours ago Tecmo announced a brand new survival horror video game to hit the 3DS titled Shinrei Camera. This got me thinking, I feel like handheld gaming takes away from the “horror” aspect of survival horror. While there is no official published definition of what survival horror is, Wikipedia provides us with a short explanation:
Survival horror is a subgenre of action-adventure video games inspired by horror fiction. These games make the player vulnerable by providing them with less ammunition and fewer heavy weapons than other action games… 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.
Over the past couple of years survival horror games have made their way to handhelds such as Silent Hill: Origins for the PSP, and Dementium for the Nintendo DS (both of which have not done very well), as well as many others, but is it a good idea? In the Wikipedia definition it states that players are expected to react to unexpected attacks from enemies. Handheld gaming can be great. It’s brought some of the greatest games of all time, and Pokemon in a ways helped handheld gaming take off. With the advances in technology we’ve seen the Gameboy turn into an 8-bit monochromatic display, to color, to 3D. And other gaming consoles have turned to handhelds such as Sony and the PSP as well as the new PS Vita. The thing about handhelds is that the screen is only so big. The DS screen measures in at 3.8 inches. Would it not seem hard to get the scare factor that survival horror has to offer? Seeing a ghost pop out from under a bed on a small screen that can fit in my pocket is not the same as seeing it happen on a 42″ flat screen television.
But now gaming is being offered in 3D. Having that ghost pop out of a bed might get to players more in 3D on a handheld than in 2D. As handhelds have developed so have the graphics. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception looks AMAZING on the PS Vita. The colors are vibrant, the graphics are smooth and flawless. It’s just as amazing as if it were on an HD flat screen television. So survival horror might pick back up very soon. As sales grow more these companies that are producing video games are going to want to broaden their horizons as is why the all-time classic Silent Hill has made it to every console except the DS. If it sells good on one, they will try to sell it on another. As this may upset some gamers (me included) it does have potential.
Will this change the world of gaming? Will 3D gaming help sales of less popular series? Guess we will find out this holiday!
