How to play horror games and not get scared

Not every game can be a family-friendly fiesta of rainbows and butterflies; sometimes they scare the pants off you. The problem is, a lot of these horror games feature the most immersive and spookily atmospheric gameplay. Knowing how to play horror games and not get scared might mean you can enjoy The Last of Us without hiding behind your gaming chair. We have a few tips for you to try out.

How to play horror games and not get scared

Don’t play in the dark

So you’re home alone, the sun has gone down, the curtains are drawn, and you’re about to sit down to a good session of Alien: Isolation. Maybe don’t play in the dark, with your door just slightly ajar, and a slight breeze casting odd shadows over your walls. Turn your light on, in fact, turn all the lights on in your house. Have it brighter than an operating room.

Play with friends

When it all gets a little too much, hide behind a pillow and let someone with a little more bravery than you take the wheel. A problem shared is a problem halved as they say. If you want to be the one to play, you can always have them hold your hand or coach you along with words of affirmation. Games like Dead Space 3 and Back 4 Blood also let you pair up with some friends in co-op. Knowing somebody has your back while facing off against monsters is a good way to press on with some extra courage.

Image via Steam

Turn up the brightness

The terrors can’t hide in a dark corner if there aren’t any dark corners. Jack up the brightness in your game settings and never get a jump scare from a creepy corridor again. Although it may not be how the developers intended the game to be played, maybe they shouldn’t have made it so scary.

Mods and sliders

Are zombies looking too dead? Are spiders looking too leggy? How about making them look like fluffy little teddies and cute floating blobs. With the use of mods, or in the case of Grounded, a scary slider, you can change the nasties into not-so-nasties. Simple adjustments to the settings or texture files of your game can have you gunning down cuddly little critters instead of nightmare fuel.

Take a break

Understanding the Tetris Effect can help you keep your sanity. Engaging in an activity for a long period of time can start to get in your head. You will start to dream of the game and see elements of it in your everyday life. Is that a Big Daddy from Bioshock that just dropped off your parcel?

In the case of knowing how to play horror games and not get scared, taking a break is everything. Go and make a cup of tea and have a walk. Maybe don’t go and clear out that badly lit cobweb-ridden basement.