Are games like Agony and now possibly Scorn trying too hard?

I watched the trailer for Scorn and I was left quite horrified by it. The weird bony, membrane-like art style on everything is pretty much deep into the uncanny valley.

I have played plenty of horror games that I enjoyed but I'm pretty sure I won't enjoy this one. The same goes for that Agony game. These games are going too far, in my opinion. Yes, Scorn has not released yet and we've barely seen anything but I feel like it's going down a very similar path to the one Agony took. That is to just make everything in the game have an unsettling aesthetic. From the very ground your character walks on to the monster designs, it tries to be as repulsive as possible. Having seen some Let's Plays on Youtube of Agony, the game was constantly just killing off the shock or frightening effect of any encounter by the overbearing environment that the player has to move through. The game wasn't making my heart race, it wasn't a frightening experience. And I don't see how Agony could get any more scarier. It's just a game going all in with its disgusting art style plus a few gruesome scenes and that's about it..

I get a similar vibe from the Scorn trailer. A game that won't scare or frighten me but will definitely try its best to disgust me and throw me with as much uncanny as possible. Desensitizing a player from the get-go and then constantly trying to scare/shock the player. Not a good idea, in my opinion.

I know I haven't actually played these games yet and it's only based on what I've seen.

I think I've seen enough though.

Here's the trailer for Scorn:

Isn't that what horror games are about? To make you feel as unsettled as possible. Maybe it's too much for you, but I like games that push the boundary.

By the same team that makes Tool videos?

"Huh, I haven't heard of this game, let me watch the trailer to see if I want to pl-"

*watches 30 seconds of trailer*

"... nope."

Who care if they're trying to hard as long as they're good.

I'm very interested in both Agony and Scorn because they present their horror in a visual style rather than cheap scares or monsters. Silent Hill had the best horror because of that, not because it was trying to be scary with cliche tropes like most other horror

are you talking about agony or scorn? Because the former is just one huge nsfw

I support the freedom of creation. If the market isn't ready for it, or doesn't like it (or finds it unsavory), that's the market and the developer will suffer. Unless they have a benevolent benefactor, it'll probably be tailored more towards the market by release.

Is there any other footage of these games available?

Agony has more to show atm but for Scorn, the trailer is pretty much all I've seen of the game.

Yes, as long as it's good.

I just felt like these games grow stale pretty fast because of its overbearing atmosphere and then in turn trying to shock you pretty much around every turn with something repulsive or disgusting... The encounters kind of lose their novelty imo. Because what's supposed to be unusual is kind of in your face from the start...so yeah... you end up being less surprised? This pretty much sums up all the Agony gameplay footage I've seen. I get that visual style is also a way to represent horror and there are plenty of ways to go about to make a horror game. Silent Hill 2 did have its visual aesthetics to add to its atmosphere yes, but it also had an interesting story and didn't surprise you around every corner with something. SIlent Hill 2 had a lot of quiet time, where you're walking to places through the fog or backtracking through a building etc.. You may say that Agony also has quiet time but I feel like its atmosphere is actually making too much "noise" to actually let the player calm down. In fact, I think Agony might just force players to be calm throughout their playthrough simply because whatever you see is pretty much the same all the way through.. It isn't scary or shocking the second or third time. I feel like if I'd play the game it will most likely just be an interactive gore gallery which I fear wouldn't be worth my time.

But again this is my opinion.. and is based off of very little.. If you like what you're seeing then it's all good. I just feel like there is a line between good, well designed horror and just plain loose, unchained horror which just desensitizes the player and fails at being horror at all. I may very well be wrong.

I did say I played lots of horror games before... Let's just say I feel like Agony and possibly Scorn have a design philosophy that pretty much counters itself.

1. Desensitizing the player from the start with blank ( pretty much everything).

2. Trying to shock the player but failing because it might not be as shocking anymore..

Think of it this way, an example would be the environment in Agony is more unsettling than the actual creatures you face.... Does it make sense what I'm trying to say here?

Maybe boundaries are there for a reason, I get that the world is taking a liberal stride at the moment but I don't feel like one should just break a boundary just for the sake of it and now it's the next cool thing.

Once again, I may be wrong about everything since we have not really seen much of both games.

Yes.

This is what happens when you have artists trying to be game designers.

Glad to hear I'm not crazy for thinking this.

Reminds me of Clive barker, looks totally like his style.

I for one will not be buying agony

Looks very disqusting, will probably not get Scorn.

Watched trailer for scorn and that was no big deal. Agony on the other hand was just stupid

Games like Agony has always been on my radar but I always been supporter of freedom of speech and creativity to all.

I'm disensitized to horror. The only horror game that has gotten to me in recent times is RE7 in VR. That shit is really scary and intense in VR. I do not recommend it if you have a weak heart.

Agony and Scorn look meh like you said. They aren't scary, they are just trying to disgust you. I'll definitely pass on them.

Creativity and freedom of speech aside, I don't think that's what this is about. I guess my post was quite confusing and didn't get my point across properly. My bad.

Let's call Agony or Scorn an interactive art gallery disguised as a game, and let's call a game like Silent Hill 2 a good horror game. The former posing as a horror "game" but in fact not that good of a game because of its design philosophy being counterproductive. The creators won't have any room whatsoever to scare the player in these games. None. Zip. That's the problem I'm referring to.

Again, everything I said is based on little footage of these games..but something I feel may just drag these type of games down.

The creators of Agony mentioned they are trying to desensitize you as part of the plot. as for the difficulty, it is pretty hard; but then again it is an alpha demo of the game

http://www.gamesradar.com/think-youre-tough-for-shrugging-at-agonys-gore-thats-what-its-creators-want/

I might enjoy Scorn for it Geiger-esque vibe, but Agony looks/sounds like it is trying to hard

That's good, I like and miss Clive Barker.

As opposed to what? Game designers being artists? Games are a form of media, I think it is suitable as a form of art; the real determination is the quality of the person performing or working.

With that said...I definitely know what you mean.

I love weird geiger things and body horror. I'm game with these.

It's been a while since I've seen anything from Scorn though but I am not really expecting much but I'm in for the grotesque designs.

As opposed to being artists in service of a game design.

Creating a flashy and/or evocative visual is very different from creating a good game.

And i don't see a game here.

Fair enough, and I think you make a valid point, but I think there is room for both.

I won't discourage the idea, that's all I am saying, and I don't think anyone else should either. Skepticism, fine; cynicism, not-so-fine.

Back in the -1980's when a movie such as Hellraiser was released, graphic images were far more shocking. Several movies - by today's standards relatively tame, such as Cannibal Holocaust and The Exorcist were banned.

Now in the age of internet you can see the real thing as a click of a button, we are much more immune to distressing imagery.

So yes, in certain regards they are coming across as quite dated. Had this been the 80's or early 90's, it would be shocking, now, nobody bats an eye-lid.

It's art direction though, and the concept of actually playing as a demon, is interesting. It's not really the blood or guts but the depiction of hell (in Agony) as part of a living echo system that is interesting.

The gameplay looks like it could be abit shit though.

How the hell did I miss this reply?

Anyways, It definitely looks unique. I'm interested in seeing what some of the other areas look like. More than anything though, for some reason, it just makes me want a new Painkiller game. Also I can see why you would be concern here. Horror developers these days have lost their edge, Agony however is trying to survive and escape the horror around you so it seems like survival horror, similar to Resident Evil 7 in a kind of way and RE7 wasn't even that scary, just has that grotesque around the areas making it to look like it's scary, which is what Agony is going for. I always been into Angels & Demon stuff, so it's why I took an interest in Agony for it's demonic stuff going for.

Nope. As a horror enthusiast, these games look amazing. Can't wait! Unless they are just crappy games, but I'm hoping they're not.

Don't actually know very much about Scorn, other than the Geiger inspired art style I haven't seen anything from a gameplay aspect.

Agony looks rather shallow with nothing to offer other than shock value of it's design.

At least their not more spunkgargleweewee shooters,something strange and off the cuff is what's needed in todays market.