Jay Gavarra, Game Designer, Keep Your Distance

For the concept of "Fresh Horror", my game idea explores the phrase, "Damned if you do, damned if you don't," as its core gameplay.

We know how in horror games, especially the likes of Silent Hill and Fatal Frame, any light source almost always acts as a security blanket of sort to the player; the fear of the unknown, of the darkness, is the genre's primary enemy. But what if that very light source signifies both danger and safety at the same time?

I'm putting the light source -- the game's only light source -- to a bioluminescent enemy that's constantly chasing the player. This immediately puts a dilemma on the player's part: how can he carefully navigate through levels when his only light source is also trying to kill him?

The goal is not just to scare the player, but confuse him. The more the player sees, the nearer the enemy, the less time he can escape from it. Now what?

It's a complicated relationship.

AT ARM'S LENGTH

The key to the player's survival is to maintain enough distance from the enemy while still having enough light to navigate the environment. Because the enemy runs at a constant speed and always towards the player, he must find a way to keep the monster at bay as he tries to progress through the level. It is dangerous to step outside the light radius; although he can risk going outside (and wait for the monster to approach him), each level is filled with traps and things that could instantly kill the player, hence the need for him to stay within a very narrow safe zone between light and darkness.

No UI, just the light source and the player's shadow indicating distance from the enemy.

The player cannot kill the enemy; this will kill the light which, in turn, ends the game. All he can do is make the most out of the situation. And run. Run like hell.

(Thanks to Earth Hour for inspiration)