Summary
Horror games don’t always have to rely on creating impossibly dark scenes to immerse the players into stifling atmospheres, leaving them at the mercy of whatever creature might be lying in wait. More often than not, they are mercifully given a source of light to help quell some of the invasive darkness, allowing them to properly navigate their surroundings.
In certain games, a flashlight is just that: another tool in the kit for survival, but some games make the flashlight part of the experience by giving it its own unique mechanics or effect on one’s surroundings. Light is an essential part of these games, and players better hope that those batteries don’t run out at an inopportune moment.
First there wasSlender: The Eight Pages, a shortindie game that started a craze, eventually leading toSlender: The Arrival, which promised a more in-depth experience for fans. They also got a decidedly more terrifying game with improved visuals and more levels designed to frighten, such as the classic woods, house, and the warehouse.
Chapter 3 is when the flashlight really comes into play, as not only does it allow the players to navigate the warehouse, but it is the only thing between them and the hooded creature known as the Chaser, once known as Kate. The Chaser is animalistic in its rage and nature, running at the player with shocking speed. Only by shining a light on her will one be saved from certain death, but at some point or another, players are going to need to look away to navigate the warehouse, leaving them very vulnerable.
The follow-up toRevelationssteps away from the plot surrounding Jill, Chris, Park, and Jessica. Instead, players now experience a story revolving around several TerraSave agents, including Claire Redfield and Moira Burton, kidnapped by mercenaries and taken to a prison island, overrun by monsters known as the Afflicted.
The main combatant of this duo is Claire, who is all too willing to gun down the monsters that face them. Moira has less inclination to arm herself with a gun. Instead, her primary gaming mechanic will revolve around using a flashlight. With this light, she can stun enemies for Claire, illuminate areas too dark for Claire to see, and even uncoversecrets hidden throughout the island.
5Lit
Charge and Aim the Light to Explore the Darkened School
Originally released as a Wii exclusive,Litis all aboutmaking clever use of light. In a high school, after hours, teenager Jake is searching for his missing girlfriend Rachel, keeping in contact with her over the school intercom system as he navigates from room to room, fighting monsters and solving puzzles that revolve around light.
The Wii version in particular has an immersive flashlight mechanic, as they make use of the motion controls to aim the source of light and navigate around the dangers, making players feel as though the flashlight is in their hands. It’s a simple yet very effective game that places an emphasis on the importance of light.
Even when extending invites out to friends to join in on the horror,Phasmophobiaremains a terrifying ghost-hunting game. Playing as paranormal investigators, they will traverse into supposedly haunted locations with different pieces of equipment to try todetermine the nature of the haunting, cross-referencing the evidence with their encyclopedia of ghosts.
As one would expect, ghost-hunting is a dangerous business. The player’s sanity will drain in dark environments, which can make them vulnerable to haunts, so they must keep a flashlight close at hand. But that comes with a cost, too, as it can give away their location to ghosts. It also serves as a warning, as it will flicker when a ghost is actively hunting the players. Gamers must heed its warning and find a place to hide lest they join it in the afterlife.
Whoever knew dog walking could be such a hazardous activity? This is what the younger sister ofYomawari: Night Alonediscovers. While out walking Poro, she is almost killed, and her dog runs off. The elder sister agrees to go looking for Poro, but after several hours of waiting, the younger sister goes out to search for both of them, armed only with a flashlight.
The flashlight is an integral core part of the gameplay inYomawari, as not only does it illuminate the surroundings to aid in exploration, but it can also reveal secrets and items that are key parts of the game. Without the use of the flashlight, the elder sister and Poro would likely remain forever lost.
This installment in theAmnesiaseries took players tothe trenches of WW2, where young soldier Henri is fleeing from an enemy bombardment. He seeks refuge in a dark bunker, only to find that it is inhabited by something far more dangerous than enemy forces. Known only as the Beast, this fearsome creature has adapted to the darkness and will kill any victim who finds themselves submerged in the dark.
This is a careful game of resource management, as the fuel for generators is finite, and the lights are timed. When they inevitably turn off, players need to rely on a handheld source of light; otherwise, the dark will be quite impossible and deadly to navigate.
Alan Wakeis the game that pioneered making good use of light. The flashlight is an integral part of the writers' kit, maybe even more so than any physical weapon he acquires during his exploration of Bright Falls. This normally idyllic vacationing spot, perfect for a writer to overcome a mental block, devolves into a nightmare filled with all sorts of impossible creatures, most notably the Taken.
Surrounded by protective shields of darkness, the only hopes of piercing them are with the use of light, which then leaves the enemies open to defeat by more conventional weapons. It’s a unique way to bring more importance to sources of light in the game, and it adds another layer of challenge and strategy to every battle.
