Co-op survival horror: The Legend & I NFECTED

After writing the previous post about cooperative survival horror, I managed to stumble upon a couple games that have caught my eye and should catch yours as well.

The first is a game titled The Legend. From the look of the teaser trailer, it seems to be heavily inspired by Slender. However, the developers, led by AustinHand, have promised that this is not just another iteration of Slender; players will not simply be collecting notes.

Instead, The Legend will feature “AI squads, co-op squads, a story mode, a free-roam survival mode, a co-op mode, different characters with different abilities, and more.”

Check out the teaser trailer below.



Surprisingly, this is exactly what I stated needed to happen in my previous article: an indie developer creating something similar in scale to Slender. This game seems to be just that.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much information besides what you have seen above. The developers are still hiding quite a few concepts from the public, such as the appearance of the lurking creature. What we do know is that the game is running on Crytek’s CryEngine 3 and the developers hope “leave you afraid of the dark for the entirety of your life.”

From what I’ve seen, the idea and concept of this game are seem very interesting. I’m not sure how the co-op would work, but if the game lives up to its potential this could be step in the right direction for survival horror. If you think so too, take a moment and vote for the game on Steam Greenlight.

If you’d like to see and learn more about The Legend, click here.

The second game I found (thanks to a Steam friend who I’ll keep anonymous at this time) is titled I NFECTED, and after watching the trailer I am very intrigued. Check it out below.



The game features that classic survival horror gameplay made famous by the older Resident Evil games. This means gamers will be greeted once again by static camera angles and puzzle solving in creepy, claustrophobic environments.

While the health and inventory are also similar, Creazn, the developer, has stated that will be a fundamental twist. Apparently, the players have been infected with the virus and will “need to constantly find suppressants/ first aid to constantly heal as they are racing against a clock.” Being attacked by the infected will only worsen the player’s condition.

As if that wasn't enough, players will also never experience the same adventure twice due to the dynamic map generator. The DMG will randomize everything in the game to keep players on their toes.

Yet, the most exciting part about I NFECTED is the inclusion of co-op. Players will be able to work with up to three teammates to try and survive this horrific nightmare. If you have ever played Resident Evil: Outbreak, you will instantly understand how this game will play (minus the awful loading times).

The cooperative mode will be separate from the main campaign, but Creazn promises there will be “various multiplayer only options to help balance out the gameplay and make it scarier.”

Even though the look of the game isn’t fantastic, its gameplay could surely captivate with its return to old school horror. If you think the same, take a moment and vote for I NFECTED on Steam Greenlight as well. Be sure to also visit the Steam Greenlight page to learn more about the game as Creazn has posted quite a bit of information regarding the story and gameplay.

I hope y’all enjoyed taking a look at these two (hopefully) upcoming games; I know I did. I find it funny that after I wrote an entire article dedicated to cooperative survival horror I stumbled onto these two games. While both are far from reaching a final product, these games prove that there are people out who believe in co-op survival horror. Fortunately, some of these people are video game developers; and these two indie developers are taking a chance not many are willing to take. Here’s hoping for the best.

Can cooperative survival horror work?

Developers diving into the realm of horror have always followed a few specific guidelines if they ever hoped to create a successful game. These guidelines, such as minimal amounts of health and ammo, grotesque enemies (whether it is due to their physical features or their actions) who remain hidden until the opportune moment and creepy, claustrophobic areas that build heart-pounding tension, are all very important in creating a terrifying experience for the player.

However, if there is one rule that has been applied to almost every single horror video game in the history of the industry, it’s isolation. Our survival horror protagonists have almost always gone through their adventure alone.

Why is that? Well, the answer is simple: isolation is a scary thought. Very few people want to be alone which is why this tactic is used so often by developers. The sense of dread increases immensely when a player realizes they don’t have anyone to speak with or back them up.

This is why players have rarely seen a survival horror game feature any type of cooperative mode. Ever since the rise of the genre began with the releases of the original Resident Evil and Silent Hill this formula has, for the most part, stayed the same due to its proven success.

Unfortunately, this has also engrained in many minds the belief that video games cannot be scary if there’s cooperative mode. I simply don’t accept that. After years of gaming (and my recent play through of ObsCure), I think such a feat, with the appropriate amount of time effort and money, is entirely possible.

As I mentioned earlier, there are several guidelines developers, consciously or unconsciously, follow. Yet this is an age of innovation. Rehashing the same video time and time again (unless it’s a sports franchise) is a surefire way to kill a series. This is why developers take these guidelines into account, and then mix and match what they want to use.

Take Resident Evil 4 for example. It contains grotesque enemies and creepy areas, but in no way does it have a lack of ammo or health for the player to use. Even though the game throws enough provisions at the player to supply a small army, it’s probably the most successful game in the franchise!

Developers have altered or removed whatever they felt necessary in order to create a good game countless times. What does this all mean? It means that, no matter the genre, not every guideline, rule or feature from previous games is needed to make a successful game.

So, why exactly is going solo a must for survival horror?

“Games can’t be scary if you’re playing with someone else.” I’ve heard this quote said and written many times in many different ways but I don’t agree with those who stand by this. Let’s take a quick look at films.

Horror films have almost never presented a solo act; and I only write almost because I haven’t seen every horror film out there so please let me know if one exists because I’d love to see it. Instead, they focus on a group of two or more people trying to survive the evil that pursues them. Take a look at these examples: Halloween, Friday the 13th, Evil Dead, 28 Days Later, [REC], Paranormal Activity, etc.

The point I’m trying to make is that many people still found these films scary even though the characters were never alone until the latter moments of them. Even most of us were with family or friends when we watched those films! Why can’t that synchronized feeling of terror be replicated in a video game? Is it because it simply can’t be reproduced, or do collective minds refuse the possibility due to the changing of a well-structured formula?

Yes, I do understand that films are a different form of entertainment than video games, but video games are interactive! In some ways, it should be easier to recreate that terror since it is us being placed in those horrific moments.

Of course, a project such as cooperative survival horror would be no easy task. It also doesn’t help that the few video games that do support this feature are far from shining examples of how to properly pull it off; Dead Space 3 and Resident Evil 6 being the most recent examples. Even though I don’t agree with them, it's because of these games I understand why people believe cooperative survival horror can’t exist.

The major problem with those games in regards to this topic is that survival horror was not the focus. People claim cooperative play as a contributor to the fall of survival horror in these games but that is not entirely the case. Instead of survival, the developers placed intense action on the forefront.

How can a couple of people be terrified of encroaching enemies when they’re given powerful weapons with endless amounts of ammo and a health bar the size of a zombie’s appetite? That’s not surviving, that’s obliterating all opposition.

Another problem with these games, in terms of survival horror (because I do enjoy these games for what they are), is the amount of enemies thrown at the player. Seriously, the amount borders on ridiculous. While playing Dead Space 3, there was one part when I yelled at the game, “Are you done yet?! Can I move to the next area? Oh, of course not; there’s another three waves of enemies I have to fight!”

When you see the same enemies over and over and over again they lose their original scare factor. This is where games such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent succeed in more ways than one. Even though the game boasts just a few different types of enemies, players only run into them on rare occasions. This makes each confrontation absolutely terrifying.

Adding to this development of fear is the fact that players are defenseless. An encounter with these monsters creates instant panic as players sprint towards a hiding spot and praying they weren’t spotted.

If these concepts were incorporated into a cooperative survival horror adventure, I believe it would flourish. Hear (read) me out as I suggest an idea about a two player cooperative survival horror adventure that has the capability of being a success.

Imagine two players adventuring the dark halls of a mansion; please excuse me for the cliché. The two of them must work together, solving puzzles and finding specific items to progress further into the mouth of madness. The eerie, distant sounds inch closer; the two know they’re being watched. Suddenly, the evil, tormented being appears. The two players, defenseless, must seek some sort of shelter from the terrifying soul pursuing them. Unfortunately, only one makes it to a hiding spot. The other gets cornered, shouting for help but to no avail. Then… silence. Now the surviving player, accustomed to partnership, is now truly alone increasing the sense of dread by tenfold.

It’s a very basic concept, and there are many kinks that would need to be worked out; an example being communication. Allowing players to communicate freely would give them the means to converse about tangent topics which could diminish the tension the atmosphere is attempting to build. On the other hand, restricting communication (à la Resident Evil: Outbreak) can lead to a barrier between players resulting in a loss of teamwork and strategy.

Either way, I believe that somewhere out there is a company who can create an amazing cooperative survival horror experience. I highly doubt any AAA company would ever be able to create something like this since publishers have their hands tied. This leaves it in the hands of indie developers who have the freedom to create what they choose.

Accomplishing a feat like this would be difficult, and they would need to start small before working to a larger project; somewhere around the size of Slender. Nonetheless, I believe they have the ability and the creativity to develop a cooperative survival horror game worthy of recognition.

I understand that for many of you the idea is still hard to believe. Although the odds of something like this working out favorably are slim, I hope to open your minds to its possibilities and the fun that it would (or wouldn’t) be. If the proper amount of time and effort are put into making a co-op survival horror game—that follows the guidelines which have helped fashion many other horror franchises—I think it could be a monumental achievement for the genre. 

Resident Evil 6 Demo: Leon's Campaign

Hello, everyone! For your viewing pleasure, here's Leon's Campaign from the Resident Evil 6 demo. Enjoy! Oh, and yes, feel free to laugh at my horrible aiming in the second video... ;-)





As always, thank you for watching!

Resident Evil 6 Demo: Jake's Campaign

Hey, everyone! Today I'm bringing you some gameplay from the Resident Evil 6 demo that you can play early if you own a copy of Dragon's Dogma. I hope you enjoy it! P.S. - If I'm really bad at this game, don't be afraid to let me know ;-)



As always, thank you for watching!

Scariest Moments in Gaming (For Me, At Least) Part One

I felt like I’d do something a little different so you all can get to know me as gamer. I enjoy playing all different types of games, no matter if they’re family oriented or directed more towards the hardcore crowd. I like to say I’ve tried everything so I attempt to do so by holding no prejudice toward a game until I actually play it. Well, one genre I respect greatly is the “horror” genre. When I was younger (around 8) and I first played a Resident Evil, I was so scared I dropped the controller and shut the system off. However, after growing up a bit (and actually growing a pair), I looked back at all these games and realized all the great times I missed out on. In turn, I played as many games as I could, even if I couldn’t beat them, losing almost all control of my bowels when playing due to all the horrific scares I experienced.

Well, for this week, I’ve decided to let you all in on some of the moments that have scared me silly. They may not be the scariest but they stand out in my eyes. Yes, I know many of you tough-as-nails gamers out there may look at this list and laugh with pride about how nothing scares them but, in my opinion, that’s no fun. That’s the whole point of these games (well, most of them); to scare yourself shitless and trudge on knowing it’s going to happen again, and soon. So, before I ramble on any longer, here is part one of the moments during my many years of gaming that have left fear and humiliation in my heart:

Scariest Moments in My Gaming Career (Part One)

10. ReDead – Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time



I know what you’re thinking, Zelda? Really? Well, let me tell you that the first moment I laid eyes on a ReDead, I was very young and I freaked out because there had never been anything in the game that was as creepy as these… things.I didn’t know what they were and they made this moan that sent shivers down my spine. I was trying to sneak by one when all of a sudden another ReDead I didn’t notice appeared right next to me. The speed at which it latched on to me, sucking and humping (I’m just stating what it looked like) my life away, I freaked and dropped the controller, scared out of my mind. Nevertheless, I would return later and seek my revenge on them for molesting me.

9. Being grabbed through the boards – Resident Evil 2

Early on in one of my favorite horror games of all time, there comes a point where you (Leon S. Kennedy) are searching the halls of a police station. You pass by some boarded-up windows and think nothing of it. However, once you find what you need, you must make your way back to the lobby. As you walk through the seemingly quiet hallway, many gamers (like me) thought nothing of the boarded windows. Suddenly, a barrage of zombie arms reaches through the boards and grabs Leon. Being a mere twelve years old, I dropped my controller trying to prevent my heart from jumping out of my throat.

I know what you’re thinking after reading this (well, I know what at least one of you is thinking): How can such a small moment in Resident Evil 2 (near the beginning of the game, mind you) hold a place in your list? Most may have overlooked this “cheap” scare at the beginning of the game, but it stuck close to me. Throughout the rest of the game, I avoided walking anyway next to windows, open doorways, cracks in the wall and dark corners. I was positive there would be a zombie, licker, or some other monstrosity waiting for me to stroll by unprepared. Hell, even a damn crow would cause me go into paranoia and take every forward step with the utmost caution. Nevertheless, I proudly finished the game and, soon afterward, grew a pair. Still, for my entire first playthrough of Resident Evil 2, I played while looking over my shoulder due to that one scene; and that is why it is one of my favorite horror games of all time.

Closing comments

If you laughed at me and wish to continue, or just genuinely agreed with these first two entries, I will be posting "Part Two" of this segment tomorrow; so be sure to check it out. As always, thank you for reading.