{"id":441,"date":"2019-02-20T15:45:04","date_gmt":"2019-02-20T20:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/courses.digitaldavidson.net\/death19\/?p=441"},"modified":"2019-02-20T15:45:04","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T20:45:04","slug":"comparative-horror-analysis-until-dawn-doki-doki-literature-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/courses.digitaldavidson.net\/death19\/2019\/02\/20\/comparative-horror-analysis-until-dawn-doki-doki-literature-club\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparative Horror Analysis: “Until Dawn” & “Doki Doki Literature Club”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Video games offer a rich medium for exploring postmodern horror. Among other affordances, games invite users to step into Huizinga\u2019s \u201cmagic circle\u201d, connecting the player to the in-game world via the controller or keyboard (105). In addition, the length of games, (often anywhere from 10-30 hours) can provide a framework for producing compelling and complex narratives. When combined with the horror genre, the final product can be truly impressive. In this analysis, I will examine two well-executed examples of postmodern horror video games, Supermassive Games\u2019 <\/span>Until Dawn <\/span><\/i>(2015), and Team Salvato\u2019s <\/span>Doki Doki Literature Club<\/span><\/i> (2017), reflecting on the nature of their late postmodern elements and ultimately using each example to illuminate the other. <\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll begin with <\/span>Until Dawn<\/span><\/i>. The game follows the well-worn premise of a group of unruly teens vacationing in a remote cabin. Chaos ensues, and the group must make critical decisions regarding who lives, who gets terrorized by a masked psycho, and who gets killed by a modern reimagining of the Algonquin Wendigo monster. <\/span><\/p>\n

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However, the developers at Supermassive Games know that to pull off a pulpy teen slasher nowadays, there needs to be an element of self-awareness. To achieve this, the game subverts several key elements typical to the horror genre through narrative and mechanics. Perhaps the most critical of these is the \u201cButterfly Effect\u201d system. When players boot up the game, they are greeted with a screen stating, \u201cA tiny butterfly flapping its wings today may lead to a devastating hurricane weeks from now\u201d. In effect, the game features a choice-based narrative, wherein all actions have consequences. Choices are made during tense \u201cquick-time events\u201d, wherein the player must select a choice from several options or successfully complete a button sequence in a limited amount of time. This gives real weight to a player\u2019s choices, and ensures that they are able to shape the story as they see fit. For example, all of the characters can die if certain choices are made, undermining the typical trope of there being a \u2018final girl\/boy\u2019 to face off against the villain.<\/span><\/p>\n

Along with the butterfly effect, the game also tailors aspects of its horrors specifically to the player. Each \u201cchapter\u201d of the game begins as a session with a mysterious psychiatrist named Dr. Hill who asks the player to answer questions about various images and scenarios. Depending on what personal insights are revealed, the game will modify certain scenes or jumpscares to reflect the appointment with Dr. Hill. For example, if a player expresses that they are more afraid of needles than storms or dogs, the Psycho will end up using a syringe to incapacite another character instead of a mask filled with sleeping gas. Through the modifications of these cutscenes, the game further subverts its role as a supposedly distanced narrative. <\/span><\/p>\n

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This transgressive sense of metalepsis upsets the boundaries of what is and isn\u2019t within the game. In addition to the emphasis put on player choice and expression, the game uses a form of hypermediacy to further this confusion between the in-game and outside world. This is reflected through one of my favorite mechanics, the \u201cDon\u2019t Move\u201d feature. When one of the antagonists is critically near, players are instructed to hold their Dualshock controllers still until the threat passes. See the video below for a compilation of \u201cDon\u2019t Move\u201d moments.<\/span><\/p>\n