Halloween is around the corner and many MMORPGs host numerous events for it. But does horror even work in an MMORPG?
The hero cautiously sneaks through the graveyard, mist makes the shadows dance unrealistically in the moonlight. Somewhere an owl hoots. Suddenly, the hero hears a groan: a shuffling figure staggers toward the hero.
The hero draws his sword, preparing for a fight against this spawn of hell, when suddenly a player jumps in wearing a pink pig costume and takes down the zombie with a swing of his pumpkin sword. “There are more around the corner and the boss lurks up ahead, a giant demon!” he shouts as he disappears into the mist.
Horror and MMORPG – it can work
Incorporating horror elements into an MMORPG is not easy, especially if one wants to avoid instances. But especially at Halloween, horror is naturally an element that players love. Therefore, developers need to come up with something different. Horror elements that work in a group and are still fun. Because an MMORPG thrives on the interaction between players. That’s why horror elements, as seen in single-player games, are not easy to implement.
Unless one does it like in The Secret World. There are certainly creepy quests, but they work only because the adventures are designed for instances and smaller groups. In an open world, however, a player can always interfere. Horror events, such as a haunted castle where a group of players dressed as undead fights the heroes, come closer to the concept of an MMORPG.
Scary moments always work
The size of the game world is also important. Where many players gather, no horror atmosphere can arise. But in a place far away in the gigantic world, where hardly anyone comes, even regular scary moments would be possible. An abandoned tower on a cliff. There, where regular players find little because few resources grow or few monsters roam. A Halloween event could take place there. A ghost lures players into a crypt that is usually empty and where a terrifying adventure awaits.
A horror party suddenly crashed by a demon summoning a horde of skeletons would surely provide a fright. Or in the dungeon where only orcs usually lurk, zombies roam during Halloween.
Such things can be well implemented in an MMORPG and also lead to a certain degree of eeriness. Nevertheless, the truly atmospheric horror elements will probably remain exclusive to single-player games and MMOs that rely heavily on instances.
Could you imagine horror in an MMORPG that does not rely on instances?
