How Zombies Have Taken Over Video Games

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This is what I know about videogames: I’m afraid of what’s to come. Finding myself at the shadowy edge ofan HD hallway, it’s not the promise of carnage that raises my heart rate but ratherthe anticipation brought on by the guttural noises coming from around the corner. Idon’t know what this creature looks like, where it is or how fast it can grab me.All I know is that I can hear its moans and grumbles and I don’t like it. Neverunderestimate the power of moans and grumbles in a video game. The words themselves mightseem silly but they’re a large part of the horror genre’s steady takeover, andfor the average pop-culture fan this trend might be terrifying.

As a casualplayer who likes to stay on top of the gaming conversation but whose online multiplayerkill/death ratio is unbalanced in the latter column (re: selflessly drawing enemy fire sothat random strangers can successfully capture the flag), modern gaming comes withbloodcurdling challenges that just weren’t issues before zombiestook over the joint.

Ever since Atari, groundbreaking graphics could have youplaying a lousy game for hours simply because it looked cool. It’s why a lot of usplayed the smoothly animated Flashback on Sega, followed through with the sloppymechanics of Sewer Shark on Sega CD, and the reason behind anyone really caringabout Donkey Kong’s return to N64. While I was busy collecting bananas, theResident Evils were unleashed and zombie-be-damned if they didn’t havekickass graphics.

I started up my GameCube Resident Evil andimmediately tried to make my way to the closing cinematic with an inventory consisting ofonly a handful of bullets and a single save in the form of an “ink ribbon.” Itwas in the hallway I first heard that sound: the perverse hybrid of moan and grumble. Allat once it hit me. Great sound design has caught up to must-see graphics and I had toabandon the franchise. Then something unexpected happened: Resident Evil 4 cameout. I mean, have you seen the graphics? It looks amazing. Also, they aren’t zombiesthis time as much as they are crazed villagers. I think we all agree I can handle crazedvillagers. Well, you’re wrong and that’s how the fool-me-twice rule wasinstated. Continue Reading

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