The Horror

of

VideogamesAnd the archetypes

that follow.

danse Macabre(You're not even trying anymore are you?)

Dionysian vs. Apollonian

• Horror themes go back to the old tales of morality. • Horror archetypes represent sin.• Fiction should fall into 3 categories: Literature,

mainstream fiction and pulp fiction. • Horror in its simplest form: Chaos breaks out, and

is solved when the evil forces have been vanquished and/or the status quo is restored.

• Violence and video games.• Stephen King is a Luddite.

Morality: A set of codes or conduct

Decided by a society, philosophy or

religion.

Dionysus: The Greek God of Wine, chaos, instinct, intoxication.Apollo: The Greek God of Perfection, truth, Light and Sun

A clash of genera and literature

Zombies!!!!(Brains the other grey meat!)

Zombies are people too!• What Sin best describes zombies?• Zombies didn’t start out with brains on the brain. • Zombies were a metaphor for slaves. A scapegoat of

sorts for the newly wealthy land owners. • Zombies and Society, and what they represent to me, and

why I love them in games!• Examples of Freudian theory and zombies.• Real Zombies http://hitsusa.com/blog/143/zombie-drug/

Freudian theory: The ID, ego and super ego control our behaviors and thoughts. Consciously and subconsciously.

Scapegoat: Often an innocent person Accused of some sort of crime or sin. To take the focus of the real guilty personThe word originates from Judaism and ‘The Ceremony of Atonement’

Zombie games!

Plants vs. Zombies: A casual strategy Game by Popcap

Stubbs: is a great example of Zombies in a postmodern Setting.

Dead Rising 2:Coming out in2010 I can’t wait!

Vampires!!!(Like vacuums they suck!)

I wana sparkle like a vampire!

• What Sin best represents Vampires?• Earliest vampire lore from the Koran and Bible.

Genesis 4:10-15 • Vampires have matured or ‘grown up’ in the last

decade. Less of the bad guy, more the romancer.

• Vampires solve the issue, what happens when we die.

• Vampire examples of Freudian theory.

Vampire games that don’t suck

Buffy the Vampire SlayerOne of the best license gamesEver made.

Vampire the Masquerade: BloodlinesFollows vampire lore fairly closelyBased off a Pen and Paper RPG

Survival Horror (BOO!)

Magic Realism(I can’t believe its not magic!)

Magic is real!• Is usably some kind of

comment on social standards. • Set in the real world, with

some kind of creepy backdrop.• A lot of times it is set in a

postmodern setting.

Postmodern Philosophy: Is the idea that assumptions and ideas made from philosophy are not true.

Postmodernism is aHard word to define. It is pertaining to art, after modern era.

Magic Realism in Games

American McGee’s Alice I feel is a great example of Magic Realism.

Bioshock and Objectivism

(Won’t you be my big daddy)

The depths of Bioshock

• Objectivism: The concept that reality exists outside of our own perspective. The only thing that matters is perusing our own happiness through pure capitalism

• What was the absolute philosophies in BioShock• Why do absolute philosophies fail?• Can you name other games that incorporate this

concept. • Bioshock takes place in a postmodern 60’s setting, would

this game have worked set in the year 2002 or later?• Guilt in games. The little sisters and objectivism.

Bibliogrophy• Stanford project on Penny dreadfuls http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/dp/pennies/home.html• Penny-arcade : Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik• Family Guy: Seth Mcfarland• Danse Macabre: Stephen King• LIFE AND DEATH AND SOMETHING IN BETWEEN: Reviewing recent horror cinema: Frann Michel• Haiti and the truth about Zombies:• Vampires: Vive Griffith• Wikipedia for some help on defeinions. • On a Pale Horse- Piers Anthony. • American McGee’s Alice – EA games• Vampire the Masquerade – Activision