Everyone knows that music makes the game, especially when it comes to horror. Adding in immersive horror music to your game will impress your players. . Read below on how to add a spooky soundtrack to terrify your players.
Introduction To Horror Games And Their Music
When players think of horror games, they want to be scared. This is the case for video games, LARPs, escape rooms, haunted houses, D&D games, and so much more. When your players take part in this game, they want to be terrified, usually.
Atmospheric soundtracks aren’t only in one specific genre. Music is important through many diverse types of games, and consoles. Regardless of whether you’re playing Carrion for the switch, Vampire: The Masquerade LARP, Call of Cthulhu RPG, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly on PS4 and Xbox One, or SCP; secret laboratory on Steam, there’s still an element of music to it. Follow the video game topic on Switching styles, by signing up for our newsletter!
Think about the last horror video game you played. What kind of audio did they have? What kind of background noises or music? It was probably something creepy that made the hair on your arm and neck stands up. That’s because it’s supposed to.
“In recent years games developers, especially within the Horror genre, have become masters of creating soundtracks that have a terrifying eeriness and an atmosphere that keeps you on the edge of your seat,” Explains the writers at Anara Publishing.
Consider walking into a haunted house in your local community center. There’s music but it’s not Halloween-themed or horror themed it’s Swing covers of Disney songs. That’s not going to encourage people to be scared. They’ll most likely be more confused than anything else. It’s the same thing with other genres. Players aren’t scared if the horror boss battle is serenaded, by “Hot N Cold” from Katy Perry.
Fun Fact: When you get chills or goosebumps from a piece of music (or really from any aesthetic experience) is called frisson. The phenomenon is still being studied, by researchers around the world. (.)
Immersive Horror Music For Gaming
When it comes to adding an element of realism and terror to your game, it helps to have some options. Below we’ve compiled a few of our favourite horror-themed music. Whether you’re adding this to your Friday night MTG theme night, your monthly vampire masquerade session or even your biweekly Cthulhu D&D game, we’ve got you covered.
Creepy Music Mix #1, Instrumental Halloween Music
Dark Piano, Lucas King
Tormented Hybrid Horror Music Mix, Horror Music World
Dark Mystery Orchestral Remix, Cthulhu Mythos Music
The Yōkai Compendium, Realm of Dementia
Dark Victorian Music, Cryo Chamber
H.P. Lovecraft music, Cthulhu Mythos Music
Phobia; Tense Cinematic Background Music, Soundridemusic
Halloween Spooky Ambience, Cozy Rain
Goëtia, Peter Gundry
Detective Background Music, FesliyanStudios Background Music
Horror Cinematic background music, Elysium Audio Labs
Horror Ambience, ESN Productions
Tim Burton Vibes Compiled, Sundew Baggins
Darkest Dungeon – Combat Music composed, by Stuart Chatwood for Red Hook Studios
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