Summer’s last couple of weeks are nearly behind us, and spooky season is about to begin. Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil movie has been getting rave reviews, including from Polygon. The season of barbecues and swimming pools is ending, and the people want thrills and chills.
For some players, the draw of fear isn’t about the thrill. There are those who approach nightmare fuel like Silent Hill and Resident Evil Requiem as cozy entertainment, something they enjoy in much the same way others might enjoy an episode of The Golden Girls or a few hours with Stardew Valley. The genre of cozy horror has a long history in films, and it’s now beginning to appear in games as well. That means we’re seeing more horror games that don’t ask you to look away from the screen, but to sit through scenes that are unsettling, perhaps, but not overwhelming.
What Cozy Horror Looks Like
Cozy horror is generally more approachable than gore-fests. It’s the type of scare that’s more like Gremlins, Misery, or Tremors instead of Saw or Terrifier 2. It’s the perfect way to describe this year’s Emmy darling Widow’s Bay, a horror comedy about a cursed island in New England run by a neighbor with tourist aspirations.
You’re also seeing more mashups of these two seemingly incongruous genres in games. The spooky farm sim Grave Seasons and Devolver’s hit 2022 roguelike sim Cult of the Lamb are examples of horror mixed with cozy elements.
Polygon spoke to affective neuroscientist Dr. Eric Leonardis about the motivations behind this genre of game. He called Virtue and a Sledgehammer his’s an expert in how our brains process emotions through play and entertainment. He previously weighed in on one of Polygon’ most-anticipated fall games, and now he’s helping explain why some players keep reaching for horror games built around a different set of expectations than the ones that come to mind when you think of the genre’s biggest names.
Why Horror Feels Comforting
In the eyes of the good doctor, the appeal of cozy horror is all about taking back control. “It’s what they call dark play in the [neuroscientific] literature, this idea that if you have these explorations of negative themes, sometimes doing so will actually make you feel like you have more control over what might happen in the future,” Leonardis explained.
“Because we’ve simulated it, we’ve thought it through, right? The classic example is like when Michael Myers comes up the stairs, and you’re like, don’t go into the basement, go out the front door. Get out of there. You know what I mean? This is what I would do in this situation, right? And that can be comforting.”
The key is that you know you’re safe in the moment, even if your character isn’t. “We can explore these things without necessarily freaking ourselves out and actually feel at ease, because we know it is not happening to us. It is a situation which we are removed from and can reflect on safely. And I think that’s one reason that people might actually move towards these things,” Leonardis said.
The Brain’s Response to Virtual Scary Worlds
Playing horror games keeps your instinct for survival sharp. Our emotional and neurological responses to virtual scenes often come from a quieter version of the real-life reaction, which is why these games can feel so intense despite being presented on a screen. That quiet version is what makes them work as comfort food, in other words — the shock of the moment is familiar without being permanent, and that familiarity lets players process it as something they can handle.
A type of brain cell called place cells is a major reason for that. They allow us to immerse ourselves in virtual spaces as though they were real ones. “About 25 to 30 percent of place cells are recruited for virtual spaces versus real life,” Leonardis explained.
“It speaks to our brain’s ability to actually project ourselves into these environments. We’re engaging the same evolutionary structures that we’ve used in the past to perceive real humans and animals. It’s another situation where we can use our machinery in the brain to actually perceive very complex aspects of these environments.”
The Games That Fit the Cozy Horror Mold
A number of recent titles have followed the same formula, and looking at them together shows the shape of the pattern.
- Gremlins — the classic horror comedy that’s more about chaos than terror
- Misery — a psychological thriller that’s more tense than gory
- Tremors — a creature feature that’s more silly than scary
- Saw — a gorefest that contrasts cozy horror
- Terrifier 2 — another gorefest that contrasts cozy horror
- Widow’s Bay — the Emmy darling horror comedy about a cursed island
- Grave Seasons — the spooky farm sim that blends horror with cozy living
- Cult of the Lamb — the roguelike sim that mixes horror with management
What This Means for Players
If you’re planning to revisit Raccoon City or Silent Hill this fall, give yourself a pat on the back. You’ll be far better prepared for the IRL zombie apocalypse than most.
Research points to the idea that people who play horror games for comfort are making a reasonable choice. By creating frightening scenarios, the brain gets trained to manage fear. The games offer a safe way to prepare for real-life stress, much like rehearsing what to do when things go wrong, whether it’s a zombie on the stairs or something more serious.
Before you sit down, grab your controller, turn off the lights, and let the zombies come. Your brain will thank you, even if your character doesn’t.
Source material: “Resident Evil and Silent Hill Are Just as Cozy as Animal Crossing, According to Science,” Polygon.
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