The Safe Room

Content warning: dinosaurs

In our first podcast of 2023, our hosts talk about the Capcom survival horror classic Dino Crisis! We discuss the game’s similarities and differences to Resident Evil, the usuage of survival horror mechanics to create tension for the player, and it’s various homages to 80s sci-fi horror films. Afterwards, we take some of your questions, and Rose learns about Deep Blue Sea.

cw: suicide, self-harm, murder, body horror, strong horror themes

It’s a double feature here in the Safe Room, with Japanese-only cult classic Nanashi no Game (The Nameless Game) from Square Enix and itch horror classic Anatomy by Kittyhorrorshow. We talk about the limits, and power, of formal cleverness, the interplay of text and play, and how much it hurts our hands to hold our DSs sideways. We also bring up Tár, The Haunting of Hill House, and rank all the games we played this year in absurd categories.

Grace is on twitter @grace_machine

Rose is on twitter  @bluestrose430

cw: blood, gore, murder, suicide, immolation, parental neglect, possession, entrapment

Rose and Grace wander the haunted halls of Silent Hill 4: The Room. There’s much to discuss in this both maligned and beloved entry and we touch on its prediction of modern horror gaming trends, its fantastic terror of places re-contextualized or written over, and goofy enemies and burb.

Rose and Grace won a mansion! But it turns out it was haunted. :( We talk about the beloved Luigi’s Mansion, the survival horror influences it wears on its sleeve, and just how good it feels to use that vacuum. We also take some time out to talk about the recent Silent Hill news, as well as some discussion on celebrity gossip.

In this chaotic and offbeat episode, Grace and Rose visit the foggy streets of Silent Hill once again! Silent Hill 3 inspires talk about sequels, the perils of game preservation, what it means to care for or have reverence for a medium’s history. It’s also a very funny (and scary) game, so we talk about our favorite individual moments and try to fit its themes into the broader collection of Silent Hill and Horror Games.

Next Time: Luigi’s Mansion

You can email us as [email protected] and find our podcast (and its discord) at spookygame.club

Grace is on twitter @grace_machine

Ryan is on twitter  @bluestrose430

We talk about cult classic Fragile Dreams and its melancholy apocalypse, sad and warm short stories, and anime bullshit. We also talk about the distinct differences between Fragile Dreams and other games of its kind, swap our favorite moments, and joke about Nier and BioShock. A listener even comes in clutch with a silly email!

You can email us as [email protected] and find our podcast (and its discord) at spookygame.club

Through the mist, through the ages, the town of Silent Hill calls us once again. We talk about this survival horror classic, which is still a shockingly powerful video game. We discuss the ambiguities of what exactly Silent Hill is, and who it is a danger to, its measured and appropriately horrific discussion of dark subject matter, and how the game’s humor is underrated.

In this second episode, Ryan and Grace discover what lurks in the hearts of men… The Thing! This 2002 spin-off/sequel to the horror classic is janky and silly as hell. We try to unpack how it works as an adaptation, what it preserves and what it leaves behind, as well as swap stories about the ways the game broke in usually hilarious, but sometimes haunting, ways. We also talk about fried eggs, other potential John Carpenter spin-offs, and the frequently ludicrous dialogue.

Content warnings include: body horror, gore, suicide, references to drug use

NEXT TIME: Silent Hill 2

Grace is on twitter @grace_machine

Ryan is on twitter @bluestrose430

In the foggy shroud of anonymous America, Ryan and Grace talk about Silent Hill. We break down a truly masterful and confident Survival Horror game, laugh at the ways it can be kind of silly, get excited about its eerie level design and camera work, and get confused about what exactly the game is saying about drugs. We also answer fantastic listener questions about the population of Silent Hill’s eating preferences. 

Content warnings include: animal death, body horror, child abuse, references to drug use, medical malpractice, references to self harm, forced impregnation

NEXT TIME: The Thing for PS2

Grace is on Twitter @grace_machine

Ryan is on Twitter @bluestrose430

Join Grace and Ryan as they introduce The Safe Room by talking about their history with horror movies and games! Next month: Silent Hill!