Infinitap Games

I have a great interest in episodic games, so in order to better understand how one might create an episodic horror game, I look at episodic horror TV shows and try to understand how you create tension over a long period of time.

I'm really loving The Strain. I don't know how far along you were in watching it when you made the video, but I think it's getting even more into the horror. They do a great job with the effects, most of the vampire stuff looks like practical effects with prosthetics and makeup and all that good stuff.

I was wondering about Netflix even before you mentioned it at the end. Did you ever watch The Returned series? While it wasn't originally released on Netflix, that's how I watched the first season over a few days. Most episodes were partly their own arc since they used a lot of flashbacks to fill in the back story of particular characters. But there was also a present day arc running through the entire season, and I felt like it handled the tension really well. Of course it may be harder to pick up where I left off after waiting months for the second season.

I don't think I'll spend a lot of effort trying to figure out what genre it fits in best, but there are definitely horror elements.

I am loving the Strain as well, and although there are horrific elements, I'm not sure it has that same tension as a horror film that I watch in one sitting. I'm definitely looking forward to next week's episode, but I don't think it's quite the same as when I can't stop a good horror movie.

I'm not sure it's deliberate but following all the different characters makes the pacing a little weird because you don't know when it'll return to the exterminator guy's story or whatever. I almost feel like I appreciate it more as a drama than as "horror". However, the last episode had a great jump scare and boy did my wife scream.

I haven't gotten a chance to watch "The Returned" yet. It is in my queue though.