Anyone else despise jumpscares in horror?
I'm a big fan of Silent Hill games, as they emphasize suspense and dread over gore and jumpscares like so much other horror does.
Gore is well, kinda meh but doesn't bother me that much. But jumpscares... why? It's kinda like how I don't get why people enjoy fizzy drinks. I wonder if there's crossover between people who like jumpscares, fizzy drinks and those that have masochistic tendencies.
I figure there might be a link between susceptibility to it and having autism as from what I've read autistic people tend to be way more receptive to sensory stimuli, and I know I also get startled really easily when someone's standing behind me while I'm vacuuming or similar situations. I also hate balloons popping.
But anyways, they're a large part in why most horror is crap to me. I want to be overwhelmed by a dreadful atmosphere and achieve total immersion, not have a heart attack or adrenaline explosion. I'd ride a rollercoaster if I did..
Posted Feb 11, 2026, 10:20 PM UTC