Hey everyone!

I have just published a new article and video giving my view on what makes a game survival horror.

Most arguments seem to fall into three schools of thought:

1. **Alone in the Dark (1992) and Resident Evil (1996) define survival horror** Capcom coined the term “survival horror” with the original *Resident Evil* (1996), so the first school of thought argues that survival horror games should retain the core structure shared by *Resident Evil* (1996) and *Alone in the Dark* (1992).
2. **Survival horror evolved with Resident Evil 4** The second school of thought argues that the genre itself evolved when *Resident Evil 4* shifted the focus towards intense combat, quick reflexes, upgrade systems, enemy item drops and precision aiming.
3. **Survival horror is just “vibes”** The third school of thought treats survival horror less as a set of mechanics and more as a feeling or “vibes”.

Rather than basing the discussion entirely on personal opinion, I compare what these games actually ask you to do. I look at the mechanics and progression systems of *Alone in the Dark*, *Resident Evil* and *Resident Evil 2*, then compare them with the more combat-led structure of *Resident Evil 4*, *Dead Space* and *The Evil Within*.

I argue for the first school of thought because a genre label is only useful if games retain the defining gameplay structure associated with it. A Soulslike should be similar to *Demon’s Souls* or *Dark Souls*, so a survival horror game should be like *Alone in the Dark* (1992) and *Resident Evil* (1996).

My argument is that survival horror can change its camera, controls and presentation without losing its identity. What matters is player vulnerability and how you progress.

If I had to boil the entire article down into one definition, it would be this:

>*Survival horror is a genre focused on player vulnerability, where progression is driven primarily by exploration and puzzle-solving rather than combat.*

**The core traits I associate with the genre are:**

* Player vulnerability
* Resource scarcity
* Selective combat or enemy avoidance
* Exploration
* Puzzle-led progression

**Common supporting traits include:**

* Hub-and-spoke level design
* Maze-like environments
* Backtracking
* Inventory management
* Combat uncertainty
* Fixed camera angles
* Tank controls

One mistake I see people make is treating a single survival horror trait as sufficient to place a game within the genre. None of these features, in isolation, is enough to make a game survival horror.

I also want to make it clear that calling something action horror is not an insult. A game’s genre is not a judgement of quality. I love *Resident Evil 4*, *Dead Space* and *The Evil Within*, but I believe their mandatory combat, enemy drops, upgrade systems and combat-focused level design place them closer to action horror.

Genre labels matter because they tell us what we will actually spend most of a game doing. With survival horror currently experiencing a revival, I think it is important that we do not lose sight of what makes it distinct.

If you would like to read the full article or watch the video version, please use the links below:

* [Read the full article](https://survivalhorrors.com/what-is-survival-horror)
* [Watch the video](https://youtu.be/kYI-_rBFbaU)

What Is Survival Horror?