Source
r/outerwilds•
izzycc

How spooky are the reduced frights on the DLC?

DLC Help - Hints Only!

My horror tolerance is in the negative. For reference, I couldn't even go into Dark Bramble by myself, I had to have my friend navigate it until I knew the pathing to the Big Story Thing in there. Will I even be able to play it? 😅 And how much of the DLC is spooky?

!I started it last night and did the little puzzle to navigate to the big black orb and then immediately quit because the atmosphere inside the orb was overwhelming. I don't even think that part is supposed to be that scary it's just ominous. Does it also at least give you some kind of indication a scary part is coming up?!<

Posted Nov 17, 2022, 8:11 PM UTC

98
TrueBlueCorvid•

Same, friend. Same.

There are no intentional jump scares, you will 100% know you're in a scary place and something scary is coming up. The "intense sequences" mentioned in the scare warning at the beginning of the DLC are not indicative of the whole experience. It's just specific parts. (Though there is a generally kind of spooky, mysterious atmosphere around the whole DLC area.)

Using Dark Bramble as a point of reference:

  • Like Dark Bramble, the scares are contained to a specific area that is very obviously "different." (For example, Dark Bramble is eerie and filled with fog. You know as soon as you're in there that it's a bad place.) No anglerfish popping out at you on Timber Hearth while you're just investigating some ruins.
  • Like Dark Bramble, you can't really end up in the scary place by accident. You will have to choose to go there.
  • Like Dark Bramble, even when you're in there, only one part (the anglerfish) is actually dangerous, and they are obvious from far away.
  • When the scary parts start, you will have warning and you will be able to choose whether to proceed. You can always leave if you can't handle it.
  • I would put the scariest parts in Echoes of the Eye at a level above Dark Bramble. It is genuinely quite scary. If Dark Bramble scared you, you will need help if you want to get through the scares.
  • If you are clever, the scariest parts (the parts that I think are scarier than Dark Bramble) are entirely skippable.

Spoilers for theme: >!A running theme in Echoes of the Eye is facing your fears, so the game gives you a lot of agency. You'll know, "there is something scary coming up, and if I want to go forward, I will have to get through it." Choosing to continue on and uncover the truth despite a fear of the unknown is the whole point.!<

Spoilers for the main game, encouragement: >!You can do it. You're immortal. You rode the cyclones and flew into the sun and faced down the anglerfish. You leapt into the Eye. You are as powerful as the Big Bang and as inevitable as the heat death of the universe. You are your own legacy and nothing can stop you. Let your curiosity be greater than your fear.!<

19
kiwiballism•

Not as helpful as this person but my personal experience as the ultimate scaredy cat was that the scary stuff happened when expected (no jump scares)/gave warning kind of like in Dark Bramble when something was about to happen. It is a bit frightening the first time but after that it is much more predictable.

Without giving too much away, there’s a reason Echoes of the Eye is spooky and as you continue to explore you’ll understand why and it really adds to the story.

3
izzyccOP•

Yes I wouldn't want to remove the horror elements completely. I want to have that experience, just in a way that I can actually play it 😅 Pathologic 2 is one of my favorite games because of the spooky atmosphere, I was hollering the whole way through. I have started exploring, I love the new area they introduced! Nervous for the scares...

2
Nyallia•

Just to expand on this a sec, if you're curious about what the "Reduced Frights" mode does, it doesn't actually change the spooky atmosphere, change the story, change any mechanics, or let you completely skip the scary sections. Instead, it makes what you have to do in the scary sections significantly easier so you can get through them much faster. I highly recommend using it in your case.

If you need to know exactly what the option changes for your own peace of mind, here's some spoiler tags around a spoilery analogy: >!The changes are like what if for Dark Bramble, there was an option that made the anglerfish move really slowly and not make that terrifying screech when you aggro them, and those were the only changes.!<

3
TrueBlueCorvid•

All of this, plus Reduced Frights also gets rid of some anxiety-inducing musical cues.

2
izzyccOP•

Thank you for the tips and encouragement! Having the spooky stuff sectioned off is incredibly helpful and will definitely help my experience. Looks like we'll find out if I'm clever enough to avoid the most scary bits...

2
Sciagu94•

I think that trigger warning popup for scary content is doing more harm than good. I was just like you when I started the dlc, flinching at everything, worried that I would be frightened by something.

In truth, the "scary parts" are just a few confined segments, and it will be very clear when you are in one (really dark environment, scary music, no spacesuit, and consequently no jetpack and no torch). Trust me, you'll know when you are in one of those sections

These parts are scary until you fail once. After that, you'll understand that it's no big deal. I would recommend to fail on purpose the first time you get there.

There's no real jumpscares, the game never blindsides you. There is just a roaming enemy type that is way less scary than the anglerfish IMO. The ambiance is just more creepy.

Edit: furthermore, by toggling the reduced frights option in the menu, you will make these areas way easier to navigate, since it makes evading enemies a cakewalk.

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1
McMowe•

I think you got good info in the comments. One more thing i want to add is that overcoming this fear is a central part of this dlc. Believe in yourself. And have fun. It’s a lovely dlc.

1