"More Aware and More Curious to Understand": Emotionally Challenging Experiences in Psychological Horror Games

Emotionally challenging experiences are central to player experience in games, and psychological horror provides particularly intense and thought-provoking moments. However, HCI research has largely overlooked how these experiences might influence reflection and mental health awareness. To address this gap, we interviewed two groups of eight players who experienced recent psychological horror games such as Alan Wake 2 and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Our analysis suggests that player reflection and a broader perspective on mental health are more likely to emerge when a game’s mechanics and narrative allow players to experience the characters’ mental states through gameplay. These findings highlight the potential of psychological horror games to encourage reflection on real-world experiences and offer ethical and future design considerations in crafting narratives centered around mental health.