The Influence of "Alternate" Characters on the Experience of Horror-Adventure Games

In recent years, "alternate" characters — humanoid monsters that create chaos by imitating human behavior — have gradually become an essential design element in horror-adventure games. By analyzing classic examples of "alternate" characters in horror adventure games and combining this analysis with user review data, this paper explores the impact of "alternate" characters on player experience and their underlying mechanisms. Analysis of user feedback shows that "alternate" characters, through their unique behavioral patterns and visual designs, serve multiple functions in horror adventure games. This study reveals the unique value of "alternate" characters in horror game design and provides theoretical references for the innovation of future horror adventure games.