When we think of casino games, we think of coins clinking, neon lights, and good times. When we think of horror, we think of gore, blood and sounds that send chills down the spine. So, how come so many casino games, slot machines, in particular, decide to draw inspiration from the horror genre? It’s because we like to be spooked.
Good Balance of Themes – The Key to Success
One of the most prominent gaming studios, Pragmatic Play, is famous for its skill to tackle the needs of players of all sorts. Pragmatic Play’s most popular slot, Big Bass Bonanza, couldn’t be more benign. You take on the role of a fisherman, a bearded dude with a boat, and you are trying to reel in those wins, as upbeat music and colourful visuals fill your surroundings. Pretty harmful, don’t you think?
Meanwhile, the same studio is famous for some of the best examples of the casino horror genre. Mysterious, set in a haunted house, or the chilling Zombie Carnival, simply can’t be compared to the jolly Big Bass Bonanza in anything, but seamless execution.
It is no secret that certain gaming suppliers created a career from getting people horrified. The most notorious of them all is NoLimit City. The gaming brand, owned by Evolution Gaming Group, has quite a reputation for flirting with themes that mainstream audiences might find distasteful. Karen Maneater is all about cannibalism, Remember Gulag is devoted to victims of prisoner camps in Siberia, and Mental takes advantage of stereotypes related to mental illness.
Compared to them, Pragmatic Play’s games look like a walk in a park. Yet, they all speak to different audiences, and there is a good reason behind it.
Why Do We Like to Get Scared?
According to Robi Ludwig, Psy.D, there is some science involved behind the scream. The Doctor of Psychology explains there is something rewarding in us managing to “survive” stress, even when it is artificially induced or experienced under controlled conditions. The adrenaline kick experienced after visiting a haunted house at a carnival is making us experience all sorts of emotions, predominantly positive ones. That’s why people come out laughing, even if they were just chased by an actor dressed as a murder clown.
Ludwig explains the intensity of emotions induced by controlled gore is higher than anything we get to experience in our everyday lives. Additionally, we have the genetics to blame. Ludwig says that certain people are pre-destined to seek that additional kick in the back, even if it’s made by a guy holding a chainsaw.
Setting the Mood for the Win
Casino games, and slots allow us to immerse ourselves in new worlds and see ourselves in a new light. Horror games at any casino, attract crowds as they provide multiple desirable experiences at once.
First, we have the visuals and graphics borrowed from the most famous horror flicks. They are enough to keep the player at the edge of their seats, especially when it comes to branded slots, inspired by series such as Halloween. The level of spook in such games is more often than not at high levels and can be compared to any 1980s slasher.
By winning in such a game, the player lives through the same emotions as if they just escaped the haunted house. Yet, there is another element to it – the financial one. Not only have they managed to outsmart the killer, but they have also won a cash prize. That’s a reward worth surviving a scare or two!
