Hey everyone, Mazer here and today we’re going to be talking about what we’re playing. It’s been a while since our last blog post for which I apologize. We’re currently working on several projects – including a board game, our live streams, and even some cross-stitching. It can be difficult balancing everything on top of updating out blog. But we’re trying. I promise you.

So. What is today’s post about? Well let me tell you! As of the last week of September, we’ve been doing our annual Horror Game Marathon! We started off strong with our usual Silent Hill 2 and 3 – gaining the Dog Ending and the Heather Beam unlockable respectively. Afterwards, we tried something new with the voice-controlled Playstation 2 game LifeLine.

That was an experience…

It was a combination of things that made Lifeline such a pain but we persevered and added the game to our Beaten collection!

We washed the taste of LifeLine out of our mouths with a bit of Mortuary’s Assistant. This particular game proved to be more than meets the eye. I had originally thought it was nothing more than a “jump-scare simulator”; a game that strictly focuses on providing jump scares than an actual storyline. I was wrong. It has a detailed story that you uncover across multiple playthroughs. It was a great game and I loved every second of it.

Afterwards we touched upon the horror, stalker game Clock Tower 3. After playing the fourth game in the franchise, The Haunting Grounds, I wanted to explore the other ones in the franchise. Let me tell you, Clock Tower 3 was a wonderful surprise. Not too difficult – we beat it in 3 session – with a killer sound track, great enemy designs, and an enjoyable storyline. The final boss was, admittedly, a pain in the butt, but overall the game was fantastic.

Next on the list was a game voted upon by our Discord Chat; that being the Playstation 1 classic, Dino Crisis. Now, I won’t lie. I was a bit anxious when it was chosen. I have nothing against playing older games – hell, most my channel is me streaming them. It’s just that some games, especially old survival horror games, can be more frustrating than fun. This goes double when you’re trying to stream them.

Luckily, Dino Crisis proved to be an entertaining experience. The game was no where near as stiff as its Resident Evil counterpart and it balanced fighting and running away expertly. I enjoyed the game so much that I feel like adding it to our yearly rotation alongside Silent Hill 2 and 3 – at least until we unlock the other two endings.

What We’re Currently Playing

With Dino Crisis added to the Beaten List, we’ve moved on to another game in my backlog. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

Now, I will admit that while I profess my love for the Silent Hill franchise, I’ve only played 2 of the several games released. I’ve played the first half of Silent Hill 4: The Room but lost interest when I realized the second half of the game would consist of repeated levels and escort missions. I have yet to play the original game (Maybe we’ll fix that next year) or the games after 4.

Ergo, I’ve taken the advice of one of my followers and started Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for the Wii. A different style of Silent Hill game, this is an artistic retelling of the first game. We follow Harry Mason as he looks for his daughter Cheryl Mason within the cursed town of Silent Hill. Hit by a frigid blizzard, we must guide Harry through several key locations as he searches for Cherly.

We are three chapters deep and as of right now, I’m loving it. the icy environment is a stark contrast to Silent Hill 2’s wet environments or Silent Hill 3’s hot and rusty landscapes. But what really sets Shattered Memories apart is the combat and its psychological mechanics.

In Shattered Memories you are unable to fight against the various creatures you come across in the Dark World. Instead, you must run through glacial environments while avoiding skinless beasts. You can sneak by them – either by turning off your flashlight and moving quietly or ducking inside various hiding spots. Or you can do what I do – run like a bat out of hell as quickly as I can.

There are ways to defend yourself during these events. You could either knock items over to slow the demons down or use road flares to scare them away. Those are the methods that I usually use when escaping the entities.

The other mechanic – the psychological one – alters the game’s cutscenes, environments, and even Harry’s interactions with other characters based on how you answer questions or interact with your psychologist. You see, throughout the game you flash forward to an interview with your therapist. He asks you several different questions and even hands you paperwork to fill out. How you respond greatly effects the game. I am curious to see how subsequential playthroughs will turn out when we choose different answers.

Hopefully, we’ll find time to review this game properly. Until then, we’ll be continuing our adventure in the chilly wonderland that is Silent Hill Shattered Memories!

I hope to post again shortly! I am Mazer, please have a great day and a better tomorrow, and I’ll see you next time!

As mentioned in our previous post; Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age has been a pleasant surprise. I had originally played it on the Playstation 2 back when it launched. It was unfortunately not my cup of tea. At the time, I felt as if the game had made too many changes. From the combat, to the setting, to the heavily political storyline, to the license system. It just didn’t feel like MY Final Fantasy.

That opinion has since changed. For one reason or another, I had declared on my stream that 2024 would be the “Year of JRPGS”. We started with Skies of Arcadia, moved to Secret of Mana, and are now playing Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age. It is the first time I’ve touched the game since launch and let me tell you; I am glad that I did. The game is phenomenal. The story is layered, the characters nuanced, and the language mature. I love it.

But you know what else I love? I love the fact that this is the first Final Fantasy game that has ever frightened me. I’m not talking about the feeling you get when fighting a boss with no health potions and down three characters. I’m talking about legitimate fear.

Allow me to explain.

The Horror of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

So there I am, nearly twelve hours into the game when I stumble across a mysterious tunnel in the middle of an open field. Without thinking, I decide to explore the tunnel. I mean, what could go wrong? I had some decent equipment and I have been handling most enemies without problem.

My average level was 16 when I entered the “Zertinan Caverns”. Immediately upon entering the caverns we notice a trio of green horses with horrible tentacles protruding from their necks. Their design was disturbing but for some reason that escapes me, I decided to step forward.

Big mistake.

For you see, these horses, called Mallicants, were not the same as the goombas on the surface of which I had been destroying with relative ease. No. These horses were almost doubled my level! According to the wiki page, Mallicants averaged between levels 37 and 38.

Guess who didn’t realize that until it was too late?

Correct. This guy.

I noticed almost immediately that the Mallicants were taking little damage from my attacks. This sent me into a full blown panic and, for whatever reason I cannot fathom, I decided to retreat…

FURTHER into the cavern. The exit was right behind me but instead I ran deeper into the caves! I watched in absolute horror as these Mallicants teleported behind me. Kicking me, blasting me with status ailments, and obliterating me with lightning magic. One by one my party fell to their onslaught until, with only Penelo remaining in my party, I escaped into the next room.

Free from the horses, I took a moment to revive and heal my party as well as compose myself. I figured that this had been a player error. That if I had just attacked the Mallicants one at a time, I would have handled the situation much better. With that in mind, I decided to push even DEEPER into the cave system.

I mean, why wouldn’t I? Despite the fact that I was severely under-leveled, I just could not help myself to the idea that the Caverns would contain some awesome loot.

I raced through the next room without much problem. I avoided the Mallicants with ease and stepped into the third chamber of the Zertinan Cavern only to be greeted with an underground sand storm. Confused, I ventured deeper into the storm only to lay witness to a horrifying cut-scene. From the dust emerged a gigantic being with massive claws, huge wings, and a jackal-like face. Purple lightning erupted from its body and it’s at that moment when I realized I had encountered an Esper – a super powerful magical being of which I was not prepared for.

With my tail tucked between my legs, I ran out of that chamber as fast as I could. Unfortunately for me, the Mallicants who had chased me prior were waiting for my return! Once again, I found myself running for my life. My party members falling, one by one, as I pushed towards the exit.

Wounded and dying, I was able to push my way through the cavern and back to the field from which I came. You can watch the entire exchange below.

Eldritch Horse of Doom

I escaped the Mallicants by the skin of my death. Now, you would think, “Surely, he’s learned his lesson.”

Well. You’d be wrong. Whereas most people would stick to locations best suited to their current level, I continued to push myself into dangerous situations in hopes of finding that sweet, sweet loot.

This desire would lead me to the absolute nightmare that is the Necrohol of Nabudis. While this dungeon did contain some fantastic armor and loot, it also contained some of the worse monsters in the game.

Admittedly, my first attempt failed spectacularly. My second attempt, however, was a lot more promising. Armed with better weapons and more patience, I took down every enemy one or two at a time until I finally made it to the final floor of the dungeon. After clearing the floor of enemies, I noticed a strange purple shimmer emanating from the center of the room.

This purple shimmer became a horse. A Mallicant-like horse comprised of purple and blue flames.

Ha! I thought. If I could take down the dungeon’s other enemies, I surely could take this guy down as well!

Then I targeted him.

HELVINEK: LEVEL 49, HP 9,999

I hit the Helvinek with my strongest weapon. did about 1,200 damage.

It’s health still read 9,999.

Oh no.

OH NO, NO, NO!

I ran. I ran as fast as my characters could towards the closest exit. All I had to do was leave the chamber and I’d be safe. Like the Mallicants before it, the Helvinek chased me relentlessly but, just when all hope seemed lost, I made it to the next chamber!

I breathed a sigh of relief and took a moment to heal my party. We had survived and now it was only a few chambers away from the dungeon’s back exit. We were in the clear.

That’s when the Helvinek re-appeared before me.

To my horror, I realized that this enemy was not your average eldritch horse demon. No. Like Resident Evil 3’s Nemesis, the Helvinek could FOLLOW ME INTO OTHER ROOMS!

We ran. We ran as if our lives depended upon it. I could NOT die down here. Not after spending all this time collecting all this loot.

The Helvinek kept up with us. To my horror, I watched as, once again, my party fell to its onslaught. Flashbacks to the caverns riddled my mind as bullets would riddle a body. I couldn’t die here. Not like this!

One character remaining. Less than 1,000 hit points remaining and we made it out of the dungeon. To my relief, the Helvinek did not pursue us into the forest beyond. We were safe.

The Horrors Explained

It isn’t uncommon for gamers to encounter an area that is well beyond their current level. In fact, many open-world-games boast this feature. They allow players to explore the map at their own peril. Two games that immediately come to mind are Elden Ring and Mad Max – both allowing players to go to territories that are far beyond their current capabilities. However, with the appropriate planning and preparation, players can make it out of these territories alive. Barely, but still, alive.

There is a risk-and-reward system in place for games like these. Do you venture into forbidden territory in hopes of scoring a magnificent weapon or a devastating spell?

You could sneak your way through these areas, kiting enemies one by one until you make it to the chest containing you precious loot. Or you can just run in at full speed, screaming as you do, past the enemies toward in hopes of avoiding them just long enough to find the treasure.

Either way, you now find yourself in a dangerous situation. Just because you got to the treasure does not mean you can make it back out alive. And with Final Fantasy XII’s autosave system (saving every time you venture into a new room) – there is a strong possibility that you can end up stuck in a dungeon and forced to revert to the last manual save done outside the temple, thus losing all the loot found within.

That, my friends, is the horror of which I speak. The knowledge that all your hard work, all your planning, could be for naught. One wrong move, one wrong enemy spawn and BAM! You’re stuck. You have the loot but can you make it out alive?

This is exactly what happened to me the first time I entered the Necrohol. I got stuck without any revival items and my healer was dead. For about half an hour I attempted my escape only to die over, and over, and over again. Finally, I had to concede and reload my last save losing about an hour’s worth of work.

I’ve always described horror as “Characters stuck in a situation that they cannot control.” and that is where I found myself. I was stuck. I was nervous and afraid of losing all my progress.

It’s a different kind of horror than what you experience during Resident Evil or Silent Hill. It’s not the ever lingering sense of dread that these games build up but instead the fear of being trapped in, as I said, a situation you cannot control.

And it is this reason I am adding Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age to our list. The fact that this bright and colorful game can inflict such dread throughout my playthrough is proof that horror can exist in the most unexpected places.

The teaser trailer for the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’s masterpiece, Beetlejuice, has finally dropped. Aptly titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the teaser takes us back to the quaint little town of Winter River Connecticut and let me tell you, it feels good to be back.

I could not help but smile while watching the trailer. The attention to detail is astounding. I swear it looks as if they had not stopped filming from the original movie. The covered bridge, Miss Shannon’s School for Girls, and even the Ditz’s attic; they look fanastic.

As does our cast. Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, despite being older, still look their parts. I also appreciate that new comer Jenna Ortega seems to have her own style instead of being a carbon copy of her mother Lydia. Of course, as this is only a tease, we only get the shortest of glimpses of these characters, but from what little I see, I like.

Finally let us discuss the title character himself. Michael Keaton returns as the ‘ghost-with-the-most’ Beetlejuice and let me tell you; he looks absolutely magnificent. The suit, the makeup, the voice; it’s all there and it is glorious!

Yet something else caught my attention. Something beyond the nostalgia. It was the final frame of the trailer. Did you notice because I sure as hell did.

It was Beetlejuice looking angry.

Not annoyed nor frustrated.

Angry.

This makes me curious as to what direction Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will take its namesake. Will he be more of a vengeful spirit this time around? Is he harboring ill-will towards Lydia and her family? How did he come back? Who summoned him and why?

These are just some of the questions I have after watching this tease. Hopefully we’ll get more context when they release the official trailer. And when they do, you can count on me to discuss it here!

So tell me; have you see the teaser yet? If so, tell us your thoughts in the comments below! I would love to hear what you think!

It is that time of the year again. Time to busy out the Christmas lights, the hot cocoa, and most important of all; holiday horror movies! These are five of our favorite Christmas Holiday Horror movies. Is yours on our list?

Gremlins (1984)

What is it:

Randall Peltzer is desperately looking for a Christmas present for his son Billy. His search takes him to Chinatown where he discovers an antique store containing a small, furry creature called a mogwai. The shop owner’s son secretly sells Randall the mogwai but not before giving him three very important rules in how to handle the mythical critter.

Rule number one: Do not expose a mogwai to light – especially sunlight which can kill the poor creature.

Rule number two: Do not let it come in contact with water.

And most importantly rule number three: NEVER feed it after midnight.

Of course, Randall’s Son ends up breaking all these rules resulting in the birth of violent Gremlins. Now the family must work together to destroy the Gremlins before they overpopulate and destroy the town.

Why we love it:

What I love the most about Gremlins is that it is legitimately terrifying! Sure, Gizmo the mogwai is adorable but his Gremlin counterparts are anything but! Their sharp teeth, beady yellow eyes, and menacing expressions make them a thing of nightmares; especially if you are a little kid who is watching the movie for the first time. This is all thanks to the spectacular special effects done by Chris Walas and his team. They made the Gremlins, and Gizmo, quite believable.

It also balances its horror and suspense with slapstick humor. This is no small feat mind you. If you lean too heavy into the horror than the humor feels out of place. If there is too much slapstick than the Gremlins lose all malice. Luckily it manages to handle both quite well providing us with a memorable, and surprisingly dark, Christmas movie.

Krampus (2015)

What is it:

A dysfunctional family has a rather nasty Christmas dinner resulting in the youngest son Max tearing apart his letter to Santa. Unfortunately, this blasphemous act summons the “Shadow of Santa Klaus” – a monstrous and powerful deity known as Krampus. Krampus, along with his army of elves and evil toys, seeks out Max and his family to punish them for losing the spirit of the holiday.

Why we love it:

A horror movie about Krampus is nothing new. Just google “Krampus movies” to see dozens upon dozens of movies dedicated to the so-called shadow of Santa Claus. So, what is it about the 2015 movie that makes it stand out above the rest?

Well, it’s because this movie has something the others don’t.

Heart.

I know that sounds like a line out of a Saturday Morning Cartoon but it’s true. Behind the terrifying creature designs and chilling atmosphere is a heart-warming story about two families coming together. You have the well-off and privileged Engels (the family where our main character Max comes from) and their rough and tumble cousins who live like a family of survivalists with a “strong eat the weak” mentality. They are opposites in every definition of the word. So much so that the entire first act is dedicated to showing how incompatible they are as not only family but friends as well.

But that doesn’t stop them from putting aside their difference with the crap hits the fan. As soon as they realize something is wrong, they band together. And it is through this team-up that they discover that they are not as different as they once thought.

This is the core of Krampus. Yes, it is a horror movie with spectacular practical effects (seriously, the design of Krampus and his elves are god-tier.) but it is also a movie about family coming together when times are their roughest. It is this reason that makes Krampus a must-watch during every holiday season.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

What is it:

A group of Finnish hunters discover that their season has been ruined after discovering hundreds of massacred reindeer in the snowy wilderness. They set up a series of traps in hopes of catching whatever it was responsible for the animals’ deaths. Thinking that wolves were responsible, they are shocked to discover the body of a grizzled old man inside their pit-trap.

It doesn’t take long for the hunters to realize that there is something sinister about this old man. Enticed by gingerbread and lured by the flesh of children; the hunters believe that this is no man but Santa Claus himself.

Why we love it:

There is something unsettlingly funny about Rare Exports and I think it is because of how serious it takes itself. On the surface it sounds rather silly. A movie about reindeer hunters capturing and auctioning off a feral Santa Claus? It sounds like something you’d see on television as a Christmas comedy special. But the fact that every member of the cast and crew treats this as a serious movie, with Santa being a serious threat, that makes the movie that much more enjoyable.

The humor does not come from one-liners or slapstick but from the ridiculousness of the situation. But do not, for one second, think that its ridiculous nature undermines the horror. The movie is still scary but in an unsettling way. Even when nothing is happening you cannot help but feel a sense of wrongness in the air. You can contribute this with the fantastic way the movie is shot – with lots of quiet moments, sweeping shots of the frigid landscape, and wonderful sound design.

And as much as I would love to discuss the second half of the movie, I fear that by doing so I will be ruining some of the best parts of the movie. So, with that said, I do recommend Rare Exports if you are in the mood for something different in your holiday horror lineup.

Santa’s Slay (2005)

What is it:

Santa is not the happy-go-lucky elf that we all know and love. He is, instead, a demon who lost a bet with an angel. His punishment? To spend the next 1,000 years spreading joy and happiness to the people of the world.

Unfortunately, the 1,000 years is up, and Santa is looking forward to spending this Christmas doing what he does best –anyone and everyone in his way. So, you had better watch out and you better prepare to cry because Santa Claus is coming to town.

Why we love it:

Now don’t get me wrong. This movie is dumb. It is a dumb, stupid, pointless movie with very storyline, useless characters who exist only to die, and is based off an idea that has been done to death. A killer Santa? We’ve seen it before. It’s nothing new.

So, what makes Santa’s Slay worthy of our annual holiday horror marathon?

Two words: Bill Goldberg.

The wrestler-turned-actor is the sole reason to give this movie a chance. Not only does he make it watchable, but enjoyable as well. Every scene he is in he is hamming it up for the camera. You know Goldberg understands the kind of movie he’s in. As such he spends his time chewing the scenery; spouting a ton of Chrismas-themed puns as he uses his experience as a wrestler to manhandle his victims in a variety of hilarious methods.

Although it does get a bit slow in the middle, it still manages to provide us with a fun albeit stupid good time. This is the perfect holiday horror movie to throw on in the background as you go about wrapping presents or baking goods. Something that is great background noise that you don’t have to pay much attention too to enjoy.

P2 (2007)

What is it:

Businesswoman Angela Bridges is kidnapped by an awkward security guard who confesses that he is in love with her. He is convinced that he and Angela are meant to be together and will stop at nothing to get his way.

Why we Love it:

Holiday horror generally tends to focus on the more comedic elements of the genre. I mean, just look at this list. Everything previously can be considered horror-comedy. Even ones that take themselves seriously as Rare Exports does – it still has a tinge of comedy to its darkness.

P2 is not one of these movies.

P2 is first and foremost a psychological thriller. It is a slow, satisfying burn that relies on atmosphere and suspense instead of slapstick and humorous dialogue. And what makes P2 so scary is how real it feels. This is a movie that preys on a woman’s biggest fear: being stalked and manipulated by a toxic, violent person who is obsessed with her.

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The suspense is only compounded by Wes Bentley’s performance as stalker Thomas Barclay. How easily he transforms himself from condescending “nice guy” to psychotic sociopath is brilliant. It just makes him that much more unnerving as you can never tell what he is going to do next.

But I’d be remiss to mention Rachel Nichols as Angela Bridges. To put it simply; she is badass. She is resourceful, manipulative, and not afraid to get her hands dirty when the situation calls for it. You cannot help but root for her as she tries to outmaneuver the obsessive and cautious Thomas Barclay.

And for those who say that P2 is not a Christmas movie; I tell you to watch it again. Not only does it take place during Christmas Eve, but it also includes Christmas Lights, Christmas music, and even a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.

Take that, Die Hard!