»If the dog dies, I quit«: »Blair Witch« and the problems of contemporary psychological horror games

Abstract

This paper highlights the manner in which contemporary psychological horror games rely on repetitive storylines and plot twists, resulting in predictability of new titles, and the way in which this negatively affects immersion and players' emotional investment. Through examining the game <i>Blair Witch</i> (2019), developed by the Polish studio Bloober Team, and its inclusion of an animal companion, the article demonstrates how shifting the players' affective identification from the avatar to the companion character can cause players to overlook the shortcomings of the game. At the same time, by juxtaposing <i>Blair Witch</i> with other similar digital game texts, the paper showcases how linearity and reliance on predictable tropes in a game can be masked by the effective inclusion of an interesting companion with appropriate mechanics.