TerrorBytes: The Evolution of Horror Gaming review: What

TerrorBytes, a recently-released docuseries from CreatorVC, sets out to tackle one of gaming’s most popular genres: horror. With six hours of in-depth interviews and archival footage, insight from countless influential developers and pundits, TerrorBytes: The Evolution of Horror Gaming is about as authentic of a horror game doc as a fan could ask for.

In the beginning

TerrorBytes is mostly linear, starting from the earliest days of the horror genre and working its way up to modern times over the course of five episodes as we explore subgenres of the medium. It allows the filmmakers to clearly illustrate how the genre grew, innovating on simple concepts and borrowing elements from various other genres to build some of our favorite scary games.

I love that the doc highlights the fact that a large chunk of horror games, especially the early ones, were strongly inspired by film, novels, and other forms of horror media. We can thank George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead for writing the zombie blueprint that Capcom would eventually follow with Resident Evil. The 8-bit adaptations of Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre speak for themselves. There’s a clear line of progression that you can follow throughout the decades.

It’s fascinating to hear creatives wax poetic on the horror genre and why we love it. They offer unique perspectives on some of my favorite games, and I walked away from the doc with an increased backlog of horror games that I want to check out.

The cutting room

It’s clear that the filmmakers behind TerrorBytes had a strong attention to detail. With how many interviews are used, I was impressed by the consistent quality across them. Expansive documentaries like this will often include a heap of content filmed over Zoom calls, and quality can vary. The effort to shoot these interviews on location contributes to the overall feeling of authenticity.

One of my favorite interviews is with the legendary John Carpenter, who talks about The Thing video game. Although he wasn’t involved in its production, it was cool to hear his perspective on how it all came together as the man that directed the iconic film. The guy is a genuine horror aficionado, so we get to hear him chime in on some other popular horror projects as well.

There is a heap of archival footage used in TerrorBytes, often serving as b-roll while interviewees talk about specific games or movies. It had to have been a massive undertaking from an editing standpoint, but it enhanced the viewing experience by a great deal. I will say, there is a lot of documentary here, and it can sometimes feel a bit bloated. That said, I’m sure the die-hard genre fans won’t mind a bit.

The genre evolves

Similar to the FPS doc that the same studio produced a couple of years ago, TerroyBytes is telling a story. A story of a genre that had humble beginnings and grew to be a phenomenon. A good deal of that evolution came alongside the growth of technology, and the doc does an excellent job of illustrating how new tech enhanced the horror genre. Whether it be VR-exclusive Jurassic World Aftermath, or Ashley Johnson’s career-defining performance in The Last of Us Part 2 (which was only possible due to motion capture technology), it was awesome to see how horror became more complex over the years while retaining its core principles.

TerrorBytes: The Evolution of Horror Gaming exists out of a pure love for the genre, and that shines through during the entire five-episode run. Not only does it beautifully spotlight these games and the people behind them, it examines the cultural and societal impact that they’ve had over the years. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves horror games.

This review is based on screeners provided by the writer/director of the docuseries. TerrorBytes: The Evolution of Horror Gaming is available now for $19.99.