Asymmetrical horror

Asymmetrical horror is a multiplayer hide-and-seek and horror subgenre that features an uneven balance between competing teams. Teams either fall into the category of survivors or monsters. Oftentimes the number of survivors outnumber the amount of players as monsters. The other layer of asymmetrical play is that the gameplay mechanics and objectives are different depending on which side you play.

The side that is trying to survive is weaker and sometimes helpless. The goal for survivors in many asymmetrical horror games is to use teamwork to clear objectives on a map to ultimately escape meanwhile evading or subduing the monster(s). Monsters on the other hand are tasked with capturing and/or killing all the survivors in a game of chase that is often referred to as reverse horror. Monsters in this genre are often stronger and can have abilities that help locate survivors. The gameplay involves features that borrow from stealth horror and action horror genres.

The genre has roots in multiplayer modes in games such as Left 4 Dead and Zombie Panic! Source. The genre seen success in the 2010s and has steadily grown since then. Evolve involved 4v1 asymmetrical gameplay of 4 hunters versus 1 monster. Dead by Daylight brought the genre into mainstream popularity and has since spawned many imitators. The genre has been explored using established horror franchises in games such as: Resident Evil: Resistance, Friday the 13th: The Game, Predator: Hunting Grounds, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Original retro inspired horror used as a theme has also been explored in PROJECT: PLAYTIME and Video Horror Society.