The early 2000s witnessed a boom in the survival horror game genre. Franchises like Silent Hill and Resident Evil promptly scratched the itch for immersive, nerve-wracking experiences that hinged on combat-friendly third-person perspectives with lore-heavy worlds that became more fleshed out with every installment. The inexplicable thrill of walking in the shoes of a protagonist compelled to survive amid challenging, hellish landscapes became the foundation for experimental gameplay mechanics, such as snapping photographs to defeat spirits in games like Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly.
