Modern works best, at least for me. Something something makes it feel more tangible something.

Modern works best as it's more relatable. Can really psyche players out with current news stories escalating wildly. I also have to tip my hat to a criminally underused sub genre of horror which is the 'horror western'. With its desolate pockets of civilization, savage outlaws all around, exploring unknown lands, meeting indigenous people who view you as trespassers, god-fearing sermons and superstitions, the setting is perfectly ripe for it.

I think that a horror game needs to be in a place that is pretty familiar to the players. They have to be able to really empathize with their character and the more they can picture the situation the more immersive the experience. I think that fantasy or sci-fi settings can work if the players are tuned into those settings but everyone can relate to a modern situation.

Honestly, even though I am not a big WoD fan, Vampire: Dark Ages was pretty much one of the better horror games I've ever played. That said...

Quote from: jeff37923 on December 19, 2024, 09:46:52 PMOne that isn't horror.

Everyone expects horror with Ravenloft or Call of Cthulhu, so if you really want to bring across the feeling of horror during play you should use a setting or system that isn't known for horror. Make it an unexpected surprise for your Players.

I agree. I ran a Halloween game two years ago that was essentially SpecOps dudes trying to rescue some hostages, it turned into a horror game about halfway through and ended up with the PCs locked in essentially an inescapable hell. I ran it straight for as long as I could and the players bought into it just being a paramilitary exercise of hired mercs doing some dirty work, but when I started asking if they were taking the AKs of the fallen terrorists they got suspicious. About twenty minutes later they realized their badass rifles were useless against the supernatural and were wishing for some wooden stocks aka clubs. That was a fun game.

As others have said, isolation, track their resources. Strange sounds, eerie glows, unnatural darkness or bizarre shadows, odd mutations, any of these can unsettle a group. There is a bit of an art to keeping the fear from becoming paranoia and bogging the game down.

Quote from: Kyle VOltti on March 02, 2006, 08:51:38 PMFantasy? Sci-Fi? Modern?

I like Modern the most, for most players it lets you immerse without having to think "Would this be readily available?" or imagining how characters would be dressed or other things like that.

Horror can be done in any setting. Call of Cthulhu is a testament to that: modern, 1920s, Roman era, Dark Ages. It all works with the right system, GM, and setting the atmosphere/mood.

Any.

It is all a matter of the DM and the players.

And ANY can fail for the same factors. No amount of atmosphere and description is going to work if the players are running the Three Stooges through it and take nothing seriously.