Though they might seem ubiquitous today, there was a point in the late noughties when collectable documents had fallen somewhat out of fashion.
In this latest installment, we’ll be putting Motive Studio’s superb remake of Dead Spaceunder the microscope. Here, we shine a spotlight on the most creative examples of in-game journals, audio logs, bestiaries, video clips and so on, with a view to exploring what they add to the overall experience. Indeed, it is because these files are so versatile that we’ve dedicated a regular feature to them at Bloody Disgusting, in the form of this Dread Notes series. For years, resourceful developers have been using them to establish their worlds, tease upcoming threats, aid players in solving puzzles, and to tell self-contained stories.
Since the genre’s inception, collectable documents have been a staple element of survival horror, found in everything from Silent Hill to Outlast.