Mohamed Hassan 
A new video game based on the iconic horror franchise Paranormal Activity is confirmed, and horror fans may be wondering how the heck they can possibly make a good video game out of it.
Paranormal Activity is one of the most successful franchises in the history of the horror genre. With its reliance on realistic suspense and psychological terror rather than graphic violence, Paranormal Activity captivated audiences worldwide and became a cultural phenomenon. Though its popularity fell off over time, it helped cement low-budget, found-footage-style horror as a Hollywood staple.
Many games including Outlast, Her Story, Simulacra, and Slender: The Arrival have been inspired by this genre of film and now one of its biggest franchises is receiving an adaptation. But can a video game based on a series rooted in household objects sometimes inexplicably moving actually translate into a good video game?
Who’s making the Paranormal Activity game?
DreadXP is creating the Paranormal Activity game, with co-director and creative director Brian Clarke leading development.
Clarke previously worked by himself on the procedural horror game “The Mortuary Assistant” under the developer name DarkStone Digital. The Mortuary Assistant is a critically acclaimed horror game built around the “Haunt System,” which makes each playthrough unique. Players working in a mortuary need to investigate a corpse and use clues to determine what demon they need to exorcise and the proper methods for the exorcism, making each playthrough feel unique. A film adaptation of the game was announced in 2022 shortly after the game’s release.
The Mortuary Assistant and Paranormal Activity have more in common beyond themes of demonic possession and a first-person perspective. The Mortuary Assistant was developed solely by Clarke, with the game’s proportional success far exceeding those made by massive teams like Resident Evil, Dead by Daylight, and Alan Wake. It also fills a niche that has been somewhat empty with the Five Night’s At Freddy’s series seeing steadily declining reviews.
Clarke found inspiration for The Mortuary Assistant in creepy online videos and found-footage films, including the likes of Paranormal Activity. Now he’s paying back the inspiration and pouring his creative energy into a game based on the IP that sparked his artistic vision.
Will the Paranormal Activity game be good?
Paranormal Activity will build upon what made The Mortuary Assistant horrifying and unique and deliver an even more terrifying experience than its predecessor.
The game’s reveal on Variety, the upcoming Paranormal Activity game will include an advanced version of the Haunt System and will keep the tradition of “dynamically altering the types and intensity of scares players will encounter based on their actions.” The article also teases that the game will “bring the franchise’s groundbreaking found-footage style to horror enthusiasts in surprising new ways” and “immerse them in a story that expands upon the lore and world of the films.”
“If you thought ‘The Mortuary Assistant’ was scary, we’re taking what we learned during the development of that title and cranking it up with a more reactive and horrifying haunting system” Clarke said.
