Guest post written by We Used To Live Here author Marcus Kliewer
Marcus Kliewer is a writer and stop-motion animator. His debut novel We Used to Live Here began life as a serialized short story on Reddit, where it won the Scariest Story of 2021 award on the NoSleep forum (eighteen million members). Film rights were snapped up by Netflix, and it was acquired by Simon & Schuster in the US for publication even before it had been extended into a full-length novel. He lives in Vancouver, Canada.
About We Used To Live Here: Get Out meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit. Out 18 June 2024.
While writing my debut novel We Used to Live Here, I ran into creative roadblocks at least once a month. Whenever that happened, I forced myself to take a step back and focus on other things. You may call that procrastination — I call it ‘searching for inspiration’. And more often than not, this inspiration was found in the groundbreaking world of video game narratives.
Video games have been influencing me since childhood. Many of my earliest stories were unabashed ripoffs of games like Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda. These writings, now lost to the defunct Nintendo Nsider forums, still hold a special place in my heart.
Here are five horror video games that have profoundly influenced me. All of which directly, or indirectly inspired my book, ‘We Used to Live Here’.
Inside
Playdead Games
Inside thrusts the player into a dystopian nightmare. From the first frame you’re scrambling through the woods, running for your life. Masked men with tranquilizer rifles and vicious hunting dogs in close pursuit. Who are you? Why are you being chased?
This game allows the player to theorize their answers rather than spoon-feeding a forced narrative.
Filled with surprising moments of beauty and shocking turns of horror, Inside is a masterclass in ‘show, don’t tell’ world-building. Not a single word is spoken throughout its 3-4 hour runtime. A towering reminder to storytellers everywhere that less is often more.
One of my favorite pieces of media ever created, period.
Phasmaphobia
Kinetic Games
Investigate dangerous supernatural entities with your friends.
When it comes to writing authentic scenes, firsthand experience is the best form of “research.” Unfortunately, firsthand experience of getting chased by demons is hard to come by. In that case, try playing games like this.
Resident Evil 7: Bio Hazard
Capcom
Bringing the iconic franchise into a first-person perspective, RE7 is a claustrophobic and truly harrowing masterpiece. I first played it in VR on PS4, an experience that has influenced every single horror story I’ve written since. There’s something about literally having to peek your head around a corner, then venturing forward into a dark hallway that will likely be the death of you.
It’s essentially one big game of hide-and-seek: locked in a decrepit manor with a family of murderous and ever-mutating psychopaths. RE7 is a standout in a series filled with horror classics.
Firewatch
Campo Santo
“You are here, and it’s beautiful, and escaping isn’t always something bad.”
An atmospheric and heartbreaking exploration of grief and isolation. Firewatch is more of a character study/ mystery thriller than a horror, but the experience impacted me so much that I had to include it here. Almost a decade later, its world and characters remain vivid in my memory.
Inscryption
Daniel Mullins Games/ Devolver Digital
“Another challenger… it has been ages.”
Imagine being trapped in a dingy cabin, forced to play a strange card game with a shadowy figure who may or may not be human. Daniel Mullin’s brilliant game only gets weirder from there. I can’t even say how it inspired my novel without spoiling the experience. But if you enjoy dark humor, addictive gameplay, and mind-bending narratives, look no further.
