Dissapointed by the Cradle...

Slato Metakide on 11/6/2006 at 03:40

Those eerie reversed string notes that are used in that area are absolutely brilliant techniques to build up fear in the soundtrack.

Poison Ivy on 11/6/2006 at 12:19

I think the Cradle was scary because it was rather realistic. I mean, there we no floating candlesticks, but there were gramophones that started playing when you got near, glowing objects, creepy letters....
One thing that was rather amusing is that, before having turned the electricity back on, I passed an oven, and heard a fire crackling, although there was no fire. O_o I naturally thought it a haunting noise..... After I restored the electricity and an actual fire appeared there, I wasn't so sure if it hadn't just been part of the script...
One of the scariest moments was when I picked a lock to enter one of the patient rooms, and as soon as I had finished picking it (I was crouched, since naturally I crouched while sneaking around the corridors), the door was opened from the other side and a patient charged at me! I got a reeeaaal close look at him then...:eek: :cool: Much closer than I would've liked.
But definitely the scarier part was while in the Cradle's memories. The creepy thing was that the noises the staff made were just like the rest of the noises from the cradle... just echoes, creaks, sighs..... So I was often on edge because I kept thinking someone had spotted me, and then someone HAD spotted me, but first I dismissed it as the Cradle's noise.
And while in the memories, did you notice how fast the clouds were, and how the curtains swayed with an invisible wind? Everything in the Cradle was part of a whole, of an evil, conscious whole that wanted to keep you there... forever.
Basically, the scariest thing was the structure of the mission itself. It dragged on like a nightmare... Relief from having completed one objective disappeared as soon as you learned what you had to do next.... Which was usually travelling to the part of the cradle opposite to the one you were in at the moment. And then, of course, the story's evil jest - 'You can't leave, can you? The Cradle remembers you now.' :D
It just got more and more insane (appropriate for an insane asylum, isn't it?) as the mission progressed. Steal a vial of blood.... okay. Find a nightgown... Alright, fine. Enter the Cradle's memories? Excuse me? Find and burn objects? JUMP OUT OF THE WINDOW? Wtf?
The mission kept me on edge the whole time and for me, it was deliciously creepy.

vurt on 11/6/2006 at 15:51

The cradle was superb imo, especially the sound fx is really well done, I bet it could've been done without any creatues whatsoever and still be scary, that is indeed a great achievement. Resident Evil and Doom3 really pales in comparison.

Like all horror games (and movies) you need to be by yourself and play it in the dark in the evening/night otherwise it'll just be boring. It really helps having a good pair of headphones too.

Mastermind on 11/6/2006 at 20:09

I am playing the Cradle for the third time right now and I'm not that frightened like I was at the first time. Now I know the zombies and the strength they have. I know which ways I have to go without looking on the map or I know in which corridor I'll face a zombie. And that takes away the fright. But still I have to pay attention because the zombies change sometimes their ways.

I remember very well the first time I entered the Cradle. I was really scared because of the noises, the poinding and the atmosphere. I always said 'It's just a game, it's just a game' :thumb:

Right now I am in the past and have to burn Lauryl's diary - the past is the easiest part of the Cradle ;)

Cardel on 11/6/2006 at 20:54

This is my 5th run through the cradle, 3rd completion, and Im still slightly scared and affronted by the [SPOILER]banging on the attic door [/SPOILER] which still continues even AFTER you've opened the door...

~s:a:n:i:t:y~ on 13/6/2006 at 16:01

I can't really say for what reason, but I thought the Cradle was ubsolutely, totally abandoned..... Unexpectedness near killed me....

:)

ercles on 16/6/2006 at 06:49

Quote Posted by Poison Ivy

Two things? Where were these gramophones? And how are glowing objects realistic?

Cardel on 16/6/2006 at 16:12

The gramophone is in patient no 6's cell I think. At any rate if Im wrong its the patient that "is allowed to conduct dance recitals with her gramophone in the lobotomy theatre"

As for glowing objects, that actually IS more realistic than a candlestick floating around and beating you up, or so is my opinion. Its as realistic as it can be in the context of the cradle, it didnt go OTT with doing things to make it scarier that would have inevitably distracted from the experience.

Blau on 16/6/2006 at 16:37

Since i had no background with this game I didnt even know there WAS a cradle, all I knew was what I read in game about NPC's saying it was a bad place :rolleyes: big deal I thought.

I get in there 'hmm nice and dark this should be easy! This is strange theres no one here! Wheres the challenge?' BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM *I jump out of my seat and pause the game for a while* After a little while I went back opened the attic door 'AH not so bad afterall' Then I went to get the blood etc got into Inner Cradle (I saw that fast moving zombie fella in reception) thought, oh great ..NINJAS! :rolleyes: saw some flickering lights, went to check the area out and not one, but TWO puppets jump out at me from opposite directions. I jump out of my chair again, but sort of standing and playing now - Flashbomb, hide and then I sat there scared half to death watching them twitch around. Downed one with some broadheads and walked up to it for a revenge coup de grace AND THE DAMN THING JUMPS UP AND BEATS ME DEAD! :wot:

Slato Metakide on 16/6/2006 at 22:51

Owned.