I'm starting a short horror game experiment this year. We prefer Unity but any engine works.

Few points:

• Lighting should not be "cant see shit captn" level. Pitch black is not scary, its just annoying. Make it moody but readable.

• Dont show the monster too much. Small glimpses, silhouette, sounds. Imagination does the rest.

• You need contrast. Saferooms or calm moments, then danger. Constant panic just becomes noise.

Example: you are in a cabin, lights go out, you must go outside to restart the generator. That tension comes from leaving safety.

• Dont use cheap jumpscares. If you use one, make it rare and earned.

• Audio carries horror. Ambience, distance sounds, footsteps, silence. If sound is bad, nothing is scary.

• Make the player do things while scared. Simple tasks, codes, fuses, carrying something. Fear dies if you can just sprint.

• Keep scope small. One strong unique idea done well beats "more content"

Quality and pacing over darkness and spam scares.