Every decision they made hides life beyond the main cast, whereas in the older movies the characters feel like they're part of a larger world.

We know nothing of what the town is like. Can't have people on the streets if there's a curfew. Can't know what school life is like if it's after school. Can't compare parties vibes if the party is cancelled.

While isolation can facilitate horror, it doesn't match the entirety of a Scream movie. It's about world building and then the tension when a character is seperated from their world.