They often use disturbing visuals. For example, grotesque character designs or spooky environments like haunted houses. Also, the storylines play a big role. Sudden plot twists, like a character turning out to be a monster, can be really scary. And the use of sound effects, like creaking doors or eerie music, adds to the horror.
Through atmosphere. They often use dark and muted color palettes, along with eerie music and sound effects. For example, in 'Doki Doki Literature Club', the music changes to a more disturbing tone as the story gets darker.
They often use disturbing imagery. For example, in 'Corpse Party', the grotesque scenes of dead bodies and the dilapidated school environment immediately give a feeling of dread.
By using spooky settings. Like old, dilapidated houses or dark forests.
Mr Nightmare Sleepover Horror Stories create fear by building suspense. They start with normal situations like kids chatting during a sleepover and then slowly introduce strange events. As the events pile up and get more and more abnormal, the sense of fear grows. For instance, first there might be a cold breeze, then a door creaking open on its own, and then seeing a shadowy figure. All these elements combined make the reader or listener feel a great sense of fear.
One popular 'nightmare fuel visual novel' is 'Corpse Party'. It has a really creepy atmosphere, with disturbing storylines and grotesque imagery that can send shivers down your spine. Another is 'Mad Father', which features a lot of dark and macabre elements like a haunted mansion and a deranged father figure. There's also 'The Witch's House', where the puzzles and the overall setting are filled with horror and unease.
A nightmare game novel can create a sense of horror through the concept of high - stakes gameplay. For example, if death in the game means real - life death like in 'Sword Art Online', it immediately amps up the fear factor. Every decision and battle becomes a matter of life and death, which is very scary.
Through setting. A common trope is the use of isolated locations like old mansions or haunted forests. For example, in many horror visual novels, the moment the characters enter an old, decrepit building, it immediately sets a spooky mood.
Lottery horror novels often create horror by subverting expectations. You expect winning the lottery to be a good thing, but in these novels, it's the opposite. For example, the 'prize' could be something dreadful like a slow and painful death or being hunted.
The use of suspense. It keeps you guessing about what's going to happen next. Like in a story where a character hears a noise in the basement but doesn't know what it is. You keep reading to find out. Also, the way it describes the setting, like a dark and damp attic or a spooky forest, adds to the horror. It makes you feel as if you are in that scary place too.
IT horror novels often create fear by using the unknown aspects of technology. For example, in 'It', the entity Pennywise can manipulate technology in the town, like making the sewers seem even more menacing, which scares readers as it's something that could potentially happen in real life.