HW#11: The Slender Games



Image: Parody from YouTube animated series "How It Should Have Ended" - Hunger Games parody (2012)

Now, it's a known fact the Slender myth was strenghten by the release of the Slender: 8 page game in 2012. When I first played that came at school, despite the game being lagging due to the PC capacity, I was imidiately struck by the understanding of why this game was so nerve-racking. The atmosphere, the creature...for such a simply made game the impact was amazing. It was a well credited game in my opinion. Months past since my first game play of the 8 Page game and friends of mine suggested I look into the other Slender Maps that were created based on the original game. So I did, and to my astonishment, there were so many Slender series that were made after the initial game was realeased. They were in the same schematics and the same style of design. Which had me questioning myself, What are major Slender games to date that highly contribute to the origins of Slender myth?

So this got me searching around, and from what I found an article came up intitled 5 Free Slender Games (Sandeep Veernala, 2012). The article states the 5 Slender games that were release months after the original Slender game. It also specifies the schematics of the game play and the short background. The Slender game was created in 2011 (Mark J. Hadley, Parsec Production ™) and was released to the public in 2012.  It is free for download and requires minimal download time.

In this Slender game you are left all alone in a dark forest. The only company you have is Slenderman; who is there to kill you. The only goal you have in this game is to collect eight pages that are related to Slenderman. But Slenderman is always behind you to avoid you from getting those notes. So, just get those notes without getting caught and see what happens next.

~(Sandeep Veernala, 2012)

Also indicated by the article are the other games which were also developed by Parsec Production ™ after the original game which are all collected into one download called The Slender Man Shadows (GameUnity Engine), in it, the list of games are as such: 

• Slender: 8 Pages (descp: Lost in the woods, find 8 pages) released - 6/26/2012 "Original game"
• Slender: Sanitarum (descp: Abandoned mental hospital) released - 8/30/2012
• Slender: Elementary (descp: Abandoned school) released - 9/4/2012
• Slenderman (descp: Find the origins of Slender then kill him. Base set on Marble Hornets) released - 2012
• Slenderman Android (descp: Find the origins of Slender then kill him) released - 1/31/2013

But as we look into the list, particularly sub linking towards the Slenderman Shadows collection, we find more  Slender games ranging from the following:

• Slender: 7th Street (descp: Lost in an empty city scape, find 8 notes) released - 9/29/2012
• Slender: Claustrophobia (descp: Lost in a Maze, find keys to get out) released - 2012
• Slender: Prison (descp: Lost in abandoned prison, find notes and escape) released - 2012
• Slender: Hospice (descp: Find 16 notes in an abandoned building) released - 2012
• Slender: Mansion (descp: You are in a coma, your left inthe mind set of Slenders house, a large mansion, find the mementoes to survive) released - 2012

And most recent of the maps which was released this years:

• Slender: Carnival (descp: Find 8 evidence in an empty carnival) released - 1/12/2013
• Slender: Christmas  (descp: Santa plays the new Slender , you must find all 8 presents to survive.) released - 2013

Other Slender maps include:

• Slender: 9 Pages (descp: Find 9 pages & a key in abandoned building) released - 2013
• Slender: Space (descp: Mix of Dead Space & Slender, find 8 lazer discs to survive) released - 2013
• Slendertubies (descp: Slender based game of Telletubies) released - 2013
• Slender: Woods  (descp: Survival game, locate keys and notes from one point to another) released - 2012
• Slender: Mod (descp: Lost in a new forest, locate 8 pages) released - 2012
• SCP: Slender Mod (descp: Contaminated Slender facility) released - 2012
• Slender 2D (descp: 2D version of the original 8 page game) released - 2012 
• PokeSlender (descp: Pokemon version of the 8 page game) released - 2013
• Slender: Remake (released - 2012)
• Slender RPG (released - 2012)

Now returning to the question at hand, amongst all these new Slender games which can be said is the most creditable and major Slender game to the influence of the myth; In which most important which actually tackles the origins of Slender, Ofcourse Mark J Hadley's 8 page game is reputably number one on the list. The Following are the most influencial games tot he myth:

• Slender: The Haunt (released - Nov/16/ 2012)
• Slender: The Arrival (released - March/26/2013)

Slender: The Haunt (2012) Primarily provides new insights to the origns of Slender man or as he was once called Mark Slender.

Slender: The Arrival (2013) Based primarily on "Marble Hornets"

...are considered the most creditable Slender games to date. Slender: The Haunt (2012) (Which they call "The Real Slender Game") tackles the same concept of all other maps based on Slender; find notes, evidents and keys which lead you from one point to another and in the process tells a tall tail of the creature that stalks you.

As for Slender: the Arrival (2013), this was purely based on the Marble Hornets in every sense of the way to provide a first account experience of the notorious video entier. The schematics of the game also follow the Slender: Haunt concept.

Now why intruduce these many veriety of games which all are related to one mythical creature? Mainly because these maps and games are fuel to the Slender mythology and origins. It's a known fact that games commonly get their origins from mythology, and 80% of newly developed indie horror games such as The Rake (2012) & The Theater (2013) came from the very origins of Slender. It is also important to know this list as a reference to the extent of the mythology on Slender and how large it has grown in our society.

At this point we may prove to the fact that Slender is now even stronger in society with the strenghtening of these Slender games. And it is with futher fact that Slender continues t inspire and fear in the hearts of believers and gamers alike.

What ever come next for the Slender game, we will be there to fear and enjoy it.