I started this topic because I wanted to branch off a discussion that was happening here.
The tangent I’m on is about how non-positive emotions motivate us in gaming and media. I’m a fan of the works of H.P. Lovecraft (the father of horror writing imho) and, generally, any story that features self doubt/ slow steps into madness for the protagonists.
What I’ve really been thinking on for a while is why I like the show Firefly (I’m excluding the movie Serenity because I don’t like it or think it fits in). I bear an undying love for the show and I am not completely sure what makes me feel that way. I have a tendency towards liking western and post-apocalyptic themes and it touches on those but I don’t think that’s all of it. Back to topic, I also don’t feel the show is innately positive. It feels almost sullen to me without the overbearing, overt, pouty feeling I get from shows that really want to be dark/negative.
What I’m trying to figure out is what draws people to non-positive themes in media and also what elements of those themes exist in my favorite show. How well do those themes work in games?