Fear Inducing Play in an AR Escape Room with Human and Robotic NPCs

While the horror genre has been a staple in computer games on consoles and personal computers, there are surprisingly few examples of Augmented Reality (AR) horror games. Considering that AR experiences are valued for taking advantage of the physical environment to situate the experience and increase the sense of realism and immersion, there are surprisingly few examples of research that have examined factors that contribute to player experiences in horror games. We developed an AR horror experience in which players need to enter an escape room, solve puzzles and retrieve a teddy bear under the threat of being captured by an enemy NPC. We conducted a study in which players completed the task twice, once facing the enemy NPC in the form of a human-like janitor and another with a robot. Most players rated the human-like enemy as more intimidating than the robot. Players provided various explanations for game elements that contributed to their sense of fear and intimidation including the sound, relatability of the enemy, and scary atmosphere.