Högskolan i Skövde

This thesis examines how fear is constructed through the core visual symbols of 'eyes' and 'decay' in psychological horror games, and how the interpretation of these symbols varies across different cultural backgrounds. A qualitative approach was adopted, combining visual design analysis of horror game imagery, an online bilingual questionnaire for cross-cultural feedback, and follow-up interviews. In addition, a visual prototype titled 'Evanescence' was created to illustrate key symbolic and aesthetic elements identified in the study, serving as a practical demonstration of these insights. This study highlights the influence of cultural background on the perception of horror symbolism and offers insights for horror game designers aiming to evoke psychological fear in culturally diverse audiences.