When I first played Corpse Party: Blood Drive, I got irritated. They gave it cutesy chibi graphics for the exploration phases, which clashes madly with the cutscenes, character images and overall themes and plot. Making things “cute” interferes with my ability to be grossed out, scared, or anxious.
Or so I thought.
Then I played Yomawari: Night Alone.
Sure, it’s cute. Little girls and puppies in an animated style. But the first time your flashlight catches a glimmer of something moving in the dark, or you hear the buzzing neon of a vending machine interrupted by the whispers of the damned, you realize the cute exterior is a lie… and a finely crafted one, because they make it work.
Clashing is not necessarily bad. I learned that. I’m sorry for what I said, other horror games that might exist that hide behind cute art styles. I blame Corpse Party. Which I still need to finish. Oh well.
Insomniac Nightmares 
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