Project Zero 2's Lessons In Brief

1. Give the setting character with some moody set design.
2. Encourage the players to interact with the scenery so that they pay attention.
3. Have the Enemy warn the players through the scenery or use it to Its advantage.
4. Have characters handle, build, or enter obviously threatening areas or objects in order to achieve some stated goal. It builds anticipation and uncertainty.
5. Get the players comfortable with some rule (camera exorcises ghosts when they are photographed) and then change the rules to make an Entity scarier (just not THIS ghost).
6. Force the players to make their characters run or hide on occasion rather than relying on intellect or physical strength.
7. A sense of history is important, either to showcase the power of the threat (everyone died) or to establish a sense of normalcy now perverted (the doll's history).
8. Include complex characters with complex histories.
9. Increase character vulnerabilities to make them seem more real and to increase the feelings of jeopardy.
10. The threat is more frightening when it is impervious and inevitable.
11. A complex history with elements of tragedy will make the enemy more memorable.
12. Slow-moving, insane things can be scary because they don't HAVE to move fast.
13. Providing the lesser threats with depth keep them interesting and thus keep the players engaged.
14. An edge of tragedy, or a moral dilemma, surrounding the ending will make it more poignant.
15. Motifs can make gameplay awesome! Butterflies can be scary.