#MacabroGamers Night Trap: The Horror That Promoted Censorship.

By: Mario Ayanami

It has become a constant in this space to talk about little-gem recommendations for all horror enthusiasts, as well as their roots in titles dating back almost four decades. However, it's also important to revisit the darker roots. This time, we'll talk about a dark chapter in video game history that forced mid-90s companies to forge their own regulatory body. We're talking about Night Trap, a cult classic that, despite its utter lack of quality, became notorious for its sheer amount of graphic violence (by the standards of the time, of course).

Before diving into the game, we need to talk about its console of origin: the Sega CD, which in Latin America has only earned recognition among collectors. Released in the US in October 1992, it was a device that had to be connected to the Sega Genesis to work, allowing CD-ROM titles to be played; although it wasn't the first attempt at the format, it did gain some popularity in Japan and North America thanks to its idea of a new format and the inclusion of Full Motion Video, something unthinkable on home consoles at the time. But the technology couldn't keep up with demand: a very poor lineup in terms of quality, long loading times, the arrival of the PlayStation in 1994, an initial price of $300, and on top of that, the need to already own a Genesis, buried it within three years. It's no surprise so few people in our region know it!

Night Trap launched alongside the system with the intent of showing off its ability to play video sequences. The plot was simple: a group of young women spend the night at the Martin family's vacation home. With no explanation, all five guests disappear over the course of the night… Some time later, new guests agree to spend a sleepover at the place, now under the protection of the Sega Control Attack Team, who have installed a series of cameras and traps to stop the leather-clad fiends (called "Augers") who are out to torture the young women for their blood. On top of that, they'll have to deal with Weird Eddy, the maniacal neighbor who constantly stalks them. It's B-movie horror at its finest, where everything hinges on being as ridiculous as possible. The gameplay consisted of switching between the different security cameras to catch the intruders. If you didn't get there in time, the young women died at the hands of the villains' weapon of choice: a hooked claw that a drill would spring out from.

Its controversy stemmed from the violence in what was believed to be just a children's pastime. The portrayal of women as sexual objects and helpless victims were arguments enough to bring it before the US Senate, alongside Mortal Kombat and Doom, as examples of how video games corrupted youth. The scene shown was the death of a character who, while getting ready for bed in the bathroom (even in a provocative nightgown), was a victim of the Augers. The final nail in the coffin was the involvement of actress Dana Plato, who in the 80s was associated with the family show "Diff'rent Strokes". The game was pulled from stores and helped lead to the creation of the Electronic Software Rating Board (ESRB), a rating system still in use today.

Following this episode, Night Trap was ported to other, less popular consoles, such as the 3DO. Also, since 2014, James Riley, the game's creator, ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to relaunch it on modern platforms and mobile devices. Despite its poor quality, it's definitely an experience worth knowing—beyond the scares, the unintentional humor is in full effect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXkX96asiUM (abre en nueva pestaña)