I'm not currently aware of any horror-themed MMOs, and it made me wonder why. Think about how immersive and creepy a Silent Hill-esque MMO might be, where perhaps your field of vision is narrowed, with graphics outside of the cone murky and nebulous. Your only real notification that there's an enemy nearby being your trusty radio's static. The feeling of isolation and madness in a world you only dimly comprehend.But maybe that's the problem. A lot of what horror is depends on the singular experience, despite those movies that feature a gaggle of teenagers getting dismantled in various gruesome ways. Like Silent Hill, or Resident Evil, or even Quake to a certain extent, true horror depends on getting under your skin, establishing a rapport with the player one-on-one. This experience can only be diluted by online MMO play, where you have the companionship of other players, even if only peripherally.
Consider also that the main feeling associated with an MMO is that of heroism, of being the One Who Makes a Difference. In horror titles, the prevailing feeling tends more toward survival, or perhaps discovery/enlightenment, where you attempt to solve a mystery. Horror requires a resolution, and it typically cannot be replayed -- once you've seen the monster under the sheet, it no longer holds dread for you. I guess we can write this genre off, then. What's next, the Western? Hmm ... lemme think about it.
