Southeast Asian horror games unleash local nightmares on the world

While some tropes like zombies are universally scary, others sources of terror require specific cultural knowledge to inspire dread – something Wyn Panichpakdee realised while watching both Thai and international players test his studio’s latest video game.

In Kumarn: The Wandering Spirit, players encounter phi nang rum, menacing dancing spirit dolls from Thai folklore.

Wyn said Thai players instantly recognised the dolls and braced themselves for something horrifying, while foreign players...