A 21-Year-Old Piglet Game Goes Viral Among Horror Genre Fans.

A video game dating back to 2003, known as Piglet’s Big Game, has sparked remarkable interest among contemporary gamers, becoming a viral phenomenon. This title, released as a tie-in product with Piglet’s Big Movie on platforms such as PlayStation 2, PC, and GameCube, has been rediscovered by some as a kind of survival horror game.

The viral attention began with a post on X by user Jaxonloid, who was taken aback upon noticing that the soundtrack included music reminiscent of horror games. His astonishment attracted the attention of streamers who typically play horror titles, leading them to compare it to the famous Silent Hill series, especially now that the remake of Silent Hill 2 has been well-received by fans and newcomers alike.

This renewed interest has led to a significant increase in the prices of game copies on resale platforms like eBay, where prices for GameCube and PS2 versions have reached between $140 and over $300. Although not everyone has had the opportunity to play it, analyses suggest there are legitimate reasons for the comparisons to horror games. A well-known YouTube content creator, eurothug4000, described it as “children’s survival horror,” highlighting some peculiar sequences and the unsettling nature of the tools Piglet uses.

One of the strangest aspects of the game is the combat system, where Piglet must acquire and upgrade a set of faces called Brave Faces, some of which might scare younger players. Additionally, the game features a panic system reminiscent of other horror classics like Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, and presents empty spaces that evoke the desolation of Silent Hill, as well as gothic aesthetic areas and puzzles in the style of Resident Evil.

Techniques that were common in horror games of the early 2000s, such as fixed camera angles and captivating sound design, are employed in Piglet’s Big Game, making players feel that fear lurks in every corner. The soundtrack, which has been described as “sincerely terrifying,” helps create a disturbing atmosphere, with sounds that foreshadow the appearance of creatures in the distance.

The musical composition is the work of Philippe Codecco and Guillaume Saurel, who, although they have few credits beyond a few Disney games, managed to give the title a unique character. The French developer Doki Denki Studio, which closed in 2004, was responsible for the game, and according to Pascal Cammisotto, one of the designers, the team's goal was to create a “Resident Evil for kids,” even though they lacked access to the movie script and had to build their own narrative. This story addresses Piglet’s lack of self-confidence and the courage needed to help his friends who find themselves trapped in a nightmare.