Gaming and the abject in survival horror
Abstract
In my dissertation ( Li, 2020 ) on abject, gender, and Resident Evil 7 (2017) , I adopted a player-as-analyst approach ( Aarseth, 2003 ; Carr, 2007 ). Through a close reading of the game, I explored how it evoked abjection ( Kristeva, 1982 ) and considered how this shaped my in-game identity. My visceral responses to the game sparked critical reflections on gaming as an affective process. For me, playing survival horror games mirrors growing up into womanhood—navigating complex rules to survive even while suspecting that those rules exist to torment me.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Digital Games and Media
Literary Theory and Cultural Hermeneutics
Gothic Literature and Media Analysis
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 337–339
- Publication date
- 13 March 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter