After demonstrating how to make a video game horror work with Livescream, writer/director Michelle Iannantuono is back with its sequel, Livescreamers. The film once more places players at the mercy of a maniacal video game, but as with any good horror sequel, the ante and fear factor are elevated considerably.
Livescream was a live-streamed screen-life found footage film that followed popular gamer Scott as he settled in for his weekly episode of Saturday Scare. Having stumbled across a new game called Livescream, he committed to playing it, but quickly discovered that with each life lost, one of his audience members perished. Although great, Livescream struggled slightly by just having Scott on screen. This time around, Iannantuono has changed things up and places a network of gamers at the mercy of another devilish game.
The group in question are Janus Gaming, a relatively popular gaming channel. Composed of a mixture of gender identities, sexual preferences and relationship statuses, there is a character for everyone to get behind. As they settle in to record their latest episode – a playthrough of new horror game ‘House of Souls’ – they are joined by a competition winner and super fan. However, this game is not the standard genre fair; with each bad in-game decision, a blood sacrifice is taken. As the numbers of players dwindle, can the group work together to survive?
The issue with Livescream was with the video game itself. Each time protagonist Scott lost a life, he respawned inside a completely different style of game. Whilst this move demonstrated that Iannantuono knew the varying shades of horror games, it became frustrating to understand its logic. This time, that element has changed. The game, ‘House of Souls’ is more cohesive and presents an effective parody of games in the ilk of Until Dawn, and others in the Dark Pictures anthology. By honing in on one type of game, Iannantuono can focus on the characters, using them as a way to progress the story instead of ‘levelling’ up the game itself.
Another deviation is that rather than losing a faceless stranger each time something goes wrong in the game, one of the Janus gaming crew perishes. As the team are all playing together from the same location, the audience gets to see the bloodshed, and the characters’ real-time reactions to it. This enables the stakes to be raised each time and leaves the audience to grow concerned about the fate of their favourite character. The varied cast of characters also ensures a richer narrative, covering much wider topics. Iannantuono uses her group to acknowledge and explore several of the darker elements of video game vloggers. From fan harassment and attachment, to abuse of status and turning to underhand tricks to stay relevant, Livescreamers expertly traverses these timely topics. This inclusion raises the cast higher than the standard trope characters.
The game is once more a formidable foe, and for those looking for connective tissue to Livescream, it is there. That pesky siren is back, but is more patient, allowing fractures in the group dynamic to crack before moving in for the kill. Its decision not to strike immediately helps generate tension and enables the game aesthetics to provide a suitably sinister atmosphere. As with Livescream, the work on the video game is very impressive. Granted, Livescream showcased the designer’s ability more with all the different types of game, but here the attention to detail is meticulous. This looks and feels like a game that could easily go to market, and although clearly not quite the point of Livescreamers, hardcore gamers will likely be itching to play ‘House of Souls.’
Screen-life movies can be tricky to get right, but in Livescreamers Iannantuono has managed to build on the already strong foundations of Livescream to create something really special. Video game horrors are even harder to get right than screen-life ones, and that Iannantuono has managed to make two compelling versions is nothing short of miraculous. Those that have long championed the likes of Stay Alive finally have a video game horror of critical merit that they can use to argue that this subgenre of horror is worth investing in. Given the simple format of the Livescream films, the possibilities for sequels and spin-offs are infinite, and at least one more movie would round out the series nicely.
Livescreamers
Summary
A film for screen-life, found-footage, video game and horror fans, Iannantuono’s Livescreamers is a thoroughly modern genre movie that ticks a lot of boxes.
Livescreamers was reviewed at Panic Fest 2024.
