Item
Flares
A utility item used for illumination, distraction, or defense across various action and survival horror video games.
Action
About
In the sci-fi shooter Tunnel B1, flares are deployed to light up dark underground tunnels. In Army Men Air Attack, they function as defensive countermeasures to divert enemy homing missiles, while in survival horror titles like The Suffering and The Thing, they are vital tools for illuminating pitch-black environments and warding off enemies.
In Tunnel B1, these expendable items are managed as part of the hovercraft's limited utility payload, requiring players to balance tactical illumination against offensive weaponry in high-speed subterranean corridors. The mechanic evolved in Army Men Air Attack, where the plastic helicopter's flare supply serves as a finite, reaction-based defensive system activated during heavy anti-air engagements.
Within the survival horror genre, the item transitioned from a tactical tool to a core survival mechanic. In The Suffering, players can manually throw or drop flares to create dynamic, temporary safe zones, exploiting the game's real-time stencil shadowing to keep track of fast-moving supernatural threats. Similarly, The Thing integrates flares into its squad-management and fear systems. Dropping a flare not only exposes hidden alien anomalies in the Antarctic gloom but also helps stabilize the panic levels of NPC squad mates who refuse to enter unlit areas. Across these diverse franchises, the item represents a crucial bridge between environmental navigation and active combat survival.
Connections
Explore
Tap a bar to narrow the games below. Tap to switch to that page.
Platforms (1)
By decade (1)
Genres (1)
Developers (3)
Publishers (2)
Settings (2)
Mechanics (1)
Perspectives (1)
Characters (9)
Games featuring Flares (2)
Include special editions
.png)
.png)
