Howdy Folks!

A lot of people think you need complex scripts or custom assets to make a Roblox game scary, but honestly, it all starts with the lighting. A good lighting setup can make even a simple map feel terrifying.

Here are three simple tricks you can use in the Lighting service in Roblox Studio to instantly give your game a spooky vibe.

1. SWITCH TO FUTURE LIGHTING

This is the most important step. Go to Lighting > Properties and change Technology to Future. This lighting engine allows for incredible dynamic shadows. When a player walks past a light source with their flashlight, their shadow will stretch and move realistically against the walls. It’s perfect for creating that "something is behind me" feeling.

2. USE THE ATMOSPHERE OBJECT

Don't just make your skybox black! Add an Atmosphere object inside of the Lighting service. This allows you to add realistic fog and haze. By increasing the Density property, you can limit how far players can see, which is a classic horror technique. A little bit of colored Haze (like a dark red or blue) can also make the environment feel unsettling and unnatural.

3. ADD COLOR CORRECTION

An often-overlooked effect is ColorCorrection. You can add this object inside of Lighting to subtly change the mood of your entire game. For a horror vibe, slightly increase the Contrast and Saturation to make the darks darker and the colors (especially reds) pop. Then, you can use the TintColor property to wash the entire world in a single, eerie color, like a sickly green or a cold blue, to make everything feel off.

Give these tricks a try in your own projects. You'll be surprised how much of a difference good lighting can make!