Oh the year 2000. So much promise, so much innocence. The world had just survived Y2K and the term 9/11 was innocuous, a number to call when a first response team was needed. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars were a few years away and Hurricane Katrina and FEMA were then terms unknown. With so little real life horror on stage, what was the state of horror one decade ago? Curious, I revisited some decade-old horror to get a feel for the spirit of the times.

In the past couple of weeks I have delved into a decade-old computer game some of you may have heard of, a little gem called Diablo II. And what a great title it is. Although the graphics appear dated and some players may not like the isometric layout that characterizes the franchise, the game nonetheless warrants a closer look as it has one of the most important characteristics going for it: a great story. So if you have yet to try the game, dont let the fact that it is ten years old discourage you. It is still very playable. There is also a lot more depth to this game than meets the eye. It is borderline addictive and has an interactive component, basically enabling the game to take on a life of its own.

A true test of the games merit, a decade later Diablo II is still a popular seller and widely available at all gaming stores. And even though Diablo II was cutting edge stuff in 2000 as a game, it also gave the horror genre a nice boost. Players were able to participate in the creation of a world in which the horror was taking place, and that was a new and exciting frontier. Recently Diablo II celebrated its 10th anniversary, with a lot of press coverage and fanfare. It is safe to say that this title is as popular today as when it was first introduced.
 
Changing mediums now, I've also recently re-read an unfinished Stephen King story called The Plant. This was an experimental title King offered in serialized format on his website back in 2000. Readers were given the option to pay for it, or not, and the catch was that if the rate of people who paid went below 75 percent King would discontinue the project. Unfortunately the pay-to-download ratio fell below 75 percent and the story was never finished. The story is good, what story there is, and warrants a revisit by King. Getting that sense of closure would be great for fans of the story.

Interestingly, one of the biggest horror movies in 2000 wasnt even true horror at all. Im talking about Scary Movie 3. I know ... groan. Spoofs are fun and all, but by looking at this film and some of the other titles that came out in various media outlets in 2000, it would appear that horror was sort of in a slump.

I cant help but feel there was an air of innocence, almost a sense of naïvety in the horror of a decade ago. I would venture that it was too positive, almost uplifting even. Perhaps this is a side effect of starting a new millennium -- one of endless possibility. And back then we had every right to be. This is a time before we saw the World Trade Center collapse, before we were subjected to beheadings broadcast live on TV -- for your viewing pleasure no doubt -- brought to you by your favorite corporate sponsors. This was before Katrina, before the gulf oil spill, before a whole lot of other nasty stuff that is defining our zeitgeist here and now.

It would seem that horror since 2000 has become more raw, invasive and gruesome. It is a testament of the times in which we live.

Editor: "Through the Past Darkly" is a biweekly column published Tuesdays.