When you're talking about fear in games then it's easy to get focused on specific topics, such as survival horror, but to do so is to ignore the wider context that fear has. If you're going to examine the topic properly then it isn't just a conversation about the fear we uncover within games, but also the fears we bring to the games we play. That's something games journalist and arachnaphobe Richard Cobbett know all about.

In this week's episode Richard talks about why spiders are used as default enemies in some genres, the methods he uses to overcome come his fear and why spiders are scary in some games but not others.

Unlimited Hyperbole is a weekly podcast about videogames and the stories we tell about them. The show is divided into seasons of five episodes, each with a topic that’s used as a prompt when interviewing special guests. This season we’re talking about “Fear Itself” – but for more information about the podcast or to download bonus materials, check http://joemartinwords.com/2012/07/16/unlimited-hyperbole-7/