Summary
More and more people have started respecting thehorror genre, considering it to be more than just a jumpscare fest meant to shock the player. Games that understand what this genre is all about use a claustrophobic atmosphere, unnerving visuals, and a nerve-wracking story to ensure that players are locked in for a creepy ride that slowly builds up to a mind-blowing crescendo.
The besthorrorgames make the most of their genre and push it to new heights. Some of these games are so influential that they’ve either birthed whole new sub-genres, started trends, or are copied to the moon and back. These titles deserve to be played by horror aficionados who want to experience the genre’s early days and bear witness to the terror that helped shape modern horror games.
It’s easy to labelAmnesia: The Dark Descentas a game meant to bait people into jumpscares, but there’s more to this popular horror game than meets the eye. While the Let’s Play boom courtesy of this title did make many people feel this way, the truth is that the firstAmnesiagame is one of the scariest video games of all time, and features an amazing story, memorable monster design, and gameplay that channels the appeal of immersive sims.
Theunnerving nature of the monstersthat stalk the halls of Brennenburg makes every step that Daniel takes as harrowing as they come. As he tries to regain his memory, the protagonist unveils some of the most mind-blowing revelations that help the story ofThe Dark Descentstand out as one of the best tales in horror gaming. As a cherry on top of this experience, the amazing modding support for this title ensures that players can check out several fan-made campaigns to clock in more hours with ease.
Silent Hillwas a great game that turned the limitations of the PlayStation’s draw distance into its strength, but it was not until the sequel that the series finally hit its stride.Silent Hill 2starts with James Sunderland journeying to the town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife, only for this mysterious location to trap the protagonist as he’s forced to confront numerous twisted monsters in a bid to figure out the truth behind the letter’s origin.
What follows is one of the greatest narratives ever told in a video game that shows how a well-told narrative can elevate the horror of a title to new heights. It’s impressive that a game featuring bloodthirsty nurses and Pyramid Head reserves its scariest moment for the end of the tale ina legendary plot twistthat is unforgettable for many fans.
An immersive sim that features immense replayability and some excellent gameplay,System Shock 2is hailed by many as one of the best survival horror games of all time. The RPG elements help elevate this title to new heights, with the player starting out as weak as they come before slowly coming into their own as a protagonist competent enough to take out the many enemies standing in their way. From hallways that spawn numerous soldiers to warehouses full of aggressive machines, the horror of this game never lets up.
SHODAN helps this game stand out in the eyes of many, with this nightmarish antagonist earning her moniker of being one of the scariest gaming villains of all time. Going against this rogue AI is easier said than done, butplayers who find powerful equipmentand ensure that their build is tailor-made to tackle the game’s many challenges will findSystem Shock 2’s influential design to be worth checking out.
Survival horror is a genre that many fans are familiar with, but itwasn’t untilResident Evilthat this gameplay design became well and truly mainstream. Resources in this game were scarce, and the simple act of taking down a zombie was way harder than most players expected. All of this combines in a delectable package that proves time and time again whyResident Evilis hailed by many as one of the greatest horror games of all time.
The tank controls may take a while to get used to for new players, but the inherent clunkiness of the character that players control lends to the stress of moments when they are being chased by zombies and other such enemies. The series has taken over the mainstream once again with its remakes and new entries, but there’s something about the first game that is magical for players who are willing to look past its many dated aspects.
Slender: The Eight Pagesis one of the scariest video games of all time, kickstarting a trend of numerous horror titles trying to capture the same lightning in a bottle this game did when it came out. The gameplay loop is as simple as they come: Players must explore a dark, brooding forest and find eight pages whilebeing hounded by the Slenderman. The difficulty ramps up as players explore every corner of the map and find the pages, to the point where this nightmarish figure rears its faceless head every single time players turn a corner.
While it didn’t invent the feeling of helplessness in horror games (that title may belong toAmnesia),Slenderdid wonders for the genre while simultaneously giving it a bad rap. Players who look past these unfair stereotypes of the horror genre imposed by this title will come to understand the importance ofSlender: The Eight Pagesin the realm of horror gaming.
