Summary
Horror gamesare not for everyone, but even then, there are sometitles that players who aren’t into the genre can tryto see if they fall in love with it. Titles in this genre are usually spine-chilling and keep players in a constant state of stress that is both enjoyable and frightening.
Although the horror genre in video games was already quite popular at the beginning of the 2000s, there weresome games that took big risksduring that time, and they luckily paid off. One of the most important parts of a horror game is its setting, as having one that’s not properly crafted can make the experience less than interesting. Here are somehorror games with the most eerie environments.
Horror games set around journalists who go exploring an abandoned location only to have things go awry are nothing new. However,Outlastmanaged to take this existing concept and give it a very interesting spin that made it a really great game.
The game focuses on journalist Miles Upshur, who goes to investigate the darkest depths of Mount Massive Asylum. There, players will encounter various characters that willchill them to the boneand chase them throughout the psychiatric facility’s halls, making for a stressful and adrenaline-rushing experience.
One of the most popular aspects of horror games is isolation. It’s much easier to present players with a story that will chill them to the bone if they find themselves in a location where there is no form of human contact or anyone to talk to.
This is exactly whatSOMAdoes, as it puts players in the shoes of Simon Jarrett, as he explores an underwater research facility filled with many dangers. Players will be chased on more than one occasion by nightmarish creatures, making for a great experience.
Amnesia: The Dark Descentfollows the story of Daniel, a man who must explore the darkest corners of an eerie location known as Castle Brenennburg. The castle is, in and of itself, quite eerie, with many mysterious corridors, damp locations, and lonely rooms that can easily be the home of unforgiving ghosts and ghouls.
This game also features various puzzles which can be very difficult to solve while being stressed out by the many horrors haunting the castle. All in all,Amnesia: The Dark Descentis one of the greatest horror games of the last 20 years.
The story ofSilent Hill 2begins with protagonist James Sunderland getting a mysterious letter from his deceased wife telling him to go to Silent Hill, a town in Maine that held special significance for them. However, when James gets to Silent Hill, he quickly realizes that the town isn’t what it used to be and is now covered in a thick layer of fog.
The desolate town of Silent Hill is a really eerie environment that helps make the game terrifying and provides players with a spine-chilling experience that few other titles possess. This, along with someimpactful quotes from the remake, makesSilent Hill 2an outstanding game.
Bloodborneis set in Yharnam, a city that’s been struck by a deadly plague that slowly but surely, turns its inhabitants into hideous monsters. Not only is this title terrifying and full of various nightmarish creatures, but being a FromSoftware game, it also presents players with a ton of challenges that will put their skills and reflexes to the test at every turn.
Luckily, there aremany Strength weaponsthat players can take advantage of to defeat the enemies that they encounter along the way and gain an advantage over them.
Resident Evil 4is a timeless classic and, according to many players, one of the best (if not the best) installment in the franchise. The game is set in an isolated Spanish town that’s been struck by a mysterious parasite called Las Plagas, which has turned its inhabitants hostile and murderous.
The game not only has some very interesting combat mechanics and terrifying enemies, but it also comes with a constant sense of urgency that will keep players stressed out and engaged at the same time. Throughout the story, players can take advantage of thevarious upgrades availableto them to make progression simpler.
Lastly, there’sDead Space, a game that not only had players on the edge of their seats, but also revolutionized the concept of deep-space horror. Focusing on Isaac Clarke, an engineer who’s stranded on an isolated massive spaceship called the USG Ishimura,Dead Spaceintroduces players tosome of the creepiest enemies in horror, the Necromorphs.
Few things can match the feeling of horror that players probably experienced while walking along the spaceship, only to have a dead body come back to life and attack them. This, along with thegreat weapons available in the 2023 remake, makeDead Spacean all-around masterpiece.
