Summary
The Americas and Asia have historically dominated the gaming industry, developing and distributing some of the biggest games and consoles in the world. As such, it is no surprise that many of these games are also set in their respective countries. Despite their influence over the field, other continents have proved equally popular settings and produced just as talented developers.
European countries offer a number of reasons as to why they are perfect backdrops for horror games, including their dark histories, rich folklore, and variety of landscapes. Drawing inspiration from wars, mythology, traditions, and socio-economic climates, these are some of thebest horror games set in Europe.
InSaturnalia,the player controls four charactersas they try to navigate the Italian town of Sardinia. The goal? Escape. The catch? The town has a dark history that is trying to catch up with the characters. How much of the story the player uncovers is up to them and the extent to which they explore.
Stalked by masked figures and a formidable beast, escaping the procedurally generated labyrinthine town makes each playthrough just as challenging as the last. Thanks to its unique art style and dark unraveling lore,Saturnaliais a memorable horror game.
Mundaunfollows Curdin’s attempts to reach thetop of a mountain in the Alpsto find out what happened to his recently deceased grandfather, despite warnings not to from the priest. The further the player gets, the more sinister secrets they will uncover.
Despite being a slower paced game, the pencil-drawn visuals successfully recreate the uncomfortable vibe of folk-horror. This, alongside the puzzle elements and mystery, makesMundaunworth a play for any fans of the occult.
Plague narratives are not a rarity in horror as a genre saturated with zombies. However,Pathologic 2steps away from the mutated monsters with a more realistic portrayal of a contagious disease. The protagonist, Artemy, is a surgeon tasked with saving the Town from the “Sand Pest” in an interesting mix of modern science and ancient tradition.
In addition to managing their health, the way players choose to tackle objectives can also impact the Town’s districts, determining which will (or won’t) get infected, as well as the player’s own reputation. While there is combat, the main challenge is surviving, making the horror elements ofPathologic 2all the more real.
Long-time gamers might correctly recognizeCry of Fearas stylistically similar to the 1998 gameHalf-Life.The title began as a mod, but was released as its own entity after four years of development. It has since become a staple inthe psychological-slash-FPS horror game hall of fame.
Cry of Fearfollows Simon through a twisted nightmare version of a city in Sweden, encountering a range of disturbing antagonists that reveal dark truths about both the protagonist and the world he has been thrust into. There are five possible endings, determined by the player’s decisions.
The “Year Walk” is an old Swedish tradition, during which participants walk a long distance with no resources and avoid supernatural encounters in order to foresee the following year.Year Walkwas originally a mobile game, but has since been made available on Windows and the Wii U.
The player’s goal is to partake in the Year Walk to a church, despite warnings about the many dangers from their partner. As events gradually unfold throughpoint-and-click style gameplay, this seemingly beautiful adventure game becomes a foreboding, haunting tale.
TheS.T.A.L.K.E.R.series began withShadow of Chornobyl,drawing inspiration from the real-life1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine. The game is set in “the Zone”, where nuclear radiation has resulted in dangerous natural phenomena.
The player controls the “Marked One,” suffering from memory loss, with one task: “kill Strelok.“Shadow of Chornobylis a lot darker than the followingS.T.A.L.K.E.R.games, plunging players into a radioactive world full of strange new mutants and unknown anomalies for a terrifying experience.
Metro 2033is a horror FPS set in Moscow’s underground metro system, 20 years on from a devastating nuclear war. The surface is fatally irradiated and home to hostile mutated creatures, while the remaining survivors are split between Nazis and Stalinists. The player, as Artyom, must brave the outside and internal dangers to save humankind.
The horror inMetro 2033is delivered through combat, stealth, and exploration, with the player encountering terrifying threats in an atmospheric dystopian landscape.
Amnesia: The Bunkeris the fifth game (by release date) in theAmnesiafranchise,set during WW1. Awakening after being knocked out in No Man’s Land to find himself in a sealed-off bunker, Henri, a French soldier, must explore deeper to find a way to escape.
The player gradually uncovers the true history of the bunker in an increasingly awful series of events.The Bunkerdoesn’t only dive into supernatural horror, but also touches on the horrors of real life conflict. There are two endings for players to find.
Resident Evilis one of the most successful franchises in the world of horror gaming, often credited with inventing the survival horror genre.Resident Evil 4is one of many entries that has received a remake, taking place in rural Spain.
The player once again takes control of Leon Kennedy on a mission to rescue the US President’s daughter from a parasite-infested cult. Although slightly tonally different from the previousResident Evilgames, this entry offers new scares, puzzles, and environments to explore without compromising the combat and survival mechanics that players have come to love and expect.
Bramble: The Mountain Kingmight not be the scariest horror game of all time, but it is still full of fear-inducing moments.Based on Nordic folklore, it is packed with larger-than-life, grotesque creatures, and moments that will frighten even the bravest megalophobes.
The player controls a young boy, Olle, on a mission to find his missing sister.Bramble: The Mountain Kingis hugely cinematic, from its visually stunning locations to epic soundtrack, great for horror fans who prefer aesthetic games likeLittle Nightmares.
