More and more people have started respecting the horror 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.
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The best horror games 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.
5 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Combines Horror Gameplay With Immersive Sim Elements
It’s easy to label Amnesia: The Dark Descent as 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 first Amnesia game 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.
The unnerving nature of the monsters that 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 of The Dark Descent stand 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.
4 Silent Hill 2
A Legendary Psychological Horror Game That Feels Constantly Claustrophobic
Silent Hill was 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 2 starts 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 in a legendary plot twist that is unforgettable for many fans.
3 System Shock 2
One Of The Most Immersive Horror Games Of All Time
An immersive sim that features immense replayability and some excellent gameplay, System Shock 2 is 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, but players who find powerful equipment and ensure that their build is tailor-made to tackle the game’s many challenges will find System Shock 2‘s influential design to be worth checking out.
2 Resident Evil
Propelled The Survival Horror Genre Into The Mainstream
Survival horror is a genre that many fans are familiar with, but it wasn’t until Resident Evil that 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 why Resident Evil is 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.
1 Slender: The Eight Pages
Kickstarted The Trend Of Jumpscare Horror Games
Slender: The Eight Pages is 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 while being 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.
The game single-handedly started a trend of horror games where players have no means to defend themselves while being chased by mysterious creatures. It did wonders for the genre while simultaneously giving it a bad rap, but players who look past these unfair stereotypes of the horror genre imposed by this title will come to understand the importance of Slender: The Eight Pages in the realm of horror gaming.
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The horror genre has produced plenty of great games, some of which went on to create fantastic DLC and expansions.