Halloween is just around the corner. Seeing as many of us are in the mood for good horror media (movies, books, TV, etc.), it’s the perfect time for me to recommend some horror games.
Horror is one of the most diverse genres of games and one that’s always had a viral appeal, from the bizarre multiple endings of “Silent Hill 2” to the novel gameplay and lore of internet sensation “Five Nights at Freddy’s”. Because of this, it’s a bit of a challenge to narrow down the best horror games into a short list of recommendations.
In this list, variety is the priority. Whether these games are scary or not is subjective, but they all offer something unique in terms of horror games.
Resident Evil 7
Out of all mediums, I strongly believe video games are the best for horror because of how immersive they are. It’s hard for even the best horror movies to scare me, but even the cheapest scares can get me anxious when in video game form. Few games exemplify this better than “Resident Evil 7”.
While the Resident Evil franchise has been a staple of horror gaming, “Resident Evil 7” was the first in the series to place gamers in the shoes of an Average Joe rather than a specially trained cop or soldier. The result is a game that feels like an interactive horror movie combining the style of viral horror games like “Amnesia” with the survival horror mechanics the series is known for.
More avid horror fans might recognize how the game’s main villains (the Baker family) pay homage to classic horror icons. “The Shining”, “Saw”, “The Exorcist”, Sam Raimi’s films, and “The Ring” are all major influences on the game’s visuals and story.
With its fantastic graphics, great sound design, and hectic gameplay, “Resident Evil 7” is one of the best horror game experiences in recent memory. For those who aren’t too keen on playing the previous six games, “Resident Evil 7” works perfectly well as a standalone game and requires barely any knowledge of the franchise to understand its story.
Resident Evil 7 is available on Steam (https://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/418370/), Playstation 4, and Xbox One.
Omori
I’ve written more in-depth on “Omori” in a previous article, but while I praised its art and story, I neglected to mention how effective it is as a psychological horror game. Despite its bright color palette and cute artstyle, “Omori” is a through-and-through horror game.
“Omori’s” greatest strength as a horror game is how it lulls players into a false sense of serenity. The cute creatures, the party banter, and the goofy powerups only serve to make the monsters hiding in the corner of the screen even more disturbing.
The game uses vastly different art styles in its horror segments, giving an element of unpredictability to each scare. The game’s atmosphere and visuals in horror segments almost feel Lynch-inspired.
Like films such as “Eraserhead”, “Omori” blurs the line between nightmare and reality. Dream segments and real life segments seem to transition into each other without warning. Everyday, mundane objects become monsters, and the few subtle jumpscares the game has are often hidden in plain sight.
Whether you’re looking for story or horror, “Omori” is an indie gem that I highly recommend. While not the best in terms of gameplay, the art, the music, and the story all combine to make a great horror experience.
Omori is available on Steam (https://store.steampowered.com/app/1150690/OMORI/).
F.E.A.R.
While the early 2000s were marked by iconic shooters like “Halo” and “Half-Life 2”, many overlooked one of the best games of the decade: “F.E.A.R.”
While it’s debatable whether such an action-heavy game can be described as “scary”, few games have managed to blend horror and action as well as “F.E.A.R.” The game’s horror atmosphere and top-notch gunplay all make for an incredibly tense experience.
Despite using an older engine, “F.E.A.R.”’s dynamic lighting and particle effects are what really make the experience. The flickering lights, the obscuring smoke, and the dim lights, all make for a great recreation of the horror movie experience.
Other than its visual presentation (which holds up incredibly well considering the fact that it was released 16 years ago), “F.E.A.R.” also stands out with its simple but effective use of artificial intelligence. While “F.E.A.R.” may not have the enemy variety of a game like “Half-Life”, it more than makes up for this in how varied the enemy tactics are.
If you stand near a fire hydrant, they’ll shoot it so that the explosion will kill you. If you try to hide behind cover, they’ll lob a grenade to flush you out. The game constantly gives players a feeling of being hunted.
“F.E.A.R.” is a rare type of game that will delight horror and action fans alike. It’s a truly unique experience elevated by its gameplay, atmosphere, and storytelling. It’s one of the many examples that shows what made the 2000s a great decade for gaming.
F.E.A.R. is available on Steam (https://store.steampowered.com/app/21090/FEAR/) and GOG (https://www.gog.com/game/fear_platinum).