Best Horror Video Games

Our individual preferences for gaming entertainment vary. While some enjoy open-world or combat games, others prefer sports or racing video games. For some, gaming extends to sports wagering, including online cricket betting, football, basketball, etc. However, horror-themed games stand out for their ability to evoke intense emotions and chilling experiences that no other genre can replicate.

Regular gamers may find horror games unsettling due to their suspenseful music, eerie environments, and terrifying situations. However, horror gaming enthusiasts enjoy the adrenaline rush, spine-tingling shivers, and the immersive storytelling these games offer.

Whether you’re a seasoned gorehound or a gamer eager to delve into the genre, this article explores the top 5 best horror games you should try immediately.

Alan Wake 2

• Developer: Remedy Entertainment
• Publisher: Epic Games Publishing
• Engine: Northlight Engine
• Platform: PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S
• Genre: Survival horror
• Mode: Single-player

Alan Wake 2 was released as a sequel to the popular 2010 action-adventure game Alan Wake. However, unlike its predecessor’s action-adventure style, Alan Wake 2 is a third-person survival horror game. 

The game follows the story of Alan Wake and FBI agent Saga Anderson as they navigate eerie environments and confront formidable enemies. Players can play as either character, each with its own unique roles and features.

The game features appealing visuals, such as shadowy forests and eerie urban landscapes, that contribute to its allure and immerse players in the horror atmosphere. The stellar voice acting, cinematic presentation, and haunting musicals further heighten tension while enhancing the overall experience.

Resident Evil 4

• Developer: Capcom Production Studio
• Publisher: Capcom Windows JP: Capcom NA/PAL: Ubisoft Oculus Quest 2 WW: Oculus Studios.
• Platform: GameCube, PlayStation 2, Windows, Wii, iOS, Zeebo, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Oculus Quest 2
• Genre: Survival horror, third-person shooter
• Mode: Single-player

Resident Evil 4 is a survival horror game released as part of the Resident Evil franchise. Unlike earlier games in the franchise series, players control protagonist Leon S. Kennedy from a third-person perspective. This version also gives players more shooting options, improving the conventional straight, up, or down shots in the previous series. 

In the game, special agent Leon S. Kennedy is tasked with rescuing the US president’s daughter, Ashley Graham. The character battles violent villager zombies called Los Ganados, who are infected by a mind-controlling parasite. Unlike traditional zombies in other game series, these zombies are more agile, can use weapons like chainsaws and projectiles, and work in a coordinated group. 

Since its release, the game has been showered with acclaim for its captivating story, great gameplay, graphics, voice acting, and characters. It won multiple Game of the Year awards in 2005, and It’s considered one of the best video games ever made.

Bloodborne

• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
• Developer: FromSoftware
• Platform: PlayStation 4
• Genre: Action role-playing
• Mode: Single-player, Multiplayer

Bloodborne is a 2015 third-person perspective action role-playing game. Set in the Gothic, Victorian-era-inspired city of Yharnam, players control a Hunter exploring a city plagued by a bloodborne disease that transforms people into beasts. As the Hunter, players attempt to find the source of the plague while fighting beasts and cosmic beings. 

To make things more exciting, the game features a multiplayer mode where players can call on others to help tackle enemies and bosses cooperatively. However, this also opens them up to potential invasions by other players seeking to defeat them. Players can also summon non-playable characters to serve as AI companions and aid them in battles. 

Amnesia: The Bunker

• Developer: Frictional Games
• Publisher: Frictional Games
• Platform: PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
• Genre: Survival horror
• Mode: Single-player

Amnesia: The Bunker is the fourth installment in the Amnesia series. And like its predecessor, it is a first-person survival horror video game. Players follow the story of Henri Clément, a French World War I soldier stuck in a bunker with a monster. 

To survive, players must manage the bunker’s power and randomly gather resources and ammo throughout the map. Available weapons include a revolver, shotgun, grenades, and flares to fight enemies, but ammo is limited. The ever-present threat of the beast in the dark makes for a constant nightmare for players, making this title one of the scariest on our list.

The game also includes an immersive sim feature, so the in-game environment reacts to player actions. For example, players can use gasoline to create temporary light sources and scare off the monster. Safe rooms are available for players to store items and save progress.

Until Dawn

• Developer: Supermassive Games
• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
• Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
• Genre: Survival horror, Interactive drama
• Mode: Single-player

Until Dawn is a narrative survival horror game in which players primarily assume control of eight young adults trying to survive a mysterious killer until dawn on Blackwood Mountain. The game has a butterfly effect system, where players’ decisions can alter the story, making it more scary. Also, the strict auto-save system prevents players from reloading saved files to undo choices, and the only options are to restart the game or start a new one after completing it.

Decisions can vary from small actions to moral dilemmas. Some decisions are time-sensitive and can unlock new events with unexpected outcomes. These choices affect the story’s tone and character fates. Depending on player decisions, all characters can either survive or die. Deaths are permanent in the game, which means the story adapts to changes and progresses without the deceased characters.

Conclusion

Horror video games have a unique ability to immerse players in a world of fear, scares, and suspense, offering an experience unlike any other form of entertainment. The games mentioned above are just a few examples of the best the genre has to offer. Each delivers terrifying and chilling experiences that will stay with players long after they’ve put down the controller. Hence, they are a must-watch for any horror game enthusiast.

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