#they feel like creepypasta & imo the first game in the set is very much worth playing

[familiaralien]

Decided for this Halloween season to make a TOP 10 HORROR GAMES TO PLAY list to share with all of you.

This isn’t a list of the “best” games but more so games that left a lasting impact on me. They won’t be numbered because I kinda go back and forth on which one I feel deserves the most recommendation of the bunch. So yeah that said let’s get going!

Soma

Developed by the same folks that brought us Amnesia the Dark Descent this game chooses not to play into more primal fears and instead is an intense journey of existential horror. Its not a game that will scare you silly but will make you think deeply about what makes you human and the preservation of self through digital data.

I would elaborate more on this entry but this is one of those game that definitely should be played blind to best consume all its twists and turns.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location

Hey don’t fucking scroll away this isn’t a troll I promise! Unlike well... every other entry in the series which is pretty mediocre horror Sister Location is legitimately well written and crafted. It tone is somewhere between System Shock 2 and Portal if you’re wondering what to expect. The only bad thing i have to say about the game is it does have 1 unavoidable jumpscare, its otherwise a wonderful bite sized sci fi horror game.

PS: If you’re wondering no you don’t have to play any other FNAF game to understand the plot of this one. Its very self contained like that.

Ib

While there’s way too many RPG maker horror games out there I always felt this one stood out a lot. Its far from the prettiest RPG maker game but its atmosphere is fantastic regardless of the limitation of the software used. You truly feel like you’ve enter a world where art has come to life. Its also a game with a bunch of endings so it has a lot of replayability as well.

PS: This is a free to play game so no investment besides you time is needed to try it out.

Spooky’s House of Jumpscares

Don’t let the silly title fool you this game isn’t just a simple joke game meant to poke fun at horror game trends. While it does seem like that for the first few minutes the game quickly turns into a full on homage to a huge variety of horror media from games to animation to even a creepypasta.

PS: The original version of this game is free to play so its certainly worth your time.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

I’m probably committing some type of sin by putting this on my list instead of P.T. but P.T. is too hard to obtain now due to Komani being arse.

Anyway I’ve spoken about this game before but its worth repeating this is arguably the only good (non P.T.) Silent Hill game produced post Team Silent involvement. The game is the truest psychological horror game ever produced as it LITERALLY evaluates how you behave in the game to determine everything to how NPCs are dress, how conversations go and ultimately how the game will end. The only real downside to the game is the chase scenes which are often more far annoying than scary.

The Count Lucanor

I know some people have biases against games that use more simplistic pixel art but the style works in the favor of the narrative imo so please don’t hold that against it. The Count Lucanor takes a lot of inspiration from fairy tales of ol’ but with gameplay you’d expect from any modern horror games: Ya know lots of hiding, lots of puzzles, lots of moral choices, lots of secrets, multiple endings, being largely defenseless. Though with the latter point its far more justified as your playing as a prepubescent boy.

While the game itself isn’t horribly original in its gameplay its execution gives it a unique almost Disney tone though with a bit more edge.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

I was actually originally not planning to add this entry because I thought everyone had already played this game but apparently a lot of people skipped it? I imagine that may be part of the stigma of the series going downhill for a while but I assure you this is probably the best and most terrifying entry in the series to date!

Taking a lot of inspiration for the first game in the series but changing its perspective to 1st person RE7 is an unnerving experience that will keep you on your toes. I only hope Capcom keeps this trend up in the future.

The Cat Lady

This is “kinda cheating” entry because this game is more a side scrolling adventure game with horror elements but hey the game is listed as “psychological horror” on Wikipedia so I will count it!

The Cat Lady is probably the entry I would consider the most “artsy” if that makes sense. Its plot doesn’t serve to frighten but more to make one think about death, depression and dealing with loss. While many of the line deliveries in the game are stiff and some of the language is dated the game is extremely unique experience I can’t recommend enough.

DreadOut

While there’s crapload of games out starring Japanese horror there’s not so much for other Asian countries. DreadOut fills that niche wonderfully as a sorta Indonesian Fatal Frame as your sole weapon through the game is a camera. That said it stands out as its own thing as it focuses more on exploration (at least in act 1) and has what I would consider a fun sense of humor you don’t often see in games of this nature. Its not a flawless games as for example there are scripted deaths/jumpscares but its ghost designs are very unique and the world is very lush and detailed.

Little Nightmares

This was a huge toss up between this and Inside since both are side scrolling puzzle platformers with a dark atmosphere but in the end I chose this one for its aesthetics alone. Little Nightmares is a legitimately beautiful yet creepy game, it almost reminds of a dark and edgy Miyazaki film which is fitting as Spirited Away seems to have been a big inspiration behind it. While the game is very short its DLC adds just about an entire second game onto it base narrative giving you plenty more time to take in the messed up gluttonous universe of the story. 

Honestly it feels like we got but a mere taste its setting so this is definitely a game I feel desperately needs a followup.

BONUS JOKE ENTRY!: 

Deadly Premonition

This is one of the worst yet most entertaining horror games I’ve experience in my life. When introduced to this game I was given the description of it being basically “The Room” of horror games and in essence that’s pretty accurate. The gameplay is a mess of bad decisions with graphic so bad people often think the game is much older than it is. While the story has moments of actual good writing those moments are sandwiched between long periods or jaw dropping stupidity. Its clear the writers were aiming for a Twin Peaks like gaming experience while... failing spectacularly to understand what made Twin Peaks actually good.

If you’re looking for something that’s equivalent to a corny haunted house attraction this Halloween season this is the game for you.