Horror games have been around almost as long as video games, with early titles dating all the way back to the 1980s. Over the years we have seen many successful horror franchises, including the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. And with Halloween right around the corner, now seems like a perfect time to take a look back at some of the shining examples of the genre. Here are the top 10 best horror games of all time.
10. Condemned: Criminal Origins
Although not a traditional horror game, Condemned certainly falls into the category. Released in 2006, Condemned sees Agent Thomas investigate a growing number of serial killers, with the player investigating crime scenes and collecting evidence, as well as eliminating your fair share of the criminal underworld. It is an incredibly underrated game that can be found cheap on PC or Xbox 360/PS3 and it is certainly worth checking out, despite the gameplay being fairly aged by this point.
9. Dead Space
Think Resident Evil 4 in space and you have Dead Space. Released by EA in 2008, Dead Space has gone on to spawn a successful trilogy, with Dead Space 1 currently being remade and hopefully, we will see it released in 2022.
8. Alien: Isolation
Outlast created a trend in the mid-2010s of the player being chased by an unbeatable enemy. Alien: Isolation took this concept and applied it to perhaps one of the most terrifying creatures in film history, a Xenomorph from the Alien franchise. Players can’t defeat the Xenomorph, leaving the only option of hiding from it and trying to evade it throughout the game. The Xenomorph is terrifying when you can shoot at it, but when you can’t fight it then it becomes even scarier.
7. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Released on the GameCube, Eternal Darkness was a stark contrast to the family-friendly titles that we were used to seeing on Nintendo consoles. The GameCube became quite an adult-focused console, which was likely done to compete against the PS2, which had titles such as GTA on the system. The game is a psychological horror game, with the character slowly losing their mind throughout playing the game, it is a lot of fun.
6. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Like Eternal Darkness, Amnesia is more of a psychological horror game than relying on jump scares and scary monsters. Releasing in 2010, Amnesia became an instant hit with fans, with the game currently sitting at 95% positive reviews on Steam. Amnesia is all about immersion, discovery, and living through the nightmare, enemies won’t chase you, there isn’t a threat of danger, but this game will chill you to the core.
5. System Shock 2
System Shock 2 is an FPS action RPG but also has many horror elements so it deserves a spot on this list. Released in 1999, the game won many Game Of The Year awards from numerous publications and outlets and has kept a sizeable fanbase today. Sadly, System Shock 2 would be the last in the series, with no new title being released for over 20 years. But, fans were able to rejoice when it was announced that System Shock 3 is now in development, although so far there have been no details regarding its potential release date.
4. The Last of Us Part II
Although not often seen as a traditional horror game, it certainly falls into the genre. Following on from the hugely popular The Last Of Us that was released in 2013, The Last Of Us 2 has often been described as one of the greatest games ever developed, with Ellie and Abbey trying to survive a post-apocalyptic United States. Despite the game being review bombed due to the representation of a transgender character, the game received widespread critical acclaim, with the title now holding the record for the most Game Of The Year awards.
3. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
The Fatal Frame series is one of the scariest horror series of all time, with it being one of the few titles that can be described as genuinely scary. Due to the first entry being considered too scary, many players never finished the game, which led to Tecmo making the sequel more story driven to encourage players to stick with the game and finish it.
2. Resident Evil 2 Remake
After over 15 years of fans begging Capcom, the Resident Evil 2 Remake was finally released in 2019, bringing the iconic survival horror title into the modern age with some of the best graphics and atmosphere found in any horror title, this game is scary. The hallways of the RPD are very claustrophobic with threats around every corner, and Mr X is one of the most anxiety inducing enemies in video gaming, with him constantly stalking you throughout much of the game. Resident Evil 2 is perhaps the best remake of all time. The game has sold over 8 million copies and scored an impressive 93% on Metacritic. Whether you’re a fan of the series or not, this is a game you need to play.
1. Silent Hill 2
Although Resident Evil may have more better games overall, when Silent Hill was good it was incredible, and Silent Hill 2 is a shining example of that. Released in 2001, Silent Hill 2 is perhaps the perfect survival horror game, with many psychological elements included in the game. Silent Hill 2 received worldwide critical acclaim, selling over 1 million copies in the first month of its release.
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