Ahh...Real Monsters!
Rather than doing this chronologically, I have broken this series up into multiple categories. These games may also fall into other categories, and some may think a single game feels like something else to them while playing it. Horror has also made a comeback over the last five years. Just looking on SteamDB shows that indie horror titles are at an all-time high; however, there is also an onslaught of utter garbage in every storefront.
I hope to sort these out, as good modern indie horror is hard to come by. It's like sorting through the bargain bin at Wal-Mart. Do you really need to play Hitler: BDSM Bunker or another "creepy" Hentai game only to discover it's complete garbage? While a lot of these games play off of current memes and satirize political issues, they aren't "real" games. For every 10 P.T. clones, there's a single good survival horror out there trying to be something different. For every 20 Five Nights at Freddy's or Poppy Playtime clones there's a hidden gem of a text adventure buried under the heaping steaming pile of crap.
My reading of "From Ants to Zombies" by Alexander Chatziioannou inspired this entire idea. It completely transformed my viewpoint and understanding of horror games. What I won't include are obvious AAA titles from the Resident Evil series or games like P.T. We all know them; everyone has played one of these, and you already know if you love them or hate them. I won't incorporate any Early Access games or titles released before 2014, unless they belong to a series that has seen a release within the past decade. I will also not include remakes or remasters such as the most recent Dead Rising, Silent Hill 2, or Dead Space games, for example. I wanted to mostly highlight indie horror and games that may have had a larger budget but were easily overlooked or forgotten.
The 10 Categories
New Retro: These are games that try to bring back the feeling and nostalgia or horror games from the 90's and early 2000's. PS1 and Nintendo 64 style graphics, older visual effects, maybe even older play styles like tank controls. This category will be last as to highlight the future of horror gaming.
Psychological: This is one of the most common categories in horror. These games usually play a lot of tricks on the mind, have heavy use of music, ambiance, jump scares, or heavily use the story is scare the player.
Zombies, Ghosts, and Creatures, Oh My!: These games are usually considered not as scary to some, but usually still have creepy monster design or mostly use monsters to terrify the player.
Space: Space is a great factor of "Fear of the Unknown". Games set in space or use the vast void or outer space to scare us.
Relentless Pursuer: Games that constantly keep you on your toes with antagonists that just won't let off. These games aren't as popular as they once were.
Fear of the Abyss: These games use phobias to usually scare the player. This doesn't completely excludes space, but mostly includes games that take place in the ocean.
Eldritch: Lovecraftian horror is the easiest way to describe this, however this can also describe games with entire art style devoted to bio-mechanism, gross organics monsters throughout, and overall giving a feeling of uneasiness or a larger than life monster or being that you can't ever see, but it lets you know it's there.
Survival Horror: The most popular genre and what most people think of when they think of horror games. These usually have the player using resource management to survive whatever baddies that come at you. These are also more on the atmospheric side.
Boomer Shooter Nightmares: There has been a huge surge of Boomer Shooters in the ire of Doom in the last five years. While Doom itself doesn't make the list there are so many great indie shooters out there that it needed its own category.
Errant Children: This category includes both protagonist and antagonistic children in the game. These are very uncommon, and have mostly dropped out of favor over the last decade, but a few still exist.
Beyond Hanwell (2024)
Platforms: WIN, PS5, XSX
Explore the world beyond Hanwell in London's Westminster, immersing yourself in a rich atmosphere. Enjoy a dual control melee combat system, scavenging scarce weapons and ammo, and creatively using the environment to eliminate anomalies. Enjoy non-linear open gameplay with no HUD, and explore unique locations with different creatures and boss fights. Enjoy satisfying combat encounters with a dual button combat system and punchy gunplay. The game doesn't dive too heavily in the story department, but if you just want to fight creepy enemies and be drenched in terror then look no further.
The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication (2024)
Platforms: WIN, PS5, PS4, XB1, XSX, NSW
The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication is a first-person survival horror adventure set in Taiwan's haunting Wen Hua University. The film club recruits new members to shoot a viral horror film, but the line between fiction and reality blurs. The game follows four distinct characters: Sue Lian, a news reporter, and three university students. Players must use stealth, tactics, and sacred objects to escape the relentless hunters. They must navigate through the haunting beauty of Wen Hua, scouting for clues and essential items to unlock the mysteries. The game also features mind-bending puzzles and a sinister conspiracy. The Bridge Curse 2 builds upon its predecessor's success, allowing players to explore the haunting campus and uncover hidden truths. The first game is interesting, but not essential to enjoy this one.
Chila's Art Series (2018)
Platforms: WIN
Chilla's Art LLC is a Japanese indie game production team consisting of two brothers, with the older brother handling 3D-related tasks and the younger brother programming. The third brother joined the company on April 1, 2023, and is primarily responsible for the development of "Night Security." The company's name comes from the Japanese word for chinchilla, and its mascot character is a purple chinchilla named Chiramaru. The team was influenced by indie horror games like Detention, DreadOut, Witch Hunt, Home Sweet Home, and Granny. Their latest release is a remake of The Bathhouse with better controls, graphics, and overall just a better game. There are quite a few games in the series and almost all of them are solid titles that only take a few hours to finish. These are great games to purchase on sale (they are usually a few dollars a piece) and spend a night with the lights off and enjoy Asian horror tales while looking behind your back.
Ghostwire: Tokyo (2022)
Platforms: WIN, PS5, XSX
Ghostwire: Tokyo is a thrilling game where players must face the unknown, uncover the truth, and save the city from supernatural forces. The game features a haunted Tokyo, with iconic landmarks like Shibuya Crossing and Tokyo Tower. Players must use upgradeable elemental powers and ghost-hunting skills to combat the supernatural threat and save their family. The game also allows players to ascend to the skyline and discover new missions. The game gets repetitive after awhile, but there are some real cool ideas in here and the game feels like a spooky haunted house with some tense atmosphere and fun scripted moments.
Maid of Sker (2020)
Platforms: WIN, PS5, PS4, XB1, XSX, NSW, AND
Maid of Sker is a first-person survival horror set in a remote hotel with a macabre history inspired by Welsh folklore. Players use stealth tactics against AI enemies and a family empire driven by torture, slavery, and piracy. The game does little to surprise players, but the atmosphere, freaky monster designs, and overall tense horror stealth is enough to keep you glued to your seat. Don't expect stellar writing outside of a mostly predictable story, but just come for the scares and haunts.
Outlast II (2017)
Platforms: WIN, PS4, XB1, NSW
Outlast 2 is the sequel to the popular survival horror game Outlast, set in a different universe with different characters and settings. The game follows Blake Langermann and his wife, Lynn, as they investigate the murder of Jane Doe in the Arizona desert. They must uncover the deep secrets of human mind and corruption, leading them to the Arizona desert and the tribulations of the end of times. This is one of the scariest series I have ever played. I have yet to finish either game just because of how creepy the monster designs are, and how intense the stealth sequences are. The atmosphere is insanely haunting and makes your skin crawl.
