What your best retro horror game that you've ever played

mandrakes

New Challenger
gem
Joined
Sep 30, 2024
Messages
36
Reaction score
27
Points
52
1. Phantasmagoria (MS-DOS) (Sega Saturn)
phantasmagoria1.jpg

Phantasmagoria is a point-and-click adventure horror video game designed by Roberta Williams for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows and released by Sierra On-Line on August 24, 1995. It tells the story of Adrienne Delaney (Victoria Morsell), a writer who moves into a remote mansion and finds herself terrorized by supernatural forces. It was made at the peak of popularity for interactive movie games and features live-action actors and footage, both during cinematic scenes and within the three-dimensionally rendered environments of the game itself. It was noted for its violence and sexual content.

2. Stonekeep (MS-DOS)
sk_246.jpg

Stonekeep is centered on a hero, Drake. Ten years before the events of the game, Drake's home, the castle of Stonekeep, was destroyed by the insane god Khull-Khuum, the Shadowking. Drake, at this time just a boy, was saved from the castle by a mysterious figure. Returning to the ruins of Stonekeep, Drake is visited by the goddess Thera, who sends his spirit out of his body into the ruins itself to explore, find the mystical orbs containing the other gods, and reclaim the land.

3. BLOOD (MS-DOS)
maxresdefault.jpg

The game follows the story of Caleb, an undead early 20th century gunslinger seeking revenge against the demon Tchernobog. It features a number of occult and horror themes. Blood includes large amounts of graphic violence, a large arsenal of weapons ranging from the standard to the bizarre, and numerous enemies and bosses.

4. Forbidden Siren (PS2) (PS4 Re-Mastered) (PS5 Re-make)
Miyako_Attacked.jpg

The story of Siren is told through the alternating perspectives of ten survivors of a supernatural disaster in the (fictional) rural Japanese town of Hanuda (羽生蛇村, in the Japanese version) in 2003 (Heisei year 15). These events are presented outside of chronological order and deal primarily with the efforts of the viewpoint characters to both escape the town and find answers to what has happened in the three days immediately following the disaster.

5. KUON (PS2)
Kuon_gameplay.jpg

Kuon takes place in and around Fujiwara Manor, an estate in Kyoto, Japan during the Heian period. Central to the plot are two magical Mulberry trees planted near the present Fujiwara Manor by the Hata clan. The trees birth silkworms which weave cocoons around the dead and resurrect them. The resurrection can only be sustained by merging with other living beings, including humans, and absorbing their "grudge". The ultimate goal of the Mulberries is to perform the merging nine times, completing the Kuon Ritual and birthing a being which will become a new Mulberry.

6. Obscure (PS2) (PSP) (Xbox Classic) (Wii)
obscure-the-aftermath-002_720x.jpg

Upon learning their friend Kenny has gone missing, Josh, Stan, Shannon, and Ashley set out to find him. However, their search leads to them being locked in Leafmore High overnight. While searching the campus, they are attacked by photosensitive monsters that can be weakened with flashlights and killed by direct sunlight. Meanwhile, Kenny encounters a fellow student named Dan. They attempt to escape together, but Dan is killed by one of the monsters.

The students eventually discover a conspiracy surrounding Principal Friedman, who has been kidnapping students and infecting them with spores derived from a rare African plant called Mortifilia under the belief that it will allow them to live forever. Additionally, they learn that Herbert and his accomplice Elisabeth are over 100 years old despite appearing in their 60s after successfully experimenting on each other. Along the way, the students become exposed to the spores while Herbert is killed by Professor Walden, who seeks to cure himself of his infection. Upon seeing this, Herbert's brother Leonard grows enraged, kills Walden, and mutates into a large, monstrous form, only to be defeated by the students. The group return to the gym to inject themselves with a cure. Though Leonard returns to attack them, they defeat him once more and leave him to die in the sunlight.

7. Silent Hill 2 (PS2) (PC, PS5 Re-make)
Silent_Hill_2_gameplay.jpg

James Sunderland (Luke Roberts) arrives in Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his wife Mary (Salóme Gunnarsdóttir), who died three years earlier from a degenerative disease. While exploring the abandoned town, he meets Angela Orosco (Gianna Kiehl), a 19-year-old searching for her mother; overweight and erratic Eddie Dombrowski (Danny Kirrane (appearance), Scott Haining (voice)); and Laura (Evie Templeton), an eight-year-old girl who befriended Mary while they were in hospital together. James encounters inhuman creatures throughout the town, and is stalked by an indestructible creature, Pyramid Head.

8. Fear & Hunger (PC)
34GAou.png

The Fear & Hunger games are based in an alternate Europe, in a world stricken with war and tainted by the influence of cruel old gods. The games explore the desire of humanity to pursue these gods, both in worship and to be noticed. Ultimately even to try to rise to their level, discovering just the cost such an endeavour would require.
 
Last edited:
I don't usually play horror games but ones that introduce and popularized the genre for me is definitely Resident Evil and Silent Hill Franchise. Huge credits goes to Sweet Home and Alone in the Dark for inspiring one of the most well known horror games.

Sweet_Home_Japanese_Famicom_box_art.jpg
header.jpg
 
A couple of my favorites are Splatterhouse, Night Slashers, and Beast Busters.. there's something special to me about that really saturated bright red blood you have with these older games lol
 

Attachments

  • busters.JPG
    busters.JPG
    83.8 KB · Views: 17
  • splatter.JPG
    splatter.JPG
    121.5 KB · Views: 16
  • nslashers.JPG
    nslashers.JPG
    83.3 KB · Views: 19
The 7th Guest, Frankenstein: Through The Eyes of The Monster, Alone in The Dark, Alone in The Dark New Nightmare, The Ring, Resident Evil, Illbleed, Castlevania, Clock Tower, Alien Isolation, Vampire: Master of Darkness... There's a BOR game with zombies.
 
Considering the ps1 and 2 aint retro to me
1729048386823.png


I am amazed by how similar this simple super famicom game is to ps1\2 horror
Memorable setting, atmospheric, awesome music, multiple endings, grim risquè themes, obscure mechanics, inaspired by italian horror (several are)

It legit SCARED me, that final boss was so grotesque and repugnant, the way faces are drawn is fantastic the adoptive mother looks so evil!! I cant quite put my finger on it

The chase theme is the best one Ive ever heard, it really gives me anxiety, the title itself "Don't cry, Jennifer" shends shivers down my spine. It implies a horrible gruesome scary death

Also as a fan of my country's horror moviesm, they got it spot on! The intricate architecture filled with traps and cult rooms, the vile story, the characters, all the weird shit that happens
 
Considering the ps1 and 2 aint retro to me
View attachment 1236

I am amazed by how similar this simple super famicom game is to ps1\2 horror
Memorable setting, atmospheric, awesome music, multiple endings, grim risquè themes, obscure mechanics, inaspired by italian horror (several are)

It legit SCARED me, that final boss was so grotesque and repugnant, the way faces are drawn is fantastic the adoptive mother looks so evil!! I cant quite put my finger on it

The chase theme is the best one Ive ever heard, it really gives me anxiety, the title itself "Don't cry, Jennifer" shends shivers down my spine. It implies a horrible gruesome scary death

Also as a fan of my country's horror moviesm, they got it spot on! The intricate architecture filled with traps and cult rooms, the vile story, the characters, all the weird shit that happens
ah yes clock tower i remembered having nightmare playing it when i was a kid back then
 
Kuon and Siren are two of the most atmospheric and unnerving ps2 games I've played. Haunting Ground is a personal favourite of mine.
 
I also like to think the consoles of my childhood ain't retro. Denial keeps me young.
It's a beautiful day in 2007
1729188450705.png

Kuon and Siren are two of the most atmospheric and unnerving ps2 games I've played. Haunting Ground is a personal favourite of mine.

Siren is one of my favorite games ever
Nothing else is like it, good lord the music is so cool, the shibito are terrifying, I've had so many nightmares about them. Their breathing noises....
It's inspired by arcade games! A horror game thats level based and can be played in quick bursts! Each level has so much detail and little tricks
I can also comfortably say that not counting extra difficulty modes it's the hardest game I've ever 100%ed

You must find every single archive without dying, if you die you must re-do the level
 
Last edited:
Siren on the PlayStation 2 is my all-time favorite survival horror. It offers multiple ways to play since each character has different abilities or handicaps.
 
Siren on the PlayStation 2 is my all-time favorite survival horror. It offers multiple ways to play since each character has different abilities or handicaps

The scary thing with is that when you see one it's already over, it's the end of the world
There is no killing them, you may only trap them

They're smart they Will find you

They keep all their memories

Even if you kill yourself there is no escape
 
206808-monster-party-nes-front-cover-3035179308.png

I first played Monster Party on an emulator as a kid and let me tell you something, few things were as unsettling or disturbing to me at the time as this game.
To properly set the scene, imagine you are rummaging through a folder with a bunch of games during the early aughts and you stumble onto this game called Monster Party , it sounds inoffensive enough so you boot it up. You are then greeted with a pretty standard title screen for what you would assume is a mildly spooky game not unlike say, a licensed title like Addams Family. So then you are treated to a cutscene about a boy meeting a monster, he gets transported to a different world or something and then you are dropped onto this cheerful land with smiling trees and a colorful environment, but as you are walking along, the game suddenly shifts and the world distorts, the music changes, the environment is now littered with what looks like bloody faces or corpses, those smiling trees now have a sinister smile on them and the sky takes an apocalyptic tone. Suddenly the game becomes pretty challenging and if you aren't careful enough, you'll get killed in a second and will be treated to a game over screen featuring a pool of blood and floating skeletons.
As to how all of these somehow made it past Nintendo's overzealous censorship of the era completely eludes me, but boy am I glad it did. I also wonder if this game served as the inspiration for Eversion.
 
This may seem "mainstream", and more now due to the remake, but for me Silent Hill 2 is the best. Not only it really induces fear without cheap jumpscares, but also the story is top tier, with that "final revelation".

A deep reflexion about normal persons being capable of doing great wrongs, about remorse, guilt, and about the dilemma of punishment or redemption.


-Back then, SH1 on PSX was in fact the first game to really scare me as a kid/teen, pllaying it alone late night was really a hard time lol.

-Special good memories for Alone in the Dark 2, Call of Cthlulhu dark corners of the earth, and the first Dead Space.
 
A couple of my favorites are Splatterhouse, Night Slashers, and Beast Busters.. there's something special to me about that really saturated bright red blood you have with these older games lol
Ah Splatterhouse and Night Slashers, those are gems, i LOVE night slashers because it mixes classic monsters with beat em up in a way that feels like an action horror movie, like Army of Darkness, and Splatterhouse from 1 to 3 are just amazing, just search "Splatterhouse 3 intro" on youtube, that OST is just funky and spooky.
 
So many great recommandations in this thread, I'm definitely gonna take notes ^^

Personally, my favorite horror games and horror themed games would be : Splatterhouse 1 and 2 ; Decap Attack ; MediEvil ; Fatal Frame ; Eternal Darkness : Sanity's Requiem ; Obscure ; Forbidden Siren ; Alone in the Dark : The New Nightmare ; D ; Cold Fear

Without mentionning of course the classics like Silent Hill, Resident Evil or Castlevania.

I also recently played Koudelka on PSX, which blew me away with its blend of a JRPG with a PS1-era survival horror style. Very unique in its presentation with an amazing atmosphere, great visuals and soundtrack. Definitly a big favorite of mine ever since
 
I also recently played Koudelka on PSX, which blew me away with its blend of a JRPG with a PS1-era survival horror style. Very unique in its presentation with an amazing atmosphere, great visuals and soundtrack. Definitly a big favorite of mine ever since

I agree excellent game.

From my side i'll add (.. ps. i'll add more, but today just 4):

Siren
10401052-siren-playstation-2-note-that-you-cannot-kill-a-shibito-it-wont-.jpg


Martian Gothic

16005698-martian-gothic-unification-playstation-oh-a-zombi.png


Dead Space Trilogy

11652599-dead-space-playstation-3-approaching-usg-ishimura-which-seems-to.jpg

The Thing

11745556-the-thing-playstation-2-squadmates-will-panic-or-barf-when-near-.jpg
 
the classic resident evil trilogy will always have a place in my heart. shocking, i know ::lol

outside of other classics like clock tower first fear and enemy zero, ive been also been deep diving at a lot of old japanese horror games like dead of the brain and some vns like divi-dead. would love some recommendations too cause trying to find any of these that are actually translated is a pain. really need to learn japanese next year.
 
Considering the ps1 and 2 aint retro to me
View attachment 1236

I am amazed by how similar this simple super famicom game is to ps1\2 horror
Memorable setting, atmospheric, awesome music, multiple endings, grim risquè themes, obscure mechanics, inaspired by italian horror (several are)

It legit SCARED me, that final boss was so grotesque and repugnant, the way faces are drawn is fantastic the adoptive mother looks so evil!! I cant quite put my finger on it

The chase theme is the best one Ive ever heard, it really gives me anxiety, the title itself "Don't cry, Jennifer" shends shivers down my spine. It implies a horrible gruesome scary death

Also as a fan of my country's horror moviesm, they got it spot on! The intricate architecture filled with traps and cult rooms, the vile story, the characters, all the weird shit that happens
I made the mistake of taking a Hyperkin Supaboy and Clock Tower on a plane with me late at night. Needless to say I got scared and loudly yelped in the middle of the flight embarassing the hell out of my wife and making a fool of myself.

The original PSX versions of Resident Evil 1 & 2 will always be my favorite horror games of all time.
 

Connect with us

Latest Threads

“What should I play next?” Thread

Simple thread idea. Feeling stumped? Suffering from choice fatigue? Unable to find the best next...
Read more

Did you have a gaming cap when you were a kid?

for me its was all way 2 hours but my mom mostly for got half the time so I just played for 4+...
Read more

Nostalgic candy

LEGO Island

Apparently MattKC has just uploaded a video about the first true LEGO PC game (before...
Read more

Ultimate Muscle (GCN), Halloween gambling for the kids.

Ultimate_Muscle_Legends_vs_New_Generation_Cover.png


This is one of those games where you'd spend long nights in your friend's house...
Read more

Online statistics

Members online
155
Guests online
304
Total visitors
459

Forum statistics

Threads
2,452
Messages
40,658
Members
138,322
Latest member
Youcan

Support us

Back
Top