Top Ten Horror Games for Your Halloween

Written by Jonathan Lee, October 24, 2016, 4:00 p.m. Tweet to: @Writerscube

Get Your Scare On!

‘Tis the season to be spooky. Or be spooked! And what better way to shave off a few years of your life without leaving your home (that doesn’t involve eating ten sticks of butter, for whatever bizarre reason) than to play some edge-of-your-seat horror games?

The horror genre in video games has had a long history, and developers of such games continue to find new ways to make you jump out of your seat, throw your headphones, and in general, scream. The reintroduction of Virtual Reality will only open up more ways to scare the living crap out of you! So you better be ready!

But if you’re a little strapped for cash and you can’t afford that nifty Oculus Rift or HTC Vive (or the upcoming Playstation VR headset), take heart–while you still have one! I have here a nifty list of classics, both old and more recent that will give you equal shares of scares, anxiety, and the occasional flipping of tables because you won’t want to go around the next corner!

The Top Ten Scariest Horror Games You Should Try

#10 Resident Evil

Many remember the days of the first Playstation. Capcom’s famous Resident Evil (Called Biohazard in Japan) series has become a household name for zombie horror in video games since then. And it all began in a mansion. While on the Playstation, it isn’t much to look at anymore, but thankfully there is an HD release on the Playstation 4 for all to enjoy!

Anyone that’s played Resident Evil remembers the good ol’ scare of those dastardly dogs. Or the atmosphere of anxiety created by the limited ammunition you had, the variety of undead you had to combat, and the tank-like movement controls.

So when you begin your horror-game marathon: Be sure to get this. It’s a classic. It’s really spooky, especially against living things (like gamers)!

#9 Condemned Criminal Origins

Creepy mannequins, gross-looking bad guys, grungy urban environments, and desperate combat—I would go so far as to say that Condemned: Criminal Origins helped bring to prominence a type of aesthetic that we would later see in another favorite on this list.

A game that explored both the insanity of the criminal mind and the sanity of those who must delve deep into the world of the insane and deranged, this game is a rollercoaster of thrills, chills, and nerves. It leads you on what first feels casual before sending you into a freefall wonderland of dark things, questions on perception, and the consequences of fighting things worse than insanity.

#8 Silent Hills P.T.

Sadly it ended with the playable trailer, but Silent Hills P.T. still earns a spot here because of the fear factor that Hideo Kojima was able to pack into this succinct note of atmospheric terror. It plays with you almost entirely through atmosphere. The danger of the one ghost lingers over you as you go through a circular series of hallways.

You have no tools save for a flashlight. And to get out, you’ll have to be really observant of your surroundings, and have that microphone handy! It originally went off-line after the project was cancelled, but could be reaccessed through third-party programs (WARNING: While it’s been reported that a program called Squid could help bring PT back, it’s been also reported that this program runs the risk of killing your console. Personal opinion: Some games might not be worth the cost of your console.) *Initially, this had been written as the demo was re-downloadable so long as you had owned it. This has been changed to reflect that you DO need a third-party program to accomplish this, and is not available through the PS Store.*

#7 Five Nights at Freddy’s

Sometimes good things really do come in small packages. If you still haven’t played Five Nights at Freddy’s, this deceptively simple looking game is going to make you throw your headphones and leave your seat a few times. There’s no running around.

No collecting items and weapons. It’s just you, your security room and monitors, and the clock. You have animatronics looking to dress you up (and turn you into meat puree in the process). You have one goal: Survive. And keep an extra pair of pants.

#6 The Thing

Sadly this game has yet to see a port from its Playstation 2 origins. However, this game gets a special mention because it successfully executed a thematic device that made the game all the more nerve-wracking.

A sequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing, the video game The Thing takes you back to Antarctica to investigate what had happened. Unfortunately, much like how the movie left us wondering, something survived. And it has flourished.

Your ammunition always felt scarce. The treacherous cold wanted to turn you into a meatsicle. You had to constantly fend off a plethora of horrific (fantastically designed) monstrosities and abominations. But the worst thing of all was: Your Team. Their trust in you. And the enemy that was lurking within.

#5 Amnesia

Made by the same team that brought us Penumbra, Amnesia became renowed for its execution of atmospheric horror. There’s a reason why the game recommends you wear headphones for the experience. While yes, there are monsters in this game, the sound work is done so well that you’ll be wearily watching every corner, every turn long before you even encounter one. And then when the spooks come out—it just gets more terrifying!

With no weapons, equipped only with what baubles you find, a tinder box, and a lamp, you’re defenseless against the evils that lurk.

To survive, you’ll need to be resourceful. Mind the objects around you. And when you’re spotted: RUN! HIDE!

Since Amnesia, there have been a number of games that attempted to emulate the same sense of horrific atmosphere. Whether they prove to be a match—well, that’s going to be up to you to decide. But play the game that helped start it all, first! Check out Amnesia!

#4 Outlast

Asylum. Crazy people. Even crazier people. Lots of blood. Perfect! Outlast will have you investigating an insane asylum and the horrors that lay within. I seriously urge you to check this one out. Done in a found-footage style, you’re armed with only a camcorder, some batteries, and your handy-dandy notebook.

The halls are filled with homicidal maniacs. Deranged madmen will hunt you down, and sort of like Amnesia, you’ll have to run and hide to survive! Along the way you’ll also uncover the reason behind why the asylum has a bunch of homicidal patients running amok. Getting in was the easy part. But once you have your story, it’s going to be interesting getting out…

#3 Dead Space

Like they say: “In space, no one can hear you scream.” Except you. You’ll get to discover that there are so many gruesome ways that Isaac Clarke can scream when he dies. In Dead Space, your enemies are the Necromorphs, a foe seemingly born from the marriage of John Carpenter’s The Thing and the mind of David Cronenberg. Not only are the enemies scary to look at, but you’re left watching every. Single. Ventilation shaft.

You simply never know when something’s going to pop out of the walls and try to eat you!

That and your ammo’s never quite topped up. You never know when you’re going to find more. And health packs aren’t plentiful either. Altogether, this creates an atmosphere of desperation, helplessness, and an adversary that has you on the defensive the whole time (until you hit New Game+). Top it with a plot of insanity-inducing artifacts and a suicidal cult that helps perpetuate these monstrosities and you have yourself a terrifying sci-fi horror!

#2 Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly

In Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly, you’re armed with only a Camera Obscura. You’re lost in a village of ghosts. And your twin sister is in trouble. The village looks dilapidated and old, but also carries an ethereal air to it, so similar to the ghosts that inhabit it. Much like how you’re carrying a magical camera, the whole world feels like you’re looking into this world through—well, a different lens (pun not intended) that takes you elsewhere.

Much like how the protagonists have been taken into a village they can’t seem to escape, you too are taken into this otherworld. And that’s just the beginning of why this game has earned #2. The atmosphere is established very well. The gameplay and sound work is how the horror really comes out.

You can’t really run from your enemies, so there’s no quick way to escape harm. You also have just that camera to take pictures and banish harmful spirits. However, it takes technique to really use that camera well. And while you’re at it, you’ll need to keep up on your special film rolls. Then there’s the sound. From eerie cries and moans to the bizarre sounds of one of the later bosses, you’ll find chills going up your spine.

Even more effective is when they cut the sound off. The ambient noise goes out. All you have is your breathing, your footsteps, that air of anticipation and dread. You don’t know what’s actually coming. Is it a ghost? A new plot point? Can you even stop it if it comes at you? Do you just save the game and turn off the TV and hide under your sheets!?

#1 Silent Hill 2

Like some of the previous entries, Silent Hill 2 has fantastic monster designs, incredibly eerie atmosphere, and an underlying psychological thread that plays along with the plot. The most terrifying part of the game? That psychological thread.

It’s incredible what happens when you play this game twice. First time, it’s about the grotesqueness that you encounter, the ammo you never seem to have, and the mystery of Silent Hill. But the second time—it’s the psychological meanings behind each monster design. Especially the boss designs. It’s truly scary what traumatic/horrific stories some of them imply, while others reveal the mental breaks and frustrations laying beneath the surface of our main protagonist. Play this one twice! You won’t regret it.

Unless you get too scared, that is…

How do you feel about this list? What other games do you think are terrifying and should be on the next Top Scary Games? Have a fun Halloween this weekend!!