By Charlie Kendellen
Horror games may not be for everyone, especially the faint of heart — but for those of you that enjoy testing your endurance or like exploring your greatest fears through immersive horror, this list is for you.
Outlast
Without a doubt one of the most infamous and genuinely scary games of all time has to be Outlast. As your only options are to run, hide or die, this game thrusts the player into a colossally tense atmosphere as there is no option to fight your opponents or defend yourself. The jump scares are tense and justified, the story is engrossing, and the game design is all-around immersive. Outlast has yet to be beaten as the scariest game of all time in my book.
Until Dawn
When Until Dawn was released in 2015, it caught the attention of many players due to its hyper realistic character design, and while the story will be cheesy to some, it is guaranteed to satiate the appetites of any fans of camp or 80’s horror films. Despite its deliciously detailed gore and tense gameplay, one of the most terrifying aspects of this game is that the players’ choices detrimentally affect the story. One simple wrong move, and one of the beloved main characters will endure a brutal death. Until Dawn is one of the most entertaining gaming experiences ever, and can work as a perfect party game with friends or family.
The Evil Within
This list wouldn’t be complete without including the first horror game I ever played, The Evil Within. This game has had a particularly lasting impression on me since I first downloaded it on steam years ago. It is a rather stressful yet entertaining game that anyone looking to test their endurance will certainly enjoy.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
While any other Resident Evil game can be interchangeable with this pick, I have a particular soft spot for Biohazard as it genuinely terrified me when I first played it. Resident Evil 7 is a thrilling and engaging story with an ensemble of creepy characters and set pieces. I can easily recommend this game to anyone who is seeking a well developed horror game as a form of entertainment or escapism.
Dead by Daylight
Despite its infamously toxic fan base, Dead by Daylight is a genuinely fun multiplayer game that is best played with a group of friends. One aspect of this game that I love is its commitment to and clear love of the genre — they include so much lore and homages to beloved characters from horror films such as Scream, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Silent Hill, and many more. Dead by Daylight, similar to its predecessors, has inspired many games of a similar style, such as Friday the 13th, The Outlast Trials, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
While there are endless picks of great horror games for this list, there is no denying the incredible impact that horror has had on popular culture. It truly is one of the most diverse and underrated genres that deserves more recognition and acclaim.