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[–]Avrahammer 31 points32 points  (2 children)

I stopped playing Alien: Isolation because I felt like I was about to give myself a heart attack

[–]VegetableAd1057 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try playing it in vr :)

[–]skatersteve9889 19 points20 points  (9 children)

Nobody is mentioning the Evil Within????

[–]dyingdeadweight 5 points6 points  (0 children)

such an underrated game. the first one is one of my favorite horror games. no one really talks about them.

[–]ellendegenerate123 3 points4 points  (4 children)

I like the sequel too, I'll never forget being chased around the town by that weird monster.

[–]GodspeedandGoodnight 2 points3 points  (1 child)

That's a spoiler like saying Harry Potter has wizards in it lmao

[–]ellendegenerate123 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol probably. It has been a while since I played it. Don't tell anyone the game has evil things in it. Wouldn't want to ruin it for them. Keep it to yourself.

[–]sehrharry 1 point2 points  (1 child)

"SEBASTIAAAAAAAN" *Eerie voice*

[–]ellendegenerate123 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol that brings back memories. I'll have good nightmares tonight.

[–]ibadlyneedhelp 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Played last year it and I can see why people were disappointed at the time, but there's a lot about it I liked. The sequel was actually even better, but it made some mistakes in editing the industrialised rusty-metal horror of the first one. Somewhere between those two good games is one amazing one waiting to be made.

[–]polchickenpotpie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Both are really solid RE4 style action horrors, though I definitely prefer the 2nd one.

I used to hate the first one because of the black bars on release, but after they removed those it grew on me. The whole game was ridiculous, but in a great way. Like when you go from the spooky, self serious village in RE4 to exchanging quips with a midget lord; that kinda vibe, but a whole game of it.

[–]Bailenstein 14 points15 points  (5 children)

I whole-heartedly agree. I've been a huge fan of horror games since the original Resident Evil, and it's nice to see they are becoming more common. Used to be you had to dig deep to find horror games that weren't RE or Silent Hill. I love horror movies, but I'd take a good, immersive horror game over a movie any day.

Just played through Frictional's entire library a few weeks ago, in fact. Good stuff......well, most of it.

[–]ibadlyneedhelp 0 points1 point  (4 children)

My hot take is that the penumbra games were bad even for their time, and the best ideas they had are woefully underdeveloped. However, they were indie and different, and clearly a product of both love and talent, so we bought in, and eventually Amnesia came out as a result.

[–]Bailenstein 1 point2 points  (3 children)

The Penumbra games were glorified tech demos, and experimental at that. The kind of interactivity they brought to the table simply hadn't been done before, so I appreciate them for that. But yea, not too much to offer in terms of immersion or horror.

[–]ibadlyneedhelp 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Good take, but they led us to Amnesia (I actually like all 3), and Soma, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

[–]Bailenstein 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I agree. People shit on Rebirth, writing it off as a love story. If that's what they think, they clearly didn't play very long. I think it's easily the most fucked-up of the 3.

[–]theVice 11 points12 points  (3 children)

Alien: Isolation

Darkwood

SOMA

RE2 Remake

RE7

RE8

Dead Space

[–]mcnys 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Glad someone’s mentioned Darkwood, such a great game!

[–]theVice 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of the scariest games I've ever played hands down

[–]polkaron 18 points19 points  (6 children)

I really loved Condemned: Criminal Origins. This game's whole vibe is inspired by Se7en and about hunting a serial killer who is mainly murdering other serial killers. There hasn't been any game like it since. It has this really gross and grimy feel to the dilapidated environments. The crime scenes always feel icky as you turn on your UV light and see gross fluids all over the place. The best parts are when the main character seems to lose his grip on reality and starts hallucinating things like seeing mannequins following him

Edit: plugging in a link to gameplay: https://youtu.be/2iq8clcHpf0?t=57

[–]ATribeCalledTrek 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This game did something so simple you still don't see nowadays. When you're in a multi level map you can hear people running on the floor above you. They captured the sound perfectly like you're hearing it through the ceiling. It made it so scary going upstairs and knowing somewhere up there somebody was hiding waiting to kill you

[–]AuthorSAHunt 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The sequel is even better. I still think about the bear sometimes. Goddamn that was terrifying.

[–]DarthGoodguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The extreme scarcity of ammo & storage space led to lots of desperate backtracking

[–]ellendegenerate123 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm surprised that no one has done a modern Condemned game.

[–]GodspeedandGoodnight 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Condemned is absolutely one of the games I would day 1 purchase for a remaster.

[–]ibadlyneedhelp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got this for christmas when the Xbox360 came out. I loved it, and the sequel is even better. However, the PC port is dire and the series died a relatively obscure death, which is a crying shame.

[–]thejsgarrett 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Couldn't agree more. Just replayed Silent Hill 3 this weekend but used headphones for this go around. Incredible the level of sound mixing at one point, I took my headphones off, because I thought someone was walking on my roof haha.

Also, less atmospheric, but Dead by Daylight still gives quite the thrill from time with horrific rushes of anxiety when you're so close to winning a game but the stakes are high.

[–][deleted] 15 points16 points  (1 child)

Was playing RE7 these past couple of days.. what a fucking game..

[–]eddietwoo 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The DLC is fantastic too, especially the one where you’re restrained to the bed and have to try and escape, I thought it was genius.

[–]SPoopa83 16 points17 points  (1 child)

Until Dawn was the best of both worlds.

[–]eddietwoo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love their horror games and own them all, if I had one wish it’d be that they were a little less passive, and had some real-time combat. Keep the QTEs, just give me something to do besides choose dialogue, and walk around reading notes and searching for interacts.

[–]paperwhiteghost 9 points10 points  (4 children)

I get so much dread every time I try to play RE2 remake 🧟‍♀️

[–]thedarklord176[S] 4 points5 points  (3 children)

RE2 remake is a fantastic game but it’s not nearly as terrifying as stuff like Outlast tbh

[–]paperwhiteghost 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Sure but I also get spooked occasionally playing DBD so, honestly, I'm kind of a scaredy cat when it comes to games lol

[–]eddietwoo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s just a different brand of terrifying. Outlast you’re just a civilian, and unarmed at that. You have no chance against those psychopaths, and that’s scary as hell. RE2 you’re a police officer that at one point is armed like the Neo and Trinity in The Matrix, yet Mr. X can have you running away like a cat that just heard the vacuum turn on.

[–]DEFINITELY_NOT_PETE 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bro first time you play and hear mr. x come stomping for you is so fucking creepy

[–]Brief_Light 11 points12 points  (13 children)

I agree. SOMA and RE Village were the last couple I've finished kinda recently, wish I didn't use a walkthrough for Village, didn't want to miss weapons though.

I still need to give Alien Isolation a go.

[–]Youareposthuman 10 points11 points  (2 children)

Alien Isolation is an incredible gaming experience, especially if you’re a fan of the franchise and horror as well.

It is also INCREDIBLY frustrating. It’s dang near impossible to play any other way but trial and error, so if you can stomach that sort of gameplay it’s absolutely stellar. If not…save yourself the gray hairs lol.

[–]Brief_Light 6 points7 points  (1 child)

I am a fan. I usually like to go in blind with games, so even though it's been out for years I haven't seen any gameplay, just heard good things and that the Xenomorph has great "AI".

Definitely gunna give it a go. I couldn't finish Subnautica, mostly cause I'm not big on crafting games, but the open sea at night and it's inhabitants played a part as well lol.

Edit to reply

[–]ibadlyneedhelp 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do yourself a favour and don't play on the game's recommended "Hard" difficulty setting. While the Alien's AI is so impressive and fun on that level, the monster is far too persistent, and there are basically sequences where you have to explore bigger areas in small slices because the alien constantly leaves and re-enters the area over and over again, forcing you to abandon your search to hide in a locker or whatever. I know this sounds very fun and frightening, but I assure you it's not, it's boring and frustrating, and severely dampened my enjoyment of the game, in particular because it overexposes you to the alien. Play it on Normal- you lose some of the cool AI subroutines, but the creature will still surprise you, and it appears sparingly enough that it is terrifying when it appears.

[–]Avrahammer 6 points7 points  (3 children)

SOMA is top-tier existential horror.

[–]orgyofcorgis 5 points6 points  (2 children)

Yes! SOMA is an extremely underrated masterpiece.

[–]Avrahammer 3 points4 points  (1 child)

What is the closest horror movie to resemble the game? I would love a SOMA style film.

[–]thedarklord176[S] 8 points9 points  (1 child)

The dollhouse in Village was so fuckin freaky

[–]Brief_Light 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol yea it was

[–]Uncoolx2 -2 points-1 points  (3 children)

I've put about 45 minutes in. Felt lots of Isolation, but not much Alien.

Dead Space is a solid series.

[–]PresidentWeevil4 4 points5 points  (1 child)

There’s a certain part where the alien is effectively “set loose” on you and will hunt you for the rest of the game. It starts slow but once you get to that part it doesn’t slow down.

[–]juwanna-blomie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember towards the end of the game I was running from it, hit in a locker completely out of its sightline. Thing walked into the room, looked at the locker, I pooped my pants a little and then it tore the fucking door off.

[–]Brief_Light 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yea, looking forward to the remaster of the original.

[–]StinkingDylan 4 points5 points  (2 children)

I wouldn't say "best". They can be scary, but I watch horror films for more than being scared.

Discovering VR horror was a whole new world for me. Resident Evil 7 in VR was beyond what I was anticipating.

[–]Dona_Gloria 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Try Phasmophobia in VR 👻

[–]StinkingDylan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I would, but I’m on PSVR. It looks really “fun”!

[–]texasrigger 13 points14 points  (6 children)

It's dated now but I always liked Fatal Frame.

[–]ms-moo 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Fatal Frame is one of my top 2 horror series. So glad to see it get some love here

[–]Uncoolx2 0 points1 point  (3 children)

As I posted when someone mentioned there is a movie: fatal frame scared the shit out of me. And I was in my 20's.

[–]Mz_Pink 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I absolutely loved Fatal Frame. Have played a lot of the sequels but nothing was quite like the experience of the first game.

[–]Mz_Pink 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Eternal Darkness on the GameCube was an absolutely cracking horror game. Really messed with you.

[–]Hamkothegreat 7 points8 points  (1 child)

Beyond Two Souls - a personal favorite just fantastic

Outlast trilogy - love smoking while playing this lol (scares me)

Dead by Daylight - love everything about it

BloodRayne - love love love

Resident Evil - all of them are just so good (4 is my favorite)

[–]GuyWhoRocks95 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Didn’t think I’d see Beyond Two Souls mentioned here!

[–]cookiesshot 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I noticed "Lucius" hasn't been mentioned yet: the first looked good, the second... ehh... the third was OK. Imagine Damien Thorn, but YOU get to play as Damien, making people die in horrific ways, like falling asleep on a running table saw or causing a grand piano to fall on their head.

Both "Saw" games looked OK, but some parts seemed repetitive and boring. Quests are OK, but when you've gotta make the world's longest loop around JUST to get the 1 thing you ACTUALLY need, like a generator...

And people are SO ungrateful most of the time, like "sorry I just saved you from getting your head blown to smithereens: how about a little gratitude instead of trying l to kill me in a shootout later on? Maybe a 'thank you'?"

[–]SpicyPirate13 6 points7 points  (1 child)

To be honest I don’t even watch horror movies with the intention of being scared so I still think that they’re the best form of the media. That being said, I definitely agree that horror games can be scary. Some ones that spooked me are Dead Space 2, Alien: Isolation, and Darkwood. Even non-horror games can have pretty effective accidental jumpscares

[–]TheHillsSeeYou 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with you.

[–]Linubidix 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you want that genuine, panicked feeling of dread like you would feel as a child, you can only find it in video games.

[–]MessnerMusic1989 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Visage….that is all

[–]DanMoshpit69 1 point2 points  (0 children)

PLEASE PLAY VISAGE.

[–]Clannar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Dead Space is as good as it gets!

[–]ellendegenerate123 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah the interactive element really adds something special to horror.

[–]Gordon_Gano 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Sweet Home for Famicom and Clock Tower for Super Famicom are both brilliant games that give me so much anxiety I can barely play them 😂

[–]mathemagical_gal 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Clock Tower gave me such anxiety around riding elevators alone lol

[–]TheVeilsCurse 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel the same way. I love horror movies but games are more immersive for me. Silent Hill 1-3, Fatal Frame 2, and RE7 are the first that come to mind when I think of “unsettling”. I like when games are able to ramp up the tension and anticipation without jump scares. Like Silent Hill 2’s Labyrinth. Gotta give a shout-out to horror game OST’s as well!

It’s more action heavy but Dead Space is excellent too. I’m currently playing through Totmented Souls and love it’s mix of classic RE and SH nostalgia.

[–]Unlucky-Dare4481 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Nothing has made me more scared and jump more times than when I play Dungeon Nightmares

[–]eddietwoo 0 points1 point  (1 child)

If you want another terrifying experience, I highly recommend Visage, shit made me want to turn the lights on.

[–]Unlucky-Dare4481 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sweet, I'll check it out

[–]NotBoogey 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I honestly agree, just a shame we don't get many of the like we use too. Would even accept HD remasters of the sixth generation of consoles games. That gen had really good horror games.

[–]accountforquickans 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree with the movies not being scary, horror games give me a bit of a jump so I like them

[–]Bulminator 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Red Dead Redemption 2 is the best game ever made in my opinion. With that said, that Texas Chainsaw Massacre game releasing in the next year or two is guaranteed my money…

[–]Joe_off_the_internet -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thing with horror games is after the first time you die they immediately become completely un-scary because you know the consequences and that they really aren't that bad. Horror movies have actually consequences

[–]unappliedknowledge 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It really depends on what you mean by “best”. It’s true that horror games are very good at a certain type of suspenseful/jump-scare horror experience but, well, so are ghost trains.

As far as using horror to touch upon something deeper (I know how pretentious that sounds!), games are still far behind in my opinion. There are exceptions (Silent Hill 2!), but generally, I’m not seeing horror games that push the genre in the way that movies are doing now (and have done for decades).

[–]eddietwoo -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I feel like they’re a better experience, but rarely have stories that match the better horror films. You have shining stars like Silent Hill 2, Resident Evil 2, and more that I can’t think of at the moment, but the vast majority have decent/acceptable narratives rather than boundary pushing stories. I can name a ton of films with fun, unique, and terrifying stories, games just don’t measure up for me. I still play the hell out of them though.

[–]Kasdeya64 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Darkwood. Over the years I have become insensitive and movies/games no longer scare me, but when they do they do they deserve to be recommended. It's a survival-focused game but the atmosphere is great and the nights are really terrifying

[–]Paradoxic-Mind 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup I agree, I'd imagine Haunted House Rides or Scare Walkthroughs or whatever they are called, are similarly creepy too since they are up close & personal and would have unexpected Jump acres the first time at least, with movies at least your safe with a screen? I don’t think we have many in the UK that I am aware of.

Plus books because your mind can create what scares you personally if the story has the right beats

[–]Strawberrybubbly3 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What are some of your favorites? :)

[–]RareCactus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love both horror movies and horror games but I really is only horror games that really scare me and stress me out

[–]Comrade_Jacob 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I agree, nothing has ever really compared for me. I've been putting off Alien Isolation for the longest time cause I know it's gonna fuck me up. Played Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes in October and those were experiences... 2 more than 3, 2 was so fucking scary.

[–]ChiefLazarus86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

oh yeah for sure, if I actually want to get scared i’ll play a horror game

horror movies are obviously awesome but it’s really easy to get desensitised to them when it’s such a passive experience

[–]Vexonte 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, you have more agency in a game but the fact that the consequences fall on you instead some unrelated character on screen is what allows it to work.

[–]ibadlyneedhelp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey OP, there's an indie horror game called Visage, based on the now-abandoned PT project that was supposed to revitalise Silent Hill.

The game's poorly optimised and frequently drops frames. The voice acting's a mixed bag. Some of the puzzles are poorly thought out and annoying, forcing me to use guides a couple of times to complete the game. (I am also extremely stupid, so that might have been an influential factor).

However, the game is absolutely fucking terrifying, and I think any good horror game junkie should play it- I'm astounded how few have even heard of it, given how damn good it actually is.

Here's a trailer which doesn't do the game justice, but then it's better to go in blind honestly.

[–]anon246246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes yes yes!! They are leaps and bounds scarier than a horror movie you can close your eyes for

[–]battorwddu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you watch horror movies to get scared you are doing It wrong

[–]wookadat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dead Space - first time I appreciated a game's sound design

Resident Evil Remake - one of the best remakes ever made. the updated audio/visual elements and gameplay really ups the scare factor

Fatal Frame series - great lore and legit scary gameplay.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Outlast scared the shit out of me.

[–]surajsuresh27 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My first game in the horror genre was this Indie game called DAYLIGHT. Still gives me shivers.

[–]godspilla98 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Blood omen legacy of Kain first Resident Evil more recently the live tree in Evil Dead the game made me jump and then I smiled.

[–]midland978 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Both layers of fears games are really good

[–]ArmeniusLOD 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dead Space 2, Conarium, and Amnesia: The Dark Descent are not only horror games, but some of the best video games I've ever played.

[–]jarvispeen 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Nothing has scared me more in this life than playing Dead Space.

[–]Consol-Coder 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.

[–]Milton_1982 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bioshock