Do you love horror games as much as I do? Today we’ll look at 6 games that are best played with headphones, discreetly and completely alone.
It’s scary and interesting.
Important clarification: this list intentionally does not include some projects, such as Alan Wake 2 and Signalis. This is done because I have already written about these games earlier on our website and do not want to repeat myself.
1. Resident Evil 2
When came out: 2019
About what: How a rookie police officer, a student, a spy, and the daughter of a mad scientist tried to survive a zombie apocalypse.
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Windows, Nintendo Switch (cloud)
I would like to answer a few questions right away. Resident Evil has never been as scary as in the remake of the second part. No, the seventh part is not scary. And the eighth one too, the scene in the doll’s house doesn’t count.
I won’t go into detail about the plot, since everyone already knows it. A man-made virus outbreak, zombies appear, and two main characters struggle to survive. Yes, the plot was expanded quite well compared to the original.
However, the developers made the game truly intense. I’m not afraid to say that the local zombie, perhaps for the first time ever, raises the question: “How can you kill them? How can you tell what is already dead?»
Ammo is always scarce and enemies are difficult to kill. Leon and Claire are not invulnerable and can become president with just a few bites. The game drives you into an ever-narrowing framework and makes you afraid of what’s around the corner.
The Raccoon City police station looks terrifying: there are traces of blood, bodies, strange claw marks all around, and at a certain point the heavy sound of the Tyrant’s footsteps is added to this. He hunts heroes for almost the entire game and is a real test of nerves and a test of knowledge on the site. You can’t kill him
If you want to spend some intense evenings full of fear and adrenaline, then RE 2 is your choice. You won’t be disappointed.
📍 Buy Resident Evil 2 for PC for 1474 rub.
📍 Buy Resident Evil 2 for PS4 for 1679 rub.
📍 Buy Resident Evil 2 for Xbox One for 2652 rub.
2. Bunny (Tiny Bunny)
When came out: year 2013
About what: an atmospheric story about the mysteries of the Russian outback in the late 90s.
Platforms: Window
I learned about this game from the spoiler for its fourth (and currently last) episode on social networks. People shared their impressions of scenes with… an industrial meat grinder. If you’re planning a game, it’s highly recommended that you avoid spoilers. Seriously, don’t Google anything.
What is really hidden behind my name “Bunny”? This is a visual novel based on the story of the same name by online writer Dmitry Mordas. Its developer goes by the nickname Saikono Joker and appears publicly only wearing a mask.
The plot centers on Anton Petrov, who is forced to move from the city to the village with his family in winter. The situation is generally gloomy, relations between parents are not going well, all around is the gray reality of the Russian outback of the late 90s, and children are disappearing in the settlement.
Anton’s story is non-linear and presented in an episodic format. The decisions made will sooner or later lead to a different storyline (so far there is only one ending in the game, because out of the planned 5 episodes only 4 have been released)
“Bunny” is a real phenomenon for our gaming industry. This big game was created by two people, voiced by several professional actors (including Borisa Repetura and Andrei Yaroslavtseva, whose role in “Bunny” was the last of his life) and was originally based on a small site with scary stories.
It’s official to skip this project. I haven’t felt this uncomfortable during a test in a long time. I don’t know what’s more frightening – mysticism or a realistic look at parents’ divorce from the eyes of their children. I would tell you a lot more, but I don’t want to spoil the impression. The game may not be finished and ends on a cliffhanger, but even now it evokes strong emotions. The last episode promises to be released before the end of the year
📍 Buy Tiny Bunny, for example, on Steam for 349 rub.
3. The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
When came out: 2023
About what: A group of journalists investigates the reconstruction of a serial killer’s estate.
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Windows.
The latest part of the interactive anthology The Dark Pictures by a strange coincidence I found something that could scare me. In general, I am of the opinion that there are no outright bad games in the Supermassive Games portfolio. Until Dawn, The Quarry and the entirety of The Dark Pictures Anthology are worth checking out.
But especially scary is The Devil in Me, which is based on the true story of Henry Holmes. The man is known as the first American serial killer who built a hotel for his own purposes – the “Murder Castle”. This building has become a real architectural phenomenon. It took up almost an entire block in Chicago.
Murder Castle featured moving walls, many traps, secret rooms and gas chambers. All this was cleverly hidden so that the guests would not guess about the owner’s real plans until the last minute. The victims, as a rule, were women. And yes, this is all a true story.
The main part of the game takes place in the modern world. The game with that group of television people who are working on a program about famous maniacs is invited to a hotel that is an exact copy of the famous “Murder Castle” both visually and mechanically.
The plot of the game will not be the most pleasant: the heroes fall into the traps of a copycat maniac who exactly copies the hotel. Much of the game depends on the actions and decisions of the player. If you rush and neglect the surroundings, most of the plot will be missed.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is an atmospheric, brutal and popular horror game that can give several scary evenings to both one player and an entire company, since the project has a cooperative mode. Don’t listen to mixed reviews from critics, form your own.
📍 Buy The Devil in Me for PC for 1474 rub.
📍 Buy The Devil in Me for PS5 for 1679 rub.
📍 Buy The Devil in Me for Xbox for 2652 rub.
4. Makeup
When came out: 2020
About what: ghosts, claustrophobia, panic.
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Windows.
In 2013, a Silent Hill reboot led by Hideo Kojima was announced, but the project was pulled. There remains a small demo version of PT, the techniques of which were used in the game Visage.
The game begins with a tragic event. A man brutally kills women and himself, and then we agree to take control of the new resident of the house.
Visage is a game exploring the story of a past house in which terrible events took place. The hero will have to study the history of the previous residents of this house three times.
The story arcs have form in both gameplay and presentation. The Dolores arc, for example, received a respected nod towards the classic parts of Silent Hill and the film Jacob’s Ladder, and the chapter about Lucy is most reminiscent of that very bottom PT with its chamber surrealism.
Visage places high demands on patience, attentiveness and the ability to act carefully, but rewards this with high-quality psychological horror in the best traditions of the genre. If you are looking for a languid, heavy and uncomfortable psychological horror, be sure to play it.
📍 Buy Visage, for example, on Steam for 619 rub.
5. Faith: Unholy Trinity
When came out: 2022
About what: Satan, exorcism, mass insult to the feelings of believers.
Platforms: Windows, on consoles later this year.
This is a modern game, made in the style of the Atari 2600 project. It is frightening, including its graphics. Faith: The Unholy Trinity is a collection of three games united by a worldwide community. The action takes place in the 1980s, when cults were specifically feared in America. The main character is Catholic priest John Ward, a witness to the exorcism.
The ritual failed, and now the player must deal with the consequences. Demonic entities penetrate the human world. The Mysterious cult clears the way for the coming of the Antichrist. People die, blood flows like a river, and the question of saving the whole world arises.
Faith is visually impressive and stands out from other indie horror titles with its unique rotoscoped graphics and animation. Screenshots do not convey the atmosphere of the game, better watch the trailer.
This is a real one, which is worth recommending to everyone, except for those who cannot stand pixel graphics or religious-mystical plots. It’s better to play with headphones.
📍 Buy Faith: The Unholy Trinity, for example, on Steam for 550 rub.
6. Cry of Fear
When came out: year 2013
About what: a story about a teenager who struggles with home within and around him.
Platforms: Window
I would like to finish the story about my favorite game, which left a deep imprint on my soul. Ten years have passed since its release, but it still remains relevant. The graphics, gameplay and theme are still top notch.
If someone suffering from depression takes on the development of a game based on Half-Life, the result will be one of the most frightening and complex games with the effect of depth. The content warning that appears before the game starts is absolutely true.
The player controls Simon, who, after an unexpected accident, ends up not in a hospital, but in the slums of his city. It’s dark all around, there are no people, in my hands I only have a pocket knife and an old Sony Ericsson phone with a message from my mother on the screen. The path will be long and very difficult.
Scream of Fear is old school horror. The main character is not defenseless, and as the story progresses he has more opportunities to resist.
Apart from the gameplay, the game also features narrative horror. The best words to describe Cry of Fear are uncomfortable, messy, awkward.
The game is a real test for your eardrums. Most often the sound is a hellish cacophony of howls, screams, clanging metal and the blows of an out-of-tune guitar on something slimy. The game will teach you to love silence in the first hour of the night and make you panicky about it in the second.
Despite all the positives, I can’t unequivocally convey “Cry of Fear” to everyone. The game may turn out to be too cruel and merciless towards the player, and the consequences of the ending may be bitter.
However, if you’re not afraid of being on a roller coaster with blades built into the seat, then… buckle up, it won’t stop.
📍 Download FCry of Fear on Steam for free
Horrors must not be separated
And that’s all for now. The number 6 in the selection is no coincidence, and I’m just starting to draw things that should not let you sleep at night. Almost the entire segment of Japanese horror, classic horror and deep indie arthouse was left behind.
But I will only talk about all this if you show interest in the comments.
And at the same time, as always, I ask you to actively supplement the list with your own examples and explanations of what scared you. I’ll be glad to discuss with you. Have a good day!
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
