I have to admit, I'm not a horror game lover. Not that I'm total sissy, but I tend not to pick up scary games very often. Though I can gladly say that I've played lots of them and the atmosphere they create is unreal. I've never been so attracted to the screen as well as being hesitant at the same time. Horror games can really play with your mind and emotions, which is what makes them so great. Here's a list of the top 10 scariest video games I've played up until now.
10. Slender
This game is top-notch simplicity. Literally all you have to do is pick up 8 pages and you beat the game. So what the hell makes it so scary? Probably the fact that there's a tuxedo-wearing white-faced spaghetti monster chasing you as you try to collect these pages. Since this is a list about the scariest games, this falls in the 10th spot as the game offers no story or background whatsoever, it's basically just a simple but overwhelmingly horrific experience.
9. Until Dawn
Now this is a game worth some attention. It's actually one of my favorite games, but not only for the horror part. The game has an amazing story development and the fate of the characters depend on the choices that you make. But talking about the scary side of the game, it's pretty damn scary. As you can see from the picture above, some nasty monsters called Wendigos are the ones trying to hunt you. Not only does Until Dawn create an unsettling atmosphere, but it also has a lot of jumpscares. Believe me when I say a lot. You actually end up expecting the next jumpscare, but it still manages to make you jump and shiver. It's truly a very unique and horrifying experience.
8. Alien Isolation
I love the classic Alien movies and I've watched them countless of times. In my opinion it's the best horror game from the Alien franchise. Being such a fan of the franchise myself, I wouldn't dare shy away from such a masterpiece. It kept my heart pounding for hours and hours. Of course, most of the effect was caused by none other but our well known antagonist in the picture above. The lightning as well as the graphics in the game are overwhelming, too!
7. Five Nights At Freddy's
What could possibly be scary about some cute looking animals? Well, the fact that they wake up at night and haunt the shit out of you. I did not expect to be scared by this game, but it proved otherwise. It may not seem creepy at first, but the immersion is there, as the gameplay is pretty intense and the robotic animal creatures can really catch you off guard. If you're a person who is scared by the types of creatures in Five Nights At Freddy's, you might want to keep the lights on when playing.
6. Outlast
Welcome to jump-scare and gore island. Outlast really scared the shit out of me. It seems pretty generic, but the fact that you're walking in pitch dark areas with night-vision mode turned on your camera brings the chills. Not only are the antagonists ugly and frightful, but the jumpscares really put you on your feet. The thing is, you can't fight back - the only options you have are to run or hide. I hate not having the ability of fighting back, but that's part of why it's so scary. One thing I remember is never looking back when those monsters are chasing me.
5. Dead Space
You're stuck in space on a mining ship infested with reanimated corpses called necromorphs that have spider limbs and run towards you in haste. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Dead Space really appealed to me with it's setting and the unique atmosphere it created. The horde of enemies seem to be quite endless, as you'll find yourself fighting them most of the time. At least you can shoot them, which was a relief to me compared to other games. This classic definitely sits strongly at the 5th place in the list.
4. SOMA
SOMA is a game that will make you question reality. The game brings up whether it's your mind that's making you feel fear. You might find yourself looking for cover when you hear some horrific sounds in you surroundings, when most of the time there's actually nothing there. SOMA is one of those games which I had to pause in order to keep my sanity intact. The game pushes you deeper and deeper into questioning the events that are happening around you.
3. Silent Hill 2
First of all, I loved the movies. Just like Alien: Isolation tempted me to try it because of the movies, so did the Silent Hill games. Every part of the town you're exploring ends up having different horrors, with the famous pyramid-head and the nurses with their creepy movement. Again, this is one of those games that make you delve full-on into the story as it is quite overwhelming to say the least. The further you progress, the more horror awaits you. Which is great, of course..!
2. P.T.
Keep in mind that P.T. is just a 30 minute long playable teaser with the reason to introduce people to the next Silent Hill game. You're in a house walking in a loop, as things are changing little by little each time. The thing about P.T. is that you don't know what's going to happen next and that's what makes you start shitting bricks. It gets worse each time. Sadly, P.T. was never fully released and the only way to check it out is to watch a playthrough on YouTube.
Credits: Shirrako
1. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia is by far my most favorite horror game. Not only have I played it through a couple of times, I've also experienced the horror of some player-made stories. The game is really amazing in my opinion. The story is great, the atmosphere is unreal and the shivers it brings down the spine are the most convincing for a person like me. Amnesia takes the first spot in this list as I can't really say any other game exceeds the horrific experience that it built. There don't even need to be monsters chasing all the time - the soundtrack and the surrounding sounds really keep up a high pulse the whole time. This is a game which almost gave me a heart attack when I was hiding from a monster without realizing it was right behind me. I still remember the panic it brought. I strongly suggest trying it if you haven't yet!
Thanks for checking out my list of the top 10 scariest video games. Share your thoughts!
