Halloween is almost upon us. Time to celebrate by scaring ourselves silly.
The horror genre has been a staple in video games for years, and has helped us scare ourselves as long as they have been around. Many of these games have given us a severe sense of dread, knowing that something is stalking us or that anything can be right around the corner. Great horror games have a way of getting into our heads, and leave us with a sense of terror. Here is a list of the top 6 horror franchises to spook yourself with this Halloween.
6. F.E.A.R.
Little girls can be creepy. Especially when that little girl is Alma.
F.E.A.R. is a great overall shooter series, but it is the nightmares and hallucinations that your character faces that really stand out. The way that Alma toys with you is disturbing, and will definitely keep you on your toes. Not many shooters are capable of producing this sort of fear in the player, making you look around every corner, afraid that Alma just might show up. In a world where most problems can be solved with bullets, having something haunt you that cannot be so easily dealt with can be frightening.
5. Dead Space
You know the old saying: in space, no one can hear you scream.
The Dead Space franchise sees players take the role of Isaac Clarke as he faces a stream of nightmares throughout the series. The space setting is perfect, as it lends a bleak atmosphere to the games, and helps make the player feel somewhat helpless. That, however, is not the most terrifying aspect of the Dead Space. The true horror haunting Isaac happens to be the Necromorphs, horrible creatures mutated from the dead. Dead Space is true survival horror, and does a great job leaving the player scared of what lurks around the corner, in every air duct, and even in the darkness of space.
4. Eternal Darkness
Prepare to get your mind messed with.
Eternal Darkness is an overall excellent game. It provides some genuine horror, great settings, and interesting characters. What the game really excels at however, is the way it messes with the player. As the character encounters the terrifying monsters in the game’s world, the character’s sanity declines. When your character’s sanity drops far enough, you will begin to experience different hallucinations, such as blood dripping from the walls. Push it even further, and the game will mess with your screen, and even lead you to believe that your game file was erased. Eternal Darkness does not want to just scare you; it has to completely toy with your mind at the same time.
3. Fatal Frame
Great Japanese horror.
The Fatal Frame franchise takes aspects of Japanese horror and folklore and uses them to great effect. The games always have great settings, each putting you in the position of a helpless female protagonist, facing something dark and unknown. The games pit you against terrifying ghosts, but your only weapon is a camera, and the only way to beat these malevolent spirits is to get up close and personal. This can be a nerve wracking idea, to approach what you fear head-on. And it is enough to make Fatal Frame an outstanding series to play in the dark, at midnight, as your character rounds that seemingly quiet next corner.
2. Resident Evil
The zombie outbreak is rarely this great.
Despite the franchise going on a more action-packed route in the later entries, Resident Evil is still a perfect example of survival horror. The first few entries in the series were terrifying, with great set pieces and moments that have continued to stick with gamers for years. The zombie infested settings of the games leave a feeling of insecurity, with the muffled moans of the creatures you may come across ringing in the distance. Of course, zombies are not your only problem, as the franchise has always provided more than enough different types of monsters to leave you unsettled. There is a reason that Resident Evil is one of the most haunting franchises in gaming history.
1. Silent Hill
But finally, taking the top spot, you have psychological horror at its best.
The Silent Hill franchise puts you in the control of “everymen” characters, characters with no particular powers of any kind, who get trapped within the haunted town of Silent Hill. The series has some of the most terrifying monsters and situations that can be found in gaming. The town itself is alive, and brings out a person’s worst fears. Every monster found in the games is ripped out of someone’s mind, haunting each character while they are trapped, forming each person’s own personal hell. The franchise overall contains some of the best horror games in gaming history, cementing it as one of the scariest video game franchises ever.