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[Krappadizzle]

Hello Friends:

I am a huge fan of Horror. I've been a fan of the genre since my mother, an evil woman(read:awesome), forced me to watch Child's Play as an uh, child. Growing up I've fallen in love with games that give those tense moments of terror and fear. My wife, who is not a gamer, enjoys "playing"(watching) with me so it's something we can both do together and have a good time.

Now, traditional survival horror has changed over the last 15+ years and is a shell of what it used to be years back.

With that said here is a list of games that have had the biggest impact on me as far as horror is concerned. Note, that these are games that I have played, not ones that I haven't.

RESIDENT EVIL:

This game is what started my obsession. The creepy Gothic atmosphere, the music, the story. It was excellent. The remake for the GCN was fantastic and no fan of traditional survival horror should skip this.

The first 3 Resident Evils stick to the same game mechanics which were great for the time, maybe not so great now, but still serviceable. RE4 was a completely different game entirely, a fantastic action game that still shows influence to other games to this day, but not the best survival horror game.

CV was another great RE Title, but, to be honest I couldn't get into it. It wasn't bad, I just didn't like the story, I still need to finish it. I've owned it on the DC, and PS2 and now on 360, maybe I'll finish it one day.

This is hands down my favorite horror series of all time. If your heart didn't start to beat out of your fucking chest when demonic nurses of evil stabby mcstabby are first spotted, motionless, making noises, you are dead and you have other problems to worry about.

Silent Hill 1, 2, 3, and if you're not a snob, Shattered Memories are all great titles and deserve to be in anyone's collection.
But, SH is a sum of it's parts. For its time it had great graphics, decent controls, and some of the most atmospheric sound design around.

Just listen to to this
and tell me that doesn't put you in a tense mood.
Or this.

This game. This fucking game. Holy shit..You are being attacked by ghosts, your weapon? a camera. Yeah, good luck not getting scared. I suggest if you have a passing interest in Japanese Horror flicks, you play this game.

This is one of the scariest games of all time to date. You have well, amnesia, and you wake up in a castle trying to piece together flash backs all the while slowly going crazy and being hunted. You have no weapon, so you are essentially playing hide(pray) and go seek from your enemies. The sound design really adds to the atmosphere, hearing the wind, dripping water, footsteps, just everything is great and the sequel should be out relatively soon and can hopefully add even more to this already great game. I really hope one day there is a port to the console(s) as this is not a very demanding game and plays just fine with a controller, so that more people get a chance to play this fanfuckingtastic game.

That said, here is a list of games I've played that I haven't already raved about.

F.E.A.R 1+2
Bioshock(not really horror, but it does share some elements.)
Dead Space 1+2
Alan Wake
Call of Cthulhu
Clock Tower 1+2
Condemned
D2
Doom 1,2,3
Dino Crisis
Parasite Eve
Metro 2033
S.T.A.L.K.E.R
left4dead(horror?)
Nightmare Creatures 1+2
DayZ(I'm counting it dammit)
P.T.(PS4)

Now I know there are a few I should have played such as The Thing, System Shock and Eternal Darkness. But, I haven't. I've been spoiled on the twists in those games, and I don't think I can play them knowing that I already know the twists. Is there something I must absolutely play that I should overlook bad mechanics or graphics and just do it?

With all that said, where did our Survival Horror go? We had an influx in the 90's and early to mid 2000's but now? We get drip fed horror titles. Did they do so poorly over the years that they aren't a viable genre outside of a niche audience?

EDIT: I will add a list of what other posters are suggesting.
EDIT#2: If you would like a game added to the list by all means post, but please give an explanation as to what about it scared or creeped you out so we can discuss it. Not everything posted will be added. I'd like to think of this as an "Ultimate" List where, not all games listed are perfect but they deserve to have a spot on the granite wall of Survival Horror as it's a dying genre.

SHOULD PLAYS as selected by the hive mind:

The Thing (PS2,Xbox,PC release)
Eternal Darkness (GCN release)
System Shock 1+2 (PC release)
Siren, in all its forms
Haunting Ground (PS2 release)
Lone Survivor (PC release)
Nightmare House 2 (PC release, Source mod)
Fear Effect (PSX release.)
Aliens vs Predator 2 as the Marine. (PC release)
ObsCure (PS2,Xbox,PC release)
Calling (Wii release)
Parasite Eve 2 (PSX release)
Cryostasis (PC release)
Realms of the Haunting (PC release)
Corpse Party (PSP)
The Suffering (PS2, Xbox, PC release)
Afraid of Monsters: Director's Cut (Half-Life 1 Mod)
Alien Resurrection (PSX release)
Silent Hill: Downpour (PS3, XBOX 360 release)
Scratches (PC release)
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School (PC release)
Condemned 1+2 (PS3, Xbox 360 release)
Clive Barker's Undying (PC release)
SCP Containment Breach (PC release)
Condemned 2 (PS3, Xbox 360 release)
Penumbra (PC release)
Dead Space 1+2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC release)
Call of Cthulhu (Xbox, PC release)
Clock Tower Series (SNES, PSX, PC releases)
Echo Night: Beyond (PS2 release)
Rule of Rose (PS2 release)
Slender (PC "indie" release)
Cry of Fear (PC, HL1 Mod)
Five Nights at Freddy's (PC)
Outlast(PC,PS4, Xbone)

Honorable Mentions:
Half-Life 2's Ravenholm (Xbox, Xbox 360, PC release)
Resistance: Fall of Man: Chimeran Conversion Center (PS3 release)
The Staircase Simulator: SCP-087 (PC Alpha release?)
Ao Oni (PC release, added on Tobias Funke factor alone.)
I Am Alive (PS3, Xbox 360 release)
Thief 3: Deadly Shadows Shalebridge Cradle (PC, Xbox release)
Metroid Series (Nintendo releases)
The 7th Guest (PC, iOS release)
The Ugly(PC)http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/284306
*Flash Game
Exmortis(PC)http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/189227 *Flash Game

 

[Dabanton]

Because it has to be action horror now the best we'll get is small indie survival horror games.

A few out of Europe have scared the bejesus out of me S.T.A.L.K.E.R wins hands down in the frightening stakes it tops even Amnesia for me.

 

[Boss Man]

You are wrong. These games did not scare you.



The only time I've ever jumped out of fear while playing a video game was actually during one single part in Resistance: Fall of Man. I guess because it was just totally unexpected.

 

[frAntic_Frog]

siren
both the originals and the new remake on PS3

 

[BlazingDarkness]

You forgot Siren, in all it's forms.

 

[Poker360]

I played nightmare creatures when i was like 9 on the nintendo 64. I was a boss little kid.

 

[Cramoss]

Here's a list that may help you

You are wrong. These games did not scare you.

The only time I've ever jumped out of fear while playing a video game was actually during one single part in Resistance: Fall of Man. I guess because it was just totally unexpected.

wat

 

[Davey Cakes]

Skull Duggery. Subtly scary if you play in the dark during the late hours of the night. Just you, some text, and some simple illustrations of areas.

 

[Grakl]

You are wrong. These games did not scare you.

The only time I've ever jumped out of fear while playing a video game was actually during one single part in Resistance: Fall of Man. I guess because it was just totally unexpected.

Are you serious? Clearly, everybody gets scared the same amount as you when playing video games. I'm not sure if your comment even warrants an actual response.

Anyways, OP, check out The Lone Survivor. It's a 2D survival-horror game, and it's unexpectedly excellent. It was on the recent Humble Bundle, but you can find it on Steam.

I think that horror games are starting to move towards the indie scene; there really isn't much recently that stands out to me from AAA studios.

 

[Clott]

Here's a list that may help you




wat

Damn, lot's of games I didn't know about.

 

[Teknoman]

You are wrong. These games did not scare you.



The only time I've ever jumped out of fear while playing a video game was actually during one single part in Resistance: Fall of Man. I guess because it was just totally unexpected.

Scare? Maybe not (aside from jump moments in RE and Dead Space) but cause slight paranoia or fear? Yup. Turn on Fatal Frame 2, and load up a save. Put the controller down, walk away and come back after a minute or two.

 

[Boss Man]

Are you serious? Clearly, everybody gets scared the same amount as you when playing video games. I'm not sure if your comment even warrants an actual response.

Anyways, OP, check out The Lone Survivor. It's a 2D survival-horror game, and it's unexpectedly excellent. It was on the recent Humble Bundle, but you can find it on Steam.

I think that horror games are starting to move towards the indie scene; there really isn't much recently that stands out to me from AAA studios.

No...

Sorry if that wasn't obvious.


I am serious about that jumpy part of Resistance: Fall of Man though. Scared the shit out of me.

 

[Krappadizzle]

Are you serious? Clearly, everybody gets scared the same amount as you when playing video games. I'm not sure if your comment even warrants an actual response.

Anyways, OP, check out The Lone Survivor. It's a 2D survival-horror game, and it's unexpectedly excellent. It was on the recent Humble Bundle, but you can find it on Steam.

I think that horror games are starting to move towards the indie scene; there really isn't much recently that stands out to me from AAA studios.

I actually have this game. I think I'm going to play it tonight as I've heard it's a great title. I love the fact that indie titles are still holding the Survival Horror torch, but I'd love to see a horror title with a budget, which we hardly see anymore.

 

[Scythian]

Skull Duggery. Subtly scary if you play in the dark during the late hours of the night. Just you, some text, and some simple illustrations of areas.

Can you post a link or something? I've searched for it, but haven't found anything about it.

 

[frAntic_Frog]

another forgotten title:
Haunting Ground PS2

(more of a stalking-you kind of scary game than a ghost-scary game, but a horror game nontehless)

 

[Minion101]

The first Dead Space was pretty tense.

 

[Cramoss]

Because it has to be action horror now the best we'll get is small indie survival horror games.

A few out of Europe have scared the bejesus out of me S.T.A.L.K.E.R wins hands down in the frightening stakes it tops even Amnesia for me.

Lab X16... never forget.

 

[disappeared]

I'll just move right past Silent Hill because most of GAF is aware of my love affair with it.

Clock Tower and CT2 are very, very well-executed horror titles.

edit: oh shit, yeah, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. too. The overhaul mod that added pitch-black nights was downright terrifying.

 

[Grakl]

No...

Sorry if that wasn't obvious.

No problem, haha. Never can be sure. I just use put a /sarcasm or whatever if it's ambiguous; darn text doesn't convey emotion well enough on forums.

 

[Krappadizzle]

Here's a list that may help you

Holy Shit at this list. Good Find.

 

[onQ123]

never played this but I know the ad made it look scary

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Eternal Darkness, Siren, Dead Space 1 get my.votes.

 

[legacyzero]

Silent Hill 2 & 3 were my favorites.

The Siren games also scared the shit out of me.

 

[disappeared]

never played this but I know the ad made it look scary

It had its moments, absolutely. The general theme of the narrative becomes progressively darker as the game goes on. And there are some genuinely freaky moments in the third act. Probably not what I'd call a horror game, however.

 

[legacyzero]

Also, dont forget THIS little gem!!

 

[Jigsaw]

fatal frame

fuck this shit

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

You are wrong. These games did not scare you.



The only time I've ever jumped out of fear while playing a video game was actually during one single part in Resistance: Fall of Man. I guess because it was just totally unexpected.

Anyway, I second Amnesia and would like to give an honorable mention to Eternal Darkness. While that game wasn't particularly scary to me, it had it's moments.

Spoiler

Dat bathtub scene.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Diablo is freaking scary when you get to the butcher.

also, The library in Metro 2033 is my favorite scary sequence this gen (I might have mentioned this a couple of times before)

 

[Krappadizzle]

It had its moments, absolutely. The general theme of the narrative becomes progressively darker as the game goes on. And there are some genuinely freaky moments in the third act. Probably not what I'd call a horror game, however.

I'd classify it as horror, maybe not Survival Horror. But horror none the less. It was great for it's time, I am genuinely surprised that this franchise didn't pick up. I know there was a PSP release no too long ago, but, my interest in the franchise has essentially died.

I want, another game that will give me that Silent Hill 2,3 feeling of creepiness, it seems this day, most major publishers rely on jump tactics for scares as opposed to straight up, make you shit yourself from the atmosphere ones we used to have.

 

[disappeared]

Diablo is freaking scary when you get to the butcher.

Ran out of the church as fast as fucking possible.

 

[K.Sabot]

2nd time today that I'll pimp STALKER.

Only game I modded for the sole reason so that I would be able to sleep through the nighttime.

 

[Krappadizzle]

Anyway, I second Amnesia and would like to give an honorable mention to Eternal Darkness. While that game wasn't particularly scary to me, it had it's moments.

Spoiler

Dat bathtub scene.

Why did this franchise not get another shot? I never played it. I didn't have a gamecube at the time, but everything I read sounded awesome, it seemed like it did so many new things that it was a shot in the arm the genre needed. I know it was a critical hit, as far as review scores are concerned, don't know about sales. But it seems like The Big N should have kept this series going. Wasn't this and MGS remake, Silicon Knights last hit?

 

[disappeared]

Because Dyack.

 

[Az987]

lol I literally played Fatal Frame until I got to the first ghost and turned it off.

That was like 8 years ago.. haven't played it since.

 

[Krappadizzle]

Hotel 626
Horror, Adventure
Made by Frito Lays. Yeah, the chip company. Wat.
You can only play from 6PM to 6AM.


Has anyone played this? Looking at that list that was posted, this pic really stood out. Hmmm.....

 

[Forceatowulf]

Silent Hill 2 scared the fuck out of me. I didn't even know games could be that fucking freaky.

 

[disappeared]

Silent Hill 2 scared the fuck out of me. I didn't even know games could be that fucking freaky.

The best part of SH2 is that you hardly ever "see" what's scaring you. It's that sense of impending fear, and a total mindfuck.

 

[Shockamoto]

Alan Wake,

Spoiler

that one scene when the old lady turns, rushes toward the screen and addresses the player directly.

That scene literally scared the hell out of me and stayed with me for weeks.

 

[Az987]

Hotel 626
Horror, Adventure
Made by Frito Lays. Yeah, the chip company. Wat.
You can only play from 6PM to 6AM.


Has anyone played this? Looking at that list that was posted, this pic really stood out. Hmmm.....

Nope. I have a few of those games though but haven't really ever played them.

Anyone ever played Illbleed or D2?

 

[Krappadizzle]

The best part of SH2 is that you hardly ever "see" what's scaring you. It's that sense of impending fear, and a total mindfuck.

Anyone ever played Illbleed or D2?

D2, loved it for it's time. It had some really cool ideas, though, that story. WTF?!

 

[TheCongressman1]

The Staircase Simulator: SCP-087

 

[The Grim Heaper]

Do Source games count? Nightmare House 2 is really good.

 

[frAntic_Frog]

would this count?

at least the first Fear Effect.....
its not straight survival horror, but horror-adventure? i remember it had some twisted creature design and twisted story plots....

 

[disappeared]

I loved the first Fear Effect's take on "hell." Such a creepy place.

 

[Broder Salsa]

The first silent hill is what scared me the most, I was still just a small kid and rented that shit... Got so scared at the beginning where you get attacked, that combined with the loud noises... aaaaaaaaarh, i shut it off and didn't play it again until years later when I had become quite a fan of RE. Silent hill is my favorite horror franchise too, but most of them has not been really scary as much as just constantly creepy to me. Amnesia however had a few parts where it did manage to scare me.

 

[jokkir]

Penumbra. All of them. Same makers of Amnesia (Frictional Games) and man, they're pretty freaky.

 

[Teknoman]

never played this but I know the ad made it look scary

Not scary, but very unsettling at times. Especially the...opera and transformation sequences. I think the 2nd game actually has a human transform...

 

[frAntic_Frog]

another "obscure" horror game/franchise

kinda a low budget mediocre horror game, but those lookin for more horror games on PSP besides silent hill....

 

[disappeared]

On a side note, I'm getting really tired of the "something-runs-past-your-field-of-view-very-fast" gimmick. It's not funny anymore, and seems to be a relatively cheap way to induce a jump-scare.

 

[Krappadizzle]

would this count?

at least the first Fear Effect.....
its not straight survival horror, but horror-adventure? i remember it had some twisted creature design and twisted story plots....

I remember this game, not for it's horror aspects. I felt like I was breaking a rule or something playing this as an 11 y/o.

On a side note, I'm getting really tired of the "something-runs-past-your-field-of-view-very-fast" gimmick. It's not funny anymore, and seems to be a relatively cheap way to induce a jump-scare.

Not really a side note at all, the "something-runs-past-your-field-of-view-very-fast" gimmick is super prevalent these days and is used as a go to tactic in modern survival horror. To be honest, I think it's awesome at first. Hell, second time is kinda cool too. But when it becomes the only mechanic used, it feels super cheap and just lazy, it has it's time and place, but not every time.