HALLOWEEN GAMES:
Sticking strictly to Steam for this talk. I will also mention there's definitely a Halloween sale coming up, so while I'll link to the games, if you don't own one I suggest waiting a bit to see if it goes on sale soon.
THERE'S BEEN A SHIT TON OF UNDERLOOKED HORROR GAMES THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. Like, seriously, I can't seem to convince many, but there are some fantastic horror games that have been severely overlooked. I'll limit my talks to games from the last two years, and point out some I would definitely recommend.
HERE WE GO...
Horror Games Worth Checking Out That've Released On Steam Since October, 2013:
(going in order of release date from oldest to newest from that date, not in any sort of order of quality or significance)
If you want me to talk about any game in more detail, just ask.
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Typing of the Dead: Overkill
Grindhouse cheese & sleaze for either a mouse on-rail shooter, or a keyboard typing-a-thon. Has a cheesy but enjoyable plot that never takes itself seriously and has a great dumb ending, some pretty good boss battles, and more cussing than I could mother-fucking say. If you want something not really scary, but with all the sweet 70s horror grindhouse violence and twisted bio-organic monstrosities, and maybe want to spruce up your typing, this is a game for you.
Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut
It's a cult-classic for a reason. A game that is truly unlike anything you'll ever play, but also similar to a lot of things. Basically Twin Peaks: The Game, but more so it has some amazing elements, does some things that are so-bad-its-good, but is grounded by a likable and well-developed group of characters, an over-the-top story, humor that is laugh-out-loud funny both intentionally and unintentionally, and an intriguing central murderer mystery, and overall strangeness. Not scary, but has its twistedness.
The Cat Lady
Twisted point'n'click among the best of em. An older woman decides she wants nothing more to do with life, and commits suicide. However, some form of reaper contacts her in purgatory and tells her that it will not let her die, until she can in life kill five demons in the real world wearing the skin of men. Really good story, atmosphere, twists, and style.
Resident Evil 4 Ultimate HD Edition
The best version of the classic action-horror game. You play as Leon, a man who goes to Spain to save the President's Daughter. Not really requiring knowledge of the series past to be played, the game has great pacing and twisted monsters that try to stop you in this hammy tale of a bad-ass American versus a twisted cult. Was a game-changer in its time, and still is a well-paced title that continuously throws new things at the player all the way through to the end.
Year Walk
What would you do to glimpse the future? A man with uncertainty about his life does a Scandinavian ritual known as a Year Walk, a tough walk into the snowy woods on New Years to take on trials, to catch a glimpse of his life a year from now. Featuring strange creatures, interesting and balanced puzzles, and a great atmosphere, and interesting references to Scandinavian folklore.
ObsCure
A classic-styled horror game from the PS2-era. One notable thing is the whole game is couch 2-player co-op, which is pretty fun (no online), but playing in Single Player is fine. One of the earlier games I can think of too with perma-death. You play as a small group of teens, and can switch between them. If they die, they die for good. Each represent a different teen horror stereotype, work with fixed camera angles through twisted enemies, a mysterious storyline, fleshy plant-like monsters, and puzzles. Actually has some pretty interesting innovations and twists, lots of intractability in the environment (can push a lot of things, break windows and vending machines, and a lot more), a fun older horror game to play through.
Harvester
One of the shlockiest games you may ever play. Full of shocking, crude, 90s-filled horror, over-the-top violence, trying to be super offensive to everyone, and has a number of downright hilarious moments. Stars a man who awakens in a strange 1950s-styled town with no memory of how he got here, people he doesn't know claiming to be his family, and something more sinister lurking beneath the surface of the small town. One of the B-est games of all time.
DreadOut
An Indonesian horror game that's inspired by Fatal Frame. Has a strong atmosphere and sound design, low-budget graphics, but full of surprises, twists, turns, and a lot of variety actually. Has some stand-out horror moments, especially in the last third, which stick-out as quality horror. Some fun, but simple, combat mixed with some cryptic puzzles, some interesting and haunting scenes, and a lot of creativity with a bit of jank. One of the most 'old-school' feeling newer horror games that captures what made those games enjoyable though, but definitely can be cryptic sometimes.
The Last Door
A point'n'click with a pixely style, but don't let its appearance fool you, this is actually a really good horror point'n'click with a great story, good music, some actually creepy parts, and is told in an episodic way. Season 2 is coming out very soon, completely worth playing through Season 1 (which is what this is).
Claire
A 2D side-scrolling horror game featuring a teen girl and a dog she meets, named Anubis. Taking care of her mother in the hospital, she suddenly walks out to get coffee, but gets trapped in some form of nightmare world. Something of a mixture of Silent Hill and Clock Tower, she now must make her escape from labyrinth-like locations as she unravels a bigger going-on. Has some creepy scenes, tense sequences, and some interesting run and hide gameplay with shadow monsters, darkness, and light. It's a strange experience down the rabbit hole.
Silence of the Sleep
A 2D side-scrolling horror game made by one person. Has an interesting 'cut-out' visual style, matched with a strange story that's somewhere between The Shining and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. A man with thoughts of suicide ends up meeting an odd bartender who goes on to take him into a world where shadows resides, and memories lie. Has some really creepy and tense moments, and then some down-time with the weirdos and eccentric characters. Also has a good atmosphere and great sound design.
Alien: Isolation
The hide'n'seek game with an intelligent Xenomorph enemy. Has some combat and maybe goes on for a bit longer than it needs to, but has some tense cat-and-mouse gameplay set in the detailed-lore world of Alien, and make the sort of horror game in that universe fans of wanted, mixed with some fun twists on similar hide'n'seek horror games, most of all being the Xenomorph being an interesting enemy itself.
The Evil Within
Truly a love it or hate it game, though I quite liked it. It's a bit rough around the edges, has some trial-and-error moments, and changes tones multiple times through its course. But it's stacked-full of variety, has stand-out moments, some engrossing, violent, and satisfying gunplay when you get the hang of it, and has some twisted monsters in a variety of locations with a variety of tasks. Limited supplies and surreality, with a somewhat thin plot, but something of a rollercoaster of an experience. Has a demo if you want to give it a try with the first few chapters, also a lengthy game and the game really starts with the third chapter (the final chapter of the demo).
Sanitarium
One of the old classics of point'n'click horror, but stands-up due to some amazing atmosphere and a good story. Starts somewhat typical, an amnesiac wakes up in a twisted sanitarium mental hospital, but gives way to all sorts of twists, and some legitimately creepy moments. Considered a masterpiece by many, and for good reason.
Resident Evil HD Remaster
One of the best-regarded classic survival-horror games of all time gets a release in HD on Steam. A 'RE'make of the first game in the series, it stands-up well even all these years later, showing the classic survival-horror style in true form with atmosphere in aces, creepy enemies and mechanics, a cheesy but staple plot that launches the series, limited supplies, fixed camera-angles with tank controls, and all sorts of twists and turns through an iconic mansion. It has some beautiful art direction and introduces new things through its course to keep things interesting and unexpected.
Dying Light
An action-horror game with great parkour, surprising atmosphere and tenseness in scenes, a dumb story, but enjoyable zombified gameplay that's basically Dead Island, but better in every way. A realization of a strong concept, and some really fun 4-player co-op gameplay to boot. Zombie killing, parkouring, twisted fun.
Sunless Sea
Set sail to the deep, a Lovecraftian game about you as captain with a crew at sea, a rogue-like where you must manage your crew and explore, and what happens is up to you. Unearth otherworldly horrors, go mad and eat your crew, explore uncharted waters and fish for supplies, and much more. Also has quite a good story to it.
Resident Evil Revelations 2
Hey, it turns out this game is actually pretty good. It returns Resident Evil to hammy but enjoyable plots with enjoyably quirky characters, matched with a more limited-supplies action-horror game with more atmosphere than the last few games combined, told in an episodic way with a fun little narrative and cheesy writing, but some tense, challenging, and surprising moments through-out. It's maybe the best blend of horror and atmosphere Capcom have done since RE4, and though a bit low-quality in some areas, makes up for it in execution. Each episode is generally better than the last.
Zombie Army Trilogy
A co-op grindhouse zombie game with some fun gunplay, great 80s style, fun and varied stages, interesting and varied enemies, and some challenging mechanics. There's virtually no story (there is one, but it's super minor), Hitler was into Satanism and brings back his nazis as an army to rule Germany once more, and you must put a stop to him. A good amount of content, full of secrets and fun things, it's straight-forward but nails the execution and is not only super solid, but very fun with friends, and surprisingly atmospheric.
Enigma: An Illusion Named Family
An RPG Maker horror game that's something of a mix between a visual novel, Corpse Party, a murder mystery, and The Crooked Man. A dysfunctional family full of secrets gets stuck in a twisted security system in their manor during a family meeting, and a killer goes on a loose. Has an actually pretty good story, matched with some fun RPG Maker Horror Gameplay with little puzzles, mini-games, and a killer to avoid, and visual novel scenes and even some animated cutscenes as it goes to tell its tale, with multiple endings.
Shutter
Made by a GAF'er, a short horror game that isn't amazing, but actually fairly decent with some good creep-out moments and story. You play as a security camera robot who records the surrounding area to survey a house on sale, but begin to find paranormal activity... Puzzle solving and some unique camcorder gameplay commence.
Into The Gloom
An actually really creepy puzzle-horror game, the world in the game is composed of nothing but black, white, and red, shades of gray, and simple, retro-like graphics, but it is really oppressive, the puzzles are challenging but fun, and has things from the shadow that slowly are after you... Multiple endings as well.
Lakeview Cabin Collection
An episodic horror game series I'm surprised hasn't gotten more attention on GAF, it's something I think you guys would love. In each episode, you play as a selection of characters in some sort of horror setting playground, you are free to do whatever... You can wreck the place, butcher your friends, try to survive, streak naked, drive out of there... Really, whatever, and try and survive the horror of the episode, from masked killers, to cursed artifacts, and much more. It's quite fun and still releasing new episodes.
The Charnel House Trilogy
A collection of three short related stories, that actually has a really good atmosphere and story-telling. A point'n'click, the game accomplishes a lot through its narrative, sound design, and atmosphere to actually be chilling.
Killing Floor 2
Violent, gorey, and one of the best arena shooters out there. Improves so much off the original. Still in Early Access, but a good one, fun co-op with 6 players (or beyond), really satisfying gameplay, unique classes, interesting enemies, and varied levels, and its all continuing to grow.
Uncanny Valley
A 2D sidescrolling horror game where you play as a man who takes on a new job in a technology department in the forest. The game features, "Do what you want," gameplay with a day structure with time passing. Do what you want in that time, and try to uncover the dark secrets and strange going-ons that begin to happen. With multiple paths through, multiple endings, and a game made to be replayed.
The Music Machine
A walking simulator, but some small gameplay stuff in it, and an actually very interesting story and style. You play as a girl who has the spirit (or is it a split personality?) of an adult twisted killer, they go off to an island where the girl stayed when she was young to explore what life means to them.
Monstrum
A horror rogue-like with a randomized ship you're on, as well as a random monster (there's multiple). The goal is to find a method to escape the ship, there's more than one way to do this, but while you do this and do the tasks you need around the ship, the monster is hunting you. Actually scary, and challenging.
Sylvio
Not a game for everyone, it's very slow, but also quite chilling. You play as a soft-spoken foreign woman who goes to an abandoned amusement park and surrounding locations to exorcise the dead there and find out what happened there, a mystery that's surrounded the place for years. You do this by recording sounds in the environment, meddling with them with an audio player to form out messages, solving puzzles and taking out shadows as a story slowly unravels.
Kholat
A walking simulator set in Russian snowy mountains, based off of a real world incident. The objective is to explore a big open-world and find points of interests using a map and a compass. Has some great atmosphere, an interesting story, some good music and narration, and a variety of fun things to uncover in the cold barren forest and mountains, and something in the mountains with you...
Spooky's House of Jump Scares
It's FREE~ A game where you enter a spooky house, and must transgress 1000 rooms. It's a bit slow with nothing happening for a while at times, but it has some good moments, surprises, and intrigue to back it up, and again, it's free~
Dead Realm
Currently in early access, and it's a multiplayer game, buy a large player-base already. It's basically One monster versus multiple humans (up to 8-players currently) in different game modes, with different monsters, in multiple stages. It's quite fun, not fully scary but matches can get tense, current game modes is a Slender-esque mode and something sort of like a hybrid of hide & seek +tag. New content gets added twice a month, and they've been good with updating the game and the community with what they're up too.
The Ritual on Weylyn Island
This game's actually just about to come out of Early Access. It's surprisingly quite good, you're on an island with strange cultists as you explore the island, survive horrors, and unravel a creepy mystery. Sort of like a game version of a horror movie, but it's good.
Unloved
No story, single-player or multiplayer, but this is a fun and tense horror-FPS rogue-like. Originally was a Doom 2 mod, formed into its own game. In Early Access, but updates regularly. Fast, creepy monsters, satisfying and fun gameplay, super oppressive atmosphere, and a variety of locations you venture deeper into. Simple, fun, brutal, creepy, either alone or with friends.
Fran Bow
Little girl in a mental hospital after the death of her parents where she believed she saw the devil manages to escape to look for her cat. Game is full of a lot of charm, great style, fun characters, and some deliciously creepy moments.
Layers of Fear
Currently in Early Access, but it's caused waves in the horror community. Inspired by P.T., but not a rip-off, this game is actually quite creepy, scary, and interesting. You explore a world of an artist, with layers of it slowly peeling away. It's been received so well by so many for a reason, as many say it's just as good, if not better, than P.T., though for me I think it's better to say it's a really good atmosphereic horror game, simple gameplay but much intrigue and horror through sublime execution. See how it goes when out of EA.
Stray Cat Crossing
An RPG Maker Horror with wonderful style, and fairytale-like horror. A colorful and surreal, but very twisted world with an interesting story, and lulls you into it with a cast of charming, but creepy, characters.
Close Your Eyes
Hey, I made this! And it's FREE~ But it's been received a lot better than I expected, there is a flaw that the middle section with keys is repetitive, but been well received for its atmosphere, sound design, voice acting, and twisted narrative. Multiple endings, if you guys play, know the 'Stay' decision is an early end.
Dungeon Nightmares II : The Memory
An actually terrifying game that's a sequel to a phone horror game, but don't let that turn you off. This game has really creepy atmosphere, and is a rogue-like where you must make your way through a dark and haunted dungeon and try to find the escape.
Albino Lullaby
A stylistic and colorful horror game being released episodically, Episode 1 is out right now. It's quite a ride, has a lot of style, a unique-world, and twisted Albino monsters you must survive. First episode varies itself nicely and tells a fun little story, with more to be seen.
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