Summary
Horror games are always crafted with the intention of terrifying, jumpscaring, traumatizing, and even stressing the heck out of their players. Everything in them — from monster design and audio to the tense environments — is intended to instill fear, as they typically aren’t designed to be peaceful experiences at all, and those games that do exist are rather rare.
Most horror gamers would likely have it no other way either; it’s not as if players are booting up a horror game for its soothing gameplay. But, there are those that offer an even more intense experience than others. These games are often simply just too much to take and will have the player running to the pause screen or even quitting while they try to catch their breath.
Multiplayer games are always going to end up slightly more stressful than single-player experiences, as there is the added pressure of knowing other players will be witness to the gameplay, not to mention the competitive angle as both sides want to win. This is true of the asymmetricalmultiplayer horror gameDead by Daylight,as both sides of the game are stressful in their own way.
As a survivor, the player needs to be able to work alongside possible strangers as they complete the objectives to escape, all the while a killer scours the map, trying to cut them down. Depending on the killer, this can be an entirely terrifying and stressful experience as they try to watch the map for approaching or hidden danger. The killer has the objective of preventing the survivors from powering the exit gates and getting out, which is stressful in its own way, as there are four of them, and only one killer in the base game.
Chilla’s Art devs are the undisputed masters of taking ordinary situations, namely everyday jobs people work, and turning them into nightmares. In this case, it is every night job, as the player controls a night security guard at an office building, patrolling the floors, locking up, and making sure no one is still working.
Even with other people still on the block, dread and creeping terror permeate throughoutNight Security,absolutely unrivaled in terms of atmosphere. The most stressful part of this game isn’t taking on the responsibilities of the job, but constantly being left hanging in this state, waiting for a classic Chilla’s Art jumpscare, which they really do excel at. Working nights is normally stressful enough, but in this creepy place, it is even more palpable, as it devolves further into nightmare territory.
A remote town is falling to the ravages of a sickness known as the sand plague. The three playable characters are each seeking a cure before it is too late, which is 12 in-game days, and each day will see new quests made available as players continue to chase the main plot. It is a simple enough premise, but what setsPathologicapart from the rest isjust how difficult it is.
There is little to no hand-holding here, and death is all too easy to find. This is what makes the game such a stressful experience, as the player knows one wrong turn, one fateful encounter, and they could die — not to mention they need to basically figure out for themselves where to go next and what to do. The game certainly isn’t for everyone, but those who thrive under pressure may find success and enjoyment inPathologic.
Silent Hill 2is a game that thrives on atmosphere, instilling a feeling of dread andsuspense rather than throwing jumpscaresat the player, which proves extremely effective. In terms of horror, it is a marathon rather than a sprint, the horror and dread never quite relenting, even elevating at some parts of the game. What should have been a simple yet highly important task becomes something so much more when James eventually arrives at the titular town and sees what it has become.
Monsters roam the streets and buildings, and a great pyramid-headed monster occasionally arrives to chase James, and these are the parts of the game that the player will feel their stress reach whole new levels. There is no denying how frightening Pyramis Head is, or just how deadly that great knife of his is.Silent Hill 2is truly one of those games that players will struggle to binge their way through, as eventually, players are going to have to take a much-needed break from the unrelenting horror.
Amnesiais undoubtedly one of the most successful indie horror franchises of all time, having come far from the humble roots ofDark Descent.Frictional Games really outdid themselves withAmnesia: The Bunker, in which WW1 soldier Henri escapes the dangers of war in an underground bunker, only to find much worse lurking in the dark.
He shares the place with a creature known only as the Beast, a creature deadly if encountered but sensitive toall forms of light, which is the player’s only real defense against this creature. They can use the generator to turn on the light in entire areas, but this is where the true stress of the game lies, as fuel is needed to power it, which is a finite resource. Running out of it means they can only rely on their handheld source of light, which may not be enough to fend it off from the area entirely.
Mental institutes are never places known to be altogether welcoming to outsiders, especially in the landscape of horror, and Mount Massive Asylum is no different. After receiving an anonymous tip about less-than-savory activities going on behind closed doors, reporter Miles arrives at the scene armed with little more than a camcorder and a can-do attitude. He discovers far more than he could have ever prepared.
The inmates have taken over, and most are not very pleased to see Miles, as they will attack him on sight, such as the imposing Chris Walker. There is little more stressful than running through the dark hallways away from the dangers, using the recorder to navigate through the pitch black — all the while knowing a drained battery will plunge the players into perfect darkness. Even in places that are lit up, trying to survive the horrors inOutlastis a challenge of the mind, and it will definitely wear down players over time.
Resident Evilhas made quite a career as one of the reigning champions of the survival horror genre, thrusting players into a world where engineered viruses transform anyone subjected to them into zombies (or far, far worse).Resident Evil 2wasn’t shy about showing what kind of damage this could do to an entire city by showing Raccoon City ravaged by it — zombies filling the streets, and the RPD not that much safer for the heroes Leon and Claire.
One of the most pressing threats to be found in the RPD is thetall and imposing Mr X, a bio-weapon with his sights firmly set on Leon and Claire as his next prey, all while they are evading zombies, lickers, and other horrors. No matter where they go, those thundering footsteps draw ever closer, making every action feel like it is timed before the hulk bursts through and kills them. Mr X alone is enough to spike anyone’s blood pressure.
TheAlienfranchise began as movies, introducing movie-viewers to the universe of the xenomorph, a terrifyingly designed alien thought to be the perfect creature as it uses other life forms as incubators for its eggs and bleeds acid to dissuade anyone from killing it. All in all, the xenomorph and facehuggers are creatures best avoided entirely if possible. So imagine everyone’s surprise when, finally,a goodAlienhorror gamewas released back in 2014.
Trapped on a space station with one of these creatures, Amanda Ripley, daughter of movie heroine Ellen, has no recourse against this monster, aside from a flamethrower that can ward it off briefly (but not kill it). Every single vent and air shaft becomes a source of intense pressure, as the xenomorph’s dynamic behavior means the player never knows when or from where it will show up, cutting exploration short. Even with the motion tracker to warn players ahead of time, that dot drawing closer and closer is sure to make the players' heart race.
