It’s always an exciting time for horror fans when they can start to get hyped up about a new game being released, but while some horror titles will be teased for months on end, others will appear like a jump-scare, coming out of absolutely nowhere. Whether this is because there was a lack of marketing leading up to the game’s release, or simply because nobody had any idea that the game had even launched, there are a multitude of reasons why a horror game can sneak up on fans and send a shiver down their spine when they least expect it.
If anything though, this can end up benefiting the game in question, as once it finally launches, every horror fan will be desperate to learn about its gameplay, story, and, of course, how scary it is as an experience. While not all of these types of games managed to hit the mark, there are some that have gone on to become extremely successful and well-acclaimed by fans and critics alike, especially these excellent horror titles listed below.
Resident Evil 0
A Prequel That Experimented A Lot With The Traditional Resident Evil Formula
After Resident Evil 3 was released in 1999, many fans of the series were left to wonder where on earth Capcom would go next with the story and characters. While it was understandable that the developers would release a remake of the first game in 2002, considering how well the original had performed, nobody expected that they would also release a prequel that same year that focused on none other than Rebecca Chambers, a side character from the very first entry.
Not only that, the game would also shake up the traditional gameplay formula by allowing players to assume control of two characters at the same time, resulting in some pretty creative gameplay segments, not just in combat, but also with its puzzles. Resident Evil 0 also contains some pretty fascinating lore drops that are relevant to the wider Resident Evil universe, alongside plenty of memorable boss enemies, and a zapping system that was way ahead of its time.
P.T.
Kojima’s Bizarre Horror Demo Was Teased And Launched On The Same Day
Back in 2014, Hideo Kojima fans around the world were patiently awaiting the release of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, which was set to drop the year after. This is why it came as such a shock when a bizarre horror demo by the name of P.T. was teased and released on the exact same day, and while this preview may be fairly brief, to say it made an impression on horror fans would be putting it mildly. P.T. is simplistic in its core gameplay loop, but when paired with the eerie visuals and incredible sound design, it’s hard not to feel on edge when exploring each room and area.
The demo takes place in a single house where players must navigate their way around a single corridor, but each time they do so, the environment will get darker and gory. After completing the loop a few times, a demonic being by the name of Lisa will begin popping up to catch the player off guard when they least expect it. At the same time, the voices and noises will gradually become more disturbing. With the final scene showing popular actor Norman Reedus making an appearance, along with the placeholder title Silent Hills, P.T. is a game that took the horror world by storm, despite having absolutely no marketing leading up to its spontaneous release.
Alan Wake 2
Not Many People Thought Remedy Would Return To Alan Wake And His Adventure Into The Darkness
The first Alan Wake game was a solid horror game that really stood out for its unique and thought-provoking story, but it wasn’t a title that ended up setting the world on fire. As a result, many Remedy fans believed that the developers would dedicate their focus to creating a sequel for Control, considering how well that game performed, but to everyone’s surprise, they decided to instead announce a sequel to Alan Wake in the 2021 Game Awards, with the game being launched not long after.
While the original Alan Wake did end on somewhat of a cliffhanger, the core gameplay ultimately felt a little repetitive and lackluster, so it would have been difficult to imagine how the endlessly creative group at Remedy could have remodeled this to make it more interesting. The way they went about achieving this goal was by making the game somewhat of a crime thriller, where players can enter their Mind Place or Writer’s Room to piece together clues in order to make sense of the story as they go. Somehow, Remedy was able to tell an even more ambitious story with the sequel, and while nobody expected this game to ever exist, it is certainly a good thing it does, as it’s now become somewhat of a classic in the eyes of many.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia Exploded In Popularity Not From Marketing, But Due To Online Videos
It can be hard to believe these days, considering the game has now become a household name, but Amnesia: The Dark Descent was once an extremely obscure and niche horror title that barely anyone knew about. In fact, a few months before the game launched in 2010, developers Frictional Games even stated that if the game received 2000 pre-orders, they would be happy to release extra content for fans to enjoy. It’s clear that the developers didn’t have all that much confidence that the game would become a best-seller, but this is why so many horror fans who were unaware of it were taken aback when it suddenly became the hottest game on YouTube.
With influential Let’s Players like PewDiePie and Markiplier recording their own experiences with this terrifying game, it exposed a massive audience of people to a brand-new title that they probably would otherwise have never known about. Amnesia: The Dark Descent takes an FPS camera angle where players will slowly lose their Sanity if they look at the grotesque monsters for too long, encouraging them to hide and be patient when progressing through each new area. The chilling soundscape and relentless difficulty go a long way in ramping up the horror, resulting in a game that turned out to be a welcome surprise to many horror fans.
SOMA
The Thought-Provoking Underwater Nightmare Didn’t Initially Catch People’s Attention With Its Trailers
It can’t be an easy task trying to get fans excited about a new game just through a trailer, especially in the horror genre, where the developers won’t want to give too much away while still getting fans intrigued at the same time. When combined with the fact that horror games were experiencing somewhat of a blip in the mid-2010s, it’s understandable why Soma’s trailers went largely ignored by so many people, despite the game receiving rave reviews and reception when it was finally let out to the public.
The main reason so many people fell in love with Soma after playing it is due to how it creates a sense of dread and panic without actually featuring any combat. Instead, the game relies on its audio design and spooky visuals to keep players on edge right up until the very end, while also throwing in a lot of thought-provoking themes and messages for good measure. Thankfully, Soma would go on to establish a massive audience of loyal fans, but considering how lackluster the marketing was, it is still a game that feels like it came out of absolutely nowhere, despite being in production since 2010.
Tormented Souls
Tormented Souls Replicates The Slow, Methodical, And Heart-Pounding Gameplay Of Classic Horror
In an age where horror games have started leaning into action a little too heavily, many fans of the genre have been eager to jump into a horror title that replicates the slow and methodical pace of classic Resident Evil and Silent Hill games. While Tormented Souls is therefore the game many people have been looking for, due to a severe lack of marketing, many horror fans didn’t even know about it until it was officially released, which is a shame considering how much fun it is to play.
With fixed camera angles in place, a massive and eerie explorable building, and barely any ammo to speak of, Tormented Souls does an excellent job of replicating the terrifying vibe and aesthetic of horror titles from the late 90s. It also contains a fair amount of body horror and gore, which results in some horrific imagery that will stay in the player’s mind long after the credits have finished rolling.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
A Terrifying Horror Game Disguised As Something Far More Innocent
Dan Salvato, the lead developer behind Doki Doki Literature Club, hadn’t created any games before this project. At the time, he was most well-known for his levels on Super Mario Maker, and as a result, it was difficult to snoop out any information about his upcoming dating simulator horror game before it was released. While that combination of genres may seem a little weird on paper, it’s because Salvato was aiming to create a horror game that was initially disguised as something a lot more innocent, but that slowly derails into something dark and sinister the longer it goes on.
Much like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Doki Doki Literature Club garnered a lot of attention due to online personalities being taken aback by its gameplay and story reveals. While it may start as a cute and fun dating game, by the end, the game itself will be speaking directly to the player and even messing with the files on their computer to make them feel like they’ve lost control of the experience. Nobody saw Doki Doki Literature Club coming, but when it arrived, it was hard to escape its grasp, considering how popular it became not long after it was released.
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