The survival horror video game genre has grown considerably since it first showed up around 1989-1990; not only in graphics and gameplay, but also in the horror aspect. These days, survival horror games can be more invigorating and scarier than movies!
Best Survival Horror Games
Players just need enough wits to survive the frantic hunt of a deranged, murderous psychopath, to live and tell the tale! From the classics that made the genre what it is today, to new generation favourites; these survival horror games are some of the greatest video games ever made. Take a look at our list of the best survival horror games.
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 has been acclaimed as one of the greatest video games of all time, since its release in 1998. The 2019 remake's gameplay focuses on exploration, puzzles, and combat. Resident Evil 2 begins two months after the citizens of Raccoon City were turned into zombies by a bio-weapon. Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield must escape the city and destroy the zombies along the way. With bloody graphics and an impeccable sound design that allows players to hear zombies lurking around the corner, the horror aspect of the game pretty much speaks for itself. The game hinders players' chances of survival by providing limited ammo to defend themselves, but that just gives this classic horror survival game a better horror and survival element.
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Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 is another classic that made the books one of the best. Silent Hill 2 consists of psychological elements, with some puzzles and riddles that players must do their best to interpret. Players will navigate through the city, finding keys and other items to pass through doors and other obstacles, with less focus on eliminating enemies. Set somewhere in America, a small rural town leans on the psyche of visitors; forming creepy alternate versions of himself, which differ with each character. The creatures could represent anything from sexual tension to suicide, presenting an even more sinister purpose than meets the eye. As one of the best video games in its class, Silent Hill 2 is a survival horror classic and will continue to be a fan favorite for years to come.
Alien: isolation
Alien: Isolation isn't necessarily scary, but this game definitely masters the art of creating a stressful amount of fear and emotion in players who experience it. Players find themselves stuck in a spaceship, 15 years after the original Alien movie, fighting for survival. This creates awesome tension, as players don't know when the alien may appear and often seems like it will pop up out of nowhere! Players will not only have to deal with terrifying aliens, but will also have run-ins with irrational people and evil androids. With some of the most gruesome and horrifying deaths in video game animation, and every element of the game aimed at keeping players hiding under a desk, out of fear; Alien: Isolation is definitely the best alien game for survivor horror fans to experience.
Death by the light of day
For horror fanatics and gamers everywhere, Dead by Daylight is one of the clearest concept survival horror games in its category. The game's creepy killers are based on some of the world's most ingenious and terrifying nightmare-producing killers from the most memorable horror movies in history. DBD regenerated some underlying phobias that seemed to be forgotten with childhood, rising straight to the surface! The victims or survivors of the game are no strangers to these killers; as they are also among the best protagonists in the Hollywood business and are known to give these killers a mocking run for their wits. Players need to be cunning when strategically navigating the map, using the best abilities and unique skills or perks, which help them kill Survivors or Survivor Slayers. Some killers are nearly impossible to beat, even with the best Survivor builds. When Survivors communicate and work as a team, they can fiercely provoke top DBD Killers into overwhelming frustration, which lessens the urge to kill Killers. Dead by Daylight is one of the most creative and historical survival horror video games in its category, and it's a riot to play!
Related: Dead by Daylight Codes (May 2021) - Free DBD Bloodpoints!
Survive 2
To call this survivor horror gem “creepy” would be a gross understatement. Outlast 2 is brutal, it's unforgiving, and it will activate the anxiety of every gamer who experiences it. Blake Langermann and his wife Lynn explore the murder of a pregnant Jane Doe in the Arizona desert. When they are separated in a helicopter crash, Blake must search for Lynn in a village that is home to a demented community, who believe the end times are near. With a mindless Christian cult, a group of satanic heretics, and possibly the Antichrist, all brought together in a mental psychological game; Outlast 2 is probably the most terrifying survival horror video game on the market!
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Players with nyctophobia may want to take some time to explore this survivor horror game before jumping in! Navigate through Brennenburg Castle as Daniel, after he wakes up with only the memory of his first name and his worst fear, solving physics-based puzzles and avoiding the Shadow. Amnesia: The Dark Descent was designed around the fear of the dark and drains players' sanity when left in the dark for too long. This causes hallucinations and the ability to attract monsters, which cannot be fought; they must be avoided or evaded. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is wickedly twisted psychological and physical torture, considering it one of the best in its class.
The evil inside
As Detective Sebastian Castellanos, players must investigate multiple murders at Beacon Mental Hospital in Krimson City. While searching for limited supplies, players must understand when to fight and when to run to survive in this survivor horror game. With gruesome enemies that consist of a gruesome-looking walking corpse named Ruvik, a huge humanoid named The Keeper who awaits his prey with his pulverizing meat hammer, and The Haunted…just stay away from them . The Evil Within is a remarkably challenging game with incredibly scary enemies in a spooky world, calling it one of the most fun survivor horrors to experience.
Related: Best horror games for PC.
Biochoc
Bioshock's story begins in the late 40s in an underwater city called Rapture. A few scientists have found that sea slugs produce a substance called ADAM, which gives its host psychokinetic powers. A criminal named Frank Fontaine, became aware of this discovery and began illegally testing ADAM on the bodies of little girls on the black market, creating Little Sisters. After Fontaine's supposed death, the Big Dads were created to look after the Little Sisters, to counter the madman's misdeeds. Nearly 20 years later, a lone survivor of a plane crash discovers the spooky city and must strategically navigate through its various strange enemies. Players can either electrocute enemies and stun them, or evade them with precise, dexterous stealth and the necessary duplicity. Bioshock allows players to customize their weapons and upgrade their genetic modifications as they progress through the game, and uncover the devastating secrets of the unique city of Rapture.
The last of us
The Last of Us is set in a cataclysmic world, set in the year 2033. After a brain-altering fungal pandemic swept the nation 20 years prior, it infected over 60% of the world's population and created a frenzy of panic. With the United States in turmoil, remaining survivors Joel and Ellie work together and travel west, across what's left of the country to find a cure that could eventually rid the world of neoteric fungal plague. Stealth is crucial, as resources are limited and players will have to scavenge for supplies and sometimes undetected, when their resources are low. players will fight unruly and horribly infected unruly humans, encounter allies to team up with, and use different types of stealth and combat tactics that depend on the skill of the enemy. The Last of Us is a true zombie apocalypse game, for survival horror books!
Getting a quick fix to horror almost always leads to wanting more! There are a few co-op horror games that can also offer players strategy tips for survival horror games! Take a look at our list of the best cooperative horror games.
