Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

First Posted: 10/12/2014

Horror games have been around forever. The early ones were on the NES and were licensed titles based on popular horror movies like “Friday the 13th” and “Nightmare on Elm Street”. They weren’t very good but they could give a good scare. I remember how terrifying it was playing “Friday the 13th.” I nearly jumped out of my skin when I got attacked by Jason Voorhees. Today’s horror games are more life-like and much scarier, especially if you are masochistic enough to play in the dark with a good pair of ear phones.

I am not sure what the appeal of horror games; maybe the rush of adrenaline from a good scare or just a morbid fascination with blood and gore, but to celebrate the Halloween season, here is a run down of 2014’s top spookiest games.

Telltale Games: The Walking Dead: Season Two

The first season of the Walking Dead game was excellent. It won the game of the year from almost every game journalist because of it’s innovative storytelling and ability to affect the game by your actions.

The story of “The Walking Dead” game is based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman. It started with the tale of Lee and Clementine. After the events of the first game Lee is gone and Clementine must make it on her own. This season will define the woman she will become growing up during a Zombie Apocalypse, it isn’t as terrifying as some of the other games on the list but it has some really hairy moments that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Daylight

Like many scary moments in life “Daylight” is all about being vulnerable, there are no weapons or healing items. A cell phone is your only tool. Your character is trapped in an abandoned hospital and the only light he has is to use is the phone. If you have ever had to use your phone as a flashlight you know it isn’t that bright and the battery life doesn’t last that long. Not having weapons mean your can’t defend yourself from threats, and because each level is randomly generated it will be different every time you die which can really ratchet up the tension because you are never truly safe.

Outlast

Might be the most terrifying game I have ever played, especially for a small indie downloadable title. Another game where you are trapped in medical facility, but this time you are a journalist and it is a mental hospital. Miles breaks into the hospital to get a scoop on corruption but the things he witnesses are sick and twisted. There are no weapons. You only have a video camera and you must use night vision to see in the dark. Keep an eye on your battery life and if you get caught, game over. The graphics could be the best of any horror game, making it truly terrifying.

Alien: Isolation

Based on the classic horror movie “Alien”; “Isolation” tells the story of Riply’s daughter searching the space station trying to find out what happened to her mother. Just like the original movie, there is only one alien and you have limited resources. What makes this game truly scary besides the atmosphere is the alien has an incredible A.I. It thinks and acts on its own and you never know what it is up to or when you will be attacked. If you are a fan of the “Alien” franchise you have to play this game, not only is super scary it has an incredible amount of fan service.

The Evil Within

The first blockbuster horror game of the new generation of consoles. “The Evil Within” was made by Shinji Makami, the creator of the “Resident Evil” series. It isn’t a zombie game but it is set in a deranged world full of nightmarish horrors. Detective Sebastian Castellanos and his partner were investigating a crime scene and they are attacked. When they wake, they are in a another world filled with terrifying demons. You have to scavenge for supplies and weapons and learn how to survive in this harsh environment. The graphics are incredible so it makes the imagery much more disturbing. If you are a fan of the “Resident Evil” series you will love this game because it moves more toward the series roots but the graphics and production make it feel extra frightening.

There are many more horror games out there, but these are the best. If you are looking for a good scare you should check them out if you are feeling brave enough.