Best Games That Balance Action & Horror

Key Takeaways

• The Last Of Us
  franchise provides one of the best survival horror experiences, with intense and terrifying sequences and a balance between action and horror.
• Dying Light
  offers a great balance between action and horror, especially during its dangerous night cycles, providing an enthralling gameplay experience.
• Resident Evil 2 Remake
  stands as one of Capcom’s greatest efforts in the survival horror genre, with excellent scares, action, and the iconic stalker element.

Survival horror and action games have come a very long way over many years. With monumental titles being released that shift the entire style of games within the industry, to memorable experiences that are replayed over and over, fans have had plenty to enjoy.

Notable developer names such as Capcom, Naughty Dog, and Konami may come to mind. With survival horror and action titles becoming more common and successful, it is worth going over a handful of games that the industry has seen, and will probably remember for many years to come.

5 The Last Of Us

There Are Three Different Versions Of The Last Of Us

Remastered and remade, the first entry within The Last of Us franchise managed to provide one of the best survival horror experiences ever. In an apocalyptic world, players have to survive against the rest of humanity and the vicious infected that lurk everywhere. While the sequel has both Ellie and Abby as playable characters, the first entry has players control Joel for the majority of its duration. This itself includes multiple intense and terrifying sequences while giving players access to an arsenal of weapons and the brutal fists of Joel.

This is further amplified when players are forced to play as Ellie while Joel recovers from a life-threatening wound. Given her young age and vulnerability at that point, this is where the balance between action and horror worked best. While players could defend themselves with Ellie, it did not remove the scary elements from the circumstance, with her escaping the clutches of infected and cannibals alike.

4 Dying Light

Players Have Access To Dozens Of Handcrafted Weapons

Paced with parkour and high-speed chases, Dying Light provides a great balance between action and horror. This is especially evident closer to the game’s night cycles, which stand as far more dangerous than the typical zombie game. Infected will be widespread throughout the game’s map, and some of them are incredibly fast and deadly.

It sets up for a great and enthralling action-horror experience, as players will be forced to fend off these enemies, either through escaping or fighting back. Its sequel does the same with its night cycles, but a large majority of fans feel that Techland’s initial efforts with action and horror in the franchise worked much better.

3 Resident Evil 2 (Remake)

Resident Evil 2 Features Two Campaigns

Arguably standing as the biggest reason for Capcom’s remakes of Resident Evil 3 and 4,Resident Evil 2 Remake provides one of the best action and horror game experiences of all time. Doubling down on its original efforts of excellent scares and action, the Resident Evil 2 Remake puts players front and center for terrifying moments, with every tool rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy needs to fend off enemies.

With the stalker element returning in this game, players were constantly on edge wondering whether their next turn would be into the path of Mr X. With two different campaigns playing as either Leon or Claire Redfield, it stands as one of Capcom’s greatest efforts and renditions in the survival horror genre.

2 Alan Wake 2

Play As Two Different Characters Throughout The Journey

Innovating upon its predecessor, Alan Wake 2 provides a new survival horror experience. It manages to keep players on the edge of their seats with plenty of jumpscares, and creepy and tense moments, all while maintaining a great level of combat and gunplay. Remedy’s efforts here are recognized as one of the more unique takes on survival horror, with a story and structure that may not be what most are accustomed to.

Despite this, it has earned its spot among the best survival horror games currently available, ensuring that players are engaged in both its horror and action elements throughout its enthralling narrative.

1 Resident Evil 4 (Original)

Leon’s Mission To Save Ashley Graham Is Arguably The Best In The Franchise

Without a shadow of a doubt, Capcom’s original Resident Evil 4 title in 2005 is one of the best survival horror games ever made. This is a title that spawned many popular survival horror titles with the likes of The Last of Us, Dead Space, and even a remake of itself in Resident Evil 4 Remake. Its over-the-shoulder third-person camera perspective changed the gaming industry, with many titles in different genres following suit.

If there is a monumental action-horror title that will never be forgotten in gaming history, this would be it. While the Resident Evil franchise alone is incredibly popular and successful, a large majority of fans view its fourth installment as the best among them all, giving it its notoriety and inclusion of the franchise’s most popular character, Leon S. Kennedy. Its B-horror movie tone only adds to its iconic nature, giving players a spectacle in action, while hardly ever losing its horror traits.

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