Summary
- Many horror games prioritize scares & immersion over gameplay
- Resource management in survival-horror titles like Resident Evil 5
- Co-op shooters like Left 4 Dead 2 emphasize teamwork and diverse enemies.
Horror games encompass a variety of subgenres that vary wildly from one another, and while they all have their fans, many of them favor scares and immersion over actual gameplay. Walking simulators and gimmicky designs are aplenty in the horror genre, but there are a great many titles that excel with their gameplay, as well.
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From survival horror games and their focus on resource management to cooperative shooters that emphasize teamwork, there should be something for all kinds of players here. Furthermore, not all of these titles are necessarily terrifying, and many of them will be accessible to newcomers to the genre, too.
This list will include horror subgenres, such as survival horror.
8
Crow Country
An Accessible Survival Horror Experience
- Released
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May 9, 2024
- Developer(s)
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SFB Games
Crow Country is an indie survival-horror game with a unique theme-park setting that’s remarkably creepy. The game’s distinctive art style and winning atmosphere are certainly strengths, but Crow Country‘s accessible gameplay gives it a broader appeal.
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Taking clear inspiration from games such as Resident Evil, Crow Country provides a classic survival-horror gameplay loop. However, its generosity with resources takes some of the anxiety out of spending ammunition. While this draws some of the horror from the moment-to-moment gameplay, it also provides a slightly more satisfying experience.
7
Lethal Company
Intuitive Co-Op Horror That Encourages Teamwork
- Released
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October 23, 2023
- Developer(s)
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Zeekerss
Lethal Company is a cooperative first-person horror game that excels with its emphasis on teamwork and enemy variety. Each of the horrifying creatures in Lethal Company features its own behavior that players must work around in order to survive. This creates consistently tense scenarios, especially when players are forced to tackle multiple threats.
The diversity of tools and items that players are able to make use of also adds a great deal of variety to the gameplay, allowing players to tackle obstacles and explore in creative ways. For fans of immersive, first-person horror and cooperative chaos, Lethal Company provides consistent thrills and hysterics in equal measure.
6
Left 4 Dead 2
A Teamwork-Focused Horror Shooter
- Released
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November 17, 2009
Left 4 Dead 2 is a tried and true horror FPS that excels with its dynamic AI director, accessible gameplay, and variety of special enemies. These unique threats provide an ebb and flow to combat, adding variety to the hordes of undead that players are forced to wade through.
Each special enemy also provides an opportunity for teamwork, as players will have to work together in order to limit the damage they bring or avoid it altogether. With its intuitive FPS combat, fluid level designs, and focus on teamwork, Left 4 Dead 2 makes for a great co-op horror experience even today.
5
Resident Evil 5
Action-Packed Survival Horror That’s Best With A Friend
Many of the Resident Evil games feature methodical gameplay that revolves around resource management and threat assessment. Be it the original Resident Evil or the more action-packed remakes, these games have plenty to offer with their gameplay, however niche. Resident Evil 5 in particular is unique for its balance of action, horror, and cooperative play.
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4
Dead Space
Visceral Combat With Unique Weapons
- Released
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October 14, 2008
Dead Space is an action-packed sci-fi horror game with a winning atmosphere and immersive setting that provides a constantly looming sense of dread. However, this title’s greatest strength is arguably its gameplay. More specifically, Dead Space excels with its visceral and truly unique combat system.
In Dead Space, players are tasked with taking out the aggressive and tremendously creepy Necromorphs, a gangling species of undead creatures that must be defeated through dismemberment. Though it’s not the scariest of horror games, the action-oriented approach to Dead Space’s design provides a consistently thrilling loop as players explore the iconic Ishimura.
3
CULTIC
A Fluid Horror-Themed Shooter
- Released
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October 13, 2022
CULTIC is a classic shooter with its own unique sense of style, combining the action of games such as Blood with the tense atmosphere of titles such as Resident Evil 4. Though not a game dedicated to terror, CULTIC provides players with a dynamic ebb and flow by interlacing its expressive combat encounters with minor horror sequences.
Certain enemies in particular will offer scares to those less experienced with the genre, and there’s plenty of gore to go around, however pixelated. All in all, this results in a distinctive title with broad appeal that’s likely to appeal to fans of horror games and shooters alike, using scares and gore as a spice rather than the meat of its design.
2
Endoparasitic
Top-Down Horror With Truly Unique Gameplay
- Released
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October 24, 2022
Endoparasitic is a top-down horror game with a simple but effective art style, and while this doesn’t provide the most intense of thrills, this indie title excels with its gameplay. More specifically, Endoparasitic offers players a unique control scheme facilitated by its one-limbed protagonist.
In the game, players must drag their way through claustrophobic environments, battling enemies with a variety of weapons and manually reloading while navigating. Since the player character only has one limb, there’s no way to move and shoot simultaneously, which leads to some tense combat encounters throughout the game.
1
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Scrappy, Brutal Melee Combat In Decrepit Environments
- Released
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November 22, 2005
- Developer(s)
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Monolith Productions
Condemned: Criminal Origins is a unique psychological horror game with a focus on scrappy first-person melee combat. The dingy, decrepit environments and crazed enemies make for a distinctly downtrodden atmosphere, but it’s the game’s immersive combat that drives the experience forward.
There are firearms in Condemned, but ammunition is severely limited and players can never rely on them. Instead, they’re forced to fight tooth and nail against conniving, unpredictable enemies that constantly attempt to ambush them. Thankfully, the game gives players plenty of weapons to salvage from the environment, including fire axes, pipes pried from the walls, and even loose two-by-fours, providing a diverse arsenal that’s always changing.
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