Guest Post: Top 10 Horror Games

 The following article was written for Distilled Willpower by Sara at Video Game Design Schools.

Although Halloween has come and gone, it doesn’t mean you can’t get in some good scares.  With horror making its way into everything from television series to comic books, video games are no exception.  For those still craving a good scare while gaming, we have gathered the top ten horror games that can literally scare you away from your controller.

1. Dead Space – Is “Aliens” your favorite horror movie?  Even if it isn’t, fans of both horror and space will find loads of both thrills and chills in this game from Electronic Arts.  Players must escape a giant spaceship in which aliens have possessed all the dead bodies. 
2. Resident Evil – There is a reason this video game franchise was made into a movie.  Players often have to escape mansions, cities, and other areas that have been infested with zombies.  It also stood out for being the first game in which zombies, rabid dogs, and other abominations leapt through windows to attack players.  The best choice for horror is Resident Evil 4. 
3.  Silent Hill – This is one of the first games geared specifically towards the horror genre.  There are different versions but most have you sifting through a town of ghosts, zombies, and other baddies to find a missing loved one.  There is even a version where the only light source you have is a simple flashlight.
4. Left 4 Dead – Get more zombies galore in this game.  The zombies themselves make for horrific scenes by doing what most enemies don’t: namely jumping, strangling, and even vomiting.  There are also witches and other frightful moments in the game.
5. F.E.A.R. – Proving that creepy kids aren’t just for movies like “The Ring” is this game.  Alma is a little girl who haunts the world you must conquer in the game.  There is also a sequel rumored to be scarier than the original.
6. Doom – Although the game that spawned a movie starring The Rock can sound frightening, it wasn’t until the third incarnation came out that it became truly frightening.  Because players are forced to hold either a gun or flashlight, not both, they often hear monsters before they see them or can even react to them.
7. System Shock – Similar to Dead Space, this game is all about a haunted space ship, aliens, and more.  However this game often involves artificial intelligence gone mad and even elements of role playing games.
8. Amnesia – Sure any video game can have you battling monsters, but what if you can’t?  That is the premise of this game in which the main character searches for clues to their missing memory.  The game often calls for the player to hide from monsters or even barricade themselves.
9. Dark Souls – Like to combine shooter games with horror?  Then you won’t be disappointed here.  With a game that has players lurk through sewers to find zombies, it can be more horrifying than you think.
10. Limbo – Combine a love of horror and puzzles in this video game.  A bit like the movie “Coraline,” a child escapes into a mystery world looking for their double/sister.  In addition to scary scenes, there are also loads of puzzles to solve along the way.

This article was written by Sara McDowell. She owns the site Video Game Design Schools List and is an avid Gamer. 

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