10 Terrifying Horror Games That Are Stunningly Beautiful

Horror is a staple genre of video gaming. The first horror game was arguably Haunted House, which was released in 1982 for the Atari 2600. Since then, games have significantly advanced, with various settings and gameplay options available. There is the psychological horror of the Silent Hill series, the jumpscares of Slenderman catching up with the player, the comedic Dead Rising series, downright disturbing scenes in Scorn, and the Acromantulas in Hogwarts Legacy for the arachnophobes.

As each year and console generation passes, the graphical content and textures of video games across the board keep getting better and better. This ability for extensive detail now means that every nook and cranny of a virtual setting can and will be manipulated into a simply terrifying scene. This means that some horror games can be as stunning as they are startling, as terrific as they are terrifying, as pretty as they are…pretty scary.

10 Dead Space (Remake) Brought This Sci-Fi Horror Classic to Current Gen

Issac Clark Is a Hugely Popular Character In The Horror Game Genre

Dead Space has gamers don an engineering rig as a fan-favorite character, Isaac Clark, on the good ship Ishimura. With Gunner Wright, the original voice actor, reprising his role as Isaac. The crew, however, will be found slaughtered and Isaac’s girlfriend Nicole missing, with only audio logs as a trail. This survival horror series has players battling corpses infected by an extraterrestrial infection that mutates said corpses into Necromorphs, but in this remake, the horrors are all more horrifying after the game has been rebuilt in the Frostbite Engine.

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One of the improvements made in the Dead Space remake is the “peeling system,” which is just as gross as it sounds. This brand-new system allows players to interact and manipulate the various layers of flesh, tendons, and bones during gameplay. This naturally leads to even more gross scenes and even more ways to cut through the waves of the undead. This system makes the game gory and more on the level of shock horror, but this is also accompanied by dark, narrow corridors, ambushes, and points where reality seemingly starts to fade.

Dead Space (2023)

Released

January 27, 2023

Developer(s)

EA Motive

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

ESRB

Rated M for Mature for Blood and Gore, Strong Language, and Intense Violence.

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9 Evil Within 2 Defies Reality Both In Story and Graphics

A Callback To Traditional Survival Horror Mechanics

The Evil Within 2 takes clear inspiration from Silent Hill and Resident Evil. The tale of Detective Sebastian Castellanos has numerous twists and turns that create an exact storyline with various horror elements. Taking place three years after the first game, haunted by the death of his child, his wife leaving him, and the horrifying events with the ‘STEM’ seen in the first game, Sebastian has fallen to the bottle. His former partner Juli Kidman finds him in a bar and tells him his daughter is still alive and used as a core processor in a new STEM. After being taken against his will to a secret facility, the detective must enter the same contraption as the first game and delve into a virtual horror world to find his daughter.

The story of this game was simplified after the first installment was criticized for being too complex for casual fans, and this change proved successful. The Evil Within 2 was released to excellent reviews, with many sources noting its clear parallels to the Silent Hill series. In the game, core elements create a virtual dream world shaped by the characters’ subconscious minds and personalities when connected to the STEM system. This virtual world features familiar locations, but with a horrific twist, filled with zombie-like creatures, twisted monsters, and other unsettling scenes. The inspiration from Resident Evil is most evident in the resource mechanics: with limited ammo and supplies, players must plan carefully, anticipate the worst, and sometimes choose to hide or avoid certain encounters.

The Evil Within 2

Released

October 13, 2017

Developer(s)

Tango Gameworks

Publisher(s)

Bethesda

Engine

STEM Engine

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language

How Long To Beat

15 Hours

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8 Alan Wake 2 Had the Horror Writer Eventually Come Back For a Sequel

This Much Anticipated Sequel Did Not Disappoint

The phantoms of shadow are back in full force and darkness in Alan Wake 2, released to a massive level of critical acclaim. This second outing sees Alan Wake trapped in an alternative dimension for 13 years. The writer is attempting to write a horror novel that helps him escape, complete with horror moments, detective work, and even a musical number. This story beat makes its way into gameplay, with the option to rewrite certain sections to give the protagonist an edge in the upcoming encounter.

• The FMV musical number in Alan Wake 2 was to the song Herald of Darkness and was even performed at The Game Awards 2023,
• Game Writer Sam Lake makes an appearance in this game as himself. Sam Lake is also known for lending his face to the original Max Payne.

Alan Wake 2 is all about fearing the shadows and using light to combat the horrors lurking in those dark places, so it makes sense that this game is a perfect example of how light should be handled in video games. The game acts more like a thriller than a straight-up horror, relying on psychological elements and creepy areas with a few jump scares. This game must take the top spot for the most atmospheric game ever. The world crafted around the player feels both close and intricate and expansive at the same time. Alan Wake 2 is a mind-bending masterpiece that has to be experienced to be believed.

Alan Wake 2

Platform(s)

PC , PS5 , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X

Released

October 27, 2023

Developer(s)

Remedy Entertainment

Publisher(s)

Epic Games

7 PT Was Scary and Shortlived

This Demo for Silent Hills Was Better Than Most Full Horror Games

P.T., or Playable Teaser, captured the zeitgeist of horror gaming fans like never before in 2014. Created by the legendary developer Hideo Kojima in collaboration with horror filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, this game was supposed to be an interactive teaser trailer for an upcoming Silent Hill game called Silent Hills. This trailer was available to download for free before being removed from marketplaces following the cancelation of Silent Hills.

• PlayStation 4 consoles with P.T. installed are sold for $450 and up.

P.T. takes gamers on a puzzle-filled horror journey through multiple loops in an ever-changing house. Completing tasks and puzzles on the various loops will unlock a whole new loop, and gamers will begin to be stalked by a scary female apparition. Less really can be more, and this game, with its one location and multiple variants, proves it. The lighting, graphics, and textures are all stunningly terrifying and provide a once-in-a-generation horror experience.

6 Metro: Exodus Put the Horror Show on the Road

This Criminally Under-rated Series is Stunning

The Metro series is based on a selection of post-apocalyptic books by author Dmitry Glukhovsky and describes a time after a nuclear war devastated Russia in 2013. Twenty years after this event, there are strange mutants wreaking havoc on those who now call the cities’ metro system their home, as well as factions of communists and Nazis fighting for control of the tracks. The games follow Artyom, who eventually finds himself a respected member of the independent faction of Spartans who fight to hold back the mutants rather than have petty squabbles between factions. Metro: Exodus takes gamers out of the tunnels and into the light.

The atmosphere in these games has always been stunning, with stark contrasts between the dark, confined, and dirty metro tunnels and the silent, eerie, and nuclear winter-induced white surface areas. This most recent game in the series takes the players out of the tunnels and out of Moscow through stunningly attractive locations that can be explored non-linearly. Metro: Exodus creates a beautiful landscape that shows both the horrifying devastation that a nuclear attack would have on the world and the beauty in the small glimmers of hope and civilization.

Metro Exodus

Platform(s)

PS5 , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PC

Released

February 15, 2019

Developer(s)

4A Games

Publisher(s)

Deep Silver

Engine

4A Engine

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5 Resident Evil Village Took a Legendary Series Even Higher

One ff the Finest Games, Horror or Otherwise, of this Generation

The Resident Evil series pioneered the survival horror genre, with nearly every other game in this category drawing inspiration from the world of zombies and corporate corruption. Resident Evil: Village puts players into the returning first-person shoes of Ethan Winters following a raid on his home and the kidnapping of his daughter. Following the previous game, Ethan uses Chris Redfield’s training to battle through a whole family of horrors, from vampires to werewolves to creepy dolls and mutated fish.

The various settings and locations all have a unique and detailed sensibility, with the ever-popular Lady Dymitrescu residing in a grand mansion. At the same time, the village itself is dark, faded, and worn down. The graphics are some of the best seen in this series, and they take it to a whole new level of horror gaming, moving away from an almost comic book style to something more akin to a blockbuster horror film.

Resident Evil Village

Platform(s)

PS5 , PlayStation 4 , Nintendo Switch , iOS , Microsoft Windows , Xbox

Released

May 7, 2021

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

4 Little Nightmares 2 Has a Stunningly Unique Horror Style

This Puzzle Platformer Is as Creepy as It Is Beautiful

Little Nightmares 2 follows a miniature character known as Six, who needs to find their way out of a strange world inhabited by classic horror monsters. This game has no combat option, making gamers rely on stealth and clever use of the environment to make their way through. The horror sensibilities emerge as hugely grotesque monsters vying to capture the incredibly vulnerable protagonist.

Little Nightmares 2 comes with a performance and a beauty mode. The beauty mode provides a far sharper image with less blur on the motions seen throughout. The ray tracing and intricate details on the particles seen throughout give a highly detailed, unique, and creepy art style that is now synonymous with the series.

Little Nightmares 2

Survival Horror

Puzzle

Action

Franchise

Little Nightmares

Platform(s)

Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PS4 , PS5 , PC

Released

February 10, 2021

Developer(s)

Tarsier Studios , Supermassive Games

Publisher(s)

Bandai Namco Studios

3 Alien: Isolation Let Gamers Experience One Of The Original Horror Classics

This Title Is Reminiscent Of One Of The Earliest Horror Games

One of the highlights of the entire Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation puts players into the quaking shoes of Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda. Amanda Ripley is an engineer investigating her mother’s disappearance on the Sevastopol station. This game was developed following the formula of the original films rather than their more action-focused sequels, prioritizing stealth over action.

• In 1982, Alien on the Atari 2600 had players hide from an alien as they tried to survive long enough to fix their spaceship and escape.

Alien: Isolation effortlessly creates the same tense atmosphere as the original film. Every beep of the motion tracker sends an internal shockwave through the player. The AI of the towering Xenomorph is some of the most advanced in gaming, meaning that if playing with a Kinect sensor, the very noise gamers make will give away their position. It’s a gorgeous, terrifying title that continues to inspire horror games today.

2 Dead Island 2 Left Banoi Island and Got a Huge Upgrade

Dambuster Studios Knocked It Out Of The Park With This Game

After multiple years of development issues, Dead Island 2 was released to positive reviews, with the bright backdrop of LA providing a refreshing backdrop to the zombie game genre. The game itself is an action game with a zest of survivalism. This game can be played in single-player or co-op, just like its predecessor, taking control of a character from an eclectic group of survivors. Para-Olympic athlete Amy, stuntman Jacob, exotic dancer Ryan, motorbike racer Carla, Irish punk Dani, and conman Bruno are there.

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REVIEW: Dead Island 2 Is an Over-the-Top Thrill Ride That’s Worth the Wait

Dead Island 2 has been in the works for almost a decade, but the wait was worth it, as the zombie survival title succeeds in the best ways.

Dead Island 2 has a stunningly beautiful, bright, and delicately designed backdrop, splattered with the remains of a whole city under siege by an undead populous. The developers even created an F.L.E.S.H system, which allows for more intricate dismemberment and decapitation. This attention to detail adds a layer of visceral impact to the already exciting gameplay.

Franchise

Dead Island

Platform(s)

PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC

Released

April 21, 2023

Developer(s)

Dambuster Studios

Publisher(s)

Deep Silver

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer , Online Co-Op

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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1 Resident Evil 2/3 (Remakes) Are What Horror Games ‘Should’ Be

The Original Horror Games Have Had a Polish

Resident Evil is the epitome of horror video games, well known throughout pop culture and becoming a household name. Resident Evil 2 and 3 were the classic titles in the series. Resident Evil 4 is known for bringing a touch more action to the series, but 2 and 3 are known for their story and quality gameplay. There are newer games in the series on this list, but these two titles’ re-envisioned art styles and textures are the best and most iconic.

Both games have limited resources and ammunition for survival. Eliminating the zombies themselves takes multiple rounds, and they just keep coming back. Then, there are lickers and zombie dogs in multiple avenues. This would be manageable if not for a hulking presence in both games. Depending on which remake gamers play through, the protagonist will be stalked either by Mr X or the Nemesis, an invincible towering presence that will follow them throughout the game.

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

Released

January 25, 2019

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Engine

RE Engine

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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