Summary
- Early horror games had unique 32-bit graphics but still offered horrifying experiences.
- Switching perspectives and classic horror tropes create unforgettable atmospheres.
- Silent Hill and Resident Evil offer terrifying classics with unique gameplay elements.
The horror genre has been a staple in the video game world virtually since the start. These games have taken on many shapes and forms. From the survival horror franchises to the simplistic point-and-click adventures of old, they are a treat from start to finish.
In the early days of gaming, graphics were charming and unique, but limited by the hardware at the time. These older iterations have a unique style from the 32-bit age, recognizable by polygonal faces and rougher textures. While dated by today's standards, these games can still offer up a horrifying and immersive aesthetic.
35 Best PS2 Horror Games
These horror games from the PlayStation 2 are the genre's best titles from the console's era.
8 Dino Crisis
Resident Evil Meets Jurassic Park
Dino Crisis
- Released
- August 31, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, PC, PlayStation (Original), PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PS Vita
Get ready for a wild ride and a blend of themes that should never have worked this well. The opening of Dino Crisis gets the action moving fairly quickly, dropping the player onto an island and tasking them with investigating the happenings on a military research facility.
Thingsm of course, take a turn, as they always do with survival horror. It turns out a rift has opened, bringing dinosaurs from the past to the present, who wreak havoc on the base and must be eradicated. It has all the charm and humor of the Resident Evil games and is just as scary, especially for gamers with a fear of sharp claws and razor death.
7 Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within
The Madness Inside
Clock Tower II: The Struggle Within
- Released
- March 12, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence
- Developer(s)
- Human Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita
Switching sides or perspectives has always been a great tool for telling stories and exploring worlds in the horror genre. Here, the player jumps between Alyssa and her split personality, Bates, to solve an array of puzzles and figure out the truth about her family.
While the game may not have aged the best mechanically due to the point-and-click gameplay and roughness around the edges, the themes explored related to mental health and the unnerving settings. It created a truly unforgettable atmosphere, and is a worthy title for any classic horror fans.
6 Resident Evil 1
The Survival Horror Poster Child
Resident Evil
- Released
- March 22, 1996
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS, PC
An absolute titan of the genre and the introduction to horror for many gamers, Resident Evil takes all the lessons learned from those before it and creates a unique universe of zombies, mutations and a lot of shooting. The series has, of course, spanned several decades, with remakes, remasters, and reimaginings of the classic titles. But sometimes, the charm of Jill and Chris and the nerve-racking encounters are best enjoyed in their original, terrifying form.
5 Juggernaut
Enter The Mind Mansion
This interesting hidden gem does a lot of things right in a small package. Juggernaut has the player embark on a quest to save their possessed girlfriend from the evil forces at work, which involves entering her mind to rescue her soul.
Every Silent Hill Game, Ranked
Konami's Silent Hill has produced some of the scariest horror games ever, but some nightmares are more chilling than others.
Form switching comes into play at many points throughout the game, allowing the player to reach inaccessible areas and fit through small holes, while solving a wide variety of puzzles along the way. There are also some unique combat moments, similar to quick-time events where the player has to dodge and fight back against the enemy in the eerie, gripping horror world.
4 Hellnight
Beware Of What Lies Below
Hellnight
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original)
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, First-Person
Distinct and hidden in a long list of horror titles, Hellnight sets out to spook and unsettle right from the start. Plenty of classic horror tropes are at work: fleeing from cult members, underground subways, and, of course, the perfect horrific creature to serve as an ever-present threat.
Classic games like this are always a treat to jump into, and the distinguishing aspect of this game is the lack of the ability to back. Players can only run from the creature, traversing through the tunnels and attempting to burst back to the surface alive. The lack of combat adds an extra level of fear, which forces the flight response to be present in full force.
3 Silent Hill
Psychological Horror At Its Finest
Silent Hill
- Released
- January 31, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
If the first horror game players think of is Resident Evil, then the Silent Hill franchise isn't far behind. A foggy setting that obscures anything too far and an intentional unsteady firearm style makes the interactions with the environment and enemies terrifying every single time.
Journey to the town itself and search for the protagonist's missing daughter, all while stumbling through different realities and fending off advancing foes and psychological torment. The biggest draw is the number of endings, all dependent on decisions and actions throughout. This makes each playthrough different and gives players a greater incentive to choose certain paths.
2 Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare
The Perfect Mix Of Puzzles And Firepower
Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare
- Released
- June 18, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Darkworks, Spiral House, Pocket Studios
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The fourth entrant in this series, and one of the scariest at that, involves fighting reptilian monsters and discovering tricky brainteasers whilst searching for a set of magical tablets. Much like other titles, the player is given the choice of two protagonists, with one focusing on fighting and the other on a more puzzle-centric experience.
A key mechanic is light, burning enemies to ash with a flashlight and using specially designed rounds to take down the silicon-based lifeforms that torment the island and the player. Playing with light has always been a great tool for horror, and here, the light is as much a tool as it is an instrument of torture.
1 Resident Evil 2
Umbrella Strikes Again
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 21, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Iconic, memorable, and terrifying, Resident Evil 2 is the definitive classic horror experience that defined many of the titles after. It also introduced players to iconic characters like Leon Kennedy himself.
As good as the protagonists and puzzles are, the enemies are twice as good and three times as scary, whether it is thec lickers that bounce around the halls, the standard zombies that lumber towards the player, or the ever-approaching Mr X, who has hunted players in-game and in their dreams for over two decades.
Genuinely Scary PlayStation 1 Games
While it may not have the realism of today's platforms, the PlayStation 1 had truly chilling and genuinely scary games.