Summary
- Start strong with intriguing openings bound to grab attention.
- Horror classics like Amnesia and Silent Hill set the bar with their opening gameplay.
- Games like The Evil Within and Dead Space 2 pull you into the action without hesitation.
Like great movies and books, every game needs a strong introduction to lure in players long enough for the meat of the action to grip them right to the very end. There are numerous ways this can be achieved, such as setting up the world, introducing the characters, or by plopping the player right into the thick of the action.
Just like endings, beginnings are notoriously hard to nail, but these horror games have done it right, sticking the opening and keeping on running. No matter what method they employ, these are the horror games that are immediately fun for the players, ensuring they are in for a ride they won't soon forget.
8 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Players Must Discover Why Daniel Erased His Memories
Amnesia The Dark Descent
- Released
- September 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Horror, Puzzle
This indie horror title took the gaming community by storm. Everybody has either played it for themselves, or watched their favorite YouTube lets-player do a complete playthrough, with many chair-falls and screaming to go along with it. Indeed, many parts of the game are quite scream-inducing, with a spooky castle thick with tension, and many monsters to run away and hide from.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent throws players right into the mix, as they awaken in a castle suffering from amnesia, desperately trying to recall basic information such as their name and place of birth. This alone is enough to drum up intrigue and grab the player's attention, and then they are thrown right into exploring the eerie castle, putting them right into the action rather than overloading them with cutscenes and exposition. It's a simple yet effective way to start a game.
7 Silent Hill 3
The Nightmare At the Beginning Is A Prelude To What Is To Come
Silent Hill 3
- Released
- August 6, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Silent Hill 3 continued the Mason family plot, this time placing Heather in the driver's seat, now a young 17-year-old full of teenage sass and angst, but she still has a soft spot for dear old dad. The game doesn't waste time in setting up the horror, as players find themselves in a nightmarish version of Lakeside Amusement Park right at the outset.
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The ground is now metal grating with holes the player can fall through, and giant Robbie Rabbits are scattered around with very questionable blood-stain placements, their eerie eyes seeming to follow the player wherever they stray. It's one hell of a way to start a game, opening up with horror that immediately pulls gamers right back into the titular town. Though it is only a nightmare, players only have a brief reprieve before the mall they are in also takes a nightmarish turn.
6 The Evil Within
Players Are Immediately Thrown Into Danger
The Evil Within
- Released
- October 14, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Survival Horror
The Evil Within was a hotly anticipated horror game at the time of its release. While it may not have been loved by critics, many gamers still cite it as a solid survival horror game with a nice balance of action and scares, and one that kicked both off almost immediately.
After responding to a report at Beacon Mental Hospital, detectives Sebastian, Joseph, and Juli are thrown into a strange other world that's home to many gruesome horrors. As if the scene of a mass murder wasn't grim enough for players, Sebastian wakes up in some sort of horrid abattoir where he will be placed on the chopping block unless he can escape. Even after they free themselves from their bonds, players aren't safe from the Butcher, resulting in a heart-pounding opening that is as fun as it is frightening.
5 Dead Space 2
Horror And Action Immediately Greet The Player
Dead Space 2
- Released
- January 25, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The sequel to the very first Dead Space decided it was really going to step up its game and do everything bigger and better than its predecessor. There is barely any set-up in Dead Space 2 before players are thrust into the shoes, or rather the straitjacket, of series protagonist Isaac Clark, who has found himself in dire straits. All seems well as Franco rushes to Isaac's aid, but the rescue mission morphs into a murder attempt.
Infected by the aptly named Infector, Franco's form horrifically twists as he turns into a necromorph, forcing Isaac to take the rescue mission into his own hands. Players are now in control, and they need to bob and weave as more necromorphs join in the hunt. With no weapons, the player's only option is to run, opening the game with a very tense and dangerous game of tag. It is certain to get players' adrenaline pumping and prepare them for the game to follow.
4 Resident Evil: Directors Cut
This Director's Cut Is Fun Before Players Even Begin Playing
Resident Evil: Director's Cut
- Released
- September 25, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Has any game ever have received more remakes and rereleases than the first Resident Evil? The answer would be not many, but it is one of the few that deserves so many remakes so that newer gamers can experience this classic survival horror masterpiece that was hugely influential on the genre as a whole. Capcom made zombies scary again, introducing them as slow-shuffling menaces and throwing several mutated monsters into the mix for good measure.
Resident Evil: Director's Cut was just one of this game's many versions, with one of the stand-out inclusions being the live-action opening cinematic. It was pure cheese on top of cheese, featuring low-budget costumes and actors who have probably never landed a major role since. The over-the-top acting and character introductions are hilarious, and as a result, the player will have fun before they even have to press any buttons.
3 Lucius
Players Immediately Tap Into Their Satanic Side
Lucius
- Released
- October 26, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
Those who enjoyed The Omen movie will find much to like about the game Lucius, which takes quite liberal inspiration from the film. Lucius was cursed by a Satanist at the time of his birth, instilling him with wickedness that comes to fruition on the day of his sixth birthday, all of which the players bear witness to before they can take that wickedness into their own hands.
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As soon as the cutscenes conclude, players immediately dive straight into the bizarre and over-the-top evilness, as they immediately lock one of the maids into a freezer for their first kill. As this is the first kill of the game, players know it's only going to get more gruesome as the game goes on, and it is a very effective way to hook them into the action. It works wonderfully as a tutorial that is both informative and enjoyable.
2 BioShock
The Iconic Introduction To Rapture Is Very Memorable
BioShock
- Released
- August 21, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- FPS
BioShock is one of the most unique horror games on the market, featuring a giant underwater metropolis and one of the biggest twists and betrayals in video game history. However, the twist comes towards the end of the game, and there are many hours and Big Daddies between then and the game's stunning intro.
BioShock opens with the protagonist's plane crashing over the ocean. He manages to swim over to a lighthouse, and descends into a bathosphere that takes him below the waves. These first glimpses of the promised lands of Rapture are unforgettably beautiful yet foreboding at the same time. Once the tranquil journey is over, players come face to face with their first Splicer in a scene that is fraught with tension. They are hardly given time to rest before they take up a wrench to defend themselves, all under the guidance of the mysterious Atlas.
1 The Last Of Us
Witness The Beginning Of The End
The Last of Us Part I
- Released
- September 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
The Last of Us is one of the most compelling zombie horror games ever made, as it doesn't boast gratuitous gore or action, even if the clickers are certainly gnarly enemies to contend with. Instead, it prioritizes the personal stories of Joel and Ellie, and the hardships the two endure throughout their journey across the apocalypse.
Players witness Joel's most tragic loss at the start of the game when the zombie outbreak first occurs. Living in the city, Joel is forced to flee with his daughter Sarah and brother Tommy, running through the overrun streets with his daughter in his arms. Players actually get to control this part right after having a peek at the loving relationship between Joel and Sarah, which makes the ensuing events an even harsher gut punch.