Summary
- Horror games defy clichés: Alien on a spaceship, Dead by Daylight's iconic villains.
- Bioshock's underwater horrors blend sci-fi with fantasy; Plasmids offer magical powers.
- Alan Wake 2 mixes psychological horror with sci-fi elements; Resident Evil 4 adds fantasy foes.
Horror is a genre that is often filled with cliché troupes and locations. We see many horror movies/games that have similar villains, such as a serial killer or some kind of demon. Often, horror movies/games will try and turn normal everyday locations into somewhere scary—for instance, the normal-looking modern family home in Paranormal Activity, or the twisted town of Silent Hill.
Alien by Ridley Scott in 1979 was praised for moving away from the horror troupes. It was no longer a ghost in a haunted mansion, but a Xenomorph on board a spaceship. Surprisingly, even though the situation was so far-fetched, people still related to the characters, and it was soon solidified in the horror movie Hall of Fame. Horror video games often borrow from another genre in order to experiment with different ideas. But there are a few games that have borrowed from both sci-fi and fantasy and have mixed them together to create a new, unique experience.
6 Dead by Daylight
A Multiplayer With A Multitude Of Iconic Horror Characters
Dead by Daylight
- Released
- June 14, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia, Switch, Mobile
- How Long To Beat
- N/A
Dead by Daylight is one of the most popular asymmetric multiplayer survival horror video games. The basic gameplay is that some players take the role of a group of survivors trying to fix generators in order to open an exit and escape, whilst another person plays as a monster/killer hunting them down. The game is a love letter to horror as a genre and celebrates all the different forms that horror can take.
The 10 Best Games Based On Bram Stoker's Dracula
The bloody shadow of Stoker's Dracula has loomed over many forms of media, games included. Here are the best titles based on the tale of gothic horror
Over the years, the roster of characters has grown to include many fantasy and sci-fi characters. These include:
- The Demogorgon
- The Xenomorph
- Dracula
- A Knight
- Ellen Ripley
The game allows players to live out their nightmares of being hunted by some of the most iconic sci-fi and fantasy horror movie villains (and for some bizarre reason, Nicolas Cage). The game is the perfect marriage between fantasy and horror. It puts players in terrifying locations and lets them live out their fantasies as either a crazy murderer or a desperate survivor.
5 Bioshock
A Sci-Fi Horror At The Bottom Of The Ocean
BioShock
Bioshock is a sci-fi first-person shooter with survival horror elements running through it. The setting is an underwater city built in the 1940s called Rapture. The city was supposed to be a utopia, and the discovery of a substance called ADAM meant that people could be transformed into super-powered beings. As expected, the utopia collapses and the result of this is an underwater city of nightmares.
20 Of the Best Games to Play if you Like BioShock
When one talks about some of the greatest gaming franchises ever made, it goes without saying that BioShock would be an inevitable part of the conversation. Once gamers have finished the series, they may be left wanting to find another game that feels just as brilliant.
Alongside the classic sci-fi influences, there is also a hint of fantasy to the game, as you can use what are essentially magic powers. Magic takes the form of something called Plasmids. These allow you to shoot lightning, set enemies on fire, and even conjure up a swarm of hornets. The game is filled with disturbing imagery. Particularly the Bid Daddies, which are superhumans permanently grafted inside a giant diving suit. These are the protectors of Little Sisters, who are creepy little girls with psychic powers that make the twins from The Shining look normal.
4 Alan Wake 2 (And Night Springs DLC)
An Incredible Horror That Takes Influence From Classic Sci-Fi Writing
Alan Wake 2
- Released
- October 27, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Alan Wake 2 came out last year and was very well received as a unique psychological horror game. The game borrows many elements from science fiction, including multiple dimensions, and a magical device that is reminiscent of the Sonic Screwdriver from Doctor Who. The fantasy element of Alan Wake 2 comes in the form of Norse Gods. Without spoilers, there is a section of the game in which Norse God-inspired characters are able to summon lightning from the sky using the power of a Nordic Rock concert involving many guitar solos. Alan Wake 2 is the epitome of cool.
8 Games To Play If You Like Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2 has become a fan-favorite game of the year, so what other games will have a similar feeling?
The Night Springs DLC leans even more into the sci-fi world, by including a chapter that has the actor Shawn Asmore moving through a multiverse playing different versions of himself. These include the character of Tim Breaker and even a reference to the previous Remedy Entertainment sci-fi game Quantum Break.
3 Resident Evil 4 Remake
A Timeless Classic That Uses Sci-Fi to Explain Fantasy
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- March 24, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Resident Evil 4 is one of the most beloved Resident Evil games and arguably one of the most respected games of all time. The remake took the original GameCube title and put a beautiful coat of paint over it, as well as adding gameplay elements to further improve the already phenomenal game. The Resident Evil series has used sci-fi throughout all of its games, explaining the rise of zombies, bug people, and giant alligators on experimental science, being conducted by the Umbrella Corp.
5 Ways Resident Evil 4 Remake Evolved Leon & Ashley's Relationship
Just as Capcom introduced changes among many characters in various ways between the original and Remake, the same applies to Leon and Ashley Graham.
Resident Evil 4 introduced a lot of fantasy elements into the franchise. There is a creepy castle with suits of armor that attack you, a giant lake monster, and trolls that look like they have walked straight out of a Lord of the Rings movie. The fantasy elements of Resident Evil 4 were even further explored in Resident Evil Village, which included vampires and werewolves, but the reception to this game was mixed.
2 Luigi's Mansion 3
E-Gadd's Science Helps You Fight Fantastical Enemies
Luigi's Mansion 3
- Released
- October 31, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Next Level Games
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
Luigi's Mansion is a franchise that allows Luigi to be his own person and no longer live in his brother's shadow. The first game was a launch title for the GameCube back in 2001 and was well-received as a child-friendly horror in the same vein as Ghostbusters. Many people believe that the third game, which was released for Nintendo Switch in 2019, is the superior Luigi's Mansion experience.
The 10 Hardest Bosses In Luigi's Mansion 3
Luigi's Mansion 3 showcased Luigi at his best, taking down ghoulish bosses, and these ten baddies are the hardest he had to face.
The sci-fi elements come into the game through the character of Professor E-Gadd and his weird and wonderful experiments that help you fight and capture ghosts. These include the Poltergust G-00, The Dark-Light Device, and, of course, Gooigi - a green slime clone of Luigi. In terms of fantasy, there are many examples, including ghostly knights, Magicians, and Serpci (A magical Egyptian Queen).
1 The Evil Within 2
A Matrix Inspired, Monster Fighting Nightmare
The Evil Within 2
- Released
- October 13, 2017
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
The Evil Within series has a lot more science fiction elements to it than people may realize. The second game in particular seems so clearly influenced by The Matrix as it all takes place inside an alternate world that involves being plugged into a machine in order to travel there. The machine is called STEM and it links together people's brains, immersing them in a shared alternate reality.
Inside this world are all kinds of fantasy-inspired creatures for you to fight. These include:
- Sentinels - mutated wolf-like creatures.
- The Guardian - a giant multi-headed troll-like creature.
- Sebastian Valentini - a main villain who possesses magical abilities.
The Evil Within 2 was well received and the sci-fi and fantasy elements really made the game stand out as unique.
5 Survival Horror Games That Aren't Too Scary
These great survival horror games aren't too scary, though they'll still get a few scares from the best of us.