Summary
- Some sandbox titles take scary immersion to the next level, keeping players on edge.
- Sandbox games like Pathologic 2 and Sons of the Forest excel at terrorizing players, offering immersive experiences.
- Progress in Project Zomboid is tense due to hardcore survival mechanics, with every mistake potentially ending the player's run.
Every immersive open-world game can find it easy to scare players. So, it's natural to be shocked by enemy ambushes or sudden reveals that players don't expect. However, some sandbox titles take this scary immersion to the next level.
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Even if things are going fine in these games, players will still be dreading the horrors that can unfold with even a single misstep. It ensures that the gameplay loop doesn't get tiring and remains fresh enough to keep players on the edge of their seats as they battle their fears.
8 Dredge
At High Terror Levels, This Game is Genuinely Terrifying
Dredge
- Released
- March 31, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Black Salt Games
- Publisher(s)
- Team17
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Players who get accustomed to the gameplay loop of Dredge may talk a lot about how upgrades make the game easier to handle, but this still applies when they're around the lighthouse. When they have to venture to different corners of the map to progress the story, things become far more complicated.
Terror can build at a faster pace than most players would assume, causing them to see horrifying visions and experience sudden attacks that can lead to a game over. Along with this, the various corners of the map house nightmarish dangers that can be a pain to deal with at times, forcing players to be smart about how they move around in these zones without getting their hulls smashed in.
7 Pathologic 2
The Title's Surreal Horror Will Creep Underneath the Player's Skin
Pathologic 2
- Released
- May 23, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ice-Pick Lodge
- Publisher(s)
- tinyBuild
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
The first thing players will notice about Pathologic 2 is how surreal this experience is. The game doesn't hide its theatrical inspirations and actively revels in them, ensuring that players will experience a sense of unease no matter where they go in this tough open-world RPG.
To make things worse, the death mechanic is so punishing that players will hate putting themselves in a losing position. Every combat encounter is stressful, with players fearing the worst if they bite off more than they can chew and die, leading to them suffering from a permanent debuff that will last for the rest of their run.
6 Sons of the Forest
The Overbearing Threat of the Cannibals is Hard to Fathom
Sons of the Forest
- Released
- February 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Endnight Games
- Publisher(s)
- Newnight
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Sons of the Forest is a hard-as-nails survival horror game where the threat of death looms over the player every step of the way. Even after being prudent about scavenging everything in sight and bolstering the base, there's a part of players that will always fear what might happen if things implode.
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It doesn't help that the game's cannibals are disturbing and love rushing at players in a bloodthirsty manner. This might cause them to panic and lose their lives, which is the last thing anyone would want after making so much valuable progress in this game.
5 STALKER: Clear Sky
The Toughest Game in This Hard-as-Nails Survival Horror Franchise by a Country Mile
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
- Released
- September 15, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Publisher(s)
- GSC Game World, Deep Silver
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The STALKER games are known to be devilishly hard as is, so it says a lot that fans comfortably rate Clear Sky as the hardest one of the lot. The game has one of the most agonizingly hard openings in video game history, with players having very little direction about where they must go.
Even after the world opens up, Clear Sky is a relentlessly hard experience that will punish players for getting too greedy or lackadaisical. Death can arrive at a moment's notice in surprising fashion, forcing players to be wary of every step they take and seek the safety of a shelter whenever possible.
4 Project Zomboid
Progress in This Game is Special and Makes Gameplay Nerve-Wracking
Project Zomboid
- Released
- November 8, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- The Indie Stone
- Publisher(s)
- The Indie Stone
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
The sheer tension present in Project Zomboid, coupled with its hardcore survival mechanics, means that players will feel the tension rising every day they manage to remain alive. The zombies are relentless, and a single bite will end a player's run, making it clear that no one is getting any leeway in this hard-as-nails title.
No matter how many skills players raise, a single mistake can prove costly in Project Zomboid. The gameplay mechanics alone ensure that players will feel tense in every playthrough, even if the graphics may seem rudimentary at first glance.
3 Metro Exodus
The Overbearing Horrors of This World Can Be Hard to Digest
Metro Exodus
- Released
- February 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- 4A Games
- Publisher(s)
- Deep Silver
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Metro Exodus doesn't shy away from making it clear that players are not in for an easy time. The difficulty of the past two titles is mostly carried over in this horror-focused title that is full of oppressive dangers. While the game isn't a fully open-world title, it features several vast open-world areas that are sure to keep tensions high and survivability low for all but the most cautious.
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Artyom must be wary of enemies and ensure that his equipment isn't severely damaged by them. Players who may start getting comfortable with the open-world zones will sing a different tune when the game's linear levels appear to scare players out of their wits, emulating the best (and most horrifying) moments of Metro 2033 and Last Light.
2 Subnautica
The Game's Exploration Will Put Players' Thalassophobia to the Test
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Gearbox Publishing
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Subnautica is one of the greatest survival games ever made, but there's a reason why some players are scared to check this game out. It may be an excellent title in its own right, but the horror of exploring a deadly alien ocean and its unknown waters is so palpable that many are turned away within the first hours.
While this is understandable, players are robbing themselves of one of the most immersive and engaging survival games of all time if they are shying away from playing Subnautica. Yes, the thalassophobia in this game is real... But so is the wondrous sense of exploration and progression that makes this a rewarding experience—once players conquer their fears.
1 Outer Wilds
This Masterful Open-World Game Has Its Scary Moments, Especially in the Echoes of the Eye Expansion
Outer Wilds
- Released
- May 28, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Mobius Digital
- Publisher(s)
- Annapurna Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Despite being an exploration-puzzle game at heart, it's amazing just how scary Outer Wilds can get. There are moments in the game that will genuinely shock players and force them to rethink their approach if they don't want to get scared again (people familiar with this game know what this statement is alluding to).
On top of this, the brilliant Echoes of the Eye expansion is so scary that developers actually added an option to tone down the scares of this DLC. This alone should illustrate that Outer Wilds is more than capable of scaring players, although it's never done cheaply and proves just how immersive this title is once players fall in love with the gameplay loop.