Summary
- The ocean has long been a source of fear and inspiration for horror games, with many exploring the mysteries and horrors of the deep sea.
- FromSoftware's Echo Night and indie game The Sirena Expedition offer unique and eerie experiences centered around ships disappearing at sea.
- Games like Soma, Subnautica, and BioShock combine elements of horror and survival, offering atmospheric and immersive experiences in underwater or ocean-themed settings.
The vastness of the ocean has been part of human fear for a long time. Man has legends of monsters that live in the deep where light no longer exists. While many are fictional, there are also true horrors that have happened, with ships disappearing and never being re-discovered.
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If it is in mythology, books, and films, then, of course, this fear also gets rooted in video games. Games that go into the horrors of the sea may not be quite as popular as zombie survival or ghost-hunting games, but they certainly do exist. Some are well known and others take a little digging for a sea-themed horror fan to find.
Updated on February 11, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Horror games are a blast to play through when the execution is top-notch. This is obviously hard to achieve, with most titles resorting to cheap jumpscares and uninspiring gameplay loops to coax some scares out of players instead of actually building tension. Thankfully, there are many games in the genre that do justice to this genre, with some of these titles set at sea to make the most of the chilling isolation that one would experience if they were surrounded by a body of water and no escape in sight.
19 Echo Night
Metascore: N/A
- Available On: PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
- Developer(s): FromSoftware
- Release Date: August 13, 1998
Before FromSoftware made a name for themselves as the brilliant developers behind the wealth of Soulsborne games that have graced fans, they used to dabble in a wealth of genres with varying levels of success. Given the tense and unnerving atmosphere present in a lot of FromSoftware games, it's no surprise that this studio has developed its fair share of horror titles.
One such title where players must uncover the mystery surrounding Orpheus, a ship that disappeared at sea, is Echo Night. Circumstances evolve in a manner where players are transported to the Orpheus time and time again, thwarting ghosts in their attempts to solve puzzles and help restless spirits pass on.
18 The Sirena Expedition
Metascore: N/A
- Available On: PC (Demo)
- Developer(s): Giraffe Cat
- Release Date: TBA
Made by the indie game developer, Giraffe Cat, The Sirena Expedition is a short free-to-download horror platformer. It was created for the HPS1 Summer of Shivers game jam on Itch.io, a site dedicated to indie games.
The Sirena Expedition was created to look like a PS1 game. Those who have played mention wishing the game was longer, and since many seem to appreciate its charm, the developers may turn the game into a bigger project in the future. Though the only way to currently experience this game is through the short demo, The Sirena Expedition is best for fans who love intrigue, spooky ambiance, and a compelling story.
17 The Bends
Metascore: N/A
- Available On: PC
- Developer(s): Phantom Sloth
- Release Date: August 31, 2021
The Bends is much like The Sirena Expedition in that it was also made for the HPS1 Summer of Shivers game jam on Itch.io. It is also free to download, and it is mentioned that the game is meant to be played with headphones and an Xbox controller.
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The game is low-resolution, quite eerie, and centers on a diver exploring the ocean floor. The further players explore, the stranger the anomalies become. The game has a great atmosphere, and it is recommended to have it on a big screen.
16 Wadanohara And The Great Blue Sea
Metascore: N/A
- Available On: Mobile, PC
- Developer(s): Mogeko
- Release Date: December 21, 2013
It would be no surprise for even the biggest horror game fan to not know about Wadanohara. It is a hidden gem entirely made from RPG Maker and disguises itself to look quite innocent at first.
The story is about a sea witch named Wadanohara who lives in an underwater kingdom with humanized sea creatures as her friends. It is all quite sweet at first, but the story takes a drastic turn towards the dark, scary, and violent. It is definitely worth a look, and like many RPG Maker games, it's free.
15 Deep Fear
Metascore: N/A
Deep Fear
- Released
- June 30, 1998
- Developer(s)
- Sega
- Platform(s)
- Sega Saturn
This game is a bit old. Having come out in 1998, Deep Fear's age is not the only aspect of it that can make it hard to come by. It was also only released in Japan and Europe for the Sega Saturn. At the time, many critics called this game a "Resident Evil clone."
So many gamers think of it as an underwater Resident Evil, as it all takes place about 300 meters down in the Pacific Ocean and the player character encounters frightening mutated creatures while they progress.
14 Sea Salt
Metascore: N/A
Sea Salt
Released in October 2019, Sea Salt takes horror from a bit of a different perspective. In this game, players take the role of an old angry sea god and get to summon minions to rise up and take revenge on humanity for refusing to make sacrifices to them.
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The game is highly rated, but it may not be what every horror fan is looking for; it is hard to be scared when the player's role is the monster. However, there are definitely horror elements all over the game for players to enjoy, just from an alternative standpoint.
13 Amberskull
Metascore: N/A
- Available On: PC
- Developer(s): Charlie Behan
- Release Date: April 13, 2018
This indie horror game tells a couple of scary stories. Only one story takes place at sea, while the others are told through a forest, a frozen wasteland, and an abandoned facility. With Amberskull, players get access to four bite-sized horror games.
The game keeps its mechanics quite simple and sticks to a first-person perspective. The price is also right at just $5 for a couple of hours of fun, scary, and memorable gameplay. The short story format works well for this game, ensuring that nothing overstays its welcome.
12 Iron Lung
Metascore: N/A
Iron Lung
- Released
- March 10, 2022
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch
- Developer
- David Szymanski, Dread XP
A short horror game where players man a submarine in an ocean of blood, Iron Lung is a game that excels at unsettling those who experience it. Navigating the submarine is a time-consuming affair but is still somehow riveting, with the brief length of the game preventing the gameplay loop from being tiring.
Iron Lung's immersive atmosphere keeps the player on edge for the entirety of the game, and it shows just how immersive the medium of video games can be. Not many titles can terrify players with a single picture, but this is precisely why Iron Lung is so beloved by the masses.
11 Depth
Metascore: 65
Depth
- Released
- November 3, 2014
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Developer
- Digital Confectioners
What is sea-themed horror without some sharks? In Depth, gamers get to play as either a shark or a diver. Depending on what they choose, either another player or an A.I. Will play the human or shark. With a mixture of combat and stealth, the human and shark characters both try to overpower each other.
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Unfortunately, Depth came out in 2014, so the online multiplayer version of this title is no longer as popular as it was. Still, the gameplay loop of this title is simple, tense, and quite unnerving for players who immerse themselves in this gameplay loop for the very first time.
10 Silt
Metascore: 71
- Available On: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Developer(s): Spiral Circus
- Release Date: June 1, 2022
Silt is an indie title that, like most horror games set in the ocean, tasks players with navigating the depths of a haunting body of water. Its primary focus is placed on puzzle-solving, and if players manage to progress, they will soon find themselves unraveling a curious mystery.
The creepy setting of Silt is all hand-drawn by artist Tom Mead, and the style has been compared to games like Limbo. It uses monochrome colors and keeps its world unsettling and dark.