Horror Games Worth Playing Just For Monster Designs

Horror is arguably one of the most popular genres in gaming. There's just something about entering a dark, nearly infinite corridor without knowing what lies at the other end, that players all over the world love. The thrill and excitement of the unknown are reason enough to want to play horror video games, but when other elements are also stellar, the experience is unforgettable.

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Designing enemies for a horror game can be a bit tricky, as there's a very thin line between creating a monster to haunt players' nightmares and a shapeless creature with too much going on or that ends up looking goofy rather than terrifying. Luckily, many studios over the years have managed to hit the nail on the head, giving life to some of the most spine-chilling monsters in gaming history. Here are horror games worth playing just for their monster designs.

5 The Evil Within

Large Creature Variety

• Grim world design that will keep players on their toes
• Excellent creature design

When Detective Sebastian Castellanos and his companions arrive at a crime scene inside a hospital, they find a gruesome scene that leaves but one survivor. After reviewing the security tapes, the detective notices the deceased were killed by a mysterious hooded figure, who then attacks Castellanos and his partners.

The Evil Within will have players being chased by different dangers through abandoned buildings, dark forests, and other dark, damp, claustrophobic spaces to escape and survive the living nightmare they're trapped in. With creatures like The Keeper, Laura, the Shigyo, and Amalgam Alpha, it's clear that the game's developers understood the assignment to create some of the creepiest, nightmare-fueling beasts in the history of gaming—and that alone, makes The Evil Within worth playing.

4 Silent Hill 2

Unique Creature Design In A Grim Setting

• Unnerving boss and creature designs that complement the game's ambiance
• Anxiety-inducing survival game mechanics

Silent Hill is probably among the top 5 most successful horror franchises in the world. This is not only admirable because of how big an accomplishment that is, but also because it retains the title despite some major hiccups, like the 2006 movie, along the way. Silent Hill 2 follows the story of James Sunderland as he makes his way through the cursed town of Silent Hill in search of his dead wife.

One of the greatest aspects of the game is that there's no HUD unless players pause the game, and the maps James encounters along the way can only be read when there's enough light in the environment or his flashlight is on. This intensifies the horror feeling, as it's easy for players to feel lost and disoriented in an inhospitable world.

With iconic pop-culture monsters, like Pyramid Head, Mary, and the Bubble Head Nurse, as well as more obscure, yet frightening creatures, such as Abstract Daddy, and Flesh Lip, Silent Hill 2 has everything players need to have an amazing time while running for their lives in claustrophobic spaces.

3 SOMA

An Underwater Facility Filled With All Kinds Of Horrors

• Grim ending that denies players satisfaction in a good way
• Constant state of anxiety and the feeling of being chased

Set in an isolated underwater facility, SOMA incorporates machinery and technology that would fit well within a sci-fi movie. In this dark world, machines appear to have evolved past human constraints, developing a certain degree of sentience. Players get to inhabit the body of Simon Jarrett as he explores the bleak facility throughout the game.

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SOMA has a very dark ending that, unfortunately, doesn't turn out well for Simon. This, not only adds another layer of horror to the game, but also a good bit of hopelessness. One of the best aspects of the game is its creatures, including area enemies like Proxies, Fleshers, Robot Heads, and specific single beings, like the haunting Terry Akers. All in all, while SOMA might not deliver the "happy" ending many players expect after suffering the anxiety of a good horror game, its concept, and the creatures Simon encounters along the way make the journey well worth it.

2 Dead Space

Necromorphs Make The Game

• Necromorphs are the soul of the game
• Great combat mechanics and a perfectly designed horror environment

When developers take risks, it usually involves taking two apparently opposite elements and combining them into a final product for players to enjoy. Unfortunately, this can either be a hit or a miss, with very little nuance in between. Luckily for Dead Space, combining the Horror genre with outer space and futuristic weapons paid off massively, not only resulting in enormous profits for Visceral Games at the time but also kicking off a franchise that still survives and is beloved by many to date.

Dead Space shines for various reasons, including its game and combat mechanics, rich world design that perfectly fits the story, and a well-rounded leading man that players love to control. However, the make-or-break aspect of the game and the overall franchise is the Necromorph threat. These enemies are original in terms of design, and the way to fight them is also very creative, forcing players to hone their aiming skills and remain composed throughout the campaign.

1 Bloodborne

The Ultimate FromSoftware Monster Experience

• Every monster is nightmare fuel
• The beasts in Yharnam are in deep, constant suffering

To close this list, there's Bloodborne, one of the few console-exclusive games developed by FromSoftware, and by many players' standards, the best horror game in the Soulsborne universe. Set in a decaying Gothic-Victorian era in the fictional city of Yharnam, Bloodborne follows a hunter as he progresses through a world full of blood-borne diseases that, over time, transform those who have them into disfigured, nightmarish beasts.

With combat considerably faster than that of the Dark Souls franchise, and an entirely different plotline, Bloodborne is challenging, eerie, and overall offers a terrifying experience for those who play and complete it. Out of all FromSoftware games, this title has the best creature design, with each one being more terrifying than the last. And if that wasn't enough, it's evident that most creatures in Yharnam are in a constant state of deep suffering due to their beastly state, which adds another layer of psychological horror to the already monstrous visual and auditory experience.

To survive, players will have to be extremely brave and watch their opponents closely, as the game will otherwise punish them severely for being overly cautious, or too greedy with their attacks.

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