Imagine! A purely dark room, you are sitting on your chair with headphones on, your gaming setup is right in front of you, the controller is in your hand and you start the game; the game which is spine-chilling, nightmare inducing, your heart speed racing with each and every sound and shadow in the game.
Heavy right? Thrilling too? Now imagine, the game is over but now the game is not letting you sleep – that’s the power and impact of a horror game. And this experience is something which none of your films or books can ever provide.
There might be people or gamers who keep themselves away from horror games because they can imagine the intensity of these games. But, do you know there are gamers who are passionate about horror games and there are players who anticipate playing these games at least once. Let’s see why do players indulge in horror titles.
Horror games allow players to confront fears and anxieties in a safe space, helping them understand their emotional responses to fear.
Do you know that adrenaline that one feels when they perform adventure activities like bungee jumping, cliff jumping, speedy roller coasters? Horror games provide the same kind of adrenaline but in a little different manner. Horror games spike the adrenaline in a closed and controlled environment where a player can experience fear and danger and once they feel these emotions, there is a sense of relief that they feel.
If you are someone who is bored by the lethal routine of your life, paying bills, cooking food, going to office, etc; horror games help break the monotony in someone’s life as well. It acts like a mental reset for the gaming community.
You will be surprised to know how versatile these horror games are.
There are sub-categories of these games
Come on, let’s take a look at the various categories of horror games.
1. Psychological Horror – These games use limited resources, unpredictable enemy encounters, and a deeply disturbing narrative to create a sense of dread that lingers long even after you’ve finished playing. Games like Silent Hill 2, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, SOMA come under this category.
2. Reverse Horror – Well, here you don’t need to fear. The player himself becomes a monster in this game and the others fear the player. Carrion, Dead by Daylight (asymmetric multiplayer mode) are the kind of games which fall under this category.
3. Survival Horror – The game that teaches the player on how to survive in a hostile environment or how to survive with minimal resources. The games which come under this category include: Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Alone in the Dark.
4. Stealth Horror – A game where you ignore your enemies rather than confronting them comes under this sub-category. Games like Alien: Isolation, Hello Neighbor are a few examples which fall under the category of stealth horror.
There are other categories like Narrative horror where games like “Doki Doki Literature Club!”, “Slay the Princess” are played. A category of “Action Horror” should not be forgotten and the games which fall under this category are “Alien: Isolation”, “Hello Neighbor”. The other categories are “Co-op horror”, “open world survival horror”, and “jump scare horror”.
Top Horror games in India
Let’s see the games which provide unique yet terrifying experiences.
1. Silent Hill 2 – A psychological horror classic where players explore the eEerie town of Silent Hill where James searches for his wife amongst the monsters and haunted surroundings.
2. Layers of Fear – This first-person psychological horror game immerses players in a painter’s mind as they navigate a haunted mansion filled with hallucinations and dark secrets.
3. Dead by Daylight – A game which is the right mix of cooperation, suspense, and prevents yourself from getting captured. This is a multiplayer game and the survivors need to evade a killer in the game.
4. Little Nightmares – A dark puzzle-platformer that features challenging puzzles and an unsettling atmosphere.
5. Dead Space: This is a sci-fi horror game where a battle takes place with alien creatures. It is popularly known for the intense combat experience it provides to the gamers.
6. Visage: A psychological horror experience set in a haunted house filled with disturbing secrets is what this game unfolds as you start playing it.
A lot of other horror games that are famous amongst the gaming community include
– Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
– The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me
– Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location
– Outlast
– The Mortuary Assistant
Which is your favorite horror game? You might need to change your answer once you experience the new horror games that are set to introduce themselves in 2025!
Here is the list of some top horror games which are launching in 2025.
Killing Floor 3: You are going to get transported to 2091 where a full bioengineered monster army is ready to be your enemies and the player is challenged at every turn for his survival.
The Midnight Walk: The Burnt One and a lamp creature named Potboy as they navigate eerie tales about fire in a handcrafted world. Be ready to outsmart the monsters.
Directive 8020:The player will be put on a desolate planet and this game is going to remind you of Dead Space and Alien because of the survival elements it has.
The other horror games which are going to make way in 2025 are:
– Dying Light: The Beast
– Dark Fracture
– Little Nightmares 3
– Cronos: The New Dawn
– Ritual Tides
So dim the lights, grab your headphones and put them on, and prepare to test your courage with these masterpieces of interactive horror. PS, don’t blame us for the nightmares that follow! Embrace your fear!
