Since today is Friday the 13th, we thought it would be a good idea to provide you with a list of horror themed video games!
The 13 games below are a mixture of modern and retro horror / thriller games. There are also many more great horror games which will be covered in a future post (probably on Halloween!). All the games are already available.
In no particular order, here is the list:
1. Friday the 13th – The Video Game (PS4, Xbox One, PC):
This one is an obvious choice given the title of this post! It is a modern, multiplayer game based on the popular Friday the 13th movies. Here is the synopsis and a trailer for it:
Jason is unleashed! Take part in the ultimate asymmetrical multiplayer horror game experience! 1 vs. 7 gameplay featuring Jason Voorhees against a group of teen counselors attempting to survive the night.
Recently Friday the 13th received updates which include single player challenges as well. The developers continue to provide many different features and updates for players who own the game.
2. Until Dawn (PS4 Exclusive):
This is a brilliant horror thriller (from Supermassive Games) set on a remote mountain where a group of friends are targeted by a vicious killer. It reminds me of classic slasher movies such as Scream or I know what you did last summer! It is in a cinematic style similar to that found in Telltale games or Life is Strange. Each character you play as could die if you make the wrong choice – and the game will adapt to this and carry on! All decisions have consequences which makes it a very tense horror experience. Here is the official synopsis:
Only Your Choices Determine Who Survives Until Dawn. Eight friends trapped together on a remote mountain retreat, and they aren’t alone. Gripped by dread, with tensions running high, they must fight through their fear if they all hope to make through the night in one piece. Play as each of the eight characters and experience fear like you never have before. Every decision you make in your terrifying search for answers could mean the difference between life and death, but for whom? Your actions alone will decide who survives Until Dawn.
3. Resident Evil (a HD remaster is available on PS3 and PS4):
This is a retro survival horror classic and has a remastered HD version available right now as well. The original resident evil helped define the survival horror genre. It was a lot of fun when I first played it. Here is the official synopsis and a trailer for the HD version:
In 1998 a special forces team is sent to investigate some bizarre murders on the outskirts of Raccoon City. Upon arriving they are attacked by a pack of blood-thirsty dogs and are forced to take cover in a nearby mansion. But the scent of death hangs heavy in the air. Supplies are scarce as they struggle to stay alive.
4. Dead Space:
Another great survival horror game set in space, published by EA Games and developed by Visceral Games. These games had great combat mechanics and zero gravity moments! The games had a similar feeling to the Alien movies. Here is the synopsis for Dead Space 1:
In the future, Earth’s appetite for resources has become a major motivator for deep space exploration. Immense, privately-owned and operated mining ships called “planetcrackers” orbit planets and use sophisticated equipment to carve out entire city-sized chunks of rock, and reduce them to component elements and raw ore. Communications with one of these planetcrackers, the USG Nishimura, have ceased while the ship is engaged in deep space mining operations. The company’s top engineer, Isaac Clarke, is sent to discover the problem and fix it. Once onboard the vessel, Clarke discovers that a terrifying alien presence has taken over the ship, and has horribly killed the crew. Weaponless and terrified, this lone engineer is burdened with much more than simple survival — he holds the fate of all mankind in his hands.
5. The Last of Us (originally on PS3 but has a remastered version available on PS4):
The Last of Us is a must play game for any PlayStation owner. It has an amazing story, fantastic acting and great gameplay. It was developed by Naughty Dog (creators of Uncharted). Here is the synopsis and trailer:
The Last of Us is genre-defining experience blending survival and action elements to tell a character driven story about a population decimated by a modern plague. Cities are abandoned and being reclaimed by nature. Remaining survivors are killing each other for food, weapons and whatever they can find. Joel, a ruthless survivor, and Ellie, a young teenage girl who’s braver and wiser beyond her years, must work together to survive their journey across what remains of the United States.
6. Silent Hill 2 (originally on PS2):
Many gamers list this retro classic as their all time favourite horror game! Published by Konami, it is well-known for its dark story and atmosphere. Here is the synopsis:
Silent Hill 2 is not a direct sequel to the first Silent Hill game. Instead, it centers on James Sunderland, who enters the town after receiving a letter apparently written by his deceased wife, saying she is waiting for him in Silent Hill. Joined by Maria, who strongly resembles her, he searches for her and discovers the truth about her death.
7. Outlast (PS4, Xbox One, PC):
A great survival horror experience. Here is the synopsis:
In the remote mountains of Colorado, horrors wait inside Mount Massive Asylum. A long-abandoned home for the mentally ill, recently re-opened by the “research and charity” branch of the transnational Murkoff Corporation, has been operating in strict secrecy… until now. Acting on a tip from an anonymous source, independent journalist Miles Upshur breaks into the facility, and what he discovers walks a terrifying line between science and religion, nature and something else entirely. Once inside, his only hope of escape lies with the terrible truth at the heart of Mount Massive.
Also, you can watch Nothing But Geeks very own Brad and Queen Geek play some of the game in a livestream from 2017:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9G4TNyNzXA
8. Metro 2033 Redux (PS4, Xbox One and PC):
This is a brilliant and very atmospheric survival horror game. The ‘Redux’ version is the remastered version which brings modern controls and better graphics to the game. The sequel, Metro Last Light is also worth playing. Here is the synopsis:
In 2013, the world was devastated by an apocalyptic event, annihilating almost all mankind and turning the earth’s surface into a poisonous wasteland. A handful of survivors took refuge in the depths of the Moscow underground, and human civilization entered a new Dark Age. The year is 2033. An entire generation has been born and raised underground, and their besieged Metro Station Cities struggle for survival, both with each other and the mutant horrors that await outside.
9. Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360 and PC):
This is a true classic on PC, made by Valve. I loved this game when it came out and wish there was a Left 4 Dead 3 too!! It’s best played with friends in co-op. It is a great zombie game. Here is the synopsis:
This cooperative action horror FPS, available for the PC and Xbox 360, takes you and your friends through the cities, swamps and cemeteries of the Deep South, from Savannah to New Orleans across five expansive campaigns. You’ll play as one of four new survivors armed with a wide and devastating array of classic and upgraded weapons. In addition to firearms, take out some aggression on the infected with a variety of melee weapons, from chainsaws to axes to the deadly cast-iron frying pan.
10. State of Decay (PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One):
This is an open world zombie survival game where you can play as random survivors in the zombie apocalypse. It features great exploration and resource gathering features, which have all been improved vastly in the upcoming sequel, State of Decay 2.
State of Decay 2 will be a much more polished game and will be coming soon exclusively to PC and Xbox One. More info will be posted about the sequel at a later date. For now, here is the trailer for the original State of Decay’s remastered edition for Xbox One:
11. The Evil Within (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 and PC):
Developed by Shinji Mikami — creator of the seminal Resident Evil series — and the talented team at Tango Gameworks, The Evil Within embodies the meaning of pure survival horror. Highly-crafted environments, horrifying anxiety, and an intricate story are combined to create an immersive world that will bring you to the height of tension. With limited resources at your disposal, you’ll fight for survival and experience profound fear in this perfect blend of horror and action.
12. Dying Light (Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PC):
An open world, first person zombie shooter which features some great parkour mechanics.
Dying Light is an action survival game presented in the first-person perspective. The game is set in a vast and dangerous open world. During the day, you roam an urban environment devastated by a mysterious epidemic, scavenging for supplies and crafting weapons to help you defeat the hordes of mindless, flesh-hungry enemies the plague has created. At night, hunter becomes prey as the infected grow in strength and aggression – but even more lethal are the nocturnal, inhuman predators that leave their hives to feed. You will need to make use of all your skills and any available means to survive till dawn.
13. Prey (PS4, Xbox One and PC):
A space horror / thriller game developed by Arkane Studios, published by Bethesda:
In Prey, you awaken aboard Talos I, a space station orbiting the moon in the year 2032. You are the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. The space station has been overrun by hostile aliens and you are now being hunted. As you dig into the dark secrets of Talos I and your own past, you must survive using the tools found on the station — your wits, weapons, and mind-bending abilities. The fate of the Talos I and everyone aboard is in your hands.
Sources: PlayStation Official Website, EA Games, Konami, Capcom,
