Why do people play horror games? The answer is multiple choice, with a couple of different options. Some play horror games to get a rush. Others play them to simply get a rush. Yet, occasionally, a few play horror games for the story.

  • When Halloween rolls around, horror fans flock to whatever entertainment scares them the most. While the focus for many people is on horror movies, gamers have something they love even more. While horror videogames are popular year round, the ones that really pack the punch during the spooky season are the games that involve great storylines. While running around and shooting zombies is fun all the time, when Halloween comes, finding a story in a horror game that really keeps a gamer on the edge of their seat, while keeping them from sleeping at night, is the true winner for horror fans.

Horror games can have s0me truly phenomenal storylines that would make for terrifying films, with the character fighting against demons, monsters, and unimaginable creatures. It’s these storylines that draw gamers in. However, given numerous horror games over the years, there’s always the chance that among those amazing games, there’s the chance for a few overrated ones.

Amazing Storylines

Soma (2015)

Soma is not a horror game where the player runs around and kills monsters or has giant battles to survive. Instead, this is a puzzle game with a heightened sense of dread. The story sees Simon Jarrett in a car accident which kills his girlfriend and leaves him with brain damage.

Simon goes in for a brain scan and wakes up 100 years in the future in an underwater research facility. While there is puzzle solving and hiding from villains, this story is more about asking the player to determine what it means to really be alive. In the end, it is up to the player to figure out that answer and then watch as the climax plays out.

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series (2012)

Most of the time, when a videogame is based on a TV show or movie, it usually leaves a lot to be desired. Telltale proved that is not always the case. With The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series, the games actually ended up better in some ways than even the TV shows and comics it was based on.

The main character is an original character, a convict who gets a second chance of life during the zombie apocalypse. It is then up to the gamers to decide what kind of person he will be by the decisions they make. The storyline had realistic characters making real life decisions, and remains one of the best TV to video game adaptations ever made.

Until Dawn (2015)

Gamers always play most games the same, following the path set before them, walking the plotline that the creators made. However, one can’t help but wonder… is there another way that the game could have played out? Another path to follow?

The concept of branching paths in games has been carried out before yet none as expansive as Until Dawn. A haunting horror game that, like many recent horror movies, subverted classic tropes for the better, Until Dawn, allowed the audience to go down multiple terrifying paths in a twisting horror tale.

Alien Isolation (2014)

It’s always a treat when video games can continue a story from another media altogether. Set between the events of the sci-fi horror classics Alien and Aliens, Alien: Isolation was a new chapter in the horror saga that pleased many fans.

Following Ellen Ripley’s daughter as she searched the galaxy for her long lost mother, only to encounter a new outbreak of Xenomorphs. With an intelligent AI and an intense story that complimented the movie, Alien: Isolation left many screaming in a place where no one would hear it.

Bendy and The Ink Machine (2017)

Usually, the games that draw horror fans in the most are the ones with big named companies behind them, with this being why some games end up becoming critically acclaimed. Yet, every now and then, a small named game becomes legendary.

Bendy And The Ink Machine, a twisted indie horror game with a sequel on the way that spins concepts like 1940’s cartoons on its head is one such game, a game that works better and to far more an effect than any big named property game ever could.

Doom (2016)

In almost every horror game, the same thing happens to each character. The protagonist’s dumped into some horrifying situation and forced to overcome the evil with limited supplies, adding to the horror. Of course, not all games follow this method.

From its humble beginnings to its large-scale reboot Doom has done the opposite, loading gamers up with a massive armory of weapons and sending them after hordes of demons. Add all that into a good story that reveals more information about the iconic Doom Slayer and Doom is one hell of a game with an awesome storyline.

The Last Of Us (2013)

Good horror games rely on fear to intrigue its audiences, leading them down a dark, twisting path full of scares and horrific imagery. A phenomenal horror game, however, relies on emotional impact along with terror.

The Last Of Us on its own is a great horror game on its own, pitting survivors against gruesome monsters and desperate survivors and yet, the overall emotional weight of watching Ellie and Joel, a duo many fans are already trying to cast for the upcoming HBO series, suffer time and time again. Not to mention the gut-wrenching ending sets the game in a class of its own.

Overrated Storylines

Silent Hill Homecoming (2008)

When SIlent Hill: Homecoming came out, many gamers didn’t think it was anywhere near as good as the original games. However, over the years since its release, it has received a re-evaluation and many fans feel it was unfairly judged. However, while some have changed their tune, this is still a very flawed game.

The story sees a soldier returning from war, Alex Shepherd, returning to Shepherd’s Glen where he finds the town in disarray and his brother missing. The gameplay, graphics, and music were all praised by critics. However, the storyline was not that original and there were few to no surprised, making it a horror game without many scares.

Amnesia, The Dark Descent (2010)

When it came out, people loved Amnesia, The Dark Descent. To be fair, the game had frightening ambiance and atmosphere. With that said, the storyline itself didn’t match up to the ambiance and the monsters brought nothing new or original to the game.

At the time of its release, it was interesting because the main character was a nondescript civilian stalked and hunted by monsters. However, that is what every game seems to look like now, so it doesn’t stand out at all anymore. The story itself leaves a lot to be desired. It almost seems that the game wants to add disturbing content at the expense of actual scares, and it only works on a visceral level.

Man Of Medan (2019)

Following the success of Until Dawn, the creators set out with a new series in mind, an anthology-style video game series that would explore a new twisted tale with each game. The series, the “Dark Pictures Anthology”, released the first of the series, Man Of Medan last fall.

Unfortunately, while Until Dawn clicked in all the rights places, Man Of Medan failed to do the same. The story as a whole was weaker than the game that it was inspired and as such, didn’t make much of a splash.

Outlast (2013)

There are times when critics can be wrong about games. Whether it be that they focus too much on one aspect or hype it more than needed, sometimes a game receives more praise than it deserves.

When it was released, Outlast was hailed as one of the scariest games of all time by critics and fans alike. However, as time wore on, many discovered that what lay beneath the reviews and hype was a weak and mediocre game that wasn’t worth the hype or rave reviews.

The Evil Within (2014)

As a whole, the concept of entering into the subconscious mind and encountering an almost horror land within the mind actually sounds amazing and when it released, The Evil Within hit the mark and succeeded with the horror fan base as one of the best third-person horror games of all time.

After its initial success, however, The Evil Within spawned a sequel that muddled the initial premise, not really adding much to the story besides some improved visuals. Instead of being an amazing horror game, The Evil Within sputtered out after its first hit and may not get a third chance.

The Resident Evil Franchise (1996– )

All games have a low point, a moment where they hit rock bottom. Whether that be in the story of a single game or in the franchise as a whole, many games can suffer from this problem and never recover.

Resident Evil was a new kind of zombie survival game with some seriously powerful monsters but ran into the issue with a few of their games, ditching the tense horror survival for dumb action, something the film adaptations, some of the worst ever made, reflect. While the game has seen a resurgence in recent years, the series still hasn’t fully recovered.

Five Nights At Freddys (2014)

When Scott Cawthon brought the idea of animatronics coming to life back in 2014, horror fans were intrigued by the concept of the game and, despite it’s over usage of jump scares, could enjoy the simple yet fascinating story. Then, came the sequels.

Over time, Five Nights At Freddy’s has become a bit of a joke, with the simple story becoming overly complicated and overstuffed. Add that to the now annoyingly large amount of jump scares and the Five Nights at Freddy’s story isn’t as strong as it once was.