Horror in video games are the special kind of thing that spooked many gamers over the decades starting in the mid-80's to early-90s with the main pioneer titles like Sweet Home and Alone in the Dark was the fully experimented horror title that invented the genre for video games, then the later ones that became the mainstream success in mid-90s like Resident Evil and Silent Hill just took the full level of terror that made everyone scream out loud, and finally the modern era in 2010s are just as terrifying to play such as Outlast, SOMA, and Amnesia: The Dark Descent is what I've love about the horror games in general.
Horror is the bestest things in video games, so we had various of sub-genres to experience the level of terror such as slashers, zombies, ghosts, paranormal, psychological, survival, and list goes on.
As I previously enjoyed the popular titles back then, I wanted to discuss something different on my gaming blogpost is because there are some of the obscure horror games that are completely ignored by the public eye or maybe these games didn't get enough credit it deserved which leaves these games remained forgotten.
I decided to make my own list of 5 horror titles that you don't want to miss out and should had the reason to play, so these are the tales of the forgotten horror games that are incredibly good and should not be behind closed doors.
So without go further do, here is my top 5 underrated horror games.
5 - Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare (PS1)
First of all, I remember playing the 1992's original game just once that was on MS-DOS, and my initial impression was kinda mixed due to game's age didn't hold up well as today, but back then it was quite impressive for the early-90s release which I had to praised it for its atmospheres and settings environments are sure creepy, but it was let down by the control schemes are not quite easy to get used too which is why I couldn't able to finish the game off.
To be fair, the 1992's original game is considered to be an important game that created the genre known as survival horror which was later influence the successful franchise such as Capcom's Resident Evil and Konami's Silent Hill are the series that I grew up playing.
There's one of the game that got my attention was Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, a survival horror game was released in 2001 for PS1, PS2, Dreamcast, GBC, and PC, and it is a first reboot of the whole franchise which got me curious to try the game out and see if it's anything interesting to play, so the answer is yes it's really good horror game for change.
The first reboot sets in different timeline of 2000s as opposed to series original's main timeline of 1920s, as you take control of Edward Carnby or Aline Cedrac went on their mission in the mysterious island to search the three missing ancient tablets that had ability to unlock an incredible and dangerous power.
The game's presentation is quite different in terms of dark and gritty style approach as opposed to original series timeline's gothic and suspense feel, which I really liked the changes because it gives the game sort of eerie environment that are completely pitch black in some areas just adds-up the dark elements of the horror settings.
Having to play as two characters with separate story scenarios are also benefits the game's plot keeps the whole game quite interesting to play, and the whole single-player campaign are filled with great mix of survival and puzzles throughout the playthrough thanks to dark environmental areas, various of creatures encounters, and puzzle solving aspects which I appreciate their effort to deliver something that makes this game worth to pick-up and play.
Despite the game's positive reception at release, the game doesn't get mentioned more often and it's nowhere near good as the other horror series like Capcom's Resident Evil and Konami's Silent Hill are actually doing better for its story presentation, gameplay design, and being able to stay on top with the level of terror that the Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare are kinda bit of a step back in comparison, but that doesn't mean the game itself are terribly bad is because it's still a decent horror experience that you don't wanna to miss out.
4 - Cold Fear (PS2)
Yes another horror hidden gem by the same team bought you Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare...Yeah I know I had to include it on my top 5 list.
I had finally discovered the horror game at online thanks to various of YouTube gaming channels made their own interesting video of gaming hidden gems that the gamers had missed out the good ones which is why it encourages me to collect some of the forgotten titles that I should check out, so this is where I found Cold Fear for the PS2.
It's a survival horror game set in a Bering Strait where you take control of U.S Coast Guard member went on investigating in Russian Whaling ship and finds a mysterious parasite has turned the crew into zombie-like creatures, as he sets out to ensure the parasites don't reach the land.
Even the story in the game are not the strongest part of the game, but what really matters the most that made the game quite interesting to play is the settings that took place in the ship seems to be a good concept idea for the horror game with stormy weather environments that made the whole ship wobbles everywhere and has the several of the rooms that are completely wrecked does seem to fit well to the game's presentation.
Most of the creature enemies are similar to John Carpenter's The Thing in terms of design features are surely freighting-look such as you have bulky ones with heavy claws, crab-like monster, large-winged creature, two-legged tentacles, and ugly-bendy monster.
The whole single-player playthrough are filled with insane amount of segments such as the environmental hazards where the stormy-weather had caused the ship to wobble violently featuring crashing waves, moving containers, and swinging wires that can harm player to fall overboard is quite an terrifying moments, and I got to say that I do actually enjoyed the choice of weapon progression in the game with unlockable upgrade of more powerful weapons just adds-up a nice blend of tactical and horror-themed equipment.
Unfortunately the game had suffered with poor commercial sales and had mixed reception at the release in 2005, as contrast to Capcom's Resident Evil 4 are critically acclaimed and commercial success which is why it left Cold Fear as being remained forgotten, so it's a quite such a shame for Darkworks Games because it's a decent game that the horror game fans could have given this title a chance what its deserves.
3 - Remothered: Tormented Fathers (PS4)
I'm really into with one of the sub-genre of horror game where it heavily focused on hide and seek system mechanics starting from Clock Tower to Amnesia: The Dark Descent, then Outlast to SOMA that delivers the surprisingly amount of jumpscares, terrifying enemies aggressively chasing you around the rooms, and being able to find the hiding spot to save yourself is the kind of horror style that I've enjoyed it with so many intensive and distressing moment I've experienced.
One of the game that caught my attention was Remothered: Tormented Fathers for the PS4, an horror game was created by the Italian game director Chris Darril described it as an Clock Tower-styled modern horror game in terms of design and settings.
The game focuses on Rosemary Reed went on investigation at the Felton's family mansion to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Dr. Felton adopted daughter's named Celeste had been missing for years, while she defending herself from the crazy sadist armed with deadly weapon came chasing around in rooms.
The story is quite mostly positive for its strong narrative and plot-wise that involves uncovering the mysteries of the missing person.
The presentation in this game is fantastic because it's the style of game kinda gives me a similar vibes of many horror films such as Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, and Johnathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs because it's a mixture of slasher and psychological themes being fitted together which I've liked the idea of game's concept.
The game's major design is all about completing the unsolved mysteries and the puzzle solving segments while avoid getting in contact from the stalkers went full on ape-shit and start chasing you around the rooms, as I like the way they designed the villains to be quite scary which delivers numerous of great kill-sequence animation, surprised you with the jumpscares, and of course the verbal insults just makes the game quite frightening to play.
As the 2018's horror title are being praised upon the release for its atmospheres, story, and gameplay which I'm completely agreed for it, which sadly it was completely being tarnished by the 2020's follow-up title such as Remothered: Broken Porcelain had gained a terrible reception upon the release leaving the series being dug into a grave which is a shame because the first original game is actually decent horror game and wished that the series could have been given a good chance if they didn't sabotage the 2020's sequel for first place.
2 - Clock Tower 3 (PS2)
It's a 16-bit night-terror where you're completely surrounded by the scissor killer came chasing you around the hallway, stairs, and rooms with the deadly weapon that can cut you wide open, so that is pure scary as f**k for Nintendo's 16-bit console with so many encounters and scares is what makes the game quite terrifying back then.
After I had enjoyed the first game in the series, I was interested to play the second title that was released on PS1 but unfortunately I never got a chance to bought it is due to game's rarity makes it difficult to find the copy cheaper online, so instead I decided to get a copy of Clock Tower 3 for PS2.
The third game takes place in London which follows 14-year old Alyssa Hamilton, who is part of the family lineage of female warriors who travel through time to defeat evil sprits, as she travels from her time in 2003 to the 1940s-60s in order to defeat these entities and bring peace to troubled souls.
Clock Tower 3 is one of the first game in the series taking into the new direction over the previous entries, so instead of the traditional slasher horror approach like from the first title, the third game is more of the fantasy-style horror for its settings which makes it quite different from the series previous titles.
I don't really mind the silly new idea of time-traveling presentation and some wacky storyplot does seems to add-up the part of the game's charm, while retaining the survival horror elements of the gameplay design with similar enemy encounters and chase sequences still going on, but instead of using the point-and-click controls like from the previous games it uses the 3rd-person fixed-camera perspective makes it the first game in the series to incorporate direct control over the protagonist seems to be a nice change for the 3rd title.
What made the Clock Tower 3 so decent to play is the amount of chase sequences in every areas that are quite frantic to play making most of the violent enemies quite frightening to encounter is what I love about playing the kinds of horror game that don't rely on focusing combat just makes the game scary to play.
I loved the gameplay mechanics for its panic meter system showcasing the protagonist's level of fear which causes her to stumble and become harder to keep up under stress really generates the scare factor entirely.
I say this game is not nearly as good in comparison with the 1995's original game which I rather much preferred it better for its story presentation, darker tone visuals, and slasher-style atmosphere is what makes it's quite terrifying on SNES, but that didn't mean the Clock Tower 3 on PS2 are bit of let down because it's still an decent game in the way as long as the cinematic design, visual style, and storyline are being well-directed as well as the gameplay and atmospheres keeps it entertained.
Despite the game's mixed reception and poor sales figures at the release had left the franchise on hold, the game is however quite rare for collectors which cost about over £60, but it's not quite expensive as the 1996's sequel title for PS1, so luckily I've bought it for £50 from online store.
I wish I would love to see Clock Tower series deserves the second chance only if the publishers like Sunsoft and Capcom are interested to bringing the franchise back in future perfect.
1 - Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (Gamecube)
It's really interesting to see the company like Nintendo are very known with advertising their software for younger audience with the likes of Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Pokemon, and Kirby, where as the others are totally opposite with the titles like Killer Instinct, Goldeneye 007, Conker's Bad Fur Day, and Perfect Dark are more aimed for niche audience.
There's one of the M-rated title that was being released on family-friendly console like Gamecube which is no surprise that Nintendo had previously did published the M-rated N64 games for first place and why not do the same for Gamecube? so let me introduce you a Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.
It's a psychological-horror adventure game was released in 2002 and was created by Silicon Knights, a game development team behind Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. The game set in year 2000 AD and the story centers on Alex Roivas went on investigating in home mansion after her grandfather's death and discovers the ancient book detailing the centuries-long battle against cosmic entities known as the ancients, a god-like cosmic beings who wish to enslave humanity.
The game was being known for its dark-environmental storytelling which detailing the old-historical anthology where various of past heroes in each time-periods who each have their own stories related to the tome, as your main goal is to stop the ancient evil from summoning another ancients and plunging the world into darkness.
What I loved about this game is the style of psychological horror elements which heavily focuses on sanity effects, an unique gameplay elements where the game tricks the player through 4th-wall breaking hallucinations and altered game mechanics to affect the player directly, so it range from room's layout change to fake error messages just really adds up a severe level of scare factor that made the game quite disturbing to play.
As the sanity effects are becoming a major part of the game's design, I wanted to praise the whole single-player campaign for its combat system ranges from close-combat melee to ranged weapons, and it also has various of magic spells is used not only in combat, but also to solve many puzzles throughout the game.
The visuals and sounds are quite a top-notch for the Gamecube's standards which I adored the creepyness tone of game's presentation starting from ancient dark tomb to gritty medieval castle really fits the style of horror settings, and of course the unsettling noises coming from the sanity effects always kept your head stuck entirely that never goes away.
The game's reception are critically acclaimed at the release and won numerous awards, but sadly it's suffered a poor commercial sales which sold less than a half-million copies worldwide is the reason why the planned sequel are never got it made, and Silicon Knights went bankrupt and disbanded in 2013.
It's a huge shame that we never get to see the second installiment a light of day which leaves this game a behind closed doors, but an outstanding underrated horror title that could have given a second chance, so I was hoping this game should need a re-release for Switch 2 as part of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service in the future perfect, so that the game will likely get the attention it deserves are the only way to consider a future sequel.
If you like my recent blog, please hit like and comment below for further questions.
This is Zeeshan Mirza's Blog and I'll see you next time, happy blogging and have a nice spooky Halloween everyone, MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
