The survival horror genre is an arguably under-used video game genre, with many horror titles leaning more towardcinematic horror gamesand walking simulators packed with jump scares. Survival horror classics likeSilent HillandResident Evilare known for their non-linear designs, dense atmospheres, unsettling narratives, and ridiculous puzzles.
Most of the time, these games also include gameplay loops centered around resource management and exploration. Scouring the map for key items and scrounging for ammunition aren’t uncommon activities in survival horror games, often done between solving puzzles and fighting horrific creatures.
8Hidden Deep
Side-Scrolling Horror In A Mysterious Underground Facility
This side-scrolling, action-packed horror game has players delving into adark and mysterious undergroundmining facility.Hidden Deepis a particularly unique experience thanks to the ability to control multiple characters.
Hidden Deepfollows a mission-based structure with limited lives, which can be frustrating at times. However, this life limit adds to the tension of the game, standing in for typical survival-horror mechanics such as limited saves (as seen inResident Evil). All in all, theAliens-inspired story, satisfying movement controls (including a grappling hook), and simulated physics makeHidden Deepa distinctive horror adventure that’s worth a look.
7Dino Trauma
A 90s-Inspired FPS With A Focus On Resource Management
This90s-inspired, indie first-person shooterfeatures a lo-fi, pixelated aesthetic and slow, methodical FPS combat.Dino Traumatakes clear inspiration from games such asDino Crisis, with its eerie atmosphere and iconic dinosaur enemies.
Dino Traumamay be a lower-budget experience, and it’s still in Early Access, but it provides a dense and often unsettling atmosphere. Quiet exploration ofDino Trauma’sovergrown and abandoned environments is frequently broken up with stints of dangerous combat.
This combination of immersive-sim and survival horror takes inspiration from titans in both genres, such as classic titles like the originalThiefandResident Evil 4. AlthoughGloomwoodisn’t the scariest of games, it does feature many survival-horror elements.
Gloomwoodutilizes limited resources that must be managed carefully, along with an abundance of strong enemies that can kill the player extremely fast. Combined with theimmersive-sim gameplay loopthat offers expansive sandbox environments to progress through,Gloomwoodis a survival-horror experience like no other.
5Lake Haven - Chrysalis
A Cinematic Prologue Inspired By Silent Hill
Lake Haven - Chrysalisis a cinematic, narrative-focused indie survival horror game with a retro look and feel. The game’sold-school PlayStation aesthetic, user-interface, and gameplay take clear inspiration from classic survival horror titles likeSilent Hill. As such, any fans ofSilent Hillshould feel right at home here.
Lake Haven - Chrysalisis unfortunately a very short prologue to what’s planned to be a larger experience, but the low price tag makes it worth checking out for any fan of survival horror. While it doesn’t feature much in the way of combat or resource management — though elements of these mechanics are hinted at —Lake Havendoes a tremendous job of focusing on the puzzle-solving gameplay of classic survival-horror games. Furthermore, the creative camera work and surreal narrative make for an engaging experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
4Nightmare Of Decay
A Boiling Pot Of Survival Horror Influences
Nightmare Of Decayis a boiling pot of survival horror influences that frequently pays tribute to titans in the genre. Most predominantly,Nightmare Of Decaytakes influence from theResident Evilfranchise, both in its original form and the latter released first-person titles.
Nightmare Of Decayitself is afirst-person survival horrorgame that, like the originalResident Evil, takes place in a zombie-infested mansion. However,Nightmare Of Decayalso features gun-wielding cultists that manage to inject a little variety into the experience. Newcomers to the genre may not find much to like here, butNightmare Of Decayis packed with satisfying references that elevate an otherwise standard gameplay loop.
3The Night Of The Scissors
A Short And Sweet Third-Person Survival Horror Game
This short and sweet survival-horror game takes clear inspiration from horror icons such as the originalResident Evilgames andSilent Hill. As mentioned,The Night Of The Scissorsis a short experience, but one that’s worth having for any fan of old-school horror games and the VHS-aesthetic of recent indie horror games.
The game’s dingy environments and dark, creepy atmosphere, combined with the fuzzy VHS effects, make for a consistently eerie tone. However, while the game’s visual style complements its horror gameplay, it certainly won’t appeal to all fans of the survival horror genre.
2Witch Hunt
Immersive, Non-Linear Horror Set In The 18th Century
This immersive,non-linear horror gameputs players in the shoes of a witch hunter in the 18th century.Witch Huntfeatures sandbox elements and a dense atmosphere, with a gameplay loop that focuses on exploration and resource management.
Witch Hunt’sopen world is consistently eerie, with brilliant sound design and lighting that provide a frequently unsettling atmosphere. What’s more,Witch Hunt’slack of hand-holding adds to the sense of dread and encourages patience on the part of the player.
This dense, heavily simulated survival game has been in Early Access since 2013.Project Zomboidtakes place during a violent zombie apocalypse and features a permanent death mechanic as well as online multiplayer, resulting in a highly replayable experience.
Project Zomboidsimulates many survival elements, providing a challenging sandbox in which players must worry not only about being torn apart by zombies, but where their next meal is going to come from. Players must manage their resources carefully and ensure they don’t try to take on too many zombies at once, as just one bite can spell the end of any given character.
