Violence Jack
Member
My list would look similar to this.
But damn Swery. My respect continues to grow for this man for including Nanashi no Game.
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28 developers share their picks for best horror games ever
- Thread starter SolidSnakex
- Start date
My list would look similar to this.
But damn Swery. My respect continues to grow for this man for including Nanashi no Game.
JumpJeff84
Member
I have Fatal Frame 2 on PS3. Tried to play it a few months ago, and I literally got stuck within the first hour. Kept wandering through the house and couldn't find where to go to advance the next 'plot point'.
I should probably give it another shot.
I should probably give it another shot.
SolidSnakex
Member
Too niche and probably released way too deep into the PS2's lifespan (September 2006). But yeah, it'd definitely make my list. Anyone that likes Silent Hill should find a way to check it out.
SolarPowered
Member
True
I should have mentioned the number of skeptics who expect a bomba because they doubt Mikami and Tango. That's the real kicker. Skepticism on sales is perfectly normal and good games do suffer bad sales even with the backing of talented developers. But if there were a select group of people in this industry who could get a free pass during the pre-review period I know for sure Mikami would have to be on that short list.
kunonabi
Member
which is sad because it's an awful horror game.
Hibiki Kurosawa
Member
Cool! I like this! Nice to see Silent Hill, Dead Space, and Siren getting picks, though not surprising.
I dont know, maybe its just my mindset but I cant think of fighting with humans no matter how tense the fights are as survival horror. I remember playing that basement sequence and thinking ND should one day make a full game revolving only around weird creatures as enemies with that kind of atmosphere. I agree with you though. What is there in TLOU in terms of horror is much much better than L4D. I too would put TLOU over L4D anyday of the week.
Nope
L4D and DR3 especially should not be in any top horror game list.
SerTapTap
Member
Dead Space is great. Play in order. Maybe ignore Dead Space 3. The light gun game is alright, mostly good for (lategame spoilers)
cutting your own motherfucking arm off with the Move
It's a good space horror-themed shooter, with a decent selection of scary bits and some really atmospheric areas to explore. Generally fun gameplay and competent storytelling due mostly to the fact that it's kept minimal and Isaac doesn't open his mouth.
Magic Mushroom
Member
Hmm. I disagree with a lot of this. I think Dead Space and its sequel are truly excellent horror games with tons of great gameplay elements (the dismemberment system, HUD in suit, anti-gravity sections). They play really, really well and the sound design is phenomenal. They also mix in lots of moments where you are anticipating attacks that never come, these games have downtime. Take the
return to the Ishimura in 2 for example. You don't fight anything the first 30 minutes or so.
But as I said earlier, I don't believe a horror game needs to be slow or make you feel extremely vulnerable to be classified as one. Everybody has its own definition of a horror game it seems.
I mean, Braindead is a horror movie but it's completely different in tone and atmosphere than say The Shining.
LicenceToK1ll
Member
Nice to see Condemned up there from the Naughty gods
One of my favorite 360 games and an amazing launch title.
One of my favorite 360 games and an amazing launch title.
pinkurocket
Member
I'm a fan of horror and Dead Space made me upset. All feeling of horror went away when there was an alien around each and every corner. It wasn't even scary anymore, everything was expected and it became a bore. Also nothing scary about corpses flopping around like a rubber chicken on the floor. Nice atmosphere, but not good enough to make the game interesting.
SolarPowered
Member
That spoiler is the only thing in DS2 that felt remotely like a horror game. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I smiled almost entirely through that sequence while my heart rate skyrocketed.
We are in agreement that the system mechanics in DS1 and DS2 are great. They made great use of the space setting to come up with interesting combat scenarios. Unfortunately most of the game and fighting was done in hallways and rooms that served as a meat grinder for endless waves of enemies. DS2 felt more like Gears of War at way too many points for my taste.
DS2 may be the lucid dream of horror games. I guess being a badass in hell can have it's appeal too.
SerTapTap
Member
That part of Dead Space 2 is great, as is the kindergarden. Was super disappointed in Dead Space 3's wimpy lack of any form of baby/child necromorphs. And that godly stomp after taking a necromorph down, so extremely satisfying. Love the seamless, non-pausing UI too.
Love the necromorph designs in general too. Dismemberment is an awesome mechanic as well, especially combined with the nonconventional "tool" weapons (yet another thing I dislike in 3--normal-ass guns that deal normal-ass non-dismembering damage)
I love the "religion" of it all too, one of the best horror elements IMO. And the audio logs as well.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion; yours just happens to suck.
For those reading this who haven't played Dead Space, do yourself a favor and try the original. It's a fantastic game.
In regards to the list, I think it's funny a lot of these guys selected their own games #1. Classy.
At least the game knew when to let players breathe and allow the atmosphere and environment tell the story, a skill since forgotten in subsequent modern AAA horror games. That's even where the sequel failed to me, aside from that one part in Chapter 11 or so.
Hoping Evil Within knows how to do that without Action, Action, Action.
Triggerhappytel
Member
Is that really any surprise? Resi games post 2005 leaves us with Resi 5, 6, ORC and the Chronicles games. It's not exactly a stellar line-up.
It certainly has horror elements, in the tone and premise.
Nope
Me neither dude; I was kidding
It really is a franchise Sony needs to bring back. I played the first game and own Blood Curse, and it is amazingly creepy.
There was an Enemy Zero pick, actually.
Damn arrogant Japanese
Culturally loyal
Sorcerer
Member
vpance
Member
Pretty much. Decent action game but it's just monster closets galore.
Triggerhappytel
Member
Ha ha, hadn't noticed that! Strange choice for a 'horror' game. It's gory but I wouldn't call it horror at all.
Hurt and Scared
Member
Neil Druckmann said:
Akira Yamaoka said:
Mike de Plater said:
Agreed! *high-five*
Ahh, good point. Notable absence of Clock Tower and Haunting Ground.
Hibiki Kurosawa
Member
I just checked the full list and am glad to see other games like Limbo, Deadly Preminition, and Alan Wake on there even if I don't consider all of them to completely be horror games. Those are three of my top five favourite games of 2010.
Because Fatal Frame is goddamn genius.
Magic Mushroom
Member
Agreed. They felt more like hyper-grizzly action games rather than straight horror games. Even Resident Evil 4 is more tense.
SerTapTap
Member
Great article, this in particularly stands out to me a lot:
Absolutely hate the trend of Amnesia-likes with instakill, defenseless gameplay and hiding that often doesn't even work. It's an exercise in frustration, not horror. I'm not hiding in fear, I'm sitting on my ass hoping the AI actually works like it's supposed to instead of magically seeing through walls or shadows (which it often does).
Horror games really need to go back to fighting for your life, though Dead Space in the end did end up going too far toward action/combat. There's definitely a delicate balance involved in horror combat, but cutting out combat isn't the best solution IMO.
Play on a high difficulty from the start. You're fairly capable but still die quickly.
Melee makes RE4 way less tense than Dead Space. Getting close in Dead Space is extremely risky, it's free kills against most RE4 enemies.
TheBanditKing
Member
lol, really Ted......
Also extra large ass hats on order for: Suda 51, Chris Robb, Steve Papoutsis....don't list your own games thats just tacky
mawerick_mc
Neo Member
Got to play some Resident Evil 4, when i put my hands on it (now that it is on Steam).
When F.E.A.R. came out, that made me jump from my seat on various occasions! Bioshock had a moment or two where the awesome believable sound scares you to death. Also Manhunt was extremely disgusting, not so scary, but disgusting.
When F.E.A.R. came out, that made me jump from my seat on various occasions! Bioshock had a moment or two where the awesome believable sound scares you to death. Also Manhunt was extremely disgusting, not so scary, but disgusting.
pinkurocket
Member
As much as I dislike Dead Space, that's actually a valid point. The atmosphere really was the best part and there wasn't a constant in-your-face story.
SolidSnakex
Member
I really don't get this. If your game is great, then why not list it? If someone asked Miyamoto to name the best platformers ever, then he damn well better list Mario.
Ganondorfo
Junior Member
Nobody mentionned Haunting Ground...
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
Siren is the best horror series so it was pretty much under-represented everywhere.
My Top 5 would be:
1) Siren 2
2) RE4
3) Siren
4) RE2
5) Cthulhu: DCotE
EDIT: One western dev listed Siren: Blood Curse (aka the worst game in the series, albeit still good), so the series wasn't completely ignored by Western devs.
figures hed be the one to recognize Alone in the Dark