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[More_Badass]

1) SOMA

Easily one of the best sci-fi horror games to grace the medium. An oppressively atmospheric location, slow-burn horror thick with haunting moments and creeping dread. And a fascinating story that adds to the horror with its themes and implications

2) Bloodborne

Nothing has made me more tense and scared to enter an unknown room like Bloodborne has. Despite your weapons and fast combat, you feel vulnerable and always in danger of being overwhelming by the grotesque horrors that lurk in the Gothic alleys and dark shadows. A shining example of the notion that you don't need to be defenseless to be terrified

3) Inside

Masterfully crafted tension from its opening moments. Incredible animations, gripping sound design, and a bleakly muted palette create a grim landscape where its social horrors are in the light for you to witness, to unsettle and disturb. Elements of Orwellian terror, Japanese horror, and

Spoiler

Cronenbergian abominations

make for an unforgettable experience

4) Stasis

The other excellent work of sci-fi horror from last year. Just because the camera is isometric doesn't mean you don't feel exposed, unsafe, and disturbed. Unsettling gore, disturbing scenarios, and wince-worthy body horror elevate this love letter to the industrial horror of Alien and Event Horizon

5) Oxenfree

A throwback to the 80s sci-fi films, that still manages to be eerie, creepy, and haunting, Its soft visuals and teen protagonists only makes the horror that comes, that much more effective, as the game cleverly subverts its welcoming aesthetic to unsettling effect

 

[Dusk Golem]

As I said, I am interested in the idea to get more votes and opinions from people, so giving this a little nudge in hopes more submit their opinions for a more interesting opinion.

 

[Eolz]

There's 3 other votes that I'm trying to make lists for already, but I'm definitely voting for this one too
I know that Call of Cthulhu and I have no mouth and I must scream will be in the top 5 already, hard to choose the others. Lots of choices for honorable mentions though

 

[BigBoss007]

Well, I don't know if you consider LIMBO a creepy game, but I really do.

1. Dead Space
2. LIMBO
3. SOMA
4. The Evil Within
5. Silent Hill 2

 

[Berto]

Y'll keep it single game for franchise to open up space for other games.

1) Amnesia: The Dark Descent - This is the game that most affected me emotionally. I was a complete mess when I played for the first time. My heart would speed up, sweat poured and could only play it for 15 minuts stints. It was a painfull experience but also a memorable one.

2) Silent Hill 3 - Silent Hill 2 is my favorite of the series, but I think the 3rd entry is the better game. it refined to perfection the Silent Hill formula and as a consequence is the scariest and most uncomfortable of the series.

3) Resident Evil Remake - The perfect remake. I really like the original game, but this remake was a tremendous step up in all levels. Oppressive atmosphere, gorgeous pre-rendered visuals and great level design.

4) S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl - Ok, it's not a straight horror game, but it has a lot of horror elements. The atmosphere is king, and the underground labs are stuff of nightmares.

5) Alien vs Predator 1999 - Really liked Alien Isolation and I think it deserves all praise, it's scary but not as scary as this one. AvP 1999 (i'm talking solely about the marine campaign) was the most tense experience I ever had. The crazy fast pace, the lighting fast aliens and our extreme vulnerability (originally the game had no save feature!) transforms what should have been an action game to a near impossible survival nightmare.

)

 

[cj_iwakura]

1) Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly
This remains my favorite game for many reasons. It's frightening, beautiful, thought-provoking, and has replay value to spare. While I love the original dearly(and think it's arguably even scarier), the sequel is truly special.

2) Silent Hill 3
What can be said about this that hasn't been said? Silent Hill 2 is a masterwork, and SH1 remains the most unsettling, but 3 is the one that really perfected the formula for me.

3) Haunting Ground

Few have it as rough as Fiona. Haunting Ground is intense, unrelenting, and is far, FAR more fun to play than its imperfect stepsister, Rule of Rose.

4) Corpse Party

Few games accomplish so much with so little. With just sprites, amazing binaural audio, and one of the most terrifying settings imaginable, they don't come more disturbing than this game.

5) Resident Evil: Code Veronica

I like every game in the series to some extent, even 5 and 6, but CV remains my favorite. It's the best balance of classic RE, unsettling story, and even some solid action.
And boy is Wesker great in it.


Honorable Mentions

1) The Witch House
That fricking ending.

2) Parasite Eve
We need more survival horror RPGs.

3) Siren: Blood Curse
I'll admit, I had to look up a FAQ for that plot.

4) F.E.A.R.
Best horror FPS.

5) Phenomeno
One of the most memorable VN endings ever.
Welcome to the world on this side.

 

[Almond]

1) Silent Hill 2

Music Track - Betrayal


2) Haunting Ground

Music Track - Writhing Embryo


3) Rule of Rose

Music Track - The Attic


4) Fatal Frame III: The Tormented

Music Track - Confinement Room


5) Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon

Music Track - A Person That Died




Honorable Mentions

Echo Night

Fatal Frame

Siren

Silent Hill

 

[Eolz]

I'm certainly not an horror game expert, and wish I had played more (and could stand more ), but here's my votes:

1) DayZ (mod)

This was an hard choice. But the most terrifying experiences I had were with and against other players. It's probably different now, and the standalone is far from being as interesting as the mod was, despite the hackers, but hearing someone else or a shot in the middle of nowhere is something far more memorable and scary than anything else I've played in this list.
Link to the whole ambient music for DayZ.

2) I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream

An extremely disturbing and well made game that expands on the fantastic short novel. IF you can stand old point and click adventures, you'll love it (as much as you can love an horror game). Unforgettable.
No music, but the HATE speech is a classic.
(possible spoilers)

3) Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth

Despite feeling unfinished and having a lot of problems, this game has a fantastic atmosphere, especially in the first part of the game. One of the only good Lovecraft-related games imo, despite more action than a lot of people wanted. Aged well on some parts, didn't on the broken parts. Still, a game that really terrified me in some parts and that can pretty disturbing.
Music - IM Streets

4) STALKER Shadow of Chernobyl

A bit like for DayZ, this is a game where you're not alone, but the whole setting is a lot more nerve-wracking. Whether it's the weather, the dark night, the monsters, or the other mercenaries stuck in this radioactive hell, everything is pushing you to go closer and closer to the center of the Zone in this fantastic FPS-RPG. An haunting game, same for the others, and the (kind of) related movie and book.
If you really want to fear for your character, install mods.
Music - Tunnels

5) Resident Evil 4

A classic that doesn't need really an introduction anymore. Not the scariest or the most disturbing Resident Evil, but it is so good in terms of gameplay, pacing, jumpscares, etc that it's automatically forcing its way into the top. Get the PC version if you can, if not, get the Wii one.
Music- Infiltration

Honorable mentions:

1. Pathologic

2. Penumbra: Overture

3. Fatal Frame V

4. Sunless Sea

5. P.T.

(will add some descriptions for the honorable mentions a bit later)

 

[cj_iwakura]

I'm not going to enforce the 'add comments' suggestion in any way shape or form, but it does add to the likelihood that I'll use those thoughts in the results thread.

 

[His Majesty]

1) S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl - Great atmosphere and combined with mods it provides a horror experience unlike any other game. At night tension is continuously high in the zone, the underground areas are really disturbing and the relief you feel when you enter camp is enormous.
2) Alien: Isolation - Amazing sound & visual design, a game where scary things rarely happen but tension keeps you on your toes throughout the entire game...really a nerve-wrecking experience
3) The Evil Within - Not extremely scary per se (it has its moments) but a lot of great environments and monster designs, I also really liked the story and mystery surrounding it.
4) Dead Space - Very oppressive environments, scripted scares and enough breathing room allow for a very enjoyable horror action game
5) Amnesia: The Dark Descent - Pure horror, no way to defend yourself but run, hide and hope you don't go insane. Never actually finished the game, maybe I should give it another try...or not.

 

[CHC]

1) SOMA

If the goal of good horror is to stay with you in the long term on top of simply frightening you viscerally in the short term, SOMA is without a doubt the most successful title I've ever played to that effect. It starts off strange and unsettling - casual talk about a fatal brain condition followed by an uncertain procedure by someone operating out of an empty office space - and it only gets worse from there. But despite all that, none of the characters seem especially disturbed by the grimness around them. Of course, the reasons for that are carefully revealed in time and the implications of the story as a whole are, well... beyond horrifying.

2) Silent Hill 2

Maybe this isn't 100% fair to put so high, as I've never fully finished the game. I have, however, played quite a bit and am also familiar with the story in its entirety. Even without the twist-ridden plot, the minute-to-minute experience of actually playing Silent Hill 2 is so grating and horrifying that by itself, it is enough to qualify the game as a top contender. But what truly amplifies that dread is the overwhelming sense of wrongness about the whole journey.... from the deeply uncanny scrawls on the wall ("there was a hole here") to the protagonist James's completely nonchalant tone about his entire ordeal.

3) Resident Evil HD

A fantastic re-imagining of one of the (if not the) seminal survival horror titles. A classic spooky mansion packed to the brim with hungry undead, lethal traps, tricky puzzles, and JUST enough supplies to make it out alive. All of the tropes and cliches of horror envisioned through a lens of abstruse 1990s Japanese game design... yet somehow so fresh and effective at doing what it does.

4) Demon's Souls

When Demon's Souls released, I had simply never played anything like it. It was so unafraid to just dump you in this bleak, dark, joyless, awful world and offer you nothing to help gain a foothold. Everything you earned was precious and lost all too easily, and as such, I can't recall a game that ever made me so deeply afraid of dying. And that's because it wasn't just a video game death, but a very real setback. You lost items you could have used in the future, you lost souls that could have made you more powerful, you lost momentum and morale. Its spiritual successor Bloodborne might have had a more horror-focused setting, but nothing filled me with real fear quite as much as my first few steps into Boletaria.

5) PT

I should clear the air and say that I think that in a vacuum, PT is just a hair overrated. But I can't deny the unsettling nature of not only its actual content, but the circumstances of its release and disappearance. It hits on so much of that deep, uncanny, House of Leaves-esque brand of horror that Silent Hill 2 perfected - showing you little and leaving much to the imagination. The biggest irony is that that very sense of mystery will forever be preserved, as PT was simply a tease for a game that will never be. The demo is gone, the game is cancelled, and all we are left with are memories and videos of this strange communal experience that just appeared on PSN one day and disappeared on another. There is a certain unsettling effect to the whole experience of PT that extends well past the tidbits of gameplay that it contained, and for that I have to credit it as one of the greats.

Honorable Mentions:

Dead Space - A breath of fresh air during the darkest period of AAA action schlock. From the isolating coldness of the Ishimura's mechanized hull to the marionette-like necromorphs indifferently trying to devour you and re-purpose the leftovers, Dead Space delivered at a time when nothing else was doing so.

Alien Isolation - A game that seems like it never should have made it out of a pitch-room, and the most faithful 1979 Alien experience we'll probably ever see. In a franchise seemingly cursed to produce exclusively bad to mediocre games, Isolation did so much more than it ever needed to in order to work.

Alan Wake - A nod to the kind of genres you usually find sitting on a thrift store bookshelf, Alan Wake was a brilliant homage to the backwoods, all-American horror pioneered by artists like Stephen King and David Lynch.

 

[Taruranto]

3) Siren: Blood Curse
I'll admit, I had to look up a FAQ for that plot.

Pfff, it doesn't even have 1/2 of the original fuckeries.

Out of curiosity, did you ever play Rule of Rose?

 

[cj_iwakura]

Pfff, it doesn't even have 1/2 of the original fuckeries.

Out of curiosity, did you ever play Rule of Rose?

I have, to completion.

One of the worst games I've ever played, and I couldn't sell it fast enough.

It would have been a better movie. No game should be that aggravating.

 

[Zukuu]

Silent Hills 2
Simply the best. Not just among the best 'horror' games of all time, but among the best games. Characters, story, setting and soundtrack are all top notch.
Silent Hills
The founding father of true horror games in my book. The atmosphere it created was simply mind blowing.
Resident Evil 2
Not as much being 'horror' as being 'unsettling', it's a staple when it comes to classic games. A / B scenario was also a very cool mechanism that added to the whole expierence.
Haunting Grounds
A true rather unknown horror gem. Had the two biggest gaming scares of my life playing this. It's a bit clunky and later also a bit cheesy, but that just adds to the charm and makes the panic mode all the more exciting.

How can you guys not vote for Silent Hills 2? We don't even need a voting to determine that it's by far the best.

 

[Dusk Golem]

How can you guys not vote for Silent Hills 2? We don't even need a voting to determine that it's by far the best.

Here's the weird thing I've kind of noticed; Silent Hill 2 is by far the most popular Silent Hill game, and I think everyone can accept it as the 'best', but I find many survival-horror enthusiasts who play a lot of horror games actually prefer Silent Hill 3 for one reason or another. I was a bit surprised to see SH3 overtaking SH2 in this voting process, but then I also am not surprised since I think most voting identify as loving the horror genre, and I think elements of SH3 stand out a lot more to people who play a lot of games of the type and can recognize what SH3 does really well in comparison to other horror games.

Silent Hill 2 I think has better universal appeal, but SH3 strikes a lot of notes that makes it very appealing to survival-horror fans. Given this is all opinionated, while the SH series has a lot similarities to each other obviously, they also have a shit ton of differences. Every Silent Hill game actually feels quite a bit different from each other, their focal points, their atmosphere, their execution, etc., all feel surprisingly varied to each other, so you might be surprised how vast the opinions on the titles go to personal preference, and I think SH3 sticks out to a lot of enthusiasts for horror since while it may not have the masterful subtle narrative and cold journey feel that SH2 has, it instead has what I think a lot of horror fans remember for its phenomenal 'horror game design', with a mixture of fun and detailed settings with interesting layouts (a bit part of many horror games is learning the layouts of the locations you enter, so having strong locations ends up being very important for many horror games), quirky characters (most people who play horror games will experience pretty colorful casts of characters through their runs, and Silent Hill 3's has an all-around interesting, fairly unique, and likable cast), good puzzles (the puzzle difficulty option adds a lot to this), the insane amount of secrets (SH3, without exaggeration, is maybe one of the horror games I've played with the most secrets in it, from unlockables to hidden scenes, and again this is another staple of horror games, but SH3 executes it better than most), a great disturbing artistic quality, plus it goes into the lore of the SH series maybe more than any other title in the franchise (SH2 is fairly stand-alone, which is fine and works with SH2, but a trait that I think many love about horror games is its lore, it's why many people ate up the early RE games and such and why there's so many communities around horror games dedicated to putting together all the facts and tidbits from the lore of the series, and SH3 explores the lore of the Order, the Gods, and the like more than any other entry, and pretty subtly too, which allows for a lot of analysis)... It goes on, but I think SH3 appeals to a lot of survival-horror enthusiasts since while it may not be as universally loved as SH2 is, it is up there as one of the best in its 'classic survival-horror design' that I think many of us crave.

I also could be completely full of it and misunderstanding others, but I'm curious if others agree or disagree with my assessment here since I've never actually talked to others about this specifically, but I think it's interesting. This of course isn't reflective of everyone; some people obviously much prefer Silent Hill 2, or 1, or 4, it's all personal taste. But I think it's one explanation why you'll often see SH3 with much love from those who usually have a deeper enthusiasm for survival-horror games, and why those that just play SH2 and then go to SH3 won't exactly understand what all the hubbub around SH3 is.

 

[Taruranto]

Personally, I don't see what SH3 does better than 1. In general, the whole game feels a lot like 1, but a step back in many areas.

 

[Fancy Clown]

I haven't played Silent Hill 2 or 3, so the first one gets my Silent Hill vote by default.

 

[Enordash]

1. SOMA - I absolutely loved the world that was built in SOMA. It has one of the most interesting stories in a game that I have ever played across the board. It was a superbly crafted experience from end to end in my opinion.

2. Dead Space - Dead Space single-handedly brought me back into single player gaming when it was released. Although I feel the story got away from itself in later entries, it offered a fascinating world to explore. Also, stomping never felt so good.

3. Resident Evil 4 - The first Resident Evil that I actually played (I watched people play the others). There's really nothing left unsaid about RE4 at this point.

4. P.T. - I was hesitant to include this at #4 since there isn't a ton of "game" here, but I haven't felt the same level of tension and dread as I did with PT in such a long time. What a draining experience.

5. Fatal Frame 2 - I've always felt the mechanic of rewarding you for letting ghosts get up close to you was genius. This game also produced one of my most memorable gaming moments when I first discovered the pause screen easter egg.

Honorable Mentions

1. Stasis
2. Bloodborne
3. Inside
4. Outlast
5. FEAR 2 (My memory may be clouded on this one, but I remember enjoying it!)

 

[cj_iwakura]

Totally forgot about FEAR... might have to edit.

 

[Dusk Golem]

Totally forgot about FEAR... might have to edit.

There were a few games mentioned I was like that for, but decided to hold strong. One of the few situations it's hard to narrow down to just 10 for me.

Personally, I don't see what SH3 does better than 1. In general, the whole game feels a lot like 1, but a step back in many areas.

It's all in personal viewpoint, for me I see SH1 and SH3 as feeling quite different, with what SH3 appealing to me a bit more, but I also love SH1 for what it does.

 

[Fancy Clown]

I really wish Konami would put Silent Hill 2 and 3 on PS4, I'm dying to play them.

Silent Hill is great, but I think it peaks by quite a lot in the first half. The second half still has plenty of great moments, and more of the creepy otherworld, but I think the level design and scares become more infrequent as you spend more time running around the town of silent hill and annoying sewers being chased by hordes of monsters, which is the least fun part of the game. The elementary school and the hospital are easily the best part of the game.

 

[pixelhans]

1 Siren Blood Curse
2 Project Zero 2 Wii Edition
3 Silent Hill 3
4 Siren 2
5 Silent Hill 2

 

[Cajun]

Silent Hill 2

Not only my favorite horror game, but my favorite piece of horror across all art mediums. Masterful atmosphere, pacing, art direction, and, 15 years later, still one of the best stories in gaming. It is a game that has stuck with me for well over a decade now, replaying it every now and then. For me personally, the story unfolded over the course of several years and plays, because I was 12 when I first played it. I had no real understanding about many of the subtle themes, piecing them together one at a time every blue moon. Because of the way this happened, it has become an experience I will never forget, and recommend every chance I get.

REmake

The epitome of survival horror gameplay. Borderline insane resource management on higher difficulties, palpable tension, and the occasional jumpscare. Pre-rendered backgrounds coupled with supreme art direction in this game make for one hell of a looker, even almost 15 years later. You can find yourself playing mental gymnastics at times, huddled in the save room staring at the map, finding a safe path to follow, but oh god you forgot to burn that body. When crimson heads begin to appear, you can become more terrified of enemies you've already killed than those who still shamble the halls of the brilliantly designed mansion, and once Lisa's screams fill the air surrounding the cabins, well...

Resident Evil 4

A masterclass in gameplay, polish, and pacing, which makes, imo, the most replayable single player experience of all time. There isn't a dull moment from the main menu to the end of the game. Even micro-management is fun and interesting with the inclusion of the brilliant attache case (why they couldn't keep this for 5 and 6 despite co-op design is beyond me, seriously) and everyone's favorite merchant. And, while the game isn't particularly scary, regenerators alone are more than enough to label it horror.

Condemned: Criminal Origins

An incredibly unique psychological horror for gaming. I'd say it has the best set piece scares in the entire medium, on top of a brilliant combat system. Melee combat in first person is no easy creation, let alone nailing it like Condemned did. Most games which feature it are borderline unplayable as far as I'm concerned, but it's inclusion in condemned heightens tension in moment to moment gameplay in-between both psychological and jumpscare set-pieces. I simply had to set the controller down in Bart's Department Store, and once again before entering the farmhouse basement. Up there with the scariest games I've ever played.

Fatal Frame

Every survival horror game I played before this allowed you to run away with your tail between your legs, but the name of the game this time around is face your fear, and it's looking right back at you. Never mind the intense fights with relentless ghosts inhabiting authentic Japanese locales of the Project Zero series, what truly scares me in Fatal Frame are the less threatening encounters with the paranormal which often happen on the periphery. Going down an early hallway of the game to catch a glimpse of a child at the opposite end. Later, in the same hallway, seeing hanging feet which make you question if they were always there. Considering the gameplay of Fatal Frame creates infinite opportunities for jump scares, the fact the game throws in a nice mix of subtlely makes it all the more terrifying.

Honorable Mentions

Parasite Eve
While I wasn't at first entirely convinced at how "horror" the game was, after reading the novel it's drawn from (go read it, now), I certainly am. A unique tale of horror, with some cool monster designs and classic SquareSoft jrpg gameplay systems from the 90s.

Siren
Having never fully completed this game because of its obscure mechanics and brutal difficulty (been playing on PS4 so hopefully that will change soon), it still terrified me enough to include it on this list. The shibito are absurdly powerful, and the sightjack mechanic is the most unique gameplay design in the genre.

Silent Hill 3
Pretty much took everything the first 2 games brought to the table, and made them better, minus the story and themes from SH2. Monsters, set-piece scares, puzzles, and art direction, all superb.

Resident Evil 2
If you thought the mansion from the first game was well laid-out, well, somehow the police station topped it. Pacing, creature design, survival aspects are all improved from the original, and Claire is bae. If REmake 2 comes even close to the first in quality I'll be one hell of a happy camper.

Eternal Darkness
While gimmicky, the sanity system was groundbreaking and completely fit the themes the game was working with. I was disappointed with myself when I wasn't representing Lovecraft in my list, so here.

 

[Dusk Golem]

(as I've said, I want this to be interesting, so a little bump so maybe a few more will see and decide to contribute their answers for... Well, more answers.)

 

[Jucksalbe]

1. Resident Evil 2; Perfect balance between action and adventure and just the right length to replay it over and over. Atmosphere was a bit better in the first game, but you can't have everything.
2. Silent Hill 2; Maybe not the scariest game in the series, but one of the few examples of storytelling in games that actually works.
3. Project Zero 4 (or actually "Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen" since it didn't get a Western release); Thought a bit about which Project Zero game to add to the list, but I feel this is the one with the best scares and the overall best environment.
4. Corpse Party; Great music and I guess "audio" in general and some really disturbing scenes. Luckily most of it is described instead of shown, but not all.
5. Scratches; There isn't actually much going on here, but nevertheless it scared the crap out of me.

Honorable mentions:
1. Siren: Blood Curse; It finally made the Siren series playable for me. I couldn't never get into the original games, just because of their weirdness, but I could play through this remake. It has some really scare scenes that stick with you for long after you finish it and a really, really weird ending.
2. Maniac Mansion; Just judging on its quality this should be higher, but it's only a little bit of "horror", I guess. But I remember as a kid I found this pretty scary and didn't even want to enter the mansion.
3. Silent Hill; The scary one of the series and most fun to just do a quick playthrough of. It's not really part of the "horror" aspect of the series, but I have to mention I really love the puzzles in these games.
4. The House of the Dead II; Great light gun shooter and just a lot of fun to play. Also has this Resident Evil-like nonsense quotes you gotta love. Also this was the one Dreamcast game everyone in the family loved to play.
5. Castlevania; Great platformer that should count as a horror game.

And can I mention Super Mario 64, that stupid piano!

 

[The perfect Dark]

Why does no one mention Killer7?

It's one of the best horror games ever imo, even if the story itself isn't horror at all.

 

[Violence Jack]

1. Silent Hill 2
2. Silent Hill 3
3. Alien Isolation
4. Dead Space
5. PT

Honorable Mentions:
1. Silent Hill
2. Eternal Darkness
3. Siren Blood Curse
4. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
5. The Thing
6. Alien Resurrection (PS1)
7. House of the Dead: Overkill

 

[Eolz]

Why does no one mention Killer7?

It's one of the best horror games ever imo, even if the story itself isn't horror at all.

That's the thing. It's one of my favorite games of all time, but I don't consider it an horror game.

 

[SargerusBR]

1. Resident Evil REmake
2. Silent Hill 2
3. Silent Hill 3
4. F.E.A.R. 2
5. Dead Space

Honorable Mentions

1. Resident Evil 2
2. F.E.A.R.
3. The Evil Within
4. Condemned
5. Doom 3

 

[JigglesBunny]

1) P.T.
The strength of P.T. was it's unpredictability. Seeing a corny trailer with people jumping around and screaming at jump scares did nothing to sell me on whatever P.T. was. I remember being at my ex-girlfriend's house, reading a GAF thread with people's reactions as they played. Reading things like "When I saw the fetus in the sink, I turned off the game!" and "Why won't the baby in the bloody fridge stop crying?" illicited so much curiosity and interest that I rushed to play. The tension, the atmosphere, the mystery behind all of it, it was incredible. When we eventually reached the conclusion, as a community, it made it all the more impactful.
While we'll never see the final product, Silent Hills is something that lives in the conscienceness of gamers through P.T. Despite people discrediting the game now, at the time of it's surprise launch, it was something to behold and that memory will always live with me (much like the Demo itself will on my PS4.)

Song- N/A

2) Silent Hills 3
Silent Hill 2 is an undeniable masterpiece. It handeled themes that video games had largely left to films, created a haunting and eerie world to explore and set a new benchmark for visuals on the 6th gen consoles. Silent Hill 3 took the foundation laid by Silent Hill 2 and focused even more on the horror. While the story isn't quite as good as that of it's predecessor, everything else is improved across the board, making it one of my favorite horror experiences in any medium.

Song- Letter From The Lost Days https://youtu.be/5SBY_fUpmnQ

3) Alien: Isolation
Ridley Scott's Alien is one of my favorite films of all time. As a filmmaker myself, it always astounded me how he managed to make such a small, contained ship filled with a handful of people and one monster feel like such a massive, unbeatable disaster. He created a world that I had always wanted to explore, and after many failed attempts in other titles, we finally received a game that captured 'Alien' to a tee. A dynamic A.I. system and open level design really made it feel as if the Xenomorph could be lurking around any corner, and often times, it was. Creative Assembly did right by this license, it's world and the tension it brought to so many when we originally discovered it years ago in Alien.

Song- Ripley's Theme
https://youtu.be/eomKfHtj8kY

4) Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
Bigger isn't always better, but in the case of FF2, it is. FF2 has everything FF had. Tension, creepy creature design, and those fucking jump scares. While it's definitely a "jumpy" horror experience, it earns it with a scary atmosphere that's hard to not sink into.

Song- Crimson Butterfly
https://youtu.be/wKwMyV8ZvZk

5) Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
The third Resident Evil game is, in my opinion, the most underrated game in the series. While RE2 was an improvement on the solid foundation of RE1 and RE4 was a total overhaul of the series, RE3 was a firm middle ground. Mechanically superior to its predecessor and infinitely scarier than RE4, Nemesis is a game looked over far too often that definitely deserves more respect.

Song- Nemesis Final Metamorposis
https://youtu.be/L4ZpiVXa_KA


Honorable Mentions
1) Silent Hill 2

2) Resident Evil 4

3) Amnesia: The Dark Descent

4) Outlast

 

[cj_iwakura]

Why does no one mention Killer7?

It's one of the best horror games ever imo, even if the story itself isn't horror at all.

I did! It definitely has horrific elements, same as The Silver Case(but K7 is much worse).

 

[KDC720]

Oh man, this list is so hard. Here goes nothing.

1. Resident Evil (remake)
- A survival horror masterpiece, and one of the best remakes of anything ever, REmake continues to terrify with it's near perfect design, gameplay, and atmosphere. B-Movie plot and wooden dialogue aside, REmake is always the first thing that comes to my mind when I think "survival horror".

2. Silent Hill 2
- Touting one of the most dark, mature, and gracefully done stories in gaming, weaving its complex themes with it's gameplay and design. Silent Hill 2 doesn't just scare you, it gets under your skin and stays there.

3. Resident Evil 4
- A more action driven shift from it's predecessors. RE4 is still a damn scary game when it needs to be. Masterfully combining it's brilliant and genre defining gameplay with perfect applications of atmosphere, tension, and pacing, RE4 is the first thing that pops to mind when I think "action horror".

4. Condemned: Criminal Origins
- Taking inspiration from films like "Se7en", Condemned features fantastic atmosphere and scares with great level scenarios (the farmhouse level in particular is a must play). Pepper in some fun investigative elements, and an innovative first person melee combat system that forces you to get up close and personal with all manners of unpleasantness, and you have yourself a horror classic.

5. Dead Space 2
- While the first game is an outstanding classic in it's own right; the sequel, in my opinion, took everything good about the first and refined it to a T. It looks better, plays better, and makes improvements in it's storytelling and pacing. If not for some fumbles near the end, Dead Space 2 would be up next to RE4 as one of the greatest action horror games ever. Don't let that deter you though, Dead Space 2 is a fantastic action horror game in it's own right.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Silent Hill- A great survival horror game, and the progenitor of one of the greatest horror franchises ever.

2. Dead Space- Again, a fantastic action horror game, and one that is more than worth your time.

3. Outlast- A haunted house ride through and through, but it's a damn good one. Make sure to play the DLC.

4. The Evil Within- Shinji Mikami's love letter to the horror genre is filled with a lot of really twisted and creative ideas, although somewhat held back by some jank.

 

[Spieler Eins]

1) Resident Evil Remake

The definitive Resident Evil experience. It features masterful level design, but on top of that, greatly enhanced survival gameplay compared to the original. Through new elements such as resurrecting zombies, you need to plan your moves before you go off to solve any of the puzzles. The right amount of difficulty and scenario variety keeps you engaged constantly, while the haunting atmosphere and superb creature design do the rest.

2) Resident Evil 2

While the level design isn't quite as intricate as in the REmake, it still is of high calibre in Resident Evil 2. The maps are woven together in a masterful way and hence the game comes with great pacing. The mood is great, not last because of an amazing soundtrack, and the eventual jump scares are in fact quite smart. The world on its own is already very fun to explore, but the game further improves its replayability through 4 somewhat individual campaigns that take place in it.

3) Silent Hill

Silent Hill has been the scariest series in its heyday. Arguably, the specific way the original trilogy has built its world might actually be the scariest thing ever created in horror fiction. Even the PS1 original holds up wonderfully. In fact, I didn't even play it myself until a few years ago, yet it was still absolutely terrifying. The low-poly look actually gives the ,,other world" in particular an even more abstract feel and the crucial sound design has hardly aged. While interactivity is another key for its terror, the core game design unfortunately never has been as strong as Resident Evil. Still, it's not much of a hindrance for its undeniable artistic greatness.

4) Silent Hill 2

The things you can say about Silent Hill 1 are pretty much the same as Silent Hill 2. It features a form of terror that's beyond comparison. Unfortunately, the puzzle design and map layout has become slightly weaker than even its predecessor.

5) Amnesia: The Dark Descent

This game arguably kicked off a new age of mainstream horror. But it still is a stronger title than the ones that followed. It is not a mere walking simulator, but still a fullfledged horror adventure. While most horror games eventually see certain escape sequences from invincible monsters, Amnesia might have some of the most intense ones in that department. You'll eventually start seeing the strings by the end, but it doesn't lessen the overall atmosphere of going through this haunted castle.

Honorable mentions:

1) Resident Evil: Revelations 2

This feels like the real sequel to Resident Evil 4, as it so far is the best attempt to mix both new and old philosophies of the series. Among many low-key moments, the more action-orientated sections constitute the right amount of panic, while never going too far like other modern REs. It also has the best story of the series, which embraces its cheese and fanservice in the best way possible, but also doesn't go overboard in its presentation. But apart from fan service, it actually brings quite a lot of new horror elements to the series, which all fit in wonderfully.

2) Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly

It not only has a tense atmosphere, but also a surprisingly good story and intriguing setup. Unfortunately, it's a little too heavy on cutscenes. However, the game gets increasingly more tense as it goes on.

3) ZombiU

This is the only time the WiiU controller has been used well in a singleplayer game. And it makes sense, as a horror game can turn a blatant disadvantage into its own advantage. Only here can looking away from your main screen make sense, so item management and puzzle solving becomes part of the horror experience. However, that alone wouldn't be enough to sell this thing, if it didn't have an already great base game. ZombiU has truly great survival mechanics, which make every resource count. Exploring London feels natural and a single mistake can cost you everything.

4) Lone Survivor

The importance of both game structure and sound design for this genre is highlighted when a game with pixelart can make you this wary and nervous. The sound design and ambiguous story (even if a little heavy handed at times) are very reminiscent of Silent Hill, but the game isn't a mere translation of the classic series into 2D. It brings new mechanics into the genre, as you're trapped in your appartment and slowly explore the house to find new ways to stay alive. Leaving your room to pogress gives you the same good kind of reluctant feelings you get from any other great horror game.

5) Dino Crisis

Ironically, I first played this in preparation for The Evil Within and it turned out to be the superior and much more tense title from Mikami. I was long debating what to put on my final place and the problem of this game is that the Jurassic Park theme isn't really atmospheric. However, because of that, it's even more impressive how much this game can strain you. All the enemies are really strong, actually making your standard pistol a complete redundancy. They will stalk you through several rooms and the areas don't stay cleared. Plus, because this game still has an open map structure, puzzle solving and exploring becomes much more stressful (in a good way) than linear corridors like The Evil Within.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Voting closes in four days!
(I look forward to the inevitable deluge of 'I never saw the voting thread' posts in the results thread.)

 

[Dusk Golem]

Voting closes in four days!
(I look forward to the inevitable deluge of 'I never saw the voting thread' posts in the results thread.)

Expecting it to happen too, but alas. I'll try to keep it updated once a day so hopefully a few more see it and get their votes in.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Main votes:
1. Siren 2
2. Resident Evil 4
3. Siren
4. Bloodborne
5. Resident Evil 2

Honorable Mentions
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 3
Corpse Party
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Clock Tower

 

[StrongBelwas]

1) Resident Evil (Original and ReMake) - I'm sure I've told this story before in RE threads but playing Resident Evil was my first wow moment in gaming. I remember January 1999 me and my brother went into town to take advantage of the Janaury sales. My brother wanted Brian Lara Cricket 99 and I was allowed to get a game too so I picked Resident Evil, didn't know much about it but it was cheap and had zombies.

So after getting home me and my brother played a game of Brian Lara then my brother went off to do stuff and put RE in. I watched the beginning video which 10 year old me thought was awesome and then the game started. As I slowly walked around the first few rooms of the mansion and encountered that zombie I started to feel something. Something slowly seeping into my mind as I traversed the Spencer Mansion. A feeling a game had never made me feel before. A feeling of dread, fearing what was around the next corner. I was scared, and before this moment I never knew games could make me feel scared.

I remember asking my brother (he was 15 at the time) to stay in the room with me while I played. He made fun of me but 10 minutes later he was engrossed in the game as I was. It was a truly special moment that I will never forget. Unfortunately I found the game pretty hard, being an 10 year old boy I of coursed played as Chris and didn't understand how the difficulty worked but I never finished it. Years later when I bought a second hand gamecube I bought ReMake and loved and finished it. I bought it again on PS4 and finished it again. ReMake is one of my favourite games of all time and the original is the reason I love games the way I do.

Save Room Theme

2) Resident Evil 3 - As mentioned above the original RE began my love affair with RE in 1999 so when I found out there was a new RE game coming out later that year I was so hyped. This was probably my first example I can remember of being hyped for a game. I remember even making my dad take me to Game after he got home from work to buy it dfay 1. I even bought a guide for it because the cover looked cool.

I think RE 3 gets a really unfair shake from fans of the series, it took all the best parts of 1 and 2 and added the best villain the series has had. Nemesis is without a doubt the best bad in the series in my opinion. The first time he follows you from room to room is such a moment, that I think anyone that says they weren't shocked would be a liar.

Along with Nemesis 3 had a large array of cool different monsters (my guide had cool artworks and descriptions on all the different monsters). As well as one of the coolest intro's in a video game I can remember. I used to watch that opening video so many times, seriously I remember thinking this was like the coolest thing I had ever seen.
http://images.nintendolife.com/screenshots/16711/large.jpg[/IMG
[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tMIOyDI_BY"]SaveRoom Theme[/URL]
[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG_6nvjDxBI"]Bonus aforementioned intro[/URL]


3) Resident Evil 2 - So yeah, I'm an old school RE fan boy, what can I say? Obviously after playing RE1 I went out and got RE2. At the time I probably liked Leon and Claire better than Chris and Jill and as awesome as the mansion was, the police station is probably my favourite location in the game.

I haven't played this game in so long but I remember again thinking the intro movie was amazing, the first encounter with the licker was like WTF.. I really don't want to keep going down this corridor. Although woefully under developed in hind sight I liked the side characters of Marvin and Chief Irons and Birkin was a top quality villain, with arguably the best design.

I'm seriously stoked for the remake and hope that they do it in REmake fashion expanding on what is already a top game and just adding in some new fresh extras.
[IMG]http://www.hardcoregamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/re2-gameplay.jpg
RPD Main Hall theme

4) Dead Space - Dead Space is a great game. A great horror game. The Ishimura is such a great setting for a horror game. I know general consensus is Dead Space 2 is better and while I thoroughly enjoyed it I think the first one just edges it in terms of horror. Hell one of the best parts of the second one was returning to the Ishimura because its just such an epic location.

It's really sad that in the space of a few years an amazing horror IP was created and ruined. I hope they reboot it or just make Dead Space 4 down the line. I tend to agree with the rhetoric that Dead Space was what RE should have been (gameplay wise obviously not in setting) after RE4.

Welcome Aboard the U.S.G. Ishimura

5) Outlast - So I know these first person "hide and seek" style games are quite divisive in the horror community but as someone that only plays console games, this was my first sort of exposure to these types of games and I must say I found it fucking intense. I could only play the game for 15 minute bursts before I had to take a break. Loved the setting, sure its cliche, but cliches are cliches for a reason because they work.

The DLC was quality too and I enjoyed the fleshing out to the story it provided. Very excited for Outlast 2!

Main theme


Honorable Mentions

(Doing my top 5 took way longer than I thought so just going to list games in this part.)

1) The Thing

Trailer

 

[Itchy//Tasty]

I'm too lazy atm to do a big detailed description, sorry, but I still want to throw my vote in there.

1. P.T
2. Bloodborne
3. Alien Isolation
4. Silent Hill 2
5. Manhunt (come at me, this is my underrated gem of the forever)


Spent the last few days playing Soma and it didn't personally click with me at all, found it too obtuse and frustrating, and the story didn't reel me in in the slightest. Sorry GAF, I really tried!

 

[KrYcHu89]

1. Silent Hill 2

2. Bloodborne

3. Resident Evil Remake

4. Silent Hill 3

5. Soma

 

[TheMoon]

^people are really reading that OP

 

[Kazuhira]

Oh dear, I love too many horror games. However, being such a fan of them, I'm definitely submitting a vote right now, but I'm terrible at favorites. Going for the full 10 votes, but know that I could easily name more and more. I have a broad taste for the genre and part of me wants to name some timeless classics, while the other part wants to bring up some of my personal favorite more niche games I love, I'll try to do some mix here.

Keep in mind that these aren't in any specific order, I am just helping some titles I hold very dear personally, and I couldn't arrange them in personal preference order; I love them all.

REGULAR VOTES:

01.) WhiteDay: A Labyrinth Named School

An overlooked classic, though I do suspect it'll get some more attention in the next year or two as a pretty faithful remake (basically just prettier and with some new content, ghosts, locations, scenes, etc.), is releasing on PC and PS4 later this/next year. Already released internationally on mobiles... But anyways. WhiteDay was originally a 2001 PC Korean horrror game that was leagues ahead of its time. It is the first ever first-person hide'n'seek defenseless horror game with physics-based gameplay/puzzle game that would become popular 10 years later, and in mine and many other people's opinion, still one of the best. Game has a reputation for being one of the scariest games ever made (I think that's a bit overblown, buuut I will admit it's definitely higher up there for my personal 'scariest' games list, though the scares do somewhat scale to difficulty).

It has a very unique sound design, and funnily enough featured solutions to the hide'n'seek horror game that current games of the era that do this style have issues with, and solved them before they even existed. In WhiteDay, you are stalked primarily by a twisted janitor, who randomly wanders the school (he can literally enter any room at nearly any time), and you may hear him coming by the jingling of his keys. But the school is twisting; supernatural forces are at work here. And though hiding in the dark may aid you in hiding from the janitor, there are other entities inside the school who wander in the dark... Including a spirit who comes for you if you stay in one general location hiding for too long, slowly coming for you.

Has some fun twists and turns, some pretty good scares, split storyline with a few different pathways that make different scenes trigger depending what path you're on and multiple endings, and a number of hidden scenes, scares, etc. Excited for the English release of the PC remake!


Music Samples: Byungki Hwang - The Labyrinth (segments of this song and variations of it are used a lot in WhiteDay)
One of the Credits Themes

02.) Hellnight (aka Dark Messiah)

Hellnight is another game from my potential scariest games I've ever played list. It's a unfortunately fairly unknown game by Konami & Atlus that they released in the late 90s on the PSX. Yes, Konami actually published another horror game outside of Silent Hill, and it turns out it's actually pretty good. Hellnight features you in first-person corridors, exploring an underground Tokyo subway/sewer system/military base that has been converted into an underground civilization for those who decide to fall out of modern society or have nowhere else to go. However, some strange robot suddenly attacks a train underground, with our main character who was riding it to go home, but gets caught up and chased by this monstrosity. He much team up with others to survive.

And that robot is the only enemy in the game, it is a persistent stalker who chases you the whole game; but there's a catch. It is evolving, becoming fiercer and more dangerous, and growing intelligence to trick you and play you into its hands. It changes shape and form, and grows trickier and more deadly as the game goes on. In the game, you have partner characters, you can take one with you through the game. Each has a special ability, but more so, each has a big presence in the story and you can grow attached to them... But if you do, you better play well. Get caught by the monster, and they die. Permanently. The monster catching you will perma-death your party member and completely change the course of the story upon their death. There's a few different partner characters, and having them die at your hands can be brutal. Get caught with no partner, and you're dead.

It has great atmosphere, a surprisingly complex and interesting story, some good scares and tricks. It's a bit slow-paced, but I feel it works to the game's benefit. You can go 20-40 minutes without running into the monster, for it to only appear when you least expect it. Outside of the monster, you transgress first-person 'dungeon labyrinths', and enter rooms into a point'n'click style where you may examine them, get/use items, talk with people, some puzzles, etc. I am quite fond of the game.

When you think you've played every horror game,Dusk comes and shows you games you've never heard before.
Love you man,thanks.

 

[Ricitor]

1. Rule of Rose

It is very easy to bang down on RoR because of the really clunky gameplay. Yet if you can accept it or just get used to it, there really is a special horror experience. The looming atmosphere and just the constant hesitation at the warped stuff that will appear, it succeeds as a horror experience so well. These are sick, nasty children and the innocence mixed with actions so vile creates a sense of unease. This is to not go into the really dark back drop of the game. There is serious themes running through and it only sets the mood darker and darker. I gasped, I shook and I wanted to unplug my PS2. It is a game that requires patience but those who are willing to sit through are treated to something magical that will stay with you. I have a sealed copy of this game and it will be the jewel of my collection.

RUlE OF ROSE - A Love Suicide ~The Theme of Rule of Rose~

2. LSD: Dream Simulator

This one is... weird. There is little to talk about in terms of gameplay here. Basically you try to escape trippy dream states. While this might not sound scary, it really is. The game made me so uncomfortable. I was worried about where the next location would be and what I would see. The little music adds to the weirdness in such an off putting way. It is not supposed to scare you, but it nails it in making the player just feel so out of place. Everything seen does not always bring wonder, it generates questions. The more you explore, the more claustrophobic the game becomes. "What the fuck it this" constantly rings in your head. Playing it one late night, I was terrified. This is going through a very, VERY bad trip, and that shit can haunt you forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ6Uv3r3FWE
Even the music (when it appears) adds to the element of the "bad trip"

3. I have no Mouth and I Must Scream

Brilliant and Intelligent. This game is prime psychological horror. It is an adventure game and may not stand with strong moments of frights, yet watching these people suffer with their own vices is gripping. Of the five characters, there are deep and hideous stories and figuring them out is heavy. What the game allows the player to do in the most horrific situations is immense. There is no good, there is no bad, there is only being and that is frightening. We can also not forget the base premise of control and the characters being tortured by one of the greatest villains of all time, AM. You as the player, never know who to trust, what is real (if any of it is). AM playing this sick game for his own amusement. It is fucking horrifying and deserves to be played for those wanting a smarter horror experience.

Have No Mouth And I Must Scream OST: 02 - That Hole In My Chest (Gorrister)
Just a wonderful OST to boot. Works extremely well within the game and ties to the setting and characters.

4. P.T.

P.T. will go down as one of the greatest marketing moves in gaming history, and it will be remembered for creating unlimited moments of terror. It is simply a corridor the player goes through, but this adds to the pressure. Every change is noticed, every time that door opens to silence, nothing else but dread. There is little to do, and to achieve the conclusion can be obnoxious, but man does it nail horror. I always let people play it at my house and the reactions are always amazing.

5. Five Nights at Freddy's

Okay, this I am sure will get some people made. "It is just a jump scare simulator", "It is YouTube fodder", "It is so basic and screw the guy who made it." FNAF always gets shat on and I think unfairly. Yes, it is a game based on Jump Scares but that does not mean they are not effective. There is a tension every time you turn on that light to the right or left. The moment you realise the Animatronics are not there and you go into a panic to find them. The game does its job despite being simple. Hate on the success all you want, but it does something right.
I am picking the first game though. It was clean and fresh. While the sequels added more and made improvements, some of the other mechanics were annoying (Fuck the Puppet). Also, the backstory and theorising can also lead to terrifying conclusions.

Five Nights at Freddy's Soundtrack - Darkness

 

[DagnastyEp]

My essential Horror games list, for this list I'm focusing more on the horror aspect of the games listed. While I overall enjoyed Dead Space more than Alien Isolation, I think AI is the better Horror experience

1) Alien Isolation - simply put, the scariest, most tense game I've ever played.
2) Dead Space - A great mix of horror and action, in a great setting. I loved the unique weapons that really fell like repurposed engineering/mining tools.
3) Resident Evil REmake (HD) - only just recently played this for the first time and was blown away. They way the game creates tension with relatively few weapons, and a smallish map is outstanding
4) Dead Space 2 - Not as horror focused as the original, though the overall presentation and polish has been very improved with this sequel
5) Doom 3 - Doom 3 is a great game, and chose to focus and amplify the horror elements of the original; whereas the new Doom seems to mostly ignore it.

Honorable Mentions:
1) Doom - The sounds, lighting, and graphics of the time were incredible. Along with maze like maps, this was a great horror game along with being a groundbreaking FPS title
2) Resident Evil 4 - A new take on Resident Evil, and outstanding game, but not as horror focused as earlier entries
3) Silent Hill 2 - I loved what I played, but I got stuck and clueless where to go (key in a drain?), then lost my PS2 memory card, so I never finished
4) The Evil Within

 

[Dusk Golem]

Bumping this up for peeps to get last minute votes in since voting ends tomorrow, and a few more votes makes things more interesting.

 

[Eolz]

Yeah, shame to not see more people vote on this one... (same for the best OST of Gen 4, only 2 pages )

 

[Neff]

1. Resident Evil (1996/2002)
2. Resident Evil 4
3. Resident Evil 2
4. Snatcher
5. Resident Evil 6
6. Resident Evil Code Veronica
7. The Evil Within
8. Resident Evil 5
9. Dead Space
10. P.T.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Yeah, shame to not see more people vote on this one... (same for the best OST of Gen 4, only 2 pages )

It's a pretty good turnout. Might have more than the last two I did! I think we have enough for some interesting results.

(I'm hoping the next one will be huge, but we'll see.)


Don't ask me how I'm gonna figure out the REmake vs Original votes... some people voted for both at the same time.

 

[TheMoon]

My problem here is I love horror games but haven't played nearly enough of them to make a useful list. :/

 

[Reedirect]

Aw shit, first time I'm seeing this thread. I wouldn't miss the chance posting a top five for my favorite genre.

1. Silent Hill 2

Prime example of games as narrative art. Using an already unique gaming world for a total deconstruction of a regular guy, while relying on symbolism and clever, subtle clues to tell this horrifying tale. I'm endlessly fascinated by this masterpiece of modern horror, but mostly from a far, because playing it again always gets way under my skin. One that is not high on shock value, but is implicitly the scariest game of all time.

2. Resident Evil 4

The ideal blend of nerve-wracking survival horror and the goofy B-tier action movie that only Resident Evil can be. Of course, one of the finest games ever, and the only one I would ever consider to be perfect. Except for those sliding puzzles. Fuck those.

3. Dead Space 2

The first one has the better setting (nothing really beats an abandoned space ship), DS2 beats it in everything else. Ups the tension, loses a lot of cheap jumpscares, while also featuring excellent callback sequences to the first game and unsettling body horror bits that make your skin crawl. Doesn't hurt that the gameplay mechanics and controls see an improvement over the first one too.

4. PT

The grim reminder of what could have been. The scariest hallway you'll ever walk through. Simple and brilliant game design with a touch of Kojima's weirdness and love for deceiving players. I'm still terrified even after every secret has been found. While I usually maintain the opinion that a game doesn't need great graphics to be scary, the visual excellence helps a lot this time. The hallway is almost photo-realistic, and every apparition you see is all the scarier because of it.

5. Slender: The Eight Pages

I know. It spawned hundreds of poor copies and introduced the "collect and get scared" mechanic that still plagues indie horror today, but I feel this deserves to be mentioned here. The original game is still incredibly effective, unnerving and eerie. Its simple design and barren graphics make it all way the worse. Something about its total lack of polish, any kind of production value, makes it scarier in a strange way, like a toned-down deep web game.

Shame that Slender Man got infected with "The Pyramid Head Effect" and became kind of a meme character that lost some of its scariness because of it.

Honorable Mentions:

1) Resident Evil: Remake
2) Oxenfree - a fantastic adventure game that manages to be scary and comforting at the same time. Go play it if you haven't.
3) Forbidden Siren - prefer it over Blood Curse.
4) Silent Hill 1/3/4
5) Deadly Premonition

 

[TheMoon]

Is there any chance or use in extending this thread another week?