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[Eddie-Griffin]

Since there weren't too many of them, what was the best 3D horror game of the 90's? Several games during this time were considered the best 3D horror games of the era, which I have listed, although if I'm missing any that are commonly acclaimed by players let me know.

Several games are known for being the best of the 90's 3D horror games, like System Shock 2, Resident Evil 2, Blood, Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, Cock Tower and others are just some of the most praised titles of the time, including several with large cult followings.

Which 3D horror game from the 90's do you think is the best from the era?

 

[ShadowLag]

My heart says Silent Hill, but my brain says RE2.

 

[rofif]

Actually scary?
System Shock 2. That shit ain't playable.

 

[Alexios]

Yes, arcade lightgun games like HOTD are so scary, ooooh, you never wanted to put a coin in, great list.... Maybe expand to "horror themed" then we can have tons more games like that. Parasite Eve, really? It's a JRPG... Blood? Might as well put Alien Trilogy there. Or Doom itself, demons are scary, right, just like zombies and whatever else. And if you're gonna include games like D and Enemy Zero (rip based Kenji Eno), there are loads of adventure games that are horror themed and arguably much more renowned, like Sanitarium for one, or The 7th Guest. Probably dozens more in that vein.

 

[mrcroket]

Where is Resident Evil 3 huh?

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

Biohazard 1996

 

[SSfox]

 

[nkarafo]

I voted for Shadowman because it goes for many different horror vibes

- The voodoo magic stuff
- The undead stuff
- The twisted body horror of the Asylum parts
- The panic inducing home improvement killer area
- The gore violence in the prison area

It has a bit of everything.

 

[brian0057]

Silent Hill.
But System Shock 2 is an extremely close 2nd.

 

[Deerock71]

I'm going with the original RE. If all it did was lay the groundwork that gave us RE4, then it was worth it.

 

[Loke]

System Shock 2. One of a kind really.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Where is Resident Evil 3 huh?

That's not commonly cited as the best in the era by gamers. In fact, it's one of the most criticized.

 

[F31 Leopard]

Resident Evil

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

RE2. It captured the zeitgeist of what many felt a survival-horror game could and should be during that period, took a solid formula in the first game and pushed it Hollywood big, and basically helped cement the tone and ambition for the franchise to this day. It's really thanks to RE2 that RE4 exists, and that game would go on to influence a LOT of games in the years to come, even outside of its genre.

So as to what hits the balance of being solid quality, memorable, and capturing the zeitgeist, it's easily RE2. If you want to talk PURELY in terms of the best game from that list today, it's probably up for debate. But I don't think that's the extent these conversations should be limited to, tbh.

 

[synchronicity]

The original Silent Hill really shifted (and elevated) the concept of horror gaming imho. Still one of the all-time greats.

 

[Badlucktroll]

Resident Evil 1.5

 

[PhaseJump]

RE2 is the best game listed here.

 

[Alexios]

That's not commonly cited as the best in the era by gamers. In fact, it's one of the most criticized.

And Deep Fear is? Lol. Blue Stinger?

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

And Deep Fear is? Lol.

By Saturn users? Yes.

 

[Alexios]

By Saturn users? Yes.

Saturn has RE1. So no. Same for D and Enemy Zero of course. So yeah your list is wildly inconsistent, just tell him you didn't feel like putting that in rather than pretend any critical thinking went into it.

 

[theStartupSound]

In reality it should be Resident Evil 2, but I remember the Nightmare Creatures demo so well (I played it so many times), that I needed to vote for that

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Saturn has RE1. So no.

And you can find conversations online, including on Sega forums, about how Deep Fear is better or comparable to RE1, and is a top horror game on the Saturn. It is often brought up in lists and has a large following.

Resident Evil 3 is more seen as a stop gap between RE2 and Veronica/RE4/GC games, and Starrrrrrs memes.

 

[Alexios]

And you can find conversations online, including on Sega forums, about how Deep Fear is better or comparable to RE1, and is a top horror game on the Saturn. It is often brought up in lists and has a large following.

You can probably find people eating shit online, that's not a valid argument. But I'm sure the concensus was RE1 is the better game by far and Deep Fear merely a solid clone with some neat ideas or twists of its own at best.

Again, what of BLue Stinger? BEST LAUNCH HORROR GAME ON DREAMCAST! Because there were no others? Lol. Like come on. Your list has no standards whatsoever, don't pretend RE3 was disqualified by any real ones.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

You can probably find people eating shit online, that's not a valid argument.

It is to make it into this poll, which already comprises of over 90% of the criteria meeting candidates anyway. Deep Fear is put on a higher pedestal than several games in the poll already as a "best of" the gen 3D horror game.

Also your edit here is silly

Same for D and Enemy Zero of course. So yeah your list is wildly inconsistent, just tell him you didn't feel like putting that in rather than pretend any critical thinking went into it.

Nothing is inconsistent about my list. 3D graphics horror games, simple. That are seen by gamers as among the best of the era, simple.

You may not like Deep Fear, heck I don't like Deep Fear, but it qualifies.

 

[Alexios]

I like Deep Fear. Doesn't change facts. Your list is wildly incosistent. Many games aren't even horror games, merely horror themed.

 

[SantaC]

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

I like Deep Fear. Doesn't change facts. Your list is wildly incosistent. Many games aren't even horror games, merely horror themed.

It's not, but you'll just have to get over the fact games you don't like are on the list. Sorry. Both criteria are in the OP and explained to you again, and all the games met it. I'm sure you will try to continue the argument below but there's nothing to argue about, it's been explained. Not to mention int he OP you didn't read I said I would add valid suggestions I forgot that qualify.

Back on topic, it seems Silent Hill is popular here.

 

[Alexios]

It's not, but you'll just have to get over the fact games you don't like are on the list. Sorry. Both criteria are in the OP and explained to you again, and all the games met it.

There are no games I don't like on the list. Another "fact" from you, lol. Nowhere does it qualify "by platform" to narrow it down to some Saturn fanatic or Dreamcast fanatic to include B or lesser tier games like Deep Fear and Blue Stinger and exclude RE3 or Sanitarium or many others. That's a fact.

 

[I Love Rock 'n' Roll]

There is no wrong answer. Great list OP!

I choose AITD 1 because it was fucking scary and loved it on my 3DO when I was a kid.

 

[Hollowpoint5557]

My heart says Blood but my brain says RE2

 

[EverydayBeast]

Re1 you can feel hunger from the zombies

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I have not played the original one, but the sequel was oddly pretty decent in all actuality.

It goes a bit off the rails towards the end, and exploration may be a bit more limited than the first game (though to its benefit, is what most people who've played both seem to say), but it's an entertaining story with the right amount of creepiness.

There are no games I don't like on the list. Another "fact" from you, lol. Nowhere does it qualify "by platform" to narrow it down to some Saturn fanatic or Dreamcast fanatic to include B or lesser tier games like Deep Fear and Blue Stinger and exclude RE3 or Sanitarium or many others. That's a fact.

I do agree RE3 should be on that list. The Nemesis system is what made that game and it kept the survival-horror element very much alive although even by the time of RE3 the series was starting to veer heavily into action.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

It goes a bit off the rails towards the end,

The twist about the main character and the dimensional portal alien nonsense putting it vaguely was much more than a "bit" off rails lol. Not to mention the 2 only obtuse puzzle in the game making Kings Quest V proud.

Before that you're led to thinking it's a murder mystery and you were possibly going to be set-up, then you find out most of the game isn't valid and is just to throw you off.

Until then, it seemed closer to being scary than the first one, as the tone was less whimsical and more serious imo. Only 3 real locations sucked though.

 

[Mozzarella]

Resident Evil 2 easily.
System Shock 2 is immersive sim right? i dont think its horror, its more like Prey. Basically if it qualifies then Thief The Dark Project also qualifies.

 

[Neff]

That's not commonly cited as the best in the era by gamers. In fact, it's one of the most criticized.

You fucked up.

 

[Ragnarok]

Resident Evil 1 for sure

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

The twist about the main character and the dimensional portal alien nonsense putting it vaguely was much more than a "bit" off rails lol. Not to mention the 2 only obtuse puzzle in the game making Kings Quest V proud.

Before that you're led to thinking it's a murder mystery and you were possibly going to be set-up, then you find out most of the game isn't valid and is just to throw you off.

Until then, it seemed closer to being scary than the first one, as the tone was less whimsical and more serious imo. Only 3 real locations sucked though.

Well it's been a while since I played it (and only played it once) so I might have undersold how left-field the twist is with the alien stuff. It does hurt the game some, but not too much (not enough for me to have not enjoyed playing through it at least).

I think I know of one of the puzzles you're referring to, with a device that comes near the end you have to assemble & activate, it's one of the last puzzles if not the last one. Yeah, that puzzle is pretty much impossible without a walkthrough, I dislike puzzles like that in adventure games.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Well it's been a while since I played it (and only played it once) so I might have undersold how left-field the twist is with the alien stuff. It does hurt the game some, but not too much (not enough for me to have not enjoyed playing through it at least).

I think I know of one of the puzzles you're referring to, with a device that comes near the end you have to assemble & activate, it's one of the last puzzles if not the last one. Yeah, that puzzle is pretty much impossible without a walkthrough, I dislike puzzles like that in adventure games.

Well, that, and for the first time in the game you are supposed to combine items, but one of those items is a live alien, and you have to combine them in the right order or get a death state.

Both those puzzles were pointless and out of place for what was other wise a straight forward game with some cringe writing but wasn't pointlessly hard, and I found to be better the the first game most of the time. They really could have done more about the murder investigation, and the dealings with the company and the cops, but according to the guy who played the main character (who is on Youtube) they shot most of the game out of order, so it's likely they ran out of budget at points.

The fact Sierra couldn't come up with their own Tex murphy is a bit sad, they always seemed to stray back to King Quest logic in their games, Swat games excluded.

 

[fart town usa]

Resident Evil 1996.

It really is that good.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Well, that, and for the first time in the game you are supposed to combine items, but one of those items is a live alien, and you have to combine them in the right order or get a death state.

Both those puzzles were pointless and out of place for what was other wise a straight forward game with some cringe writing but wasn't pointlessly hard, and I found to be better the the first game most of the time. They really could have done more about the murder investigation, and the dealings with the company and the cops, but according to the guy who played the main character (who is on Youtube) they shot most of the game out of order, so it's likely they ran out of budget at points.

The fact Sierra couldn't come up with their own Tex murphy is a bit sad, they always seemed to stray back to King Quest logic in their games, Swat games excluded.

They seemingly took the Hollywood approach with filming sequences out-of-order, probably due to working around schedules with performers and crew (quite a few I'd imagine having other gigs to work at be they television shows or films). But if they ran out of budget just from doing that, then costs weren't managed as well as they could've been. The writers should have had scripts for that other content written but they just didn't get around to it, like you said, but it also might have been tighter publisher deadlines. That kind of stuff seems to happen regularly in gaming (and film and television, too).

Maybe if there's enough interest whoever owns the rights (ABK, IIRC), they can revisit the two games and do something with them including alternate versions with the stories that flesh things out better. For as much as the ABK acquisition's been eating up space in discussions all year, I don't see nearly enough people actually talking about what MS/ABK could do creatively with some of the dormant IP, and that's a massive shame.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I’d go System Shock 2 or Resident Evil 2

 

[Efren is G.O.A.T.]

There are many games I haven't played in this list but I voted for Resident Evil 2 because the music in this game is very eerie and definitely adds to the atmosphere.

 

[Cattlyst]

Yes I’m being pedantic but D and Enemy Zero are FMV games - calling the 3D is a stretch. And where’s Killing Time? That’s definitely worth a mention in any 90s horror list.

 

[MacReady13]

Silent Hill is the scariest but I played Resident Evil 1 first and it left an unbelievable impression on me so it gets my vote.

 

[ZehDon]

System Shock 2, hands down. In terms of actually being a horror game - a game that can make me feel afraid - nothing else on that list really comes close.

 

[Nickolaidas]

Yes, arcade lightgun games like HOTD are so scary, ooooh, you never wanted to put a coin in, great list.... Maybe expand to "horror themed" then we can have tons more games like that. Parasite Eve, really? It's a JRPG... Blood? Might as well put Alien Trilogy there. Or Doom itself, demons are scary, right, just like zombies and whatever else. And if you're gonna include games like D and Enemy Zero (rip based Kenji Eno), there are loads of adventure games that are horror themed and arguably much more renowned, like Sanitarium for one, or The 7th Guest. Probably dozens more in that vein.

Fucking this.

It's like having a zombie in the game immediately makes it horror.

I'm surprised he didn't put Darkstalkers in that list. Or Ghosts and Goblins.

 

[Ozzie666]

I'd say it's RE 2 by a wide margin. But Deep Fear has a place in my heart, was a solid effort for sure.

 

[Scotty W]

Eddie-Griffin is one of the best users on this forum. Great threads, and the revenge thread after the unbanning. Respect.

 

[tommib]

1 vote for D from me. A groundbreaking underground classic.

 

[tommib]

Yes I’m being pedantic but D and Enemy Zero are FMV games - calling the 3D is a stretch. And where’s Killing Time? That’s definitely worth a mention in any 90s horror list.

Enemy Zero has real-time 3D graphics for the ship corridors. And D was fully 3D pre-rendered.