Hey guys, I’ve been thinking about horror games that really shook things up. Can you help me check if I got this right? I came up with a list of games I think were game-changers:
That zombie game with the mansion (1996)
The foggy town one (1999)
The space station AI thriller (1999)
The castle amnesia one (2010)
The space engineer vs. monsters (2008)
The scary pizza place with animatronics (2014)
The fungus zombie apocalypse (2013)
The asylum found footage one (2013)
The ghost camera game (2003)
The one where you hide from the alien (2014)
Did I miss any big ones? What do you think really changed horror gaming?
That’s a solid list of horror game milestones. I’d add P.T. to that lineup. It was just a demo, but it scared the pants off everyone and showed what could be done with a simple concept. Also, Amnesia: The Dark Descent deserves a spot. It kicked off the whole defenseless protagonist trend in horror games. And don’t forget Eternal Darkness with its sanity effects that messed with your head. Those games really pushed the envelope and showed new ways to freak players out.
Those are some great picks. I’d toss Slender: The Eight Pages into the mix. It took the internet by storm and spawned a ton of indie horror games. Simple concept but so effective at building tension.
Phasmophobia is a game-changer for horror. It’s terrifying in VR and the multiplayer aspect adds a whole new level of tension. Trying to figure out the ghost type while your friends freak out is intense.