We’ve picked our 31 favorite horror games to play this October!
Beware: play these at your own risk…
The horror genre has always been a staple of gaming.
And that tradition continues as the industry continues to venture into new technologies, such as virtual reality.
Early next year, well even get the firstResident Evilgame made with VR in mind.
You will absolutely see some omissions, but this is by no means a ranked list.
This is a diverse list of games that we decided we wanted to play and write about this year.
There are countless other fantastic games we couldve included.
But hey, we heard Halloween is happening again next year!
Youre in space, on a mining frigate called the USG Ishimura.
If theres one game that the upcomingAlien: Isolationwill be compared to, its this one.
How many times did the zombies invade poor Raccoon City?
Oh, and this was the first time that double agent Ada Wong broke out hearts with her awesomeness.
It doesnt really make any sense, but thats okay.
This is not a game you want to play solo.
This game also heavily influencedDead SpaceandPortal the latters psychotic AI villain GLaDOS is undoubtedly an homage toSystem Shocks SHODAN.
Your character wakes up in a cryo-tube with no memory of whats happened since the chaos began.
Find out if you dare.
games in history is on this list.
It all makes sense in the end.
Never has there been a more thorough examination of human cruelty in video games.
Along the way, James encounters characters who have suffered some sort of loss in their lives.
Of course, not all the things lost are things the characters want to find.
This is a must-play for fans of the survival horror series.
The game starts off as a straight shooter, as Cole and his squad blaze through the mutant horde.
He also has great luck with women.
Oh, and both the necromorphs AND the military are hunting him down.
Dont forget his dead girlfriend Nicole, who is haunting him through the marker.
And things only get worse.
You play as Mio, who is trapped in The Lost Village with her sister Mayu.
An old camera that can detect ghosts and take pictures of them.
That camera and a flashlight become your only hope for survival.
Theres nothing more horrifying than being forced to defeat a monster by looking it straight in the face.
Luckily, Computer ArtworksThe Thingis an exception.
This was a genius way to inject the tone of the movie into the game.
If you might find this one, definitely pick it up!
), as they attempt to find any trace of their missing Bravo team in a sprawling mansion.
The game is wondrously horrifying and horrific in every sense of the word.
It also makes fleeing for your life and scrounging for batteries a key component toOutlasts winning horror formula.
A Dreamcast exclusive and spin-off toThe House of the Deadseries,Zombie Revengeis all about action and speed.
But what would happen if the horror novel you wrote started to come to life in the real world?
Ill tell you what: a horrifying experience.
It is the perfectly-paced horror game inspired by Stephen King whats not to love?
Simple terrifying humanoid mutants.
The story and biopunk underwater game world are both such unique concepts that gamers cant help but love it.
And while it isnt exactly a horror game, some of the imagery and characters are terrifying.
You know, like a Big Daddy or a creepy little girl.
It tugs at the heartstrings and remains intelligent throughout, with gorgeous visuals and the right dose of terror.
Basically, Ken Levines masterpiece is exemplary artful horror.
Its story is heartwrenching, its visuals are incredibly stunning, and the level design is second to none.
Nothing says terror like cannibalistic mutations, hostile humans, and a volatile environment.
Joel and Ellies story is the most resonating story weve seen in a video game so far.
), its no surprise thatCondemned: Criminal Originsis as terrifying as it is.
The game takes you through some horrific crime scenes, tasking you with investigating.
Youre not really sure whats going on with them, as they continue to assault you.
And, its a horror game with a great plot twist!
The story is told through flashbacks, and theyre all quite spooky.
Dont play this one with the lights off.
It scrapped everything we thought we knew about the original game and set a new standard for survival horror.
WhileDoom IIwas pretty much the same game as the originalDoom,Doom 3is drastically different.
It is the dark, atmospheric scares that makeDoom 3such a great horror experience.
A version of this article ran on October 21, 2014.
