Halloween (or Samhain for friends) is about to be in full swing. To celebrate the occasion, what better than to look back on the best horror games of the last decade? We therefore offer you our selection of titles from this period conducive to giving chills! To accompany the reading, we also invite you to consult the special episode of our chronicle Now Playing devoted to fear in music.
As a preamble to this selection, it is worth mentioning monuments of the horror genre that traumatized many players in the 90s and 2000s. The Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil, Forbidden Siren, Silent Hill, SCP and FEAR series , among many others, are true legends of the game that aims to scare us. However, place here for the new generation of horror games, even if some old veterans like Resident Evil have brilliantly renewed themselves in what they offer. Hoping that the long-awaited return of Silent Hill or the controversial Abandoned will end up appearing in this selection when they are released.
Resident Evil 7: the horrifying reboot of a cult franchise
8
See the priceResident Evil VII
- A nice use of the new first person perspective (especially in VR!)
- A playground for claustrophobia
- Many particularly horrific situations
Fear from a different perspective
Is it still necessary to present resident evil ? A franchise that created fear in video games with a first anthology opus in 1996 on PlayStation One. Camped at the time by Shinji Mikami and giving pride of place to bacteriological weapons, the series has not ceased to be renewed since. Especially with a Resident Evil 4 exceptional, and even more recently with Resident Evil 7, which aims to be a new milestone for Capcom's cult license.
Until this episode released in 2017, Resident Evil always allowed us to see our character, whether through viciously placed camera angles, or via a third-person behind-the-shoulder camera. With this seventh installment, Capcom offers us an unprecedented perspective of its cult horror saga by moving to the first person. A perspective that we will also find a lot in this selection.
We embody the now well-known Ethan Winters, in search of his missing wife in the depths of Louisiana. This search will take him to the residence of the Baker family, which does not seem to have all its head. Throughout the story, a new bacteriological weapon will bring a constant threat in the form of horrible fungal creatures. Without disclosing too much, this new threat will affect many protagonists of Ethan's misadventures.
If the story is necessarily reminiscent of the old opuses of the Resident Evil saga, this one stands out of course with a new perspective of fear, this time in the first person. The result is an immersion never seen in the franchise, and a very ingenious exploitation of it to distill the horror. The result is also particularly convincing in virtual reality!
After a Resident Evil Village more focused on action and less on horror, there is still one episode that will use this first person view. Let's hope that Capcom will be able to review its formula to offer us a title worthy of the excellent Resident Evil 7, which is also today one of the most horrific titles of the entire license.
The Evil Within 2: The Scary Return of Shinji Mikami
7
See the priceThe Evil Within 2
- A horrifying aspect worthy of the works of Shinji Mikami
- Image and sound skillfully used to distill fear
- Compelling gameplay
The evil in all of us
We were just talking about Shinji Mikami and it seemed unthinkable not to include his new production in our selection: The Evil Within. This time at the controls of his own studio Tango Gameworks and supported by Bethesda, the master of horror offered us a particularly convincing first opus in 2014. A time when resident evil was just doing badly with titles that were far too action-oriented. In 2017, the gentleman drove the nail into the coffin with The Evil Within 2.
We find the policeman Sebastian Castellanos there, three years after the events of the first opus. Haunted by the horrors he faced in Beacon Asylum and by (spoiler alert) the death of his daughter, he attempts to drown his pain in drink. His old demons will eventually catch up with him as he learns that his daughter is actually still alive. Launched in search of him, Sebastian will have to face new horrors in the city of Union.
As in a certain Silent Hill, this one is immersed in a terrifying atmosphere where all the inhabitants have been either killed or transformed into monsters. The opportunity to confront Sebastian and the player with other devilry of which Shinji Mikami has the secret. All this with a real talent for balancing, brilliantly knowing how to sprinkle the horror with calmer moments to let his victim breathe before making him jump again in terror.
The title was powered by the id Tech 5 engine from optimization masters id Software, in order to offer a visual and sound experience that lives up to its ambitions. A superb dive into third-person horror, with a particularly well-articulated gameplay.
Where the title has unfortunately sinned is in a relatively capillotracted story and unconvincing characters. So much so that a third installment is currently uncertain, although we are convinced that Shinji Mikami still has plenty of horrors in store for a sequel.
Dead Space 2: In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream
9
Dead Space 2
- Bigger, more epic and more horrifying than its sibling
- Improved gameplay featuring telekinesis
- A story that gains depth and terror
A Monolithic License
In 2008, Visceral Games, supported by Electronic Arts, created a horrible surprise with Dead Space. This transported horror into space with a disconcerting mastery and gameplay ideas that radically upset the codes of the genre. Survival horror. Three years later, the studio came back even stronger with a Dead Space 2 who, even today, is one of the tenors of the genre Survival horror.
We find there the well-known Isaac Clarke, an engineer by trade, absolutely traumatized by the events that took place on the Ishimura ship. So much so that he finds himself at the beginning of the second opus in an asylum on Titan, a station surrounding the largest moon of Saturn. Isaac's new misadventures thus start with a bang as the Necromorphs, the horrible monsters of the license, have visibly invaded the station.
The stage is thus set for a hellish race against death, giving pride of place to the cutting of monster limbs, the use of telekinesis, and impressive moments in zero gravity. More mature than its predecessor, Dead Space 2 shines in absolutely everything it does with many memorable passages of tension, in a story that gains in depth and terror.
Visually speaking, this new episode was superb for its time, with a skilful use of light and shadow. Where this franchise has also always excelled is in its impressive sound design. Even when everything seems calm, you can't help but jump when you hear a howl in the distance or at the slightest noise breaking the heavy silence within the station.
Unfortunately, it's hard to say the same for Dead Space 3, which was far too action-oriented. The horrific aspect has also been supplanted by a cooperative game mode, thus nullifying the feeling of loneliness of the two previous episodes. However, Dead Space has not yet finished scaring us in space, since a remake is expected in 2022.
Alien Isolation: the terrifying and deadly passenger
9
See the priceAlien: Insulation
- The atmosphere of the first Alien film brilliantly transcribed
- A terribly intelligent Alien putting constant pressure
- Many ways to confuse the Alien
From strategy game to horror, there is only one Alien
Let's stay a little more in space with a surprising title in more ways than one released in 2014. On the one hand because it was developed by The Creative Assembly, the studio hitherto known for its cult franchise Total War, and on the other hand because it is a game Alien. A video game franchise that has had its ups and downs, and is usually more action-oriented. And against all odds, the result rose to the rank of a masterpiece of Survival horror.
We play Amanda Ripley, daughter of the iconic Ellen Ripley portrayed in the films by Sigourney Weaver. The story is set in 2137, fifteen years after the events of the monumental first Alien film released in 1979. Learning that the Nostromo's flight log has been recovered by the Anesidora ship, Amanda sets out in search of answers concerning the disappearance of her mother. A quest that will plunge her into hell, while an unwanted xenomorph passenger sows terror on board.
Alien: Isolation is therefore a vibrant homage to the first person of the first iconic film of the franchise which takes up the codes to perfection, all with truly superb graphics for the time. We find there indeed the iconic retrofuturistic architecture of the license and the now well-known gadgets and equipment such as the motion detector or the flamethrower. Tools among many others that will not be too much to escape the implacable Alien. This one will chase us relentlessly to the confines of the ship and each encounter with it could prove fatal.
Fortunately, Amanda is not without resources. In addition to an athletic form and a certain ingenuity, she will have to show discretion and reflection to advance within the Anesidora. The Alien will not be the only threat on board, the ship being inhabited by many hostile humans and androids. It will also sometimes be necessary to be violent and use them to bait the Alien in order to progress.
You will therefore have understood, The Creative Assembly signs here a true masterpiece of the Survival-Horror genre, which moreover uses the Alien franchise brilliantly. Rarely equaled since, Alien: Isolation can only be dethroned in its category by a second opus, whose future is very uncertain. The British studio is indeed currently working on Total War: Warhammer III and a shooter still in space, but with a radically different atmosphere.
Amnesia The Dark Descent: Descent into Madness
8
JVFR
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
- A terrifying plunge into madness
- Simply memorable passages
- A terribly fragile character
A story of terrifying amnesia
Radical change of atmosphere, but still in horror, with Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Developed by the independent studio Frictional Games and released on multiple platforms, this title offered us a particularly successful descent into fear and madness. A true monument of its kind Survival horror, since it has been the subject of many sequels and even a series of books.
Taking place in the year of grace 1839, we embody Daniel, a young man waking up in a dismal Prussian castle. As he explores the empty, dark corridors, he quickly comes across some resources, a salutary oil lamp and a mysterious note addressed… to himself. This tells him that he has deliberately erased his own memory and that he is being chased by a mysterious shadow.
What follows is a first-person journey to recover memory and descend into the purest madness. The castle is indeed inhabited by many horrors which, if our gaze is lost too long in their macabre contemplation, will end up literally driving our character mad. This will result in blurred vision and, inevitably, death. In addition to this madness gauge, a more classic health gauge comes into play when our character is physically attacked by the monstrosities residing within the haunted castle.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent also stood out from its contemporaries by placing us in the shoes of a frightfully fragile character. Unable to fight, the only way to escape his pursuers is to hide in order to be forgotten. A constant tension is therefore placed on the player's shoulders, transcended by certain passages that even an amnesia potion cannot erase.
If Frictional Games has come a long way in horror since then, the very recent Amnesia: Rebirth has struggled to convince, excessively taking up the codes initiated by Dark Descent. However, the independent studio has split another particularly successful title, and that's good since it's the next title we're discussing in this selection.
SOMA: Dive into Underwater Horror
8
JVFR
SOMA
- An excellent underwater atmosphere hitherto unexplored in the genre
- A story that keeps us under pressure
- A terrifying feeling of helplessness
A suffocating aquatic universe
Not only was Frictional Games keen to renew its horror formula, but the indie studio also wanted a change of scenery… so to speak. After skimming many aspects of surface fear, SOMA gives us an appointment in 2015 under the sea, in a suffocating adventure which is reminiscent of the beginnings of the previous game.
The beginning of the game puts us in the shoes of Simon Jarett, victim of a terrible car accident leaving him with significant brain damage. So we end up in his apartment before he's invited for an experimental brain scan. During the operation, he momentarily loses consciousness and finds himself… in the PATHOS-II station, a geothermal power plant. Then begins a literal plunge into horror.
Not only Simon has apparently traveled in space, but also in time, since we quickly learn that what could be likened to a hallucination transported us in 2104. That is one year after a comet has completely ravaged the Earth's surface. Simon is thus one of the few members of the human species still alive. He will meet frightening machines thinking themselves human and gone mad.
Like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, SOMA immerses us in an agonizing loneliness in the first person by making us embody a character completely confused and unable to fight. The only response to a threat is therefore to flee. Taking place in an underwater universe, this will sometimes prove difficult and the pressure of the lack of oxygen will accentuate these moments of terror.
An excellent horror title in short, which takes the risk of taking us into waters that are still relatively unknown in the genre. It will, however, be a unique experience from Frictional Games, which then returned to its first love with other titles in the Amnesia universe.
Outlast: terror camera in hand
8
JVFR
Outlast
- A terribly gloomy and heavy atmosphere
- The camera as the only way to see in the dark
- Constant pressure
[REC] in video game in an asylum
Keeping with the theme of helpless characters, here's another great title in the genre, courtesy of indie studio Red Barrels. Outlast, released in 2013, further stands out from its peers by drawing inspiration from classic horror films like Blair Witch Project ou [REC]. Our only weapon in this terrifying investigation is indeed none other than a camera which will be as beneficial as it will plunge us into a particularly immersive horror.
Some freelance journalists really have a hard time earning their living. This is particularly the case of Miles Upshur, who receives an anonymous e-mail informing him that horrible experiments are being carried out in a nearby asylum housing the infamous Murkoff Foundation. Sniffing out the scoop that could bring him big, our intrepid journalist arms himself with his trusty camera to conduct the investigation. Without being aware of the horror he was about to experience.
He takes his first steps towards the entrance of the asylum in a terrifying atmosphere which immediately arises in a startling manner. Managing to enter the building and after witnessing real scenes of massacres, he finds himself assaulted by a monstrous-looking man who beats him to unconsciousness. Waking up still equipped with his camera, Miles has only one desire: to get out of this hell alive. The stage is therefore set for an absolutely terrifying first-person adventure that will leave no one unscathed.
And this is where the genius of Red Barrels comes into its own. The asylum is therefore inhabited by patients who have gone mad and monstrous, and our poor journalist often finds himself plunged into an agonizing darkness with cranks on their heels. The only way to pierce the darkness is through the infrared vision of his camera. The opportunity to witness good family jumpscares and to have violent cold sweats when the battery goes flat.
Four years later, Outlast received a sequel incorporating the codes of excellence established by the first opus, and Red Barrels is about to plunge us back into horror. We have indeed learned during Gamescom 2021 that the independent studio plans to scare us all with Outlast Trials. The Murkoff Foundation still wants to use players as guinea pigs in new inhuman co-op experiments. So don't be surprised if you find yourself kidnapped in 2022, the year in which the title is expected.
Phasmophobia: being scared between investigator friends
9
JVFR
phasmophobia
- Very original cooperative gameplay
- A variety of terrifying situations and settings
- A title in constant evolution
Ghostbusters takes a terrifying turn
To stay on the theme of horrific investigations, we suggest that you do this together with the excellent phasmophobia. Originally developed by one person, this title made a big splash in Early Access last year and has only gotten better ever since. And for good reason, its particularly innovative gameplay allows us to interact with horror in a way rarely seen before.
If Phasmophobia does not offer a story per se, it puts us in the shoes of investigators specializing in the paranormal, all again in the first person. It is thus possible to carry out its investigation with up to three friends, in a system reminiscent of PayDay. Indeed, each game begins in a room allowing us to buy equipment against the hard-earned money following the previous investigation, then to choose our next destination.
Depending on the difficulty of the investigation, Phasmophobia will take us to increasingly vast and harrowing places, but more and more varied as development progresses. From our van, we have to arm ourselves with the right equipment to know what kind of spirit we have to deal with. Equipment like a ouija board, allowing us to literally communicate with the spirit to know its nature.
There are thus different ways for each spirit to dissociate them, such as taking a photo, analyzing the haunted place, and others. Only local voice chat (unless you cheat while playing on Discord or TeamSpeak, but we don't recommend it for better immersion) will allow you to interact with your investigator friends. And if all of a sudden there is radio silence… it is likely that the spirit has claimed another victim. All these brilliantly intertwined elements thus make the salt of this excellent independent title which truly allows you to scare yourself with friends.
Still in early access, Phasmophobia continues to refine over time receiving regular updates adding new spirit types and environments. Still subject to a few bugs, there is no doubt that the final version will however place itself as an innovative monument of horror gaming.
Face: between realism and paranormal
8
JVFR
Face care
- A title skillfully combining realism and paranormal
- Different chapters each offering a different story
- Visually very successful
Horror has a face
Let's stay a little further on the border of the real and the paranormal with Face care, another indie title developed by SadSquare Studio and released, coincidentally, the day before Halloween 2020. Drawing great inspiration from PT, an unfortunately canceled horror project, this once again kickstarted first-person title offers gameplay that is also reminiscent of a certain Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
Face takes us back to the 80s and opens with a certain Dwayne Anderson as he kills his wife and two children before committing suicide. But it would seem that he is not at the end of his torment, since he wakes up in an empty room covered in blood, three weeks after his misdeeds. Paranormal events then begin to play out before his eyes as he tries to flee this macabre place.
The stage is thus planted for an adventure which will make us experience different forms of horror, all in a terribly successful graphic style. Face therefore gives pride of place to semi-open environments that can be freely traversed, with at each turn the possibility of witnessing new terrifying paranormal scenes.
Taking up many mechanics of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the mental health of our character will thus come to falter with each new trauma. The more his madness evolves, the more dangerous will be the paranormal events around him. He will thus be confronted with spirits and demons who will kill him instantly if they touch him. The pressure and the feeling of powerlessness are therefore constant and will leave no respite.
After four years of development, Visage therefore stands out as a masterful horror game. If for the time being SadSquare Studio does not seem to have a project in sight, there is no doubt that its previous success will motivate the independent studio to offer a new paranormal experience in the future.
Layers of Fear: Bloober Team's horror masterpiece
7
JVFR
Layers of Fear
- A terrifying Victorian atmosphere
- A title giving pride of place to enigmas
- Multiple endings based on player choices
What color is fear?
To close this selection of the best horror games of the decade, let us paint you the success of a certain Polish studio by the name of Bloober Team. True specialist in psychological horror who scooped the recent and intriguing Microsoft exclusive The Medium, he first cut his teeth on titles like Layers of Fear. Released in 2016, this one still stands as what one might call a horror masterpiece.
Layers of Fear puts us through a first person view in the skin of a psychologically damaged artist in the 1920s in the United States. Wishing to paint a real masterpiece, he goes to a Victorian mansion that serves as his home in search of inspiration. This will go through many puzzles within a mansion that will change radically as you progress.
Indeed, as we advance in the painting of the picture, snippets of his past will come to assail our character. And with them the torments of a man who has slowly but surely sunk into madness through his own misdeeds. Without divulging too much, Layers of Fear tackles very dark themes such as domestic violence or alcoholism.
This, however, serves the purpose of Bloober Team's title horribly well in a way rarely seen in a horror game, which more than makes it deserve its place in our selection. The game also offers players some influence over how the story will end. Several endings are thus accessible depending on your actions, an element also quite rare in the genre. In 2019, the title was also entitled to a VR version which makes the horrific experience all the more immersive.
After the first Layers of Fear, Bloober Team returned for a second episode, then continued with a video game adaptation of Blair Witch Project. More recently, the Polish team has had a solid commercial success with The Medium, which is inspired by Silent Hill. So much so that the young studio has won the favor of Konami to "create quality content". Could the unthinkable be possible and will we finally be entitled to the return of Silent Hill? It will take a little patience in the dark before you get to the bottom of it.
The nightmare is finally over?
This concludes our selection of the best horror games of the last decade. Of course, this is a modest and suggestive list among many other outstanding titles. But it is clear that the genre still has a bright future ahead of it, and it could even be that lords in their field make a noticeable comeback in the future.
So we'll be patiently waiting to see what video game horror has in store for us, cowering under our desks, trembling, with only the flickering light of a flashlight for company. Hoping that what lurks in the shadows doesn't notice us.
