The horror genre covers a wide range of games of all different shapes and sizes. There are so many exceptional games out there that just nail the scary aspects, creating an unsettling and terrifying experience that keeps players on the edge of their seats right up until the suffering finally ends.
However, sometimes a game manages to execute almost everything perfectly, but falls short in some crucial areas that keep it from being a true 10/10. This can be problems with pacing, a certain segment that detracts from the main flow, or a poor handling of horror that makes it feel less like a scary game and more like an action movie, with some spooky monsters thrown in the mix.
Resident Evil 2
Two Stories That Never Quite Feel Equal
Details:
- 2nd run often feels a bit underdeveloped
- Lack of replay value
Resident Evil 2 is a fan favorite in one of horror's most beloved franchises and for good reason. The tension builds slowly and flows perfectly with the more intense moments, and the settings are all equally memorable, ensuring that players feel constantly at ease regardless of whether they are in the station or deep underground.
However, the biggest issue comes from the 2nd playthrough, where players can experience the whole game again from the other protagonist's point of view. While there are some different moments and scenes, it still feels quite the samey, with not enough variance to be as enjoyable, and some predictable encounters that don't hit nearly as hard as the first time around.
Dead Space
From Horror To Action In A Flash
Details:
- Becomes more like an action later on
- Enemies feel a bit too obviously placed
Dead Space is a titan in the sci-fi horror space, effortlessly capturing the horror that comes from isolation, combined with some of the genre's most intense examples of body horror. The atmosphere plays a big role in instilling fear, as every crack of the hull and subtle movement can be just as scary as the enemies within the ship.
But as terrifying as the setting and creatures are, at times the game can feel a bit more like an action-adventure than a full-blown horror one. By the later chapters, players are pretty well-armed, turning any threat into a cake walk, and the lack of danger removes a lot of the initial worries that make it so compelling in the first place.
Phasmophobia
Gamifying Ghosthunting
Details:
- More about mechanics than scares
- Knowledge and skill remove any fear
Phasmophobia brings ghost-hunting to the video game world in a creative and incredibly unique way. Rather than fighting spirits or running away from demons, players are instead tasked with figuring out what kind of entity is haunting the various buildings, using tools and gadgets to help them narrow it down and avoid danger.
At first, the gameplay loop is pretty terrifying, as the lack of weapons or real ways of defending oneself makes each haunt pretty damn scary. But as players get more used to the mechanics, they can pretty much walk into a house and figure out the answers in a matter of moments, knowing exactly what signs to look for and removing any potential harm that would otherwise come their way.
Scorn
Great Visuals, But Not So Great Gameplay
Details:
- Puzzles that can be more frustrating than fun
- Exploration can feel meaningless
Scorn is a love letter to the early days of sci-fi body horror, being heavily influenced by the art of Alien to create a grotesque world where flesh and metal become fused into one. Each area houses terrifying creatures and contraptions of unknown origin, and a lot of the terror comes from the lack of direction and understanding of exactly what is even going on.
The problems begin to creep in fairly quickly, as many of the puzzles are pretty basic compared to the complexity of the world around them. Also, some of the areas can be quite tricky to navigate, feeling like mazes with no end in sight, which turns the tense exploration into a frustrating journey to find the way out.
Karma: The Dark World
Focused Too Much On Grander Ideas
Details:
- Unclear narrative at times
- Chase sequences require little input
Karma: The Dark World is a pretty exceptional indie horror game that explores the world of psychology in ways that no other game ever has. The sequences feel dreamlike and trippy, while the more grounded moments are filled with suspense, with no indication as to whether or not the player is ever safe.
What brings it down is primarily the run time. The whole game is pretty short and linear, meaning that despite how impressive the world-building is, players only get to spend a short time actually exploring. Additionally, a lot of the ideas feel pretty abstract and disjointed, which can make certain scenes feel confusing, especially given how open to interpretation the narrative and the themes within it are.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
