8 Survival Horror Games Scarier Than Resident Evil
The Resident Evil franchise has made its mark in the horror gaming scene. In particular, Resident Evil 7 and 8 brought the franchise back to its roots. The games make it one of the most popular horror gaming franchises. However, it canāt be argued that the Resident Evil games are generally more action-oriented.
Fortunately, those who want their scare bone tickled have a bunch of options they can choose from. This article aims to go through our picks for horror games that are scarier than the Resident Evil games.
8: Silent Hill 2 + Remake
While Resident Evil focuses on bio-weapons and government cover-ups, Silent Hill 2 works around psychological guilt. James Sunderland goes through a fog-covered town thatās a mix of everything heās ashamed of. The monsters he meets feel like extensions of that shame instead of random threats. The game has janky combat on purpose, so running from danger is usually better than fighting it.
Those who donāt like playing older games can always give the remake a shot. Itās a modern recreation of the original with updated graphics and much better controls that should help players have a good time.
7: Alien: Isolation
Resident Evil usually gives players enough firepower to stop being scared, while Alien: Isolation never does. The Xenomorph hunting the player through the station learns from how they play, so a locker that they hid in once might not work again.Ā
Most of the game is spent hiding in vents or under desks, watching a motion tracker and hoping the beeping doesnāt speed up. There are no traditional boss fights because the Xenomorph is always nearby throughout the game.
6: Outlast
Outlast doesnāt have combat. The player only gets a night-vision camcorder and the ability to run, which makes every encounter feel one-sided. Batteries constantly run out, so the player must decide whether itās worth the light to see whatās chasing you.Ā
The inmates donāt stop moving once the player is spotted, and hiding under a bed while listening to footsteps is an extremely scary experience. It isnāt a stretch to say that Outlast is the perfect way to experience the true feeling of helplessness.
5: Amnesia: The Bunker
The Bunker utilizes a World War 1 bunker system and a monster that reacts to noise in real time. Anything from winding the flashlight to shooting a gun, or even opening a door too fast, can draw the creature toward the player, so every action carries a risk.Ā
Frictional Games built the whole thing around resource management under pressure, and thereās no safe route through it, only those which are less dangerous. Many players call Amnesia as scary as Outlast, and it makes sense why.
4: Visage
Visage takes heavy inspiration from P.T, where it drops the player into a house that keeps changing around the player. A sanity system punishes wandering in the dark, so staying near working light sources becomes essential.Ā
Constant noises such as doors slamming, bulbs bursting, and the house cycling through the stories of different families who used to live there keep tension high. The suspense and atmosphere that Visage manages to create make this game much scarier than anything the Resident Evil franchise has produced.
3: Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
Instead of guns, the player uses Camera Obscura. It’s a camera that only works if you let a ghost get close enough to photograph. Twin sisters Mio and Mayu are trapped in an abandoned village bound by an old ritual, and every encounter means facing a spirit instead of running from it.Ā
Pointing the camera toward something instead of away from it changes the horror formula that most games use. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly is a horror game that isnāt afraid to get creative, and thatās arguably one of the scariest things about it. You never know what to expect from it.
2: Dead Space and its remake
Dead Space shares Resident Evilās over-the-shoulder view but focuses more on isolation and gore. The game takes place in a starship where the player encounters Necromorphs. These creatures donāt die from regular gunfire, so players are forced to shoot off limbs instead of heads.Ā
The ship itself makes sounds, such as rattling vents and creaking floor panels, which keep the player alert. The remakeās improved sound design makes even well-lit rooms feel like something could be nearby. While not scary in the traditional sense, Dead Space and its remake are the perfect substitutes for the Resident Evil games for those wanting a good scare without sacrificing all of the action aspect.
1: P.T
P.T is one of the scariest gaming experiences of all time. This is even though itās just a demo for Hideo Kojimaās cancelled Silent Hills game. The player is stuck in a constantly looping photorealistic hallway where they must solve puzzles and have uncomfortable experiences about the people who used to live there and the events surrounding it.Ā
The excellent graphics and tense pacing have helped make it widely regarded as one of the most frightening gaming experiences of all time. Iās largely unavailable for many players to play. But the impact this game had on the horror gaming genre is unmatched.
