Summary
Jump scares, terrifying monsters, creepy settings, etc. For the most part, gamers know what to expect when booting up the latest horror game. One thing they don’t always expect though, is a good story. With most horror games, the emphasis is on scaring the player, not telling a compelling tale.
However, some ofthe scariest horror games of all timetake a story-driven approach. Not only do they terrify fans with jump scares and nightmare-fueling monsters, but they weave tales designed to get under the skin. The following examples are some of the best narrative-driven horror games ranked on the quality of their stories, how good they are, and, of course, how scary they are. Countless great indie horror games take a narrative-driven approach, but these are more well-known titles.
Whether or not something is scary, and whether one enjoys a story is subjective, which makes ranking games like this difficult. Set in a dystopian, cyberpunk-flavored future,Observertakes place in the year 2084 and follows Daniel Lzarski, a detective who can hack into people’s minds to solve crimes. Called to investigate a run-down apartment complex, Daniel soon gets pulled into a dark conspiracy while looking into a series of gruesome murders.
Observeris at its best when building up the psychological horror. The apartment building setting is terrifically creepy, especially when hacking victims' memories to enter the “dream eater” sequences. There’s no combat to speak of and the game slowly builds up the dread through environmental storytelling, ambient music, horrifying imagery, and sound effects rather than jump scares. But, the game is far from perfect. Its slow and steady approach to horror isn’t for everyone and some misguided stealth sections kill the tension rather than amplifying it.Observeris easily one ofthe best cyberpunk horror games ever madebut its slower pace, terrible stealth, and niche appeal earn it a low ranking.
Directed by Shinji Mikami, creator ofResident Evil,The Evil Withincame with some serious pedigree. It’s simultaneously one ofthe best survival horror games ever made, while also being a bit of a disappointment. Unlike theResident Evilgames, known for their messy plots,The Evil Withinhad an intriguing setup. Its protagonist, Sebastian Castellanos, is knocked out while investigating a gruesome murder at a mental hospital and wakes up in a nightmare world full of monsters and twisted environments.
Castellanos must track down and battle the mysterious Ruvik, the game’s antagonist who is manipulating reality and tormenting the minds of those he has trapped. The game has a great atmosphere, incredible monster design, and does a good job of combiningResident Evil-style action with psychological horror. The story itself was full of twists and turns and got surprisingly deep in places. Unfortunately, a handful of issues held the game back. Upon release, it had its fair share of technical issues and many found its controls cumbersome. The story, while ambitious, was also overly confusing and disjointed thanks to its surreal presentation. Worst of all, the horror experience was watered down by a reliance on action toward the end and uneven difficulty spikes.
Dead Spaceis basicallyAlienif the xenomorphs are taken out and replaced with Necromorphs (which are pretty much mutated space zombies). While the game’s focus was mainly on survival horror gameplay it did take a decent stab at telling a good story, something the remake tried to build on. Engineer Isaac Clarke is sent to repair the USG Ishimura mining ship, but upon arrival, discovers the crew has been transformed into Necromorphs by a mysterious alien artifact called the Marker.
Much of the game’s story is told through its environment and via audio logs and revolves around the mystery of what the Marker is and where it came from. The central mystery was interesting enough to drive two sequels but was let down by Isaac Clarke himself, who was about as interesting as a soggy cardboard cutout - limiting player investment in his journey. On the bright side, the game could get really scary. The developers did an excellent job of building a claustrophobic atmosphere and the creature design was gross in all the right ways. The jump scares were also terrifying, at least the first handful of times, but eventually became a little repetitive. Lastly, the game’s dismemberment, stasis, and kinesis mechanics were tons of fun to toy around with but could feel a little overpowered, hurting the horror. Overall,Dead Spaceis one ofthe best third-person horror gamesever made, but for this list, its poor character development and reliance on jump scares lower its ranking.
The originalAlan Wakegets the nod here over the newerAlan Wake 2purely because the original had a slightly greater emphasis on horror. Plus, much of what can be said about the original’s story can be said about the sequel. Both games followAlan Wake, a bestselling author who travels to Bright Falls with his wife in an attempt to overcome the world’s worst writer’s block. Upon arriving, his wife, Alice, disappears and Alan finds himself trapped in a nightmarish reality where the events of his latest novel start coming to life. As he fights to free Bright Falls from all-consuming darkness, he must also fight to maintain his sanity.
The originalAlan Wakeremains one ofthe best games by Remedy Entertainment. Its story is nothing short of brilliant, and its structure (designed to mimic that of a TV series) makes it feel unique. While rarely “jump out of your seat” scary, the game’s psychological horror was well-handled and some sections were truly unnerving. Sadly, the gameplay doesn’t stand up so well, especially all these years later. To hurt enemies, Alan must first destroy their shield with either his torch or a flare. Initially, it ratchets up the tension in combat encounters, but it gets old fast. Eventually, the drawn-out fights end up feeling like filler and do the story’s pacing a disservice.
SOMAstarts with its protagonist, Simon Jarrett, getting into a car accident that kills his girlfriend and lands him with brain damage. After going for a brain scan, he wakes up 100 years later sporting a robotic body and trapped in an underwater research facility. The gameplay is mainly focused on solving puzzles and sneaking away from the enemies, but the real star is the story.
Initially, the player just wants to find out how Simon got where he is, but the game uses its setup to ask questions about what it means to be alive and what consciousness really is. It’s much more philosophical than the average horror game and most of the scares come from the claustrophobic setting and the creatures stalking its halls. That great story does come at the cost of gameplay, though, which can feel repetitive and limited. The slower pace will also leave fans of more action-orientated horror a little bored in spots.
Until Dawnwas made for every horror fan who has shouted “Don’t go in there” or “Don’t split up” while watching a classic slasher movie. Set in a remote mountain lodge, it features a group of eight friends being stalked by a mysterious killer. The player is tasked with making split-second decisions that decide who lives and who dies.
These decisions also impact the game’s butterfly effect system - choices and actions can significantly impact the narrative and lead to multiple endings. This branching narrative can get super complex with dozens of choices and almost endless variations of a handful of endings. The game brilliantly blends traditional horror tropes with player agency and has no end of surprises up its sleeve. A few less quick-time events and a little more originality in places would have been appreciated, butUntil Dawnis a brilliant story-driven horror game.
It’s no secret that theResident Evilfranchise started to lose its way after the action-oriented entry that wasResident Evil 4. Sure, that game was epic, but it strayed fairly far from the franchise’s horror roots.Resident Evil 7was a great return to form, an entry that focused both on scaring the player and telling a story that was actually comprehensible.
That story had average Ethan Winters visiting his missing wife’s family estate to try and track her down. Upon arriving, he’s promptly ambushed and kidnapped by her and her mutated hillbilly family. The game’s first-person view and detailed graphics made for a deeply immersive experience filled with some ofthe franchise’s best jump scares. The story gets a little too bogged down by the usualResident Evilshenanigans toward the end, but the Baker family makes for a memorable and horrifying antagonistic presence. Even if one doesn’t care about the widerResident Evilstoryline, the game’s central mystery of what happened to the Bakers will string them along until the end.
Back in 2001, truly story-driven horror games were much rarer than they are today. While many aspects ofSilent Hill’s 2gameplay haven’t aged well, the game is still seen by many as the best horror game ever made. That’s largely down to its impressive storytelling. It follows James Sunderland, who after receiving a letter from his dead wife travels to creepy Silent Hill. Rich with symbolism, the game uses its many horrors to explore themes of grief, guilt, and, if the player is lucky, redemption.
Despite some technical limitations, Silent Hill makes for a scary setting, something amplified by Akira Yamaoka’s haunting soundtrack and the nightmare-inducing creature designs. The cherry on the cake isSilent Hill 2’s multiple endings, determined by the player’s actions and psychological state, which range from very dark and disturbing to just weird.Silent Hill 2has it all; good gameplay, psychological depth, and an excellent story that plays with fan expectations.
