Posted September 26, 2016
October is just around the corner, and once again the days are getting shorter and the nights longer and colder. As a fan of the Horror genre, I find this is the best time of the year to enjoy some scary video games ( and films ). Since I've already bought and played most of the relevant releases here on GOG, I've been craving for some fresh, blood-drenched morsels to sink my teeth into.
Do any of you know about new Horror releases, likely to hit GOG shelves during the upcoming month? Some new Indie or "AA" release perhaps? Or what about older games, such as Dead Space 2?
And for that matter, do you know of any good DRM-free Horror games available at the Humble store, or other online distributors? Feel free to recommend older GOG releases too, if you have any favorites.
Here are some of my own personal GOG favorites:
https://www.gog.com/game/deadly_premonition_directors_cut
Despite its technical flaws and somewhat clunky and repetitive combat sections, Deadly Premonition is probably one of the most unique and bizarre Horror game experiences out there. Highly recommended, if you can look past its rough edges.
https://www.gog.com/game/alan_wake
Unlike DP, Alan Wake feels incredibly polished. To some extend the combat suffers from the same repetition, but the story, characters, atmosphere and overall high production values easily make up for it. Has some great, memorable scenes and characters.
https://www.gog.com/game/soma
While the core gameplay is similar to older Frictional releases, SOMA has much better pacing and diversity. But more importantly, it's incredibly well written and thought provoking. Worth a look, even if you don't normally enjoy "Stealth Horror".
Non-GOG Horror favorites:
Eternal Darkness ( Nintendo Gamecube )
Perhaps one of the best Horror games ever created. Loosely based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft, the game is set in various locations all around the world, throughout the course of human history. In each chapter of the game you take on the role of another character, in a desperate struggle over the course of centuries, trying to stop "The Old Ones" from entering our world. The game is probably best known for its 4th wall breaking insanity effects, which occur as your in-game character slowly loses their mind. Very atmospheric game, packed with unique ideas. Sadly it was never ported to PC or other platforms. ( At least not officially -- Praise to the Dolphin. ) And its spiritual successor, Shadows of the Eternals, seems to be forever stuck in development limbo.
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth ( Xbox & PC )
Heavily based on Lovecraft's work, even more so than Eternal Darkness. The game is infamous for its random crashes and other technical issues. However, it's still worth checking out, if only for the first few hours of the game. This has some of the most atmospheric, intense and memorable moments I've ever experienced in a Horror game.
Resident Evil: Remake ( Nintendo Gamecube & PC )
Many fans of the series seem to prefer the classic RE gameplay and atmosphere, instead of the fast-paced action of the modern sequels. The remake of the first Resident Evil is arguably the best of the "old" games, featuring all the classic gameplay elements, along with drastically improved visuals and various new features and unlockable content.
That's all I can think of for now. But while we're on the topic of Resident Evil, are classic "Survival Horror" games still a thing? Games such as RE 1, 2, 3 & Code: Veronica, or the old Silent Hill games -- Do developers still make such games? It seems nowadays they only make "Stealth Horror" titles, where you spend about 50% of the game time hiding inside lockers or under beds, and the other half of the time you run around like a headless chicken, because you're being chased and have no means to fight back. It's an interesting concept, but gets kinda old after a while. Something a little closer to the RE roots would be nice for a change.
Do any of you know about new Horror releases, likely to hit GOG shelves during the upcoming month? Some new Indie or "AA" release perhaps? Or what about older games, such as Dead Space 2?
And for that matter, do you know of any good DRM-free Horror games available at the Humble store, or other online distributors? Feel free to recommend older GOG releases too, if you have any favorites.
Here are some of my own personal GOG favorites:
https://www.gog.com/game/deadly_premonition_directors_cut
Despite its technical flaws and somewhat clunky and repetitive combat sections, Deadly Premonition is probably one of the most unique and bizarre Horror game experiences out there. Highly recommended, if you can look past its rough edges.
https://www.gog.com/game/alan_wake
Unlike DP, Alan Wake feels incredibly polished. To some extend the combat suffers from the same repetition, but the story, characters, atmosphere and overall high production values easily make up for it. Has some great, memorable scenes and characters.
https://www.gog.com/game/soma
While the core gameplay is similar to older Frictional releases, SOMA has much better pacing and diversity. But more importantly, it's incredibly well written and thought provoking. Worth a look, even if you don't normally enjoy "Stealth Horror".
Non-GOG Horror favorites:
Eternal Darkness ( Nintendo Gamecube )
Perhaps one of the best Horror games ever created. Loosely based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft, the game is set in various locations all around the world, throughout the course of human history. In each chapter of the game you take on the role of another character, in a desperate struggle over the course of centuries, trying to stop "The Old Ones" from entering our world. The game is probably best known for its 4th wall breaking insanity effects, which occur as your in-game character slowly loses their mind. Very atmospheric game, packed with unique ideas. Sadly it was never ported to PC or other platforms. ( At least not officially -- Praise to the Dolphin. ) And its spiritual successor, Shadows of the Eternals, seems to be forever stuck in development limbo.
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth ( Xbox & PC )
Heavily based on Lovecraft's work, even more so than Eternal Darkness. The game is infamous for its random crashes and other technical issues. However, it's still worth checking out, if only for the first few hours of the game. This has some of the most atmospheric, intense and memorable moments I've ever experienced in a Horror game.
Resident Evil: Remake ( Nintendo Gamecube & PC )
Many fans of the series seem to prefer the classic RE gameplay and atmosphere, instead of the fast-paced action of the modern sequels. The remake of the first Resident Evil is arguably the best of the "old" games, featuring all the classic gameplay elements, along with drastically improved visuals and various new features and unlockable content.
That's all I can think of for now. But while we're on the topic of Resident Evil, are classic "Survival Horror" games still a thing? Games such as RE 1, 2, 3 & Code: Veronica, or the old Silent Hill games -- Do developers still make such games? It seems nowadays they only make "Stealth Horror" titles, where you spend about 50% of the game time hiding inside lockers or under beds, and the other half of the time you run around like a headless chicken, because you're being chased and have no means to fight back. It's an interesting concept, but gets kinda old after a while. Something a little closer to the RE roots would be nice for a change.
