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What are the best Horror games on Steam?

32

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Considered

298

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Dec 29, 2023

Last
Updated

31 Games Considered

Best Horror games on Steam	Price	Steam Rating	Genre
-- Amnesia: The Dark Descent	$19.99	Overwhelmingly Positive	First-Person / Horror / Survival
-- The Forest	$16.79	Overwhelmingly Positive	-
-- SOMA	$27.99	Overwhelmingly Positive	-
-- Left 4 Dead 2	$19.99	Overwhelmingly Positive	FPS
-- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard	$29.99	Very Positive	Survival Horror, First-Person Shooter

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Top Pro

Immersive puzzle solving

Amnesia offers immersive puzzles to the player by creating interaction that comes natural to the player. When a door needs opened, the player must pull their mouse towards them to actually open the door, same goes for drawers as well. It is through these interactions that the player can feel as if they are actually manipulating these objects instead of just pointing and clicking like so many other puzzle games. See More

Top Con

Puzzles tend to be easily solved

Sadly the core of the game is the puzzle aspect but they tend to be easily enough solved, which makes for a bit of a let down for players who are used to or looking for difficult gameplay. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre:First-Person / Horror / Survival

Controller Support:Full

Top Pro

Excellent, unnerving atmosphere

Much of the game is inspired by Lovecraftian horror wherein the player is constantly assaulted with their sanity being eroded as they try to regain their memories. Monster lurk within the game that are quite frightening and the whole game is sparsely lit with constant sounds surrounding them that could be eluding to their next encounter. See More

The Forest

Top Pro

Awesome AI

The AI is really cool and will hunt around for the player. Also if the player kills or injures one of the tribesmen many times they will try to drag the body away or even cry over it. See More

Top Con

Still early alpha - very glitchy

As the game is still in early alpha, it still contains many glitches, some of which are game-breaking, such as the infinite ammo glitch. See More

RickZeeland's Experience

Now on offer on Steam for only 4,19€ See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Top Pro

Great graphics

The graphics really stand out in The Forest, from the realistic looking foliage to the terrifying creatures in the forest. Remarkably the graphics are on par with any AAA game, which is quite a feat for an indie game. See More

CatCoveredInSlime's Experience

can be a drag alone, but very enjoyable with friends See More

Top Pro

Awesome jumpscares

SOMA

Top Pro

Thought-provoking story

Like many horror stories, it delves deep into uncovering the central mystery of what’s going on. There are many unsettling events and revelations along the way, bringing up philosophical questions about consciousness and identity. It’s the type of story that sticks with you long after you’ve finished it and is worth experiencing at least once. See More

Top Con

No HUD (head-up display) or map

You have to memorize the layouts of the underwater facilities, since there is no HUD or overlay map system. Even though there are several computer terminals scattered through the game that provide access to rudimentary maps, there's no way to save them. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Top Pro

A horror game for Sci-Fi enthusiasts

SOMA is set in the future, so it has all that futuristic goodness. Things like robots, AIs, underwater laboratories, diving suits designed to endure immense water pressure, and much more. SOMA is a thoroughly enjoyable Sci-fi experience. See More

Top Con

Very linear level design

While other horror titles have branching paths and open areas you get to explore, SOMA is very linear even in its ocean exploration sections. This feels like a failed opportunity to create an even better game. See More

Top Con

Not for mainstream horror enthusiasts

SOMA focuses heavily on psychological horror by maintaining suspense and creating a very creepy atmosphere. If you’re looking for jump scares, gore, and other thrill-inducing horror aspects you might be sorely disappointed. See More

Left 4 Dead 2

Top Pro

Melee weapons have the best visceral experience

Left 4 Dead 2 includes melee weapons for the player to use during the game. These allow for not only more graphic violence, but also a more personal and visceral experience. See More

Top Con

AI not the smartest

The AI has a tendency to make ridiculous choices that can screw up what players are doing. This can become a big problem when relying on AI teammates in order to get through a level. See More

CatCoveredInSlime's Experience

not particularly terrifying, but very fun, I spent nearly 1000 hours on it See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Co-Op:1 Player Online / 100 Player Couch / 400 Player LAN

Top Pro

AI teammates work great in single player gameplay

For those that prefer to play with AI, this is one of the best co-op games for offline bot play. See More

Top Con

AI lacks craftiness

The AI has a tendency to make ridiculous choices that can screw up what players are doing. This can become a big problem when relying on AI teammates in order to get through a level. See More

Top Pro

Highly improved over Left 4 Dead

Those who loved the original Left 4 Dead will find this game even more enjoyable. Almost everything has been improved, including the AI. Other additions to the game include new enemies and melee weapons. See More

Top Con

Much improved from Left 4 Dead

If you loved the original Left 4 Dead, this game will be even more fun for you. Almost everything has been improved, such as the AI and multiple new additions to the game (like new enemies and weapons). See More

Top Pro

Turn the gameplay upside down by hunting the hunters in a unique co-op mode where you play as the zombies

Left 4 Dead 2 features a co-op versus mode that pits two teams against one another. One takes on the role of survivors, which is very similar to the normal campaign. The other team, however, plays as the infected, opening up a whole new play style and set of strategies. See More

Top Con

Very difficult without team engagement

For those looking for a casual co-op experience, Left 4 Dead 2 probably isn't the best option. Without a good sense of teamwork and focus, this game can get very challenging. See More

Top Pro

Invigorating cooperation based survival dynamic

Left 4 Dead 2 requires players on the same team to cooperate to survive. This makes for an interesting dynamic for teammates, as it will be increasingly difficult to make it through a level if any one player decides to go off on their own. See More

Top Pro

Play as zombies or survivors

Experiencing both sides of the zombie apocalypse brings a fresh experience. See More

Top Pro

Local two-player and online four-player co-op

Left 4 Dead 2 supports two-player local co-op as well as four-player online co-op. See More

Top Pro

Not much different from its predecessor

While the game has been improved from the original, if you did not have much fun with Left 4 Dead, you will probably not get much enjoyment out of the sequel. It is essentially the same game and some have complained that it just feels like a large DLC update. See More

Top Pro

Unique and diverse co-op versus mode

Left 4 Dead 2 features a versus mode that pits two teams against one another. For the survivor team, it is basically the same game as the normal campaign. However, versus mode adds a new way for teammates on the opposing team to work together by playing as the infected, which opens up a whole new play style and set of strategies. See More

Top Pro

Melee weapons offer a more visceral gaming experience

Left 4 Dead 2 allows for the player's use of melee weapons. These create not only more graphic violence when playing (in comparison to that created when just using guns), but also a more personal and intimate experience. See More

Top Pro

Invigorating team-work dynamic

Left 4 Dead 2 requires players on the same team to cooperate in order to survive. This makes for an interesting team dynamic, as it will be increasingly difficult to make it through a level if any one player on the team decides to go off on their own instead of staying with the group and cooperating. See More

Top Pro

Awesome game for singleplayer

One of the best co-op games for offline bot play. See More

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Top Pro

Intense boss fights

Even though the boss fights are packed with action, they also make you feel a bone-chilling helplessness. For example, in one of the fights you're trapped in the slaughterhouse. The door's locked and the boss is slowly walking towards you. One wrong move and you'll be decapitated by a chainsaw. It's extremely nerve-wracking to avoid it until you're able to take the boss down. See More

Top Con

Can use healing items even at full health - be careful

InterestingTellervo's Experience

instantly sparked my interest in horror video game genre. this game is very frightening and leaves you wanting to push past the horros and frights because the thrill and excitement of what comes next. ecellent layout of map makes you initially see it as a small map or part of the story and each door opened reveals your in a excpansive old house with hidden secrets and passages. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Survival Horror, First-Person Shooter

Top Pro

Pursuers make the game suspenseful

One of the boss enemies patrols most areas. If they spot you, they will chase you and try to kill you. It's hard to tell where they'll be, because it's very easy to lose track of them. This causes you to shudder every time you open a door or turn a corner. It's even worse when they sneak up on you and start cackling maniacally. See More

Top Con

Regular enemies are very bland

The regular enemies are black goo people with claws. They have hardly any variation and even the crawling variants aren't very scary. It's really disappointing the developers didn't think to use any alligators (or other swamp creatures), with the game being set near a swamp. See More

AssertiveLuchtaine's Experience

Shortest Game in the series bad story make me feel sorry for Eveline the final boss and just like the rest it never a horror game if you can protect your self See More

Top Pro

Interesting story and characters

It's a lot of fun to uncover why the Baker family went mad and what happened to your missing girlfriend. The various memos, diary entries, and video tapes explain the events leading up to this. It should be enjoyable for both horror fans and other players as well. See More

Top Con

It's not a horror but a survival game

It needs a lot to become a horror game: A lot of jump-scares, this game has just a few; A great themes and music, what's in the game is not scary; A horror game needs to manipulate the mind of the player but it doesn't do that. No weapons to make you feel hopeless. But this game gives you guns. See More

Top Pro

Good graphic

Her graphic is great. See More

Top Con

The story setting is bad

They're trying to make it a love story between Ethan and Mia, but the game makes you hope that he'd ditch Mia and marry Zoey. Also you feel sorry for Eveline: just like in the song, they lock her up and take her soul, then leaving her to die at the hand of Ethan and blaming her for all her deeds. She is a child, she doesn't know any better. See More

Top Con

The story is very short

If you know how to beat the game you can complete the game in under 2 hours. See More

Resident Evil HD Remaster

Top Pro

The puzzles feel just right

The developers have done a great job of balancing difficulty of the puzzles. You'll still have to look for clues, reading through documents and examining objects, but it won't ever feel daunting. It won't feel too easy either, giving you a sense of accomplishment when you open that secret passage or locked door. See More

Top Con

Combat feels awkward at times

In various areas you won't be able to see the enemies on-screen because of the fixed camera angles. This might make combat somewhat unpleasant since you won't be sure if you're hitting the enemy or how far they are. The auto-aim function helps with that by pointing your character towards them, but you won't stay locked on, so you'll have to constantly readjust your aim. See More

Yanis's Experience

A classic ! See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mixed

Top Pro

Immersive exploration

The entire game is set in a massive mansion and its surrounding area. It's very quiet, spacious, and has many locked doors that will pique your interest. You'll gradually unlock more of the mansion, slowly uncovering its mysteries. This includes hidden passages, secret laboratories, and rotting cellars, hiding many dark secrets. You're never quite sure what to expect next, but that's what it keeps it fresh and exciting throughout the entire game. See More

Top Pro

Fixed camera angles create a cinematic experience

Resident Evil HD skillfuly balances visibility and tension with fixed camera angles. It can be the view from behind a fence as your character passes it by, giving you a sense of looming danger. It can be an upwards angle on a giant statue, making it seem more imposing. Or it can be the zoomed out view of a great hall to make the scale all the more impressive. Many details like this make Resident Evil HD more visually pleasing and atmospheric than most modern games. See More

Corpse Party

Top Con

Overly familiar premise

For those familiar with Japanese horror games, the plot in Corpse Party should be pretty familiar. A group of school kids have accidentally performed an occult ritual and are now stuck in a haunted school trying to solve the mystery of who is killing off their friends. Basically, a haunted school horror RPG. While the gameplay is pretty good, making an effort to present a solid package, the plot itself is pretty hum drum and will be all too familiar for many. See More

Top Pro

Deep interactive storied gameplay

While there are no battles in the game (as one would expect from the RPG look of the title), the game does feature a deep interactive story that sees the player control different characters in different horror scenarios. Throughout the game you will be searching for clues and investigating mysterious events. The choices made throughout the game will affect the outcome, which makes for not only a good reason to replay the title but also a unique way to explore the story being told. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Adventure / Horror / RPG / Indie

Controller Support:Full

Top Con

Can fetishize violence

One thing that is a bit unsettling about the game is how much it fetishsizes the violence contained within. This may take the games violence a bit too far for the player due to how it often presents it in a unrealistic light. See More

Top Pro

Never becomes too unnerving

While the plot of the game can be quite heavy and scary, there are times where the tension eases up (when exploring) as the music takes a lighter tone. This gives the player a much needed break from how unsettling the game can be. See More

Top Pro

Minimal style creates tension through imagination

Corpse Party is based off of an old release from 1998 that was created with RPG Maker. This port uses that design and as such has a lot of text and sound effects due to not being designed around flashy graphics. This means the text and sound effects are what creates the atmosphere of horror in the game, which makes the player use their imagination to fill in the blanks of what is happening. This can actually work out to even more horrific scenarios when imagined over just being shown, which makes for an old school feel that requires the player be invested in order to get the most out of the game. See More

Manhunt

Top Pro

Comments on the state of violence in media

While there has been violent games before the release of Manhunt, none had gone so far as to match what is found in some of the more over the top Animes and movies. At the time this game was released it was banned in numerous countries due to the violent decapitations and adult themes, but at its core the game comments on how society enjoys these things (much like the movie Running Man). While simultaneously getting banned the game got free press which lead to many sales. A funny situation in that the game is stating how people enjoy over the top violence through the story, by creating a game with over the top violence that sold well. See More

Top Con

Steep leaning curve

The game is tough, and only gets tougher. This is a game for the hardcore and it shows, which may not appeal to everyone as it does take a commitment to move forward in this game. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mostly Positive

Top Pro

Great voice acting

Actor Brian Cox lends his voice to the game through an earpiece in the main characters ear. Often repulsive comments that are convincingly acted well. This adds to the level of polish of the game in that the voice acting is so convincing. See More

Top Con

Unrealistic gameplay

Ignoring even the crazy premise of a televised manhunt, the gameplay itself is unrealistic in the sens that this is a stealth game where the second the player gets into the shadow, no one can see him, no matter how close. This may be immersion breaking for some. See More

The Evil Within 2

Top Con

Might not be that scary for hardened horror fans

While there is a fair share of grotesque imagery and creepy moments, the scare factor isn't that high. You'll encounter the ocasional jump scare, but nothing ever gives you an impending sense of doom, which can be pretty disappointing for horror enthusiasts. See More

Top Pro

Great feeling of suspense

As you explore the nightmarish world of The Evil Within 2, you'll almost never feel safe due to a variety of reasons. First, the disfigured nightmare monsters are very dangerous, so messing up usually equates to your death. Even when you get used to the controls and combat, you can mess up very easily. This uncertainty of success slowly creeps into your mind, being more effective than any jump scare. Second, resources are very scarce, so every shot counts. If you spend too many bullets in one section, you probably won't have enough for the next. If you miss a headshot, the monster will probably get to swing at you. As a result, you might constantly weigh your options, whether to attempt a direct confrontation or go for the riskier stealth kills in an attempt to conserve ammo and health. Third, the world is very open, removing some of the predictability found in linear survival horror games. You never know when or where the monsters will be, causing you to always look in every direction. This uncertainty can be really nerve wracking. The Evil Within 2 is a great example of survival horror done right. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Pro

Excellent crafting system

As you explore the world you'll find various materials that can be used for crafting ammo and health items. You can either use a crafting table or craft items while you're out in the field at double the cost. This gives the crafting system a fair amount of flexibility and depth, allowing you to quickly craft something in case of an emergency, while also rewarding careful resource management and planning. See More

Top Pro

Interesting story

The Evil Within 2 at its core is a story about a father looking for his long-lost daughter in a nightmarish artificial world, generated within a computer system. Its inhabitants have succumbed to the negative influences of the world, turning them into monsters, which leaves you to take them out. It's a really good mix of great plot elements, drama, interesting characters with a slight touch of conspiracy. On top of that, the story has a fairly satisfying conclusion without trying to set up for a sequel. See More

The Walking Dead A New Frontier

Top Pro

Main character Javi is very likeable

Main protagonist Javi is a bit of screw-up and the black sheep of his family when the story starts. However, as the world starts to fall apart, he quickly grows into his own and becomes a very likeable character. He is forced into many tough situations where he is always putting his family's safety above his own, and as a result, we get to watch him grow as a person. Overall, he is very easy to relate to and it's fun to cheer him along on his journey from goofball to hero. Javi is a great new addition to the series. See More

Top Con

Too many quicktime events

QTEs are used during action sequences, which is fine, but sometimes they are used in places where they are not needed, such as pushing a dumpster to block a doorway or connecting some wires. These unnecessary QTEs disrupt the pace of the story at best, and at worst, completely ruin immersion by having to repeat the same frustrating sequence over and over when you mess up. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Story Rich, Adventure

Top Pro

Great story

TWD: A New Frontier features a brand new story in The Walking Dead universe with an all new cast of characters. This time around, you play as Javi, an ex-baseball player with a gambling problem who is trying to protect his family during the zombie apocalypse. Javi is somewhat of the black sheep of the family, but as the world devolves in chaos, he is forced to step up and protect his sister-in-law, nephew, and niece after his brother disappears. The four of them hit the road together to salvage for supplies and search for a new safe place to call home. During the course of the story, you'll be fighting for survival in this messed up world, meeting interesting characters, running into plenty of problems, and making really tough choices to save yourself and your loved ones along the way. See More

Top Con

Very short

For a $25 game, only having seven to eight hours of playtime among five episodes is pretty poor. Each episode is only 60-90 minutes long, whereas episodes in the other two games in the series were around three hours apiece. While the story itself is great, it is overall much, much shorter than season one and two, which may be a great disappointment to some. See More

Top Pro

Voice acting is incredible

Voice actors deliver their lines with a lot of emotion, never feeling forced or fake. This excellent acting really helps draw you into the story and its characters. There's a lot of great chemistry between the various voice actors as well, resulting in conversations that flow well and sound very natural. See More

Top Con

Some choices will be biased towards Clementine

The whole reason season one and two existed was to tell the story of Clementine. She has grown into the beloved character of the franchise. This third installment in the series, however, has us playing as a new character named Javi. Clementine is still heavily involved the storyline, and this is where the issue arises. Sometimes we are asked to make choices as Javi that involve Clementine. However, since we've built up a strong liking for Clementine over the past two games, it's way too easy to swing all choices in her favor - even if Javi wouldn't actually make those choices himself. This can be bit a immersion breaking and make for some rather biased decisions that make little to no sense in the actual context of the story. See More

Top Pro

Loads of difficult and impactful choices

At the heart of this story-driven game are the wide array of interesting choices you get to make. What you say and do will have an impact on how the story plays out, so it's kind of fun to ponder each one. Characters will remember your past actions and conversations, which means all your decisions and dialogue choices carry a lot of meaningful weight. How you choose to interact with various characters will influence how they treat you down the line. Each episode contains many different dialogue paths, as well as 3-4 major heart-wrenching, tough, and super impactful decisions that literally determine the fate of each character and how the story unfolds. See More

Top Pro

The game is cross-platform

You can play it on PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Kindle Fire HDX, and Android. See More

Top Pro

Huge amount of replayability

Resembling an interactive novel, TWD: A New Frontier plays out as a series of dialogue choices or decisions that result in specific actions. It's pretty interesting to replay the game many times and choose all the different ways of handling situations just to see how they play out. See More

Top Pro

Maintains a sense of familiarity while offering a new perspective

Even though we take on the role of the new character Javi this time around, an old fan favorite, Clementine, makes an appearance and becomes heavily involved in the story as well. The inclusion of Clementine in the story and the newfound relationship between Javi and Clem really adds a wonderful touch of familiarity to the series, while still giving us an all new story to play through. We get to see the world through Javi's eyes, instead of Clem's, which is an interesting perspective shift. See More

Detention

Top Pro

Dread-inducing sound design

The soundtrack isn't a typical soundtrack. Rather, it is purely environmental ambience and effects. There are no gentle melodies or soothing tracks at all. Rather, the audio itself involves a lot of screaming, scratching, moaning, humming, and strange otherwordly tones. Forgoing music for strange ambience was an interesting design choice, but it definitely pays off here as it makes you feel entirely uncomfortable, and the sense of dread is captured incredibly well. See More

Top Con

No auto saving can result in frustration

Saving can only be done at specified save points. Forgetting to manually save is quite common when you're wrapped up in the creepy atmosphere and story. When you die, it's rather frustrating to have to replay large sections of content. See More

Specs

Genre:Survival Horror, Adventure

Top Pro

Horror elements incorporate Taiwan's real life history to disturbing effect

Detention takes place in 1960s, a time period in which Taiwan was under martial law. The story focuses heavily on the social struggles of the time. Much of the game's horror elements are heavily inspired by the atrocities committed during this time. The creepy and disturbing factor is amplified due to the fact many of the notes and items scattered throughout the game are based on real historical events. The hopelessness and despair is felt throughout, especially when experienced through the eyes of the young and innocent protagonist, Wei. See More

Top Con

Some minor pixel hunting

Some items are hard to find, resulting in a bit of pixel hunting from time to time. While this is the norm for seasoned adventure gamers, some may be frustrated by having to repeatedly backtrack and search areas for missed items. See More

Top Pro

An altogether tense horror experience

Detention does a great job of ensuring a tense horror experience from start to finish. The entire atmosphere is just downright creepy, often washed in dark with very few light sources. The ghosts look absolutely horrific. Having to sneak by them can create some of the most tense moments in the game. The story intertwines pieces of Taiwan's tragic real life history with the in-game narrative which gives it a historically accurate, but disturbing feel. On top of all this, the screaming and otherworldly sound effects which play in the background give you a constant sense of unease. See More

Top Con

Very short

The whole game can be played in about 3-5 hours. See More

Top Pro

Tense gameplay

There is no combat or weapons in this game, making an encounter with the many ghosts a tense and frightening experience. Since you have no way of fighting directly or defending yourself, your only survival options are to use stealth and trickery. In order to sneak past a ghost, you will have to hold your breath and slowly creep by. You can't be detected when holding your breath, but managing your air supply while sneaking can be pretty suspenseful when a ghost is right next to you and starts to give chase. If you absolutely can't get past despite your best sneaking efforts, you can lure a ghost away from it's spot with a food offering placed on the ground. But, even in this case, you'll have to be very careful you're not seen when the ghost comes looking for the treat. See More

Top Pro

Balanced and intuitive puzzles

The puzzles are pretty straightforward and intuitive. Most items will serve practical purpose, rather than relying on the absurd logic that some other adventure games suffer from. For example, wire cutters are used to cut gates, paint thinner is used to dissolve paint, etc. Most puzzle items are used in the general area of where you pick them up, so there's not a whole lot of running around. While most of the early puzzles are fairly easy, some of the later puzzles can be quite tricky. However, they are still perfectly solvable with a little brain power. All in all, from an adventure gaming standpoint, it's certainly balanced. See More

Top Pro

Creepy horror atmosphere

Jump scares are few and far between. Detention focuses more on atmospheric horror through it's rather oppressive and bleak environment. To emphasize the dread, most of the game's artwork consists only of dark shades and washed out textures. Almost everything is depressing and bleak - the story, artwork, and sound design - resulting in a real horrific atmosphere. Roaming through the dark halls of a deserted school and its flooded grounds while being hunted by disturbing looking ghosts results in some downright terrifying moments. See More

Outlast 2

Vaibhav Barthwal's Experience

The graphics are very good and also have some creepy jumpscares. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Survival Horror

SuaveCoyolxauhqui's Experience

Made me shit and cum at the same time See More

Vampyr

Top Pro

Compelling approach to choosing your victims

The role-playing elements of Vampyr are the strongest parts of the game. You're a vampire, so you need to feed on blood to survive through killing the various characters you meet. These NPCs are regular townspeople, questgivers, and so on. If you decide to get to know your target better through solving their problems and speaking with them, you earn more experience points once you finally do devour them. This also has the interesting effect of blocking off future story paths and possibly making your city less safe once certain characters are dead, giving some weight to your choices through long-lasting consequences. See More

Top Con

Combat isn't all that fluid or fun

The hack-and-slash style action combat leaves a lot to be desired. It's not terrible, but it's not good, either. When trying to lunge and attack enemies, there's a strange sensation of your attacks not quite connecting and your overall movements not really syncing up with your button inputs. It's pretty clunky and it lacks a cohesive flow, though there are some cool moments like grabbing opponents to feed off of their blood. If you don't mind how weird everything feels, you might find some enjoyment from the combat anyway. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Horror, Action Role-Playing

Top Pro

Gloomy, foreboding atmosphere in London during World War I

The game's setting is very fitting for a horror story. Set in London during the years of World War I, the city is gritty, dreary, and full of despair, yet there are some bright spots, like the many flavors of characters you interact with. The time period also lines up with the outbreak of the Spanish flu, adding to how drab and creepy the city is. Buildings are run-down, the streets and alleys you pass through are dark and unsafe, and you can never be quite too sure if you can trust the people you run into. The atmosphere is really well-done here, with lots of detail and realism. See More

Top Con

Subpar character animations

The character animations in Vampyr aren't the best. The main protagonist's animations are okay, since they clearly had the most work put into them over the other NPCs. His combat moves lack weight, though, which is part of why the fighting doesn't really live up to much. For everyone else, their movements are stiff at best and wonky at worst, always looking unnatural or weird. See More

Top Pro

You get to meet plenty of different types of characters

The breadth of characters you come across adds a lot to the atmosphere and culture. Since this is in London, you meet both highborn and lowborn NPCs, with certain accents and style of clothes to match their class and status. The people you decide to help through quests have all sorts of personal histories and secrets for you to learn about, adding to the dynamic of whether or not you decide to feed on them for your own survival. Vampyr's diverse characters adds more weight and intrigue to the role-playing aspects, making the game's story much more memorable. See More

Top Con

Some performance issues

From time to time, you may run into some framerate dips and other stuttering problems. The unstable performance is made even worse by the autosaves that pop up and completely freeze the game for a few seconds. Even though these things don't happen that often, when they do occur, they're distracting enough to pull you out of the moment. They give the overall impression that the game is unpolished. See More

Don't Knock Twice

Top Pro

Creepy experience thanks to the setting

Exploring the mansion itself is a tense and creepy experience. Everything is unfamiliar, and there's a generous amount of disturbing moments like a bathtub filled with a sticky black substance or watching a shadowy figure get sucked out of a window. Rooms and hallways are incredibly dark, with a lot of ominous corners and shadowy spaces. Occasional scratches and tapping noises can be heard in far off rooms, making it seem like you are not entirely alone. Pictures fall off the walls and windows suddenly explode into showers of glass. There are plenty of carefully placed jump scares that create tension in all the right moments. There is no doubt you are playing a horror game, and the setting enables a very disturbing experience overall. See More

Top Con

Generic story probably won't hold your interest

It's just another copy and paste paranormal story that doesn't really add anything new or exciting. You play as a mother named Jess, as she is attempting to reconnect with her estranged daughter Chloe. However, Chloe is on the run from some strange paranormal forces who are trying to harm her. In order to help her, you must search a mansion for pieces of a relic that can summon an evil witch. It's about as nonsensical as it sounds. Don't Knock Twice is based on the movie of the same name which was not well received. See More

Specs

Genre:First-Person Survival Horror

Top Pro

Constant sense of tension due to creative use of a phone

As you wander around the mansion as Jess, you will occasionally get a text message from your daughter Chloe. It's quite a decent jump scare when you're exploring a dark, silent room, only to have the silence broken by your phone buzzing and vibrating with a loud text. The little burst of fear and subsequent jump you get each time the phone rings in the darkness is a great way to add an extra layer of tension to the game. The messages themselves are rather cryptic and creepy with Chloe often telling us she wishes we were dead. You're never quite sure when or where the phone is going to go off, making it unpredictable and tense for the duration of the game. See More

Top Con

Very short

The whole game can be completed in an hour, which is a far cry from the developers' claim of a "full length experience". See More

Top Con

Managing the axe is tedious

In your hand, you carry an important axe that is used to chop through locked doors and other barriers. In order to use or interact with items, sometimes you have to put down your axe. There is no inventory system, so if you put your axe down to do something else, you will have to remember to pick it up again. If you forgot you where you left it, you are left scrambling around to look for it. This is a very poorly designed system that can result in loads of frustration, tedious and unnecessary button presses, and tons of wasted time. It's also important to note that since it's very possible to forget where you left your axe, and some rooms seal off after you've explored them, it's entirely possible to hit a dead end runthrough and be forced to restart. See More

Top Con

Extremely linear gameplay

The game mainly consists of going from room to room, dealing with the frights and puzzles within, and then moving onto the next room. Puzzles are basic, with the solution usually being found within the same general area. The whole game feels like it's on rails, with rooms often sealing off once you've moved to the next one. While the setting and atmosphere is highly creepy, the gameplay itself is almost like a walking simulator with added jump scares. See More

Observer

Top Pro

Terrifying, mind-bending story presentation

Observer's detective story sounds simple, with you tracking down protagonist Daniel Lazarski's missing son, but the way the game presents this narrative is what counts. As you follow leads on his son's whereabouts, you'll analyze crime scenes mostly by searching through horrifying, psychedelic memories from the neural implants of dying or dead victims. These are unstable displays of augmented reality, with broken visuals filled with psychedelic colors, eerie hallucinations, and rattling jump scares. They manage to distort your own consciousness in the game, making you question the reality around you. Through these terrifying experiences, the game poses philosophical questions on the true nature of reality, such as what point technology can take over and shape what we believe is real. See More

Top Con

Some frustrating, out-of-place chase sequences

Some segments of Observer force you to stealthily avoid a menacing enemy lumbering through a dark workspace or a dilapidated set of hallways, but they don't quite fit with the game's overall freedom of discovery and exploration. If you're discovered, it's game over. These parts ruin the pace and flow that you're used to from the gameplay. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Cyberpunk Psychological Horror

Top Pro

Hacking into peoples' memories is an engaging way to investigate crimes

While solving cases, you can hack into a subject's memories through their augmentations, creating a new reality as you physically explore their thoughts. You'll then proceed through the scenes of their memories, listening to conversations that reveal more about the story and the world. The psychedelic visuals as you progress through these memories are unique and mind-bending, making these sequences even more exciting. These sections of Observer go above and beyond the other, more standard investigation mechanics in the game, making each crime mystery unique and exciting. See More

Top Con

Gameplay is limited to mostly walking around

As a "walking simulator," Observer is appealing to players who enjoy taking their time to explore and take in the environment, but it may not have enough gameplay for those looking for a more involved experience. Hacking into minds, analyzing crime scenes and moving from place to place makes up the bulk of the game. See More

Top Pro

In-depth environmental storytelling

As you search around apartment buildings and office spaces with augmented vision, you'll come across emails, video sequences, and notes that flesh out the story. You can take your time to find out about now-extinct religions from the past, learn about the lives of the many people who died from the digital plague, and interact with each piece of evidence lying around at crime scenes. Scanning items, computers and blood stains to solve these crimes can lead you down a rabbit hole of discovering more about the world through environmental storytelling. See More

Top Pro

Intriguing cyberpunk world

The deserted, rain-slicked streets of the gritty city at night, filled with unsettling displays of government advertisements fits right in with the themes and media that inspired Observer's cyberpunk world. A dystopian future where augmented humans were killed off by a mysterious disease is a fascinating, if familiar concept for cyberpunk enthusiasts. It's interesting to explore this technologically-advanced world where the government has collapsed and a mega-corporation has taken over, making you wonder how you might survive in this type of setting. See More

Narcosis

Top Con

Character walks incredibly slow

Underwater in a heavy dive suit, every step is painfully slow and it takes a while to turn around. While this may be realistic, this slow walking is tiresome when translated to gameplay and makes navigation a hassle. The suit does have a boost which acts as a sprint of sorts, but the boosters are limited and need time to recharge. See More

Top Pro

Little details that aid immersion

Most of the in-game audio is either the bubbling of water, the click of the air tank, or your own breathing within the diving suit. Whenever your character becomes scared, the breathing intensifies and uses up your oxygen supply at an alarming rate, which in turn, may make you a little panicked. The mask also fogs up with each breath, and your vision becomes blurry when you're low on oxygen. Little things like this really help make it an immersive experience. See More

JM80's Experience

I found Narcosis to be a pretty decent first-person survival horror game - not the best, but not the worst either. Great story and atmosphere. Phenomenal and brilliant ending. Balanced survival elements. Very immersive environment that captures being alone and afraid in the depths of the ocean. However - clunky controls, slow walking, terrible platforming elements, and getting lost easily kind of ruined my fun a bit. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mostly Positive

Genre:Survival Horror, Adventure

Top Con

Combat is horrible

From time to time, you will need to defend yourself from dangerous sea life such as predatory fish or squid. Your only tool to combat this is a knife, which feels very heavy and useless in water. Swinging a small knife underwater in a very constrictive, slow-turning suit doesn't result in the most fluid combat. Trying to position yourself and aim your swings is usually a futile and frustrating exercise with fast moving enemies. See More

Top Pro

Key survival elements really add to the feeling of hopelessness

Narcosis has two very important resources that need to be managed - oxygen and flares - and both add to the tension of trying to stay alive in a dangerous environment where the odds are truly stacked against you. Oxygen can be replenished in various ways, but it's always a concern. Seeing something that frightens your character will cause you to use oxygen faster, so even how much you consume is constantly in flux. Watching your gauge quickly tick away with no refill tank in sight can be pretty tense, and is a constant reminder of the need to keep pressing on if you want to survive. Dangers lurk in the dark such as hidden enemies and sudden drop-offs into the watery abyss. As such, flares are needed to see in some dark areas, but you can only carry 10 at a time. Furthermore, flares are pretty rare, so debating whether or not you really need to light the room up or save them for later will require you to make some on the fly decisions - for better or worse. Overall, having to manage both of these limited resources really adds a layer of hopelessness to the already devastating situation of being trapped and alone miles under the ocean's surface. See More

Top Con

Movement controls are clunky

You can't turn or change direction with the mouse, and have to turn using WASD keymapping. This control scheme is very unconventional for a first-person game and, as a result, it's hard to get accustomed to and causes problems in areas where precise movement is mandatory. See More

Top Pro

Brilliant ending

Without revealing any kind of spoilers, the ending has a great twist that makes perfect sense in the context of the story while also managing to be a surprise. It's one of those incredibly clever endings that has you sitting there in awe at how well it was pulled off, and sits in your head for days after playing. People who enjoy a great story will definitely appreciate the finale. See More

Top Con

No direction with objectives

It's often unclear what exactly you're supposed to be doing or where you're supposed to go within the collapsed underwater drilling facility. There are no clearly outlined objectives or goals, so it's a lot trial and error getting from one area to the next. As a result, a lot of time is spent wandering around confused and lost in a dark environment. While this definitely adds to the atmosphere of feeling alone and trapped, it doesn't translate well to gameplay where it's easy to get stuck and have no clue what you're supposed to be accomplishing. See More

Top Pro

Great narration and storytelling

As you navigate the environment, the story is told as a voice-over retrospective with the narrator telling of the events as they unfold. It's revealed a little bit at a time - just enough to make you keep pushing forward and engaged in the story. The voice acting itself is spot on, and you can hear a real sense of dread and panic in his words, which makes the events in the story that much more impactful and disturbing. Altogether, the storytelling in Narcosis is incredibly effective and paced well. See More

Top Con

Awkward and frustrating platforming

There are some areas where first-person platforming puzzles are required to advance. A clunky control scheme coupled with a low visibility environment and underwater physics make these a chore. As such, this adds very frustrating element to gameplay since platforming just doesn't work in first-person games. See More

Top Pro

Atmosphere captures despair well

Narcosis captures the despair of being trapped miles under the ocean incredibly well through its great atmosphere. Everything is dark and gloomy, with low visibility and small, claustrophobic corridors within the underwater facility. It's very easy to get lost, and when you don't know where you'll find your next tank of oxygen, this can be devastating and stressful. The darkness itself permeates everywhere, so you're never quite sure what kind of horror is even in the same room as you, let alone through that sealed door at the end of the hall. Overall, the game aims to make you feel trapped and confused, and certainly succeeds. See More

Perception

Top Con

Bland visuals

While walking around using echolocation is a unique mechanic, it creates some pretty boring visuals. Walking around in the dark in video games is usually pretty annoying and uninspired, and this is no exception. Lighting is extremely dark with neon highlights around objects such as doors, tables, and walls. It's a very promising idea; it just doesn't translate well to being visually pleasing. See More

Top Pro

Great horror audio design

Since the protagonist is blind, much of the horror in Perception is delivered through audio. The lack of detailed visuals and having a clear picture of your surroundings help to make the sounds stick out a bit more. Hearing constant footsteps in distant rooms, doors slamming, and all the bumps and scrapes in the dark can be pretty disturbing and amplify the horror. See More

Specs

Genre:Horror, Adventure

Top Con

Can become boring

Walking around in the dark only using vague outlines of objects can lose its appeal fairly quickly. There's not much to look at, and this simplistic style may wear thin after the first hour or so. See More

Top Pro

Easy mode makes it accessible for all

There is an easy mode where the ghost can't hurt you. This is great for players who just want to enjoy the story and soak up the atmosphere without having to watch out for danger. While it ruins much of the tension and fear, it's still a great way to experience the adventure without worry. See More

Top Con

Getting caught by the ghost feels cheap at times

Being spotted and caught by the ghost is sometimes a matter of pure luck. Having it appear randomly when you're not even making any noise can be frustrating and dampen the excitement of carefully managing your footsteps. Sometimes, it will just show up to ruin your day, often giving the impression that it's simply spawning next to you. Depending on your difficulty level, this either sends you back to entrance of the house or to the game over screen. See More

Top Pro

Tense atmosphere

Stumbling around a strange house only using echolocation to guide you can be daunting enough, but the addition of a scary presence who stalks you creates some very scary moments. Having to stand perfectly still in a dark corner or hiding behind some boxes while some unknown entity strolls through the room really gets the heart racing. Every footstep or tap of your cane can alert it to your whereabouts, making each step a fairly nerve-racking experience. See More

Top Con

Voice acting is poor

Much of the voice acting is overacted to the point of sounding forced or very generic. Sometimes when Cassie is scared or in a panic she will utter one-liners meant to portray her fear, but they normally just come off sounding humorous. See More

Top Pro

Unique premise creates compelling gameplay

Using echolocation to get around as blind girl is a very interesting premise. By taking a step or tapping your cane on the floor, it sends back information that you can use to navigate the house. However, this same noise can also alert a ghost to your location, meaning you'll need to tread carefully while you search the sprawling house. Carefully navigating the house, searching for clues, and avoiding the ghost all come together to create some pretty compelling gameplay. See More

Top Con

Fairly generic horror premise

Exploring the haunted house you saw in your dreams is far from an original premise, and has been done a million times. See More

Five Nights at Freddy's

Top Con

The gameplay is simple and boring

All you do is move left and right without getting out of the office, first night is boring but it gets more insane every night. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

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