It’s not only in the movies that fight fans can get their thrills. There’s a range of horror games out there available on every device. Here we’ve cherry picked the very best games available on mobiles, PCs and consoles.
Resident Evil: Biohazard
Resident Evil led to a wave of zombie-themed first-person shooters
Back when the original Resident Evil games were released, a new form of zombie shooter was born. The nightmarish creatures, dark and dingy setting and enthralling storyline shot the Japanese game series to the big time, with a series of Mila Jovovich movies helping the games to reach new fans. The good news is that one of the best games, Resident Evil 2, is getting a remake, which will hit consoles soon.
The last few titles in the HD generation haven’t been as game-changing as the original Resident Evil games, but Biohazard offers a next-level game that completely changes the way that a Resident Evil game is played.
Biohazard takes advantage of VR, with the player forced to navigate their way through a house of horrors filled with zombies, mutated creatures and a family of crazed killers who jump out of every corner. The game is 100% not for people with heart problems, and the fact that you can be attacked from 360 degrees makes for a gaming experience that is at times truly terrifying. Definitely one to play if you really like being scared to death every 2-3 minutes.
Silent Hill
Silent Hill is set in an abandoned hospital
The thing about Silent Hill is that it isn’t just about jump scares. The plot of each games goes pretty deep, and the psychologically dark storylines and characters make for a game that is more disturbing than scary. The Silent Hill series also inspired a couple of movies that built on the mentally disturbing themes and of course delivered in the monster department, with Pyramid Head in particular translating very well onto the big screen.
As well as the moody storylines, Silent Hill games are also packed with absolutely terrifying creatures that try to attack the player. From maimed dolls to contorted grey-skinned monsters that spit acid, navigating each level becomes about survival, with weapons limited and health bars short. The environments also help the games to create a dull, miserable atmosphere that only adds to the atmosphere. Definitely one to play with the lights on!
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Horror fans will love the slot game version of this famous horror franchise
Scary games don’t just have to be big-name console blockbusters, and the A Nightmare on Elm Street slot games is a great example of a spooky game that snuck under the radar.
Based on the latest movie in the series, A Nightmare on Elm Street is an immersive 5 slot game in which players need to link together icons featuring Freddy Kruger’s possessions to win cash. The theming of the game is on point, and there are even videos of key scenes and gory deaths from the movie. The best part of A Nightmare on Elm Street however is the appearance of the man himself, with the demon janitor popping up on screen when a winning combination is linked up. A Nightmare on Elm Street is also a really convenient game to play thanks to its availability on mobile and tablet, with players able to play anywhere they like – from the comfort of their own home, or on the move. Play it here on Wink Slots.
The Order: 1886
Jack the Ripper is one of the characters in The Order: 1886
When The Order: 1886 debuted on PS4 a couple of years ago, it was quite astounding just to see how good game graphics have become.
The player joins a team of monster hunters who chase famous monsters through the dark alleyways of Victorian London. With first-person shooter and survival horror elements, famous creatures and characters that must be shot at using a variety of rifles, guns and cannons include vampires, werewolves – and even Jack the Ripper.
Although not as jumpy as games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, the look and feel of this game creates a living, breathing world that is as dark and atmospheric as it is exciting. Although the story mode is a bit shorter than you’d expect from a AAA title like this, the replay value is pretty good thanks to the sheer unpredictability and scariness of the half-breeds and the challenge of creatures coming at you from all angles. Definitely worth a playthrough if you like alternative history and steampunk games.
The Evil Within
Jump shocks are aplenty in this terrifying game
The creator of Resident Evil, Shinji Mikami, obviously knows a thing or two about creating utterly terrifying games. The Evil Within and its sequel bring the same survival-horror elements seen within the original Resident Evil games, ramping up the jump shocks and gory creatures to create something that feels closer to horror movies like Hostel, The Exorcist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
What the games deal in best are the creatures and bosses that need to be defeated throughout the platform levels that delve into a nightmarish world, with mutated monsters and evil beings wielding everything from meat tenderisers to chainsaws. If you like a bit of gore in your horror, then The Evil Within is particularly bloody and gooey. A bit like in the Saw movies, you’ll have to avoid painful and nasty-looking obstacles including bear traps, spike pits and barbed wire.
The jump-off-your-chair moments are fairly regular, and you’ll end up having to replay a few levels several times just because of the challenging gameplay and fact that it gets pretty easy to die when the higher-level bosses come into play. The Sadist, a spiky-headed guy with a blood-soaked chainsaw, is particularly annoying, and can end your game pretty quickly if you don’t watch out for his fast attacks.
These scary games are definitely not designed for little ones, and adults may even have trouble getting to sleep afterwards. Most are available on console or PC, and of course you can play A Nightmare on Elm Street using any device with access to an app store. If you fancy a night in that involves sweating profusely as you dodge attacks from terrifying creatures, then each of these will certainly raise the hairs on the back of your neck!
