Ghoul On 2: The Frightening, 2011-Present

Today we continue our look into the history of horror games, this time focusing on more recent productions.

Halloween is finally upon us, and if you haven’t gotten your scare on yet, check out our Top 10 Recommendations or Steam’s annual Halloween Sale (which ends tomorrow!) to get your blood running cold.

The past five years have seen not only a burst in gaming culture and production, but also a rise in horror and thriller titles. While many franchises have received sequels, Silent Hill or Resident Evil. We have also seen the emergence of new titles and series, such as Five Nights at Freddy’s.

While many of the big titles in horror are well-known household names in gaming, even if you haven’t played them, the Indie scene has been perhaps the most fruitful exploration in spookiness in recent years. In browsing the nearly endless lists of indie titles, alongside mainstream ones, it’s not hard to see that the genre has exploded.

The Last of Us (2013) – Naughty Dog & Sony Computer Entertainment

Critically acclaimed The Last of Us was a welcomed edition to the survival/horror genre in 2013. Later remastered for PS4 in 2014, the title has received multiple awards, and holds hopes for a sequel. The post-apocalyptic settings, sends players through various environments, with a plethora of weapon choices, on an escort mission to help cure a fungal infection which turned the infected population into infected monstrosities. Set 20 years after the initial outbreak, the radically affected world you play through, provides a well-developed story for chill-seeking gamers. Can you keep yourself and Ellie alive long enough to save the humanity?

P.T. (2014) – Kojima Productions/7780s Studio & Konami

Also known as “Playable Teaser”, this first person psychological horror title was released in 2014. Centering around an unknown protagonist, players must relive the L-shaped corridor and two rooms associated with it, on a continual loop of horror. The only actions the player can use are walking and zooming, as they solve cryptic and horrific puzzles in the haunted layout. While it originally served as a hype-train for the now canceled Silent Hills, P.T. stands solidly on its own as a quick dip into a horrific experience. In 2016 of this year, a short film was released titled “Silent Hills P.T. in real life”, drawing from the title; an intriguing adaptation as an alternative to playing the title itself.

Layers of Fear (2016) – Bloober Team & Aspyr Media

Much like P.T., Layers of Fear features an ever-darkening environment for players to fearfully travel through. Players are cast as the role of a painter who has returned to his studio. While his initial goal is to try and finish his masterpiece, players who progress through the necessary puzzles to complete this task, slowly uncover elements of the painter’s history. This literal painting of his past, provides three different endings to players, alongside the scares received while progressing. While met with mixed reviews, it shows the continuation of the genre’s attempts at scaring its players: what those scares mean, how they’re delivered, and most importantly, how much they leave a feeling even after you set the controller down or walk away from the computer.

There are horror titles for every level of thematic spooking you want to experience this season: whether it be blood and core, basic ghosts and beat-em ups, or all out goosebumps and nightmares. But don’t be afraid, it’s just a game, right? Ghoul on safely, and don’t forget your flashlight.