Survival horror is a subgenre of horror games. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel less in control than in typical action games through limited ammunition or weapons, health, speed, and vision, or through various obstructions of the player's interaction with the game mechanics. The player is also challenged to find items that unlock the path to new areas and solve puzzles to proceed in the game. Games make use of strong horror themes, such as dark mazelike environments and unexpected attacks from enemies.
Resident Evil is a 1996 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation. It is the first game in Capcom's Resident Evil franchise. Players control Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, members of the elite task force S.T.A.R.S., who must escape a mansion infested with zombies and other monsters.
Illbleed is a survival horror game developed by Crazy Games and released for the Dreamcast in 2001. It was published by Crazy Games in Japan and Amusement Interface Associate (AIA) in North America. The game follows Eriko Christy, a high school student who explores a horror-themed amusement park to find her missing friends. The player explores six haunted house attractions based on fictional horror films, detecting and neutralizing hidden traps and enemies which can harm or frighten Eriko and her friends.
Resident Evil 6 is a 2012 third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. A major installment in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil 6 was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in October 2012, and for Windows in March 2013. It was re-released with all downloadable content for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in March 2016, and for the Nintendo Switch in October 2019. Players control Leon S. Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Jake Muller and Ada Wong as they confront the force behind a worldwide bio-terrorist attack. The story is centred around their four interwoven campaigns, and every campaign features a unique style in both tone and gameplay.
Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) is a 2014 point-and-click survival horror game developed and published by Scott Cawthon. The player takes on the role of Mike Schmidt, a night security guard at a family pizzeria. Schmidt must complete his shifts without being confronted by the homicidal animatronic characters that wander the restaurant at night. The player has access to security cameras to monitor the animatronics throughout the shift, and a set of steel doors that can lock out the characters. Using the cameras and doors consumes the player's limited electricity, and draining all of the power causes these tools to become inoperable.
P.T. is a 2014 psychological horror game developed by Kojima Productions under the pseudonym "7780s Studio" and published by Konami. It was directed and designed by Hideo Kojima in collaboration with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, and was released for free on the PlayStation 4.
A horror game is a video game genre centered on horror fiction and typically designed to scare the player. The term may also be used to describe tabletop games with horror fiction elements.
Endless runner or infinite runner is a subgenre of platform game in which the player character runs for an infinite amount of time while avoiding obstacles. The player's objective is to reach a high score by surviving for as long as possible. The method by which the game level or environment appears to continuously spawn before the player is an example of procedural generation. The genre exploded on mobile platforms following the success of Doodle Jump, Canabalt, and Temple Run being other popular examples. Its popularity is attributed to its simple gameplay that works well on touchscreen devices.
The Quarry is a 2022 interactive drama horror game developed by Supermassive Games and published by 2K. Players assume control of nine teenage counselors who must survive their last night at Hackett's Quarry summer camp amongst supernatural creatures and violent locals. Players make many choices throughout the game which may significantly affect character development, relationships, the story's plot, and its ending. All nine playable characters may survive or die, depending on the player's decisions.
Dread Delusion is a 2024 video game developed by independent studio Lovely Hellplace and published by DreadXP. Described as an "open world" role-playing game brimming with strange places and dark perils," Dread Delusion encourages player exploration and discovery over the use of combat and grinding. Upon release, Dread Delusion received average reviews, with praise directed by critics to the game's setting, narrative and worldbuilding, and mixed views over the execution and depth of the game's combat mechanics.
Fatum Betula is a 2020 video game by Texas-based independent developer Bryce Bucher. Described as an "atmospheric exploration game with light puzzle elements", the game is an open-ended adventure game inspired by the aesthetics of fifth generation video game consoles. The game was included in the 2020 horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc by Irish developer Breogán Hackett. Following its release on Windows, Baltoro Games ported the game for release on the Nintendo Switch in 2021 and the Xbox One and Xbox Series in 2022.
Haunted PS1 is a series of video game compilations curated and published by Irish video game developer Breogán Hackett in collaboration with independent developers on the indie games website itch.io. The most notable releases, Demo Discs, are annual compilations of independent games from various genres influenced by the graphics and visual presentation of the PlayStation as well as menus inspired by actual PS1 demo discs or other PlayStation games such as Namco Museum releases on the platform. The Demo Discs series received praise from several websites for their niche theme, variety of titles and novel method of distribution, with a number of games from the releases receiving sufficient attention to lead to further development and commercial release on their own merit.
Ode to a Moon is a video game under development by Colorfiction, the professional name of independent developer Max Arocena. Described as a "first-person thriller" with an "exploration focus, light action and puzzle elements", the game is a horror game with surrealistic visuals. Ode to a Moon was released as a demo in 2019 and appeared on the 2020 horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc by Irish developer Breogán Hackett.
Sauna2000 is a video game under development by 靄 Moya Horror, the production team of Japan-based independent developer Amos Sorri. Described as a "comedic sauna simulator", Sauna2000 is a horror game with a Finnish setting. A demo of the game was included in the 2020 horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc by Irish developer Breogán Hackett, prompting the launch of a successful Kickstarter campaign. The game was praised for its unusual setting and light-hearted tone, particularly by Finnish critics.
Janitor Bleeds is an adventure game developed by Finnish developer Korpus. Described as "inspired by the video games of the 90s", Janitor Bleeds is a horror game set in a "mysterious arcade". An initial version of the game was included in the horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc by Irish developer Breogán Hackett in 2021. On 7 April 2022, a full version of the game was published by Bonus Stage Publishing for Steam and the Xbox Games Store. The full version of the game received mixed reviews, with reviewers praising the setting and atmosphere of the game, whilst critiquing the lack of storyline and detail to the game's design.
Heartworm is an upcoming 2023 independent horror video game by Vincent Adinolfi developed for Windows and MacOS. Described by the developer as a "lo-fi retro horror" game, the game integrates elements of survival horror and psychological horror set in an abandoned house rumored to be able to revive the dead. A demo of the game was published on January 30, 2020, with a revised demo released on the 2020 horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc by Irish developer Breogán Hackett.
Chasing Static is a video game released by Headware Games, the studio of independent developer Nathan Hamley. Described as a "psychological horror short story", the game is an exploration-based horror adventure game set in an open-ended Welsh countryside. A demo of the game was released as part of the 2021 horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc, curated by independent developer Breogán Hackett. Chasing Static received a mixed reception from reviewers, with praise directed to the game's presentation, writing and atmosphere, and criticism of its short length and ending. In January 2023, the game was ported by publisher Ratalaika Games to consoles.
Filthbreed is a 2019 horror video game created by independent developer Borja Zorozo. Described by the developer as a "short horror first-person shooter developed as a student project", Filthbreed was included in the 2020 horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc by Irish developer Breogán Hackett.
Home Safety Hotline is a 2024 horror puzzle video game developed by Night Signal Entertainment. In the game, the player works for the titular Home Safety Hotline, providing callers with correct information on ordinary and supernatural household hazards. The game was created by independent developer Nick Lives, who was inspired by the bestiaries from Dungeons and Dragons and the mythology of legendary creatures. Released on 16 January 2024 for Windows, the game received generally positive reviews, with praise directed to the game's concept, visual presentation, and narrative, and criticism about the game's length and difficulty level.
