What Are The Best Horror RPGs?
12. Call of Cthulhu
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." - H.P. Lovecraft.
Call of Cthulhu – Gameplay Trailer
Call of Cthulhu is a role-playing survival horror video game developed by Cyanide and published by Focus Home Interactive. The story has Private Investigator Edward Pierce sent to investigate the tragic death of the Hawkins family in their imposing mansion on the isolated Darkwater Island, off the shores of Boston. However, with trouble brewing with unfriendly locals and “questionable” police reports, it becomes clear there’s more to the case than meets the eye.
Hidden passageways, nightmarish asylums, and seemingly-abandoned warehouses make up the island of Darkwater. Locals do not like outsiders. Put your thinking caps on because violence (including possible retaliation) isn’t the answer for you, but the same isn’t said for the locals and creatures.
Faced with terrors beyond human comprehension, you must delve deep into the secrets that lay beneath the surface of the Island. Remember, investigations come in many forms.
Speak with the island’s inhabitants, gather information and discover cryptic clues, in a desperate attempt to expose the terrible truth at the heart of the case at hand.
11. The Sinking City
THE SINKING CITY Gameplay Demo
The Sinking City is a third person adventure game by developer Frogwares, best known for the Sherlock Holmes detective series. The game places the player into the shoes of a 1920s private investigator, Charles W. Reed, who finds himself in the city of Oakmont Massachusetts, New England. A city suffering from unprecedented floods of clearly supernatural origins.
The game will not hold your hand!! You will need to pay close attention to the hints you’re being given to figure out where to go next. Also, do not be alarmed by the appearance of the locals of Oakmont because they can be classified as being...unusual. With clues just waiting to be disclosed and trouble brewing around every corner and below the surface what are you willing to do to solve the puzzle of Oakmont?
Who said maneuvering around the city would be easy? Hints and clues can be scattered almost anywhere to obtain the information you seek. Pay close attention to detail.
When I said the locals could be unusual...well you get my point.
10. Vampyr
VAMPYR Story Trailer
Vampyr is a game where you play as a World War I-era British surgeon who is suddenly turned into a vampire, forced to hunt among the people of London amid a historic and deadly outbreak of the flu. Vampyr puts players in the crossroads of determining whether they should take a life or not. Doctors, for the most part, are here to help the people of London.
Gameplay-wise, Vampyr is an action-packed RPG with leveling up and exciting combat. Your character has swift vampire reflexes, ability to disable enemies’ defenses, slash them with ethereal claws, or attack them with bloody tendrils from afar.
Dialogue is king in this game! I’ve spent the vast majority of my time having lengthy conversations with the people of London, and it was enjoyable. The game is all about completing tasks, both large and small, in order to open up new parts of the dialogue tree.
So, when temptation is high and the bloodlust is becoming unbearable are you willing to harm those you said you would save?
Who said getting your hands a little dirty couldn’t be fun? The same hands I’m willing to save others with are the same hands I’m willing to take a life with.
I’m usually unable to pull the trigger to take a life, but for you, I’m willing to make an exception.
9. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines - Official Trailer
The game plunges players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern-day L.A. as a creature of the night. Players will develop their character's powers, interact with other characters and embark on story-driven quests as they battle mortals and other vampires with an incredible array of vampire powers and weapons.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines can be labeled as a first/third person game with the essence of melee action, stealth, and horror. Can’t forget about the incredible laced dialogue-heavy but simple effective RPG mechanics that is effective for what the game wanted to be. I know that was a mouthful and hard to believe, but it rewards players with the ability to use any playstyle you want to take.
I was always told to be careful of those on the surface, but those of the underworld are much deadlier.
Who said deadly isn’t sexy? Make your mark on the world and become a legend.
8. The Evil Within 2
THE EVIL WITHIN 2 Trailer
The Evil Within 2 – “Survive” Gameplay Trailer
The Evil Within 2 is a third-person survival horror video game (first person option after a recent update) that is so horrifying that I didn't want to play it alone or in the dark. Like The Evil Within before it, enemies in The Evil Within 2 are plentiful, relentless, and delightfully gross in their attacks (keeping your distance would be preferred). Sebastian Castellanos will have to reenter STEM and explore a dark, sinister small town to save his daughter. He’ll face off against a variety of horrifying enemies who only deserve to rip him to shreds.
In classic survival-horror style, much of the action in The Evil Within 2 comes from being spotted and having to suddenly launch into a fight, making do with whatever sparse resources you have at hand (use your resources wisely). However, there are instances where you can have a more stealthy approach.
Sebastian’s primary arsenal from the original (pistol, shotgun, and crossbow) returns. On the other hand, for those who love sharp objects as I do, the use of bladed weapons, as well as tripwire explosives and fire to burn through enemies has become a beautiful option to deliver pain and death.
There are forces beyond our comprehension that desire taking your life. WIll you fight back or give in?
Hesitating to pull the trigger can put your life and others people's lives in danger.
7. Pathologic 2
Pathologic 2 Announcement Trailer
Pathologic 2 (remake of 2005 horror Pathologic) is an open world survival thriller set in a town that’s being consumed by a deadly plague. Face the realities of a collapsing society as you make difficult choices in seemingly lose-lose situations as the only medic around. You can’t save everyone because time simply is of the essence.
You only have 12 days to do what needs to be done to save as many people as possible while making sure that you do not fall prey to the plague as well.
Try to make a difference before the time runs out because the plague is relentless.
Life is too short, but will help come in time before life expires to the plague?
6. RESIDENT EVIL 7
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Official Launch Trailer
Resident Evil 7: biohazard - Gameplay Trailer
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a survival horror game where this time around, players find themselves on the Baker estate, a sprawling, plantation-style mansion full of different puzzles, passageways, and threats. The game begins with Ethan Winters traveling to Louisiana after having received a request from Mia to find her there, even though Mia had gone missing three years ago and was presumed dead. When Ethan arrives, he finds a seemingly abandoned farmhouse with Mia imprisoned in the basement. Mia warns him that they must escape before "Daddy" finds them.
He encounters the man known as daddy and a series of events that is of violent nature takes place and it's up to you to survive the horrors of the man and his family as they go out of their way to torture you and everything around them. Kill or be killed. Will you be able to do it?
I have a very strong feeling that this is going to leave a mark!
If you love a villain that gets sick twisted pleasure out of torture then this is the game for you.
5. Witch Hunt
Witch Hunt Gameplay
Witch Hunt is a challenging horror themed hunting game that takes place in the 18th century. You play as a witch hunter who took the task of eliminating all evil that settled in the woods near the town of Bellville. To achieve your goals, you'll be able to use weapons, magic, and other tools that can be found and bought.
Delving deep in horrifying woods to stalk and be stalked by monsters of various kinds is perfect for an horror, survival, and action-filled environment. The environment is creepy, and the creatures are relentless with their approach making you feel like the prey.
While the forest is full of monsters, there are specific creatures that you’re hunting. Creatures with their own patterns of movement and behaviors prowl among the darkness, and you’ll need to actively hunt them down, or they will eventually hunt you first.
Being a PC game created by someone who took a lot of time and energy to work on a project literally almost by themselves these are some key features that are within the game.
Key Features:
- Large Environments
- Non-linear gameplay
- Skill system
- Financial system
- No hand holding
- Variety of creatures
- Suspenseful, creepy atmosphere
- Challenging difficulty
Be the predator and stare down your prey while you assault them with the weapon of your choosing.
The odds are sometimes not in your favor, but with careful planning, they shouldn't be a problem.
4. Dead Frontier 2
Dead Frontier 2 Official Trailer - Survival Horror MMO
Dead Frontier 2 - Raw Survival Horror Gameplay
Dead Frontier 2 is an online survival horror at its darkest. As one of the few survivors of the outbreak, you must make a living out of the decaying ruins of society. Scavenge for supplies, improve your skills, and trade with other players. All the while, keeping your eyes peeled for the infected lurking around every corner.
Conserve your ammo and make every shot count. Scavenge for scarce resources and rare equipment in the twisting corridors of expansive and ever-changing abandoned buildings. The dead won’t make life any easier for you and other players so working together is key. Come to the aid of the desperate survivors you encounter along the way or leave them to their misery. Remember, that could have been you.
It’s an impressive game that has gained a lot of traction with its release and the developers need feedback from us the players to improve the game for our liking.
Be prepared for the undead making an encounter at random moments.
I don’t think we have enough rounds to go around. Stealth is key at moments like these.
3. Outlast 2
Outlast 2 Trailer
Outlast 2 Walkthrough Gameplay Part 1
Outlast 2 is a first-person Survival-Horror game where you are Blake Langermann, a cameraman working with your wife, Lynn. The two of you are investigative journalists willing to take risks and dig deep to uncover the stories no one else will dare touch. You’re following a trail of clues that started with the seemingly impossible murder of a pregnant woman known only as Jane Doe. The investigation has led them miles into the Arizona desert, to a darkness so deep that no one could shed light upon it, and a corruption so profound that going mad may be the only sane thing to do.
Outlast 2’s occasional puzzles, the most traditional staple in the survival horror genre, feel vital to your progress rather than busy work to keep you occupied. Welcome to an environment where tangling with crazy cults becomes a part of your life on this wild adventure and a lot of things done in the dark is brought to the light.
Which path are you willing to choose, and is it truly righteous?
If you're squeamish then look away because torture and death is the norm.
2. Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus - E3 2017 Announce Gameplay Trailer
Metro Exodus - E3 2018 4K Gameplay Demo
Metro Exodus is set in a post-apocalyptic Russia which has been destroyed by nuclear war. The Russian survivors are forced to live in underground metro tunnels around Moscow to escape the horrors of the surface. Players follow the story of one of the survivors named Artyom, who must fight to save his home station and family.
While mutated beasts and zombie-like humans continue to be a threat, the game places more emphasis on isolated factions of other survivors enduring the nuclear winter out in the wasteland. Work together to accomplish a common goal in an unforgiving environment where there is a blend of open-world elements.
Radiation has mutated even the less threatening creatures into beasts.
There is life beyond the walls he grew to know and he’s determined to sacrifice everything to discover the truth within the unknown.
1. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat - Trailer
Call of Pripyat is the second title to follow Shadow of Chernobyl and takes place after the events of the first game. The game is set in the Zone, a tract of land surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in which all life has become corrupted and twisted. Just like the first title, strange creatures make an appearance because of the testing and radiance, so be careful.
The game is structured like a shooter/role-playing title, with primary missions and quest rewards and a trading system where you'll repair guns, buy ammunition and medical supplies, wrap cuts with bandages, and upgrade your gear the further you go. There are no leveling or experience point systems, however, so the power of your character is more directly determined by the kinds of equipment you're carrying around. Also, taking certain jobs and missions are the only way to obtain cash to do necessary upgrades.
Prepare, once again, to face impossible odds as you trudge your way across one of the planet's most dangerous expanses. It won’t be easy, but with your ability and protagonist, Alex Degtyarev, anything is possible.
Creatures can come in waves so have your guns and ammo ready to get out of sticky situations.
Use weapons on a massive scale to clear certain stages and make your job easier.
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