What are some obscure horror games?

[Lurker47]

Yup, just another recommendation thread. What are some obscure, creative, and good horror games? Hardmode: no indie shit.

Mostly looking for the kind of stuff that'd be on the PS2 since I think that's one of the more experiment pockets of video game development in (relatively) recent years.

 

[Zenith]

(you walked into it)

You should provide some reference, what you've played, what's obscure and what's indie shit. The only time I was impressed with a horror game in the last 10+ years was playing Afraid of Monsters, a mod for HL1 - it's 100% hit-or-miss though, I found it to be very dream-like and vivid despite shit graphics, but it's just as easy to find it cheesy and contrived. It had sort of a sequel, Cry of Fear, but it didn't grab me nearly as much.

 

[Ebonsword]

Here are some links that may prove useful:

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sony/ps2/the-playstation-2-ps2-survival-horror-library

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/survival-horror/the-playstation-ps1-survival-horror-library

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega/dreamcast/the-sega-dreamcast-survival-horror-library

 

[bataille]

Illbleed. One of the first self-aware horrors I've seen, sort of cabin in the woods light, but a bit more joyful and somewhat (!) subtle in its approach.

 

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

Hell Night / Dark Messiah for PSX - basically have only one enemy and you are defensless through whole game, you can recriut additional characters who have some useful abilities and are used as living shield + there'a a BIG plot twist near the end. Seriously, I've considered Alone in the Dark 2 the best survival horror until I've discovered Hell Night.

Plus, it's from Atlus.

 

[Edward The Mediocre]

Gone Home.
Because you will be horrified once you realize this walking simulator got awards and was marketed as a horror game.

 

[Lurker47]

You should provide some reference, what you've played,

Almost nothing.

what's obscure

Just about everything besides Silent Hell or Resident Evil. Stuff nobody talks about even if it sold relatively well.

what's indie shit.

Things made by a small group of people on stuff like Unity or RPGmaker. Mostly just looking for major releases that passed under the radar or were forgetten with time. Probably a lot of foreign stuff fits the bill and I'm interested in a lot of Jap horror games.

 

[Zenith]

Just about everything besides Silent Hell or Resident Evil.

Have you played them though? I'd say they deserve the fame, and preferring one over the other tells a lot about a person's taste. If you're only gonna try one each, I'd go SH3/RE2, but you'll find enough fans of each SH1-4/RE1-4.

Stuff nobody talks about even if it sold relatively well.

At the risk of sounding like a twat, I'd also say descent into Depths+Blighttown in Dark Souls 1 is one of the finest survival horror experiences, hits all the notes of the genre (resource scarcity, disorientation, longing for a save point, unknown enemies and dangers etc), but w/o feeling artificial/scripted like most high profile horror games. It's about 10-15% into the game, would recommend to anyone even if it's outside one's comfort zone.

 

[Lurker47]

Have you played them though? I'd say they deserve the fame, and preferring one over the other tells a lot about a person's taste. If you're only gonna try one each, I'd go SH3/RE2, but you'll find enough fans of each SH1-4/RE1-4.

Nah, I've been limited to the PC for most of my life and haven't gotten around to the few that I can find on here.

 

[Zenith]

They're all available on PC though (SH1 through emulation, but even a toaster can pull off a PS1).

 

[Lurker47]

They're all available on PC though (SH1 through emulation, but even a toaster can pull off a PS1).

Ah, I never really looked too hard. Mostly just looked on Steam and GOG.

 

[vdweller]

http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/04/judith/

 

[Falksi]

If you like the Saw type of experience try Dragon Age 2 for 60 odd hours of torture.

 

[octavius]

The Legacy: Realm of Terror

 

[Matalarata]

The Legacy: Realm of Terror

Hat Squid off my head to you, dear sir!

 

[Deflowerer]

Hell Night / Dark Messiah for PSX - basically have only one enemy and you are defensless through whole game, you can recriut additional characters who have some useful abilities and are used as living shield + there'a a BIG plot twist near the end. Seriously, I've considered Alone in the Dark 2 the best survival horror until I've discovered Hell Night.

Plus, it's from Atlus.

This man here, he knows.

Although the devs are actually not Atlus, but some obscure dev that only made two games: Hellnight and despria for Dreamcast, some really strange JRPG only available in Japanese. I tried to uncover more about the company, but apparently even Nips don't really know much, most of them apparently quit gaming industry altogether. Hellnight tanked massively too, only 20k sales I think. Even with its budget, it's pretty poor showing in 90s Japan.

I also have a Japanese official strategy guide for it. Once I'm proficient enough in moonspeak that I don't have to look up every second kanji, I'll try to read it. Particularly curious about what seems to be the devs listing their influence and inspiration for it.

 

[Kutulu]

Id really like to know what makes Silent Hill so epicTM, the gameplay is shit, clunky garbage. The progression, the same, fake doors, key, fake doors.
Shit could'nt spook me so idk what makes people love them so much, story? Story might be great for people that dont read....

I dont spook easily so if someone actually wants to be scared im not the one to recommend horror games.

Dark corners of the earth's first half is pretty good i guess, the game did the feeling of being hunted really great it some areas.

 

[Ash]

Obscure...yet also worthwhile. Important criteria, OP.

Well, I'll just list horror games that I enjoyed and genuinely thought were worthwhile games, as people's definition of obscure can vary and there may have been something you missed that's even somewhat popular. I'll also refrain from listing games that only have mild horror elements, or the occassional level that pops up with a horror theme.
So the criteria is moderate to heavy horror themes consistent enough throughout, and also has to range from worth playing to must-play.

Bold = Must-play. But I think they're all worth a shot.

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
System Shock 2
Parasite Eve 2
Martian Gothic (this one is definitely obscure, but also pretty cool)
The Suffering
Cold Fear
Resident Evil 1-4
Nightmare Creatures
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
Alien Trilogy (probably doesn't hold up that well)
Blood (even though the whole theme is horror-based it's not exactly horrific, but it's a really good game so fuck it)
Silent Hill (not played the later games in the series, which I hear are good. This is a must play if you want horror above all, but the gameplay is only average)
Dead Space games
Clive Barker's Undying
Manhunt
Clocktower (point and click adventure game, if you're after more involved gameplay look elsewhere)
Doom (console versions emphasised the horror elements a lot more without going banal Doom 3 boring)

For reference, two examples of omitted games that are good yet not consistently horrific enough would be STALKER and Arx Fatalis.

Now I'll go over the thread in search of some games I haven't played, looking for recommendations for myself.

Id really like to know what makes Silent Hill so epicTM, the gameplay is shit, clunky garbage. The progression, the same, fake doors, key, fake doors.
Shit could'nt spook me so idk what makes people love them so much, story? Story might be great for people that dont read....

Did you play the first? Gameplay is indeed mediocre but the horror is pretty damn insane, especially the alley scene at the start, or alternate dimension versions of the school or hospital. Don't think any fiction scared me more as a kid, and I never shied away from horror movies and games (and to a lesser extent books). That's still a child's judgement, but that game really had me on edge more than any other has ever managed.

 

[pippin]

was marketed as a horror game.

I actually read they wanted to make a "haunted house" game, but couldn't figure out how to make it work properly like that, so the horror theme was scrapped in favor of the LGBT stuff.

 

[Edward The Mediocre]

Which is just as horrifying.

 

[octavius]

o the horror theme was scrapped in favor of the LGBT stuff.

The horror...the horror...

 

[Ash]

For reference, two examples of omitted games that are good yet not consistently horrific enough would be STALKER and Arx Fatalis.

And two examples of omitted horror games that were done so because they're not particularly notable would be Deadly Premonition and Area 51 (2005). Eh, throw in Alan Wake also as it got way more credit than it deserved.

 

[555]

If you decide to try Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth(and imo you should, it's a great game) don't forget to download its unofficial patch. The game was rushed by Bethesda and in its original state it's very bugged

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

If you decide to try Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth(and imo you should, it's a great game) don't forget to download its unofficial patch. The game was rushed by Bethesda and in its original state it's very bugged

It's also recommended to play it on WinXP. There are several nasty bugs present on newer operating systems, which is a shame -- the game is very good. Even combat sequences

My 2 cents:
Galerians -- Biohazard clone in some ways. Similar puzzles, different combat design (usage of character's powers with the risk of dying if you use them too much). Nice cyberpunk atmosphere and glitchy soundtrack.
Echo Night series -- not everyone's cup of tea, but worth a try.
Fear Effect series -- two more cyberpunky Biohazard clones. Nice graphics and music, a few interesting mechanics here and there (simplistic stealth, ability to target 2 enemies at the same time, etc.).
Gadget -- not exactly horror, but sometimes it gets creepy in an Eastern European way. Made by japs.

 

[ghostdog]

Realms of the Haunting. Very atmospheric Horror-adventure with doom-style combat. One of my favorites.
Clock Tower: The First Fear. Can an Snes side-scrolling game be an awesome horror experience? It sure can. Includes some non-linearity and multiple endings.
Darkness Within: Well made and atmospheric Lovecraftian first person adventure.
Scratches: Same as above.
Haunting Ground: Spiritual successor to the clock tower series and imo better than the other CT installments on PSX and PS2.
Pathologic: Survival game with obscurity, craziness and some horror.
Deadly Premonition: Twin Peaks japanese simulator.
Koudelka: Cool PSX survival horror with TB combat(!).
Shadow of Memories: More of a time-traveling murder mystery than horror, but I think it deserves to be mentioned. Unique style and multiple endings.