Abhimannu Das
Horror games have always captured gamers’ imaginations like no other genre. The best examples have always combined the suspense of thrillers, the storytelling of dramas, and the set-pieces of action blockbusters. Many of our earliest, most vivid memories in gaming have invariably been in horror games. A primary reason is that these games are adept at leaving indelible impressions behind with memorable moments that take place throughout the course of the game.
With the advent of next-gen technology, horror games in particular have seen a giant leap in rendering fear and paranoia very realistically, which can only be great news for our nightmares. There has been much innovation in mingling the horror genre with other atypical but refreshing elements, such as parkour and point and drag mechanics, among others. Here is the list of most anticipated new horror games across your PS4, Xbox, PCs, and Macs coming out in 2019 and 2020. We can only hope that these latest horror games are as good as some of the recent ones.
24. System Shock (2020)
The much anticipated remake of the 1994 seminal video game has been in the pipeline for a long time, but it seems as if developer Night Dive Studios is finally on track to deliver it by early 2020. The original was an excellent survival horror game, and the remake promises to bring in the same foreboding sense of atmosphere aboard a space station filled with cyborgs and mutants, in a cyberpunk version of 2072.
23. Scorn (2020)
The most arresting bit about upcoming first-person shooter (FPS) horror game ‘Scorn’ is its distinctive art style. At first glance, it evokes the uneasy and claustrophobic feel of the ‘Dark Souls’ series, and when the game describes itself as an FPS horror game with puzzle elements, one would do well to keep an eye out for this promising gem of a game.
22. Moons of Madness (2019)
H.P. Lovecraft arguably remains the most original, thought-provoking writer in all of horror, and ‘Moons of Madness’ adopts generous dollops of the Lovecraftian sense of style and setting to deliver a highly promising venture. The game will take place on a research station in Mars, and will test players’ perceptive skills through hallucinatory sequences. It will also delve into mental illness in a highly poignant way, making it an essential play.
21. The Blackout Club (2019)
Co-op horror is a genre that doesn’t lend itself easily to a lot of quality games. The obvious reason being, that it isn’t easy to get scared when playing with your friends. However, developer Question looks set to test the waters with their latest venture, ‘The Blackout Club.’ The game follows a group of teenagers on a quest to uncover a sinister conspiracy. All the kids will have different abilities such as prank calling, or performing takedowns while in stealth, and they’ll need everything at their disposal to defeat The Shape, the invisible, ominous antagonist of the game.
20. Death Stranding
With very little to go on, Hideo Kojima’s next IP after the legendary ‘Metal Gear’ series is on course to shatter every convention we possess about video games as a whole. ‘Death Stranding’ is a game shrouded in mystery, much like its twisted setting. The few confirmed details, however, seem to be made up of our worst nightmares. From hulking, invisible beasts to rain that ages everything it touches, the gripping narrative might just change our perception of horror games forever.
19. Dying Light 2
With ‘Dying Light’ arguably being the most influential horror game of recent times that didn’t shirk from adopting other genres into usually inflexible horror tropes, its sequel can only bring more of the same. With a more realised vision and execution to boot. The sequel promises refined parkour mechanics as well as new choice-based narratives that will shape the very course of the main plot. However, the zombies will now be more prominent during the night, as opposed to under the sun, when they’ll be taken to the edges of the area. There is definitely great promise from developer Techland’s latest endeavour.
18. Days Gone (April, 2019)
Ever since the world got a sneak peek of the action-adventure survival horror game way back at E3 2016, ‘Days Gone’ has been widely anticipated by PlayStation gamers as well as horror fans alike. The game follows bounty hunter Deacon St. John in a world reeling from a worldwide pandemic that turned millions into mindless ‘Freakers’, zombie-like creatures. With multiple approaches such as stealth and full-blown action possible to complete levels, along with a dynamic weather system, it seems as if developer SIE Bend Studio will live up to its promise, come February 2019.
17. The Last of Us Part II (2019)
To say that ‘The Last of Us Part II’ is just another horror video game set for release in the near future would be to do it the gravest injustice. Developer Naughty Dog aims to solidify its burgeoning reputation through the much awaited follow-up to Joel and Ellie’s tale. The latest gameplay trailer at the recently concluded E3 2018 showcased stellar graphical assets, realistic and multilayered stealth elements, and intelligent, brutal enemy AI. With Naughty Dog’s characteristic focus on the nuances of human emotion, its safe to say that this game will change the very idea of horror games just like its predecessor did, whenever it releases, which cannot be soon enough.
16. Someday You’ll Return (2019)
It isn’t usual for a horror game to not have any combat whatsoever, and still be expected to deliver the thrills throughout its entire duration. Yet CBE Software’s ‘Someday You’ll Return’ is set to do just that, with the focus instead being on comprehensive crafting mechanics and an utterly engrossing tale of a father searching for his runaway daughter. With a karma system that will decide the game’s conclusion and a hypnotic world set in the Czech Republic, this is a game not to be missed.
15. Allison Road (TBA)
‘Allison Road’ evokes the eerie atmosphere of a seemingly desolate townhouse as the protagonist attempts to recover from a splitting headache to uncover a heinous crime. As the spiritual successor to ‘P.T.’, the playable teaser of the cancelled ‘Silent Hills’ by Kojima Productions, the game is on track to follow a celebrated tradition of horror video games.
14. Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead: The Final Season (2019)
The Walking Dead: The Final Season marks the end of Clementine’s journey in the series, and it also happens to be the last game from Telltale Games. After the studio abruptly shut down, it is now up to Skybound Entertainment to complete the journey that has lasted seven years since the release of the first Walking Dead game. Unlike your standard horror games, TWD is a “walking simulator” with branching conversations, quick time events and hard choices that you need to make throughout the game. Three of the episodes are already out, and we are yet to see how Skybound completes the series. The story picks up right three years since the events of A New Frontier. Clementine has been raising Alvin Junior like her own son, and they have to ward off “walkers” and other survivors constantly. The two beloved characters end up in Ericson’s Boarding School for Troubled Youth where they meet other kids just like Alvin. It leads to complicated circumstances including the return of a character we haven’t seen in several seasons. If you are into the Walking Dead franchise, you definitely want to pick this one up.
13. Daymare: 1998 (2019)
Daymare caters to survival horror junkies and packs some hardcore mechanics. It’s challenging by design and requires you to be methodical in your approach. From bullet spongy enemies to puzzle-solving, you have a nice mix of horror elements tied together with a good story. You get to experience the Daymare universe through multiple perspectives. There is a lot of lore to be explored and several characters to play as including a soldier, a pilot, and a forest ranger. You are thrown into a small town that is home to a secret research facility similar to the one seen in Stranger Things. A security breach causes a chemical leak and turns citizens into dangerous monsters who are out for blood. You have to make your way through the perils and look for clues to make sense of the madness that is consuming the town.
12. Man of Medan (2019)
Man of Medan is part of The Dark Pictures Anthology, which is set to be a series of horror games boasting intense gameplay. The first game will be launched on Xbox, PS4, and PC later this year. From what we have seen so far, the game will feature five playable characters who run into an old ship from World War 2 that is haunted by ghosts. If you’ve tried out Until Dawn, you will know exactly what the gameplay is going to be like. Motion capture and stunning visuals will make the game as realistic as possible, and the story is unique compared to other horror titles we have seen in the past. Published by BANDAI NAMCO, the game is one of the most highly anticipated horror games of 2019. A 15-minute gameplay video was showcased last year which hyped up a lot of horror fans. Man of Medan is not the only title that will be pushed out this year as per the studio’s plans. The Dark Pictures Anthology is set to have two games per year, and we can’t wait!
11. DOOM Eternal (2019)
Since the release of the first DOOM game in 1993, we have been treated to some mind-numbing action for over two decades. DOOM Eternal is a direct sequel to the 2016 DOOM reboot that gained critical acclaim. If you don’t care about a story and want a purely visceral experience where you get to take out a gun and blow demons to oblivion, DOOM is the right game for you. Do not be fooled by the premise of it being an action-horror game. While there are demons and eerie looking monsters, there’s only one threat in the game, and that’s you! The gameplay trailers have showcased new weapon mods, mechanics and more demons to slay. DOOM Slayer will return to Earth with a vengeance, and if the previous title is anything to go by, DOOM Eternal is going to be one of the best shooters of this year.
10. Layers of Fear 2 (2019)
Layers of Fear 2 was announced last year, and it is a direct sequel to Layers of Fear (2016) which was very well received by both critics and the audience. The second installment of the game will feature a haunted boat that has quite a few mysteries of its own. There is not much that has been revealed by Bloober Team, but fans of the series have been stringing together clues from the trailer to make sense of what’s in store for us later this year. The first title featured a maddened artist while this game will feature an actor who is driven by illusions. The visuals from the trailer are frightening, and there seems to be a sprinting monster that is going to chase you throughout the game.
9. The Sinking City (2019)
If you are a fan of H. P. Lovecraft, The Sinking City is a game you need to keep your eyes on. Ever since the trailer of the title was showcased, fans have been eagerly trying to figure out what’s going on in the almost submerged city of Oakmont. The minds of the city’s inhabitants seem to be controlled by a Cthulhu-like creature. As a private investigator, it is your job to uncover Oakmont’s secrets. The game is set to feature an oppressive atmosphere inspired by H. P. Lovecraft’s work. The open world map can be explored by boat, on foot and you can also wear a diving suit if you’re feeling adventurous and sink right in to discover the horrors that await. The developers have stated that the game will be re-playable multiple times thanks to the open investigation system which allows you to solve the mysteries in a myriad of ways. We can’t wait to see how the story unfolds once the game hits stores!
8. Don’t Be Afraid (2019)
If you’ve played games like Lucius, then you’ll have a good idea about what’s in store from you from Don’t Be Afraid. You get to play as 11-year old David who is about to have his childhood come shattering down. You are woken up by terrifying noises and see no one from your family there to protect you. Alone, you have only fragments of memories and no real logical connections to go by. You race against time to protect yourself from a psychopath who is after you. You don’t get to shoot zombies or save the world; you are taken into a pure atmospheric horror experience that forces you to be on edge because one wrong move could get you killed. There are unlockable items, puzzles and other hidden secrets that will make you restart the game and look for hidden areas even after finishing the game.
7. CASE 2: Animatronics Survival (2019)
CASE 2 is an episodic game that is currently ongoing, and multiple episodes are set to come out later this year to bring the story to an end. There are multiple story arcs that have been set up prior to the release of the final episodes that have a number of unanswered questions. You will need to piece together various mysteries that include an attack on the local police station, the city’s amusement park shutting down and people going missing with no leads to trace them down. The superhuman animatronics are by no means immortal; you have to figure out their weaknesses and take them down as you proceed to thwart the dictator. It is a very unique take on the genre, and we’re hoping that the game turns out to be quite great!
6. V.L.A.D.i.K (2019)
VLADiK is set an alternate reality where a Russian president promised peace to the people but ended up becoming a dictator. President Navalny became widely hated by citizens, and many tried to oppose him. However, Navalny had other plans in mind and forced scientists to create superhuman beings to bring down the opposition similar to how the Resident Evil franchise was set up. In-game, you are a member of the oppositionist force and have been tasked with protecting your homeland. Throughout the story, you will be making your way to Navalny’s headquarters to shut down the superhuman project.
5. The Light Keeps Us Safe (2019)
The Light Keeps Us Safe is an indie game that is making waves in the gaming community due to its unique nature. You are put in an apocalyptic world without food or power, and there are things out there in the dark that are coming to get you. You have to run to the “Light” to keep yourself safe. The game has procedurally generated levels to keep things tense, and you have to patrol the desolate world full of traps and horrors to make your way to the Light. There are unique light-based puzzles and challenges that you need to get past if you want to progress. From streetlights to flickering illuminations from burnt railway yards and factories, you have to rely on any source of light you can get to keep the monsters away.
4. Green Hell (2019)
Sometimes it’s not the unknown in the world that scares us, but the world itself. Green Hell offers a bone-chilling experience in an Amazonian rainforest where you are stranded without any equipment or food. You have to find a way to survive and get home. It’s not just hunger and the environment that will get to you, but also your own mind. You will have to face your fears and brace yourself through the dangers of the forest. The game has a full-blown crafting system that you can use to build anything that you might need to survive the nightmarish environment. But will you survive the perils in your own mind?
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3. The 8th Day (2019)
Do you ever feel that you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time sometimes? That’s exactly what happens to the protagonist of The 8th Day who ends up in an abandoned asylum full of terrors. You will be forced to look around every corner and make your way to the light to not be chased by the horrors hidden in the eerie asylum. The best part about the game is that it is procedurally generated so you will have a completely unpredictable experience that adds to the horror. The psychological thriller-style sound design mixes survival horror elements with cinematics and puzzles. Just like classic Resident Evil titles, you will have limited inventory space to work with and have to rely on a limited number of saves if you want to finish the game.
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2. SCP-087: Recovered Document (2019)
SCP-087 is an early access horror game that is expected to release sometime this year. The story of this highly anticipated action-horror game will revolve around Dr. Kerster who is in charge of examining the SCP-087 document that has hideous secrets, and it is up to you to find out more about the game’s mysteries. There is a story mode as well as a free mode that offers open exploration. The game is a retelling of the incidents surrounding the SCP 087 which has been covered by many conspiracy theorists. We are yet to receive more details as the developers have kept things under wraps not to spoil the story.
Read More: Upcoming Xbox One Games
1. Psychic Isolation (2019)
Psychic Isolation is a survival horror game with a unique twist. The narrative focuses on the antagonists of the game unlike other games from the genre. The game focuses on uncomfortable circumstances that can lead to people losing trust and seeing friends as enemies. You get to stalk your prey, understand their feelings and emotions and ultimately hunt them down. If you are not a fan of horror games and get easily spooked, the game offers you the option of disabling scares so you can focus just on the story. The game has been in early access for some time now, and we’ve seen the developers improve the narrative over time. The free-roam option is a nice touch to the otherwise claustrophobic and linear genre that we are accustomed to. Once the first two episodes are ready for release, development studio thiefbug will be putting the game up for sale.
Read More: Upcoming PC Games
