Summary
The horror genre is vast, with many gameplay styles that have resulted in famous one-offs as well as franchises. This has also resulted in various visual styles and settings, such asretro-futuristic horror.This subgenre has carved out a unique niche in gaming, blending nostalgic aesthetics with terrifying possibilities.
While there is nothing wrong with the flashy and conventional versions of the future, as seen in games likeDead SpaceandReturnal, there is something appealing about seeing sci-fi horror through the eyes of the past. From steampunk action-horror games to survival horror with cassette futurism, some games bring chills and visual thrills.
Based on the book of the same name by Stanislav Lem,The Invincibleis not a horror game in the traditional sense, but there is plenty of fear and tension to be hadon the barren alien planetof Regis 3. When a crew of space explorers goes missing on the planet, it’s up to the crew of the second ship named The Invincible to figure out what happened to them.
Similar to games likeFirewatch, the game consists of walking, dialogue, and exploring the strange planet with many locations on the planet that are both beautiful and scary. As a result,The Invinciblemay not be everybody’s cup of tea, but the mid-century sci-fi visuals combined with striking appearance of the alien planet result in a story-driven adventure that feels like a love letter to a lost era of science fiction.
It’s as classic a space horror game can get.Preyfocuses on a lone survivor named Morgan stuck on an abandoned space station, surrounded by an alien menace. The Talos 1 station and the architecture are designed to reflect the world’s concept where the Space Race was far more advanced, resulting in an alternate 1958.
The art deco designs of the Talos 1 station would be almost homey, but every cornerhas the threat of the aliensknown as the Typhon. They can mimic any object, allowing them to hide in plain sight, which makes the first few hours ofPreystraight-up survival horror. Even in the later parts of the game, when armed with powerful weapons, it can be tense.
We Happy Fewfeels like an extendedepisode ofThe Twilight Zone, featuring a dystopian alternate history where the Nazis won World War 2 and people are forced to take a drug called Joy. It compels the user to believe everything is paradise, but in reality, it is a dark and horrific state filled with masked guards who pursue those who do not conform.
The post-war England setting mixes a gothic atmosphere with Teslapunk technology. Combined with the porcelain masks of the people, it makes the world feel nightmare-like. The gameplay is a mix of exploration and stealth, forcing the player to either never be spotted, or to attempt to blend in with the rest of the population living in a euphoric state.
Despite taking place in the year 2370,Iron Lungdoes not feel advanced in the slightest as the titular submarine dives and explores a mysterious planet. Said planet has no water, only oceans of blood. This is unsettling enough, but the player has to explore and find resources with the rusty, 20th century-esque submarine that has no windows, only a camera and a sonar to guide them.
From beginning to end,the short indie horror gamekeeps building the tension with its droning atmosphere that makes the player scared of the surroundings.Iron Lungeven has unsettling lore about a future where an event called The Quiet Rapture caused all stars to just vanish. Now, humanity is desperate for resources, even at the cost of running into underwater monsters.
The underwater city of Rapture astounded players in 2008 and helped makeBioShocka bonafide first-person shooter classic. Part of that has to do with its blend of jaw-dropping midcentury steampunk design, and a fallen civilization where genetic modification caused the denizens of Rapture to go mad and devolve into war with each other.
The different mutants, crazed people, and bizarre creations like the Big Daddies make traveling through Rapture feel like a horror movie. Even withall the guns and superpowersthat players can unlock throughoutBioShock, it never changes the fact that enemies can pop out of the walls and corners at any time.
Rather than a copy of the first game, gamers got to experience the world of Rapture again as a Big Daddy, seven years after the events of its predecessor.BioShock 2shows many of the same horrors with twisted factions battling for control over Rapture, but from a new perspective. Big Daddy fights new monsters like the Big Sisters andthe villain known as Sophia Lamb.
Like before, the scariest parts of the gameplay are in the first few chapters, with most of the horror coming from listening to the demented killers and villains that taunt the Big Daddy. While not as fondly remembered as the first game,BioShock 2is a strong sequel that tried new ideas and gave a proper ending to Rapture.
It’s a sign of how impressive a game is when it is considered to be official canon to a movie timeline. That is the case withAlien: Isolation. After years of action games, theAlienfranchise went back to the style of Ridley Scott’sAlienboth thematically and visually, with the technology and environments replicating the 1970s sci-fi look of the film.
Alien: Isolationis pure survival horror, taking inspiration from games likeResident EvilandOutlastas Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, traverses through a damaged space station.The Xenomorph is still terrifyingover ten years later due to its experimental AI that learns the more the player progresses through the game, allowing it to stalk and hunt more effectively.
