Summary
“Southern Gothic” doesn’t simply mean being set in the south or a specific aesthetic; it also encompasses themes surrounding southern America’s culture, critiquing its romanticized image and exposing its darker side. Southern Gothic media is usually rife with the likes of decay, ruin, and religion, in particular the decline of the Old South post-Civil War.
Not all of Southern Gothic is horror, Harper Lee’sTo Kill A Mockingbirdbeing one of the most popular examples in literature. However, the imagery and themes lend themselves well to the horror genre, something that a fair few game developers have made the most of. These are some of thebest Southern Gothic horror gamesthat explore the bleak side of the American South.
18/8/88 Needle AL
A Haunting And Unnerving Experience
Needle 8/8/88 ALis a historicalpoint-and-click visual novelset in a small southern town in post-Civil War Alabama. The game follows Godfrey as he searches for the townspeople, who have seemingly disappeared the day before the “decisive day.”
Beneath the overarching journey to find everyone is a narrative about the values of the Old South in contention with progress, rife with religious and social commentaries. While the gameplay is linear and limited, being more of an interactive story, the eerie atmosphere prevails, leaving players with an overwhelming sense of dread.
Needle 8/8/88 ALtouches on some heavy topics like torture, assault, and slavery, which may be upsetting for some gamers.
A zombie shooter might not be the first type of game that springs to mind when thinking of Gothic, but zombies have their roots in slavery, specifically the combining of different religious beliefs during the 17th and 18th centuries. Over time, the image of the zombie became Westernized, largely via the south, to become the flesh-eating undead that we know and love today.
Much ofLeft 4 Dead 2takes place in the Deep South, spanning from Georgia to Louisiana. Seeing the abandoned and dilapidated buildings gives players a permeating sense of decline that Southern Gothic is known for.
The Walking Dead, like the show, is based on Robert Kirkman’s comic books. The first season of this episodic game follows ex-convict, Lee, attempting to reunite a young girl, Clementine, with her family amid a zombie apocalypse, while the following three seasons see Clem as the protagonist.
The game spans across southern states like Georgia, Carolina, and Virginia. Aside from the zombie threats, over the course of the game, players will be faced with friends and foes that are coping with the new post-apocalyptic world in different ways and with differing beliefs. There are plenty of moments and places that reference the Civil War and make some uncomfortable parallels with the present.
The originalAlone in the Darkhas been credited with inspiringResident Evil, a connection that has come full circle with this 2024 re-imagining. This version draws from the subsequentREtitles, leaning more into third-person survival horror with an emphasis on resource management and puzzles.
The game follows private detective Edward Carnaby helping young woman Emily Hartwood look into the disappearance of her missing uncle. The investigation takes players through a dark noir/Southern-Gothic world withplenty of Lovecraftian horrorin between.
Set in the same universe as its film counterpart,Blair Witchtakes players into the gloomy forest of Black Hills, Maryland, in search of a missing boy. Controlling ex-cop Ellis and accompanied by his dog, Bullet, they must navigate theincreasingly sinister woods.
Complete with occult rituals, shadowy creatures, and a time-twisting plot that explores trauma,Blair Witchcovers a lot of Gothic ground. The gameplay is also fun, with camcorder mechanics, combat, and (most importantly) the ability to interact with Bullet, though this doesn’t make it much less scary.
TheEvil Deadfranchise is renowned for its graphic and disturbing nature — something thatEvil Dead: The Gamefaithfully pays homage to. As an asymmetrical horror game, players can wreak havoc either as a demon or as one of an iconic cast of survivors attempting to banish them back to hell.
Set in rural Tennessee, there are plenty of atmospheric locations to stumble upon, from cemeteries and swamps to the iconic Knowy cabin. At its core,Evil Dead: The Gameis about fascination with the supernatural, what happens when old and dark forces emerge, and the fight between good and evil.
When it comes to the rural south, there are some pieces of media that have an overwhelmingly icky vibe.The Texas Chain Saw Massacreis a game based on the iconic film of the same name, and it manages to recreate the backwoods hayride-horror tone.
Unlikeother asymmetrical games,Chain Saw Massacrehas a 4v3 format, with survivors being pitted against members of the slaughter family who unfortunately have a taste for human meat. Despite its dwindling player base, this game remains one of the most dread-inducing multiplayer horror games.
Outlast 2is memorable for its unsettling environments and heavy themes, following Blake Langermann as he searches for his wife amid heinous cult activities. There are plenty of disturbing revelations to be had as the game explores the tragic consequences of subordination and unchallenged authority.
Beyond these Southern Gothic themes,Outlast 2is an overallgruesome horror game, once again keeping players in a constant state of vulnerability. With little to aid them except finite batteries for their camera and their own ability to spot a hiding place, it is an uncomfortable experience at best.
Players looking for a multiplayer FPS bounty-hunting game complete with monsters need look no further thanHunt: The Showdown 1896.Set in Louisiana, the player, alone or with up to two others in their squad, must face rival hunters and beasts to collect their bounty, PvPvE style.
For an extraction shooter,The Showdownhas surprising depth. The immersive map variety, historically accurate guns, and character customization, alongside the sound and monster designs, make for genuinely tense gameplay. All of this comes together in a macabre display of the deteriorated south that’s overrun by the supernatural.
Resident Evil 7is one of the most frequently referenced titles when referring to Southern Gothic horror in gaming. While not exclusively adhering to the genre, it certainly utilizes a lot of ideas and tropes — the swampy plantation setting, the grotesque cannibal family, the morbid curiosity — all of which serve as a great backdrop for other subgenreinspirations like body horrorand slasher.
The game follows Ethan Winters as he searches for his missing wife. Unfortunately, this venture leads him to a volatile family of serial killers who want him to join them. Despite the trauma of repeatedly losing body parts and being attacked by the family’s moldy alter-egos, Ethan powers through all the repulsiveness, dedicated to saving Mia. Overall,Resident Evil 7marked a welcomed claustrophobic and gory return to the survival horror after the action-focus of the previous games.
