Psychological horror is a category of horror that centers mainly on disquieting and alarming portrayals of an individual's psychological condition. With advancements in gaming technology, developers can now produce more fear-inducing and absorbing experiences, resulting in a steady improvement in the quality of the psychological horror subgenre in recent decades.
In this article, Gurugamer is going to showcase the top 10 best Psychological horror games to play in 2023.
10. Silent Hill
The original Silent Hill game was created by Konami's Team Silent and initially launched on PlayStation 1 in 1999, followed by a release on Game Boy Advance in 2001.
Silent Hill distinguished itself from other horror games of its time by crafting a disturbing yet captivating environment, and by placing players in control of an ordinary person rather than a trained soldier or law enforcement officer, which was uncommon at the time. Although the game's visuals and some of its gameplay elements may not stand up well by modern standards, its storyline remains enthralling, and it deserves recognition as one of the best horror game releases for its impact on the genre alone.
9. Silent Hill 3
Silent Hill 3, developed by Konami's Team Silent, was launched on PlayStation 2 and PC in 2003, following the success of the original game.
The protagonist in this game is a young girl named Heather, who wakes up alone in a shopping mall after experiencing a nightmare. Silent Hill 3 does not attempt to introduce any revolutionary gameplay elements and focuses primarily on exploration and puzzle-solving, similar to its predecessor. The game was widely acclaimed by both fans and critics, as evidenced by its 85 critic score and 8.6 user score on Metacritic.
8. Doki Doki Literature Club!
When creating a psychological horror video game, a significant challenge is that players already come with certain expectations of the genre, such as shocking visuals and deteriorating characters. This makes it difficult for developers to create a truly unsettling experience.
Doki Doki Literature Club! attempted to overcome this challenge by concealing its psychological horror genre. Initially, the game was marketed as a visual novel with images that resembled a dating simulator, which is how the game appears to start. However, as the player makes choices throughout the game, it takes a disturbing turn that can affect both the main character and the player themselves in unexpected ways.
7. Outlast
Similar to other independent horror games in the last ten years, Outlast owes much of its popularity to streamers and influencers. These individuals often have a large audience, who tune in to see their terrified reactions to the game's most frightening scenes. Outlast relies on more than just jump scares to unsettle its players; it also denies them access to any weapons, leaving them with no option but to run and hide, leading to some extremely intense gameplay moments.
While Outlast's sequel released in 2017 failed to achieve the same level of impact as its predecessor, it is still worth exploring for those who enjoyed the first game.
6. SOMA
Frictional Games, the developer behind the psychological horror game Amnesia: The Dark Descent, released Soma in 2015. As a result, fans of psychological horror had high expectations for the game, which can make it challenging for developers to create a genuinely unsettling experience. However, Frictional Games managed to subvert players' expectations by misleading them in a subtle way.
At the beginning of the game, the protagonist suffers a severe brain injury and agrees to undergo experimental treatment, leading them to wake up in a strange and eerie place. Many seasoned psychological horror fans might have anticipated the protagonist awakening in a manifestation of their inner thoughts, as suggested by the "brain injury" plot point. This expectation was likely what the developers intended to lead players towards. However, Soma takes a different path, presenting a story that explores the potential consequences of technological advancements on the human brain, similar to an episode of Black Mirror.
5. Observer
Observer, developed by Bloober Team, hit the market in 2017, joining the studio's portfolio of horror games like The Medium, Layers of Fear, and Blair Witch. However, some players were put off by the game's gameplay, leading to criticisms. Nonetheless, the game's world design, atmosphere, and story are still among the best in the psychological horror genre, and therefore, a must-have for anyone looking for such an experience.
An updated version of the game, titled Observer: System Redux, was released in November 2020, featuring better visuals, additional story content, and overall improvements, making it the ultimate version of Observer to play.
4. Alan Wake
The game Alan Wake was first launched exclusively for Xbox 360 in 2010 and later became available on PC almost two years after. In October 2021, a remastered version of the game with both downloadable content packs was released on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, PS4, and PS5.
The game's storyline draws inspiration from Stephen King's work, as evident from the reference to the author in the opening. The game features numerous supernatural enemies and events, which accompany the protagonist's fear of losing his sanity as a writer.
3. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Ninja Theory developed Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, a unique psychological horror game that deviates from the norm by not being set in modern times with a protagonist that's easy to relate to. Instead, it takes place in a dark fantasy world that draws inspiration from Celtic and Norse mythology.
Although it has a fantasy setting, the game's story tackles the very real mental illness of psychosis. Hellblade's depiction of psychosis, which was created with input from neuroscientists, has been a significant factor in the game's critical acclaim, earning an impressive 88 Metascore on Xbox One.
2. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Frictional Games released Amnesia: The Dark Descent in September 2010, which became one of the most influential games not just in psychological horror but also in the broader horror genre. Similar to Outlast, the game owes much of its success to YouTubers, who played the game and their horrified reactions entertained their audience, with PewDiePie being one of the most notable.
What made Amnesia: The Dark Descent particularly influential was its decision not to provide players with any weapons, which was unconventional for horror games of the time. Most horror games were becoming action-oriented with zombies replacing soldiers, aliens, and other enemies.
1. Silent Hill 2
As mentioned earlier, psychological horror games are improving as technological advancements allow for more detailed, immersive, and frightening horror experiences. Despite being over 20 years old, Silent Hill 2 still provides one of the greatest horror experiences in gaming, which serves as a reminder of its uniqueness. This is primarily due to the game's excellent storytelling, as the search for answers about Mary's fate remains intriguing, and James' psyche is still one of gaming's most exceptional visual storytelling accomplishments.
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