Hello, lovelies! There are plenty of horror games out there, but many rely only on jumpscares (lookin' at you FNAF). I'm more of a story-driven person, but beyond the big ones - Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Fatal Frame, etc, you know the ones - it's hard to come across horror games that goes beyond flailing your arms and shouting at the screams. A while back, I'd come across a genre of horror games all made with programs like RPG Maker, but I wasn't hesitant because I felt like they wouldn't be any good as horror games. The concept seemed silly to me, so I didn't bother playing them until much later. Now they're my favourite genre of horror games and I'm always on the lookout for more. NOT TO MENTION, THEY'RE FREE! Here are some of my favourites if any of you are looking for good horror games to play this holiday season:
Click on the title of the game to go to a page with more information where you can find the download link.
Ib - My personal favourite. A young girl named Ib visits an art gallery with her parents. While observing the many exhibits, she suddenly realizes she is alone, and in her search for others, she finds things gone awry in the gallery. The game is focused on exploration and puzzle-solving. There are no battles, and it does not demand quick reflexes. It's designed to be accessible to all kinds of players, so enjoy.
The Witch's House - The young Viola visits a mysterious house in the woods. She soon discovers its dangerous nature and must find a way out, but the house is ever-changing, and death could be lurking anywhere.
Mad Father - The story in this one is extremely intense. Aya Drevis is a young girl living in an isolated mansion in northern Germany. Since her mother's passing, she's felt lonely living with just her father and his assistant Maria. What's more, she knows her father's secret.
The Crooked Man - The first of a series of three called the 'Strange Men Series' by Uri, my favourite rpg creator. I've played some of this on my channel if you'd like to see some gameplay before playing. David Hoover decides to move into a new apartment during a rough time in his life. After some odd occurrences, he decides to ask about the room's former owner, but learns little. So he sets off in search of him, strangely compelled to know more about this man.
The Sandman - The second of the 'Strange Men Series' by Uri, and my favourite of the series. I've played some of this on my channel if you'd like to see some gameplay before playing. For days now, Sophie Grundler has been unable to sleep. Bullied at school, and her father busy with work, she simply has to endure. Then one night, the clock in her room stops ticking. This one is not your typical horror and takes a sharp turn into something more whimsical, so if you're too nervous for most horror games, give this one a try.
The Boogie Man - The third of the 'Strange Men Series' by Uri. I've played some of this on my channel if you'd like to see some gameplay before playing. Keith Baring is a cold, devoted detective whose boss decides he needs to take some time off. While on a tour of an old castle with his wife Helena, she makes a startling confession to him. Keith goes to bed bewildered - but things only become stranger as the Boogie Man's game begins.
Mermaid Swamp - Another one by Uri, but this is separate from the previously mentioned series. Rin Yamazaki and her college friends have their car break down in the mountains on a trip. Fortunately, a kindly old man offers to let them stay at his house, but there's a legend about the swamp outside the mansion.
Blank Dream - This is another one with an intense story. Read through the description first before playing, because the story may be upsetting to some people due to the nature of it. Otherwise, another very good one. Wishing that she had never even existed, Mishiro Usui threw herself into the lake. When she came to, she was in the Mirror World, a place neither heaven nor hell. There, her reflection instructed her: "Find the mirrors in this world, and break them."
Yume Nikki - This one is very different from everything else on this list, but still worth a mention. It's got no plot, and is very much just about wandering aimlessly until you find all of the 'effects' hidden throughout the game. Its place on this list comes from the fact that it's so huge, but there's seemingly no other information I can find on it anywhere. Every discussion held about it on the internet is mere speculation. Don't try to map this one out in your head, by the way, there are hidden passages everywhere, and nothing is ever nothing.
Click on the title of the game to go to a page with more information where you can find the download link.
Ib - My personal favourite. A young girl named Ib visits an art gallery with her parents. While observing the many exhibits, she suddenly realizes she is alone, and in her search for others, she finds things gone awry in the gallery. The game is focused on exploration and puzzle-solving. There are no battles, and it does not demand quick reflexes. It's designed to be accessible to all kinds of players, so enjoy.
The Witch's House - The young Viola visits a mysterious house in the woods. She soon discovers its dangerous nature and must find a way out, but the house is ever-changing, and death could be lurking anywhere.
Mad Father - The story in this one is extremely intense. Aya Drevis is a young girl living in an isolated mansion in northern Germany. Since her mother's passing, she's felt lonely living with just her father and his assistant Maria. What's more, she knows her father's secret.
The Crooked Man - The first of a series of three called the 'Strange Men Series' by Uri, my favourite rpg creator. I've played some of this on my channel if you'd like to see some gameplay before playing. David Hoover decides to move into a new apartment during a rough time in his life. After some odd occurrences, he decides to ask about the room's former owner, but learns little. So he sets off in search of him, strangely compelled to know more about this man.
The Sandman - The second of the 'Strange Men Series' by Uri, and my favourite of the series. I've played some of this on my channel if you'd like to see some gameplay before playing. For days now, Sophie Grundler has been unable to sleep. Bullied at school, and her father busy with work, she simply has to endure. Then one night, the clock in her room stops ticking. This one is not your typical horror and takes a sharp turn into something more whimsical, so if you're too nervous for most horror games, give this one a try.
The Boogie Man - The third of the 'Strange Men Series' by Uri. I've played some of this on my channel if you'd like to see some gameplay before playing. Keith Baring is a cold, devoted detective whose boss decides he needs to take some time off. While on a tour of an old castle with his wife Helena, she makes a startling confession to him. Keith goes to bed bewildered - but things only become stranger as the Boogie Man's game begins.
Mermaid Swamp - Another one by Uri, but this is separate from the previously mentioned series. Rin Yamazaki and her college friends have their car break down in the mountains on a trip. Fortunately, a kindly old man offers to let them stay at his house, but there's a legend about the swamp outside the mansion.
Blank Dream - This is another one with an intense story. Read through the description first before playing, because the story may be upsetting to some people due to the nature of it. Otherwise, another very good one. Wishing that she had never even existed, Mishiro Usui threw herself into the lake. When she came to, she was in the Mirror World, a place neither heaven nor hell. There, her reflection instructed her: "Find the mirrors in this world, and break them."
Yume Nikki - This one is very different from everything else on this list, but still worth a mention. It's got no plot, and is very much just about wandering aimlessly until you find all of the 'effects' hidden throughout the game. Its place on this list comes from the fact that it's so huge, but there's seemingly no other information I can find on it anywhere. Every discussion held about it on the internet is mere speculation. Don't try to map this one out in your head, by the way, there are hidden passages everywhere, and nothing is ever nothing.
would recommend