Summary
It’s been amazing to see the horror genre of video games grow into one of the most popular and mainstream interests. There’s something undeniably powerful about getting terrified and these video games are able to tap into that feeling in a way that movies cannot.
It’s paramount that ahorrorgameis actually scary, but this level of terror is sometimes reflected in the game’s difficulty. Some survival horror games are a challenge to not get scared, but others are a feat to even finish. Accordingly, here are the 10 hardest horror games ever made, ranked.
Updated on November 25th 2024, by Mara Cowley:Halloween season may officially be over, but that doesn’t mean it has to end for horror enthusiasts, especially with the Halloween Steam sale having not long been over, giving gamers the chance to score themselves some inexpensive scary titles, some of which may be thehardest horror gamesout there. Though this genre is primarily known for its ability to frighten its players, there are more than a few intent on challenging players with gameplay such as puzzles or combat. This article has been updated to include more scarily difficult horror games for fans who want a challenge with their horror.
Outlastis a series that changed the landscape of horror games, as influential to the genre as theAmnesiaseries was in popularizing horror games that declaw the players, and leave them defenseless to whatever horrors share the environment with them.
Traveling to Mount Massive Asylum for what might be the biggest scoop of his career, Miles quickly finds out he is in over his head when he encounters several hostile inmates such as the terrifying Chris Walker. Armed with only a video camera, players haveno chance to fight back against any enemies, leaving them with only the options to run or hide, and even while cowering under beds or inside lockers, he might not be safe.
Inspired greatly by theSilent Hills Playable Teaser,Visagetakes place mostly in an ordinary suburban home, but the twisting trail of the plot will take the player to some interesting and horrific locations. Playing as Dwayne Anderson, it is up to the player to explore the house, avoid the dangerous ghosts, and find a way to escape. As it soon becomes apparent, Dwayne committed suicide after killing his own wife and child, and is now tormented by the weight of his guilt.
As with most psychological horror games, the player has very few means of defending themselves other than avoiding the detection of hostile spirits, and unfortunately, they are given very little direction by the game. The lack of clear objectives and hints leave the player to try and guess where they might need to go next, which can result in futile exploration, which could lead them right into the cold arms of death.
Eternal Darknessis notorious for being one of the most ambitious survival horror games on a Nintendo console, exclusively releasing on the GameCube.Eternal Darknessdraws inspiration from the works of Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft with a branching narrative that covers many different periods of time through history.
Eternal Darknessfeatures three “paths” to play through, with each route being difficult in different ways. The “red” path is the most challenging due to enemy strength, but the fact that all three paths must be played through to fully finish the game is where the labored difficulty comes in to play.
The remake ofRE4brought upon a few changes from the original, altering the characters' personalities and stories, removing and expanding on some content, and overhauling a few of the bosses. These changes were very well received by fans, as none can deny the remake was a huge success.
But one can also not deny that some of the bosses definitely felt a bit tougher than the original, such as Mendez fight, especially on higher difficulties. HarDcore and Professionals game modes offer grueling challenges to even veteran players who are confident in theRE4game skills, and may be hard to the point of frustration for first-time players of this particular title. Plus, the remake exclusive shooting range offers a plethora of challenges that test the players aiming and timing in exchange for rewards and achievements.
Known asForbidden Sirenin Europe, thePlayStation-exclusivesurvival horror series tries to re-invent the genre in some creepy ways. TheSirenseries really embraces mob mentality and the idea of an enemy that operates with a terrifying hive mind.
Sirenis such a challenge because the game doesn’t spoon-feed its audience answers. Additionally, the quests in the game are especially punishing and the enemies are so powerful that it turns stealth gameplay into a necessity, rather than a suggestion.Sirenis still harder than the standard survival horror title.
F.E.A.Ris a creative hybrid of thehorror genre & tactical shootersthat finds ways to get the best out of both genres.F.E.A.Rembraces the aspects of a shooter more than a horror game, even with the inclusion of the terrifying Alma at the heart of the plot, but that balance shifts when playing in the title’s Extreme Mode.
Extreme Mode offers an actual challenge where strategy is essential, otherwise players will get mowed down by the precise enemies. Wasted ammo or careless movements are a death sentence on this difficulty. Extreme Mode is only for the seasoned horror fans that appreciate a less forgiving adventure.
Resident Evil Remaketakes what’s already a challenging &polished game and pushes it to an even more accomplished level. TheResident Evilgames have made things easier for players over the years, but none of that is present in the first game.
Additionally,Resident Evil Remakemakes the zombies considerably smarter, makes ammo management more of a struggle, and doesn’t pamper the gamer. The addition of Crimson Head Zombies also turnsResident Evil Remakeinto one of the more stressful and difficult games in the series.
Originally aHalf-Life 2mod,Cry of Fearbecame its own standalone game only a year after its original release, available to download on Steam free of charge, which is generous considering thequality of this indie-horror game. It follows the story of Simon Henriksson, who wakes in an alleyway in a deserted town shortly after a car crash. Perhaps he hit his head too hard, as Simon soon witnesses horrors that defy reality.
Monsters and hallucinations visit him during his exploration and search for answers, forcing him to arm and defend himself. Unfortunately for the player, there are very limited resources scattered around to aid them, even less than other survival horror games such as classicResident Evil. Pair that with the tough enemies, and players will have one hell of a time escaping with their life.
Dead Spaceremains a serious horror contender, especially with the release of the long-awaited remake. The game’s approach to enemy dismemberment and claustrophobic space horror leads to excellent and atmospheric horror games.
Dead Space 2is hard to begin with, but the games' Hard Core mode is for true masochists. In addition to stronger Necromorphs, players are only allowed to use three saves throughout the entire game. This not only makes death a consequence, it adds a whole new level of strategy to the sequel.
TheFatal Frameseries has not gained the same notoriety asResident EvilorSilent Hill, but the franchise is more frightening in a lot of ways due to its focus on lost spirits and the first-person camera mechanic.Fatal Frame 2is the apex of the series and is full of difficult missions and intimidating ghosts.
However, the game’s Nightmare Mode turns up the difficulty in some considerable ways, whether it’s through new bosses, stronger enemies, or weaker health items. It’s the perfect way to make a creepy game even scarier.
