Summary
Horror games need to make a major impression, especially given the negative reputation of this genre in the eyes of many. It’s unfair to label these titles as jumpscare fests, especially when some titles make a valiant effort to scare players with their writing alone.
The chilling stories present in these games will make fans uncomfortable as they power their way through the ending without being traumatized in the process. It shows the power of a good script and how it can elevate the quality of a horror game to new heights.
The Cat Ladyis one of the most gripping and disturbing horror gamesfans can experience. The story of Susan Ashworth as she deals with several horrifying people and tries to appease a malevolent deity takes some violent twists and turns.
This game is not for the faint of heart, especially given the disturbing content that fans can witness in this title. Thankfully,The Cat Lady’s writing does justice to these heavy themes and ensures they aren’t used for mere shock value.
The trope of teenagers being forced into a situation where their lives are at peril is popular in horror media. What makesOxenfreeso notable in this regard is how it uses quality writing to justify what should’ve been a cliché trope.
The excellent script and riveting visuals ensure that this paranormal adventure will strike a chord with many players. While not specifically a horror game,Oxenfreedoes have terrifying elements to it which make it worth consideration.Oxenfreeis surprisingly laid-back and lets players slowly immerse themselves in an excellent indie game.
Pathologic 2is one of the hardest and most surreal horror games ever made. Players may have to restart this game several times before they even know what’s going on and how they can prevent their deaths from permanently hampering their run.
A huge part of this game’s allure is a narrative that is told beautifully without seeming overly pretentious.The world ofPathologic 2comes to lifecourtesy of its writing and makes for an immersive experience, encouraging fans to become better at playing this game so that they can answer the questions posed by this title’s alluring mystery.
Slay the Princessis one of the best visual novel horror games fans can check out for themselves. The amazing script, disturbing visuals, and voice acting are in a class of their own, ensuring that fans will be left thoroughly impressed by the time they spend with the game.
The cosmic horror of this game encourages multiple playthroughs as players try to explore various paths and branches in the story before reaching the end of a riveting experience. It’s a one-of-a-kind horror game where the writing does the heavy lifting, which clearly works, given how players can’t stop raving about this game after they’re finished.
Sunless Skiesis a horror RPGwhere players control a ship exploring the skies and trying to make a fortune. Everything from the captain’s background to their goals is dictated by the player, ensuring that role-playing is always a priority in this title.
It helps that the various locations in the game are bolstered by the quality of the writing as players explore various kinds of horrors that boggle the mind. This text-heavy RPG is a massive improvement over its predecessor in every way, with the writing doing all the heavy lifting and compelling players to complete the side stories present in every major port.
While the firstSilent Hillgame took a direct approach when it came to its horror, it’s the sequel that leaned heavily towards themes of psychological horror. James Sunderland is a widower torn up over the death of his former wife, only to see a letter written by her asking him to head to the town ofSilent Hill.
It’s only afterplayers brave the dangers of this townthat the true scope of the plot comes to light. It makes for a riveting experience that paints James in a new light, with a twist for the ages that has gone down in video gaming history because of how well it’s written.
A huge part of what makesOmorisuch an excellent title is the writing,lulling players with its charm before shocking them with horrific imagery. Sunny’s internal struggles are at the heart of this experience, especially since he’s clearly struggling to get over the death of his sister.
As players explore Headspace and help Sunny explore the modern world once again, the ugly truths of the past come to light. It makes for a horrifying realization that ultimately ends with a tearjerker of an ending, showing whyOmori’s writing is in a class of its own.
There’s a reason whyThe Last of Usattained numerous accolades, is hailed by many as the greatest video game of all time, and spawned a quality video game adaptation that fans love. Joel and Ellie’s relationship is at the heart of a video game that deals with human problemsdespite the zombie apocalypse setting.
The best part aboutThe Last of Us' writing is how conversations seem natural, and no character is portrayed to be truly black and white, barring a few outliers. Joel and Ellie are two of gaming’s greatest characters because of how fleshed-out and believable their bond is.
