The survival horror genre is known for its elements of resource management, limited saves, and unsettling atmospheres that often immerse players in their dark and creepy environments by making them feel consistently vulnerable.Games such asResident EvilandSilent Hillare staples of the genre, featuring hallmark mechanics of the survival horror genre.
While not every survival horror game is the scariest of experiences, players who scare easily are likely to bounce off of certain titles. However, there are a handful of great survival horror experiences that dial down the horror, usually in favor of action. As a result, these games tend to sacrifice authenticity for accessibility, allowing non-horror fans to enjoy survival horror gameplay.
Taking heaps of inspiration fromthe iconicDino Crisis,Dino Traumais a90s-inspired first-person shooterthat features a retro aesthetic and gameplay to match. While its gameplay and visuals may be a bit rough around the edges, it’s certain to offer a nostalgic experience forDino Crisisfans.Dino Traumais a relatively action-packed game, taking equal inspiration from games likeTurok, but the survival horror influence is also clear as day, with enemy ambushes and somewhat limited ammunition.
Dino Traumaisn’t the scariest game, though; despite scattering a few mild scares throughout its levels, the game is a largely mild experience. Furthermore, the gameplay features some arcade aspects, such as a combo meter and damage numbers, that steer it further from the horror genre. However, this makesDino Traumatremendously accessible, both as a retro FPS and as a survival horror game.
DOOM 3is arguably closer to action horror than survival horror, but it still maintains a combination of survival and horror in its gameplay. Players will still have to manage their ammo — especially when playing the original version of the game from 2004 — but they’re unlikely to be left without a weapon to shoot.DOOM 3isn’t the scariest survival horror game, either, but it features plenty of nasty creatures and spooky, dark hallways that are sure to thrill without urging players to turn off the game.
What allowedDOOM 3to feel closer to survival horror thantypicalDOOMFPSaction was its addition of laborious reload animations and slow movement speed (both uncharacteristic ofDOOM), which often make the player vulnerable to enemy attacks. This, along withDOOM 3’sinfamous flashlight (forcing players to put away their weapon in order to see in dark spaces) makes for a relatively constant sense of dread. However, thanks to the game’s focus on action, it never gets close to the scares of survival horror staples.
The originalResident Evil 4was a stand-out entry intheResident Evilfranchisethanks to its innovative over-the-shoulder gameplay and focus on action. Despite being an action-packed experience,Resident Evil 4still included the cornerstones of survival horror in its design, with limited resources, designated save rooms, and hard-hitting enemies working to make the player feel vulnerable throughout the game.
Although the opening sequence ofResident Evil 4comes close to being scary, providing a memorable set-piece to start the game, the scares are few and far between as the player progresses. The B-movie narrative and exaggerated dialogue between characters is also more up front than previousResident Evilgames, which makes the villains far less scary.
STALKER: Shadow Of Chernobylis a niche, at-times inaccessible, and extremely rough-around-the-edges experience that tasks players with exploring the dangerous environments of the “Zone,” battling mutated creatures and bandits as they try desperately to stay alive.STALKERfeatures RPG mechanics, horror elements, and survival gameplay that has players managing their resources carefully as they explore the Zone. Limited ammunition and health drops, deadly gunfights, and horrifying monsters all work to create an unsettling experience that combines survival and horror in unique ways.
STALKERis, however, more intense than it is scary. There are some unsettling locations and, as mentioned, some creatures that players may find frightening, butSTALKER’sinaccessibility comes from its rough edges rather than its horror.STALKERis a one-of-a-kind experienceand can be tremendously immersive, making it a game worth playing for those that enjoy the survival and vulnerability aspects of the survival horror genre more than the horror itself.
This cinematic survival horror experiencefrom Remedy Entertainment(ofMax Paynefame) takes players on a wild ride from the perspective of two distinctive characters.Alan Wake 2’sgreatest strengths are arguably its visuals and overall presentation, which blends live-action and in-engine cutscenes with richly detailed environments and dynamic lighting to great effect. Fans of Remedy Entertainment games looking for a survival horror experience will almost certainly get a kick out ofAlan Wake 2, as it blends Remedy’s love for supernatural horror with light survival horror gameplay that gives players just enough room to breathe.
In terms of horror,Alan Wake 2leans hard on its consistently creepy atmosphere and sci-fi thrills, coupled with a few admittedly killer jump scares. The survival horror gameplay is clear and present, limiting the player’s health and ammo pick-ups while inhibiting the player’s ability to save outside of designated rooms. Thanks to its focus on an unsettling, eerie atmosphere,Alan Wake 2offers a horror experience that’s closer to a sci-fi thriller than pure horror, allowing it to be accessible to those that scare easily.
