Be afraid
The Evil Within (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
Release Date: October, 2014 Pre-order now on Amazon
If you're looking for a classic-style horror game that's reminiscent of titles like Resident Evil, you're in luck. Shinji Mikami, the creative mind behind the original Resident Evil and the genre-changing Resident Evil 4, is bringing The Evil Within to the next-generation consoles.
The Evil Within is said to be a return to the terrifying roots of the survival horror medium. Instead of being a heavily armed monster killer, you're an unprepared cop who needs to use the environment rather than his gun to survive. Mikami has said that he wants to focus on making games scary again, and we can't wait to see what he has in store for us in this twisted thriller.
Alien: Isolation (Xbox One, PS4, 360, PS3, PC)
Release Date: Fall 2014 Alien: Isolation.
The thing that makes Alien: Isolation different from the other gun-toting Aliens games is that there's only one alien, and that alien is incredibly smart. The development team is putting a ton of effort into making the alien AI look and feel like it's a living, breathing hunter. It will adapt to your movements, search for you systematically, and occasionally surprise you with a well-placed tail blade through your sternum. Could you survive like the original film's Ripley? Here's your chance to find out.
The Walking Dead: Season 2 (360, PS3, PC, Vita)
Release Date: 2014
The first two episodes of The Walking Dead: Season 2 are already out, and so far they've been fantastic. Clementine is out in the zombie-infested wilderness on her own, having lost most of her companions from the first season. The dynamic has changed; you're no longer playing the strong, adult, leadership role that Lee took on previously. Clem is just a little girl, and one that no one really listens to. Things are quite different now.
There's still three more episodes left in the season, so you have some time to dive into the previous ones if you haven't already. Unfortunately, Telltale generally doesn't have an announced release schedule for the upcoming chapters, but if they're as thrilling as the rest of the series has been, they'll be worth the wait.
The Forest (PC)
Release Date: 2014
The Forest really puts the survival in survival horror. You're stranded on a (seemingly) deserted island where the environment is said to be living. Plants will grow and die, there's a day-and-night cycle, and even the tide will come in or go out in real time. You can explore the island, hunt for food, build weapons, and even construct a home guarded by various traps. But traps for what, you say? Well, that's where the horror comes in.
See, the deserted island isn't exactly empty. As you explore the many caves and other dark areas in the environment, you'll come across an aggressive tribe of humanoid cannibals that will eat you in your sleep. After that, the game becomes a challenge of preparing for the dangers of the night while in the relative safety of the daylight. So, now building up strong walls becomes much more important than just keeping the weather out.
Routine (PC)
Release Date: 2014
There's just something inherently horrifying about being on a space station alone with skulking monsters that want to kill you. And if you're looking for that kind of scary situation, good news--there's a game that taps right into that exact emotional terror, with an aesthetic that brings Stanley Kubrick to mind. Routine drops you right into the middle of a moonbase filled with...something that's basically trying to rip your face off. The twist with Routine is that there are no respawns. Once you're dead, you start all over. So, you have to explore the entire base in one go--which, judging by the trailers, isn't going to be easy.
With an initial release date set in 2013, the developer Lunar Software went dark toward the end of the year, only to resurface in February to let fans know the game is still in the works. Now that the game is on track for a 2014 release, we can once again look forward to the day when we get brutally murdered by space robots and whatever else is lurking in Routine's dark corridors.
Among the Sleep (PC)
Release Date: 2014
There's been many a first-person horror game that puts you in the shoes of an unarmed, helpless hero--but none have been as helpless as a two-year-old child. In Among the Sleep, you step into the pajamas of a toddler as you explore the terrors of your own house and beyond.
Everything is seen from a child's perspective. Furniture is huge, grandfather clocks tower over you, and the underside of a bed makes for a perfect (albeit frightening) hiding place. The game supports the Oculus Rift headset as well, so you'll be able to actually feel like you're looking through the eyes of the child. We're not exactly sure what the horror aspects of the game will be, but given the imagination of a terrified little kid, the possibilities seem endless.
Dreadout (PC)
Release Date: 2014
If getting scared by the ghosts of Southeast Asia is your cup of tea, this is the game for you. Dreadout takes a page from the Fatal Frame series, placing you as an unarmed, lost high school student who's exploring an old, deserted town in Indonesia.
The main character, Linda, uses common gadgets like her smartphone and digital video camera to interact with passing spirits, solve puzzles, and fend off aggressive ghosts. There aren't many details on the game as of yet, but anyone looking for a spiritual successor to Fatal Frame's classic atmospheric horror will want to keep an eye on Dreadout.
Asylum (PC)
Release Date: 2014
Based on the title, you can probably guess where this upcoming psychological horror title is set. But while the setting of a decrepit, rundown asylum may be a familiar setting, you won't be wandering the halls with the typical, creepy first-person controls. Instead, you'll explore the unsettling (and apparently horrifying) environment like you would a point-and-click adventure.
Unfortunately, we can't tell you much about Asylum's story, because the developers are purposely keeping it completely under wraps so as not to ruin the surprises. Nevertheless, a point-and-click adventure with a mysterious, unspoiled story and a promise to scare the bejesus out of us definitely has our attention.
White Night (PC)
Release Date:2014
Right off the bat, White Night stands out. The stark use of black and white negative space may remind us of 2009s Mad World, but an emphasis on light and shadows give it all a much eerier vibe. Additionally, the games slower pace and cinematographic nods to Hitchcock and Polanski give us the impression that White Night will be more focused on psychological horror than any jump scares.
But while the visuals may draw the most attention, the games got plenty in store for those wishing to relive the glory days of old school survival horror. The devs have said that theyre looking to the original Alone in the Dark as the strongest gameplay influence, and it shows. The lone protagonist, abandoned mansion, and exploration are all intact--maybe this time well be brave enough to see it through.
Dying Light (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
Release Date: February 2015 Pre-order now on Amazon
You couldn't have a list of horror games without one involving your brains being munched on by a pack of ravenous undead. In Dying Light, the zombie apocalypse is in full swing, forcing you to fight for survival in South American slums that are now filled with slow-moving face eaters.
The game's day-and-night cycle allows you to take advantage of the shambling ghouls that fill the streets in daylight. While the sun is out you can collect supplies from airdrop packages, save random survivors, and set traps to prepare for nightfall. But at night, your enemies take on a new form. The undead become more powerful, and are suddenly able to sprint, climb buildings, and kill you really, really fast. When the sun sets, the post-apocalyptic world becomes even more of a nightmare.
Grave (Xbox One, PC)
Release Date:2015
Playing through a horror game for the first time is great. The unknown environments, unexpected jump scares, and mystery of it all give us just the pant-wetting joys were looking for. But what happens when youve already done it all? Lights go out there, monster is hiding in the corner, and it was the farmer all along. Yawn.
Thats why were glad that procedurally generated horror is starting to catch on, and Grave looks like itll get the random right. With tons of possible environments and plenty of unique monster baddies, the indie game has all the ingredients wed expect from great a horror game--one well get to enjoy over and over and over again.
Are you afraid of the dark?
Those are some of the biggest horror titles coming out in the near future, but that won't be all. Be sure to check back later for more horror games games as they are announced. Let us know what games you are looking forward to in the comments below.
For more games coming on the horizon, be sure to check out the upcoming fighting games and upcoming RTS games.
