10 best survival horror games for PC
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Just like horror movies, horror games fall in a genre of their own; not many people’s favorite, but horrifying enough to put every organ of the player’s body in a panic mode. You will find ghosts, zombies, ghouls, beasts, aliens, as well as gods. These survival horror games are not for the faint-hearted.
They will immerse you into a post-apocalyptic future where you will have only one mission: kill to survive. If you wish to take a ride to such a dystopian universe, then turn off the lights, put some headphones on and make sure you have an extra rifle by your side. We have compiled a list of the best survival horror games for PC that will supercharge your adrenaline.
Top 10 survival horror games of all times
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is one of the few survival horror games that exemplify how a tingling horror apocalypse looks like. This game will put you into one of the most hyperactive action sequences you have even seen. You play the role of Leon Kennedy, a man laboring under affliction that can sign his death certificate at any time.
Leon must shoot to decapitate the zombies, escape chainsaw wielding psychopaths, and hammer buttons in alarming frequent QTE sequences. These are frustratingly tough times for Leon but he has to fight to stay alive.
Get Resident Evil 4 from Steam.
Doom 3
Doom 3 packs scary action sequences as you fight attacks from all fronts. You will need an arsenal of weapons to slaughter an army of demons from hell, weird looking aliens, and upside-down baby face spiders. The precise timings of the game’s pop-up monsters and jump scares are what sets it apart.
You never know where the attack will come from and the scary part is what will attack. There is a selection of weapons to destroy every monster so the choice of weapons also determines whether you will stay alive or not.
Get Doom 3 from Steam.
Dead Space
Dead Space is a science fiction survival horror game that disturbingly mixes paranoia with violence to create an unrelentingly bleak miasma of fear. Set in a spaceship haunted by ugly looking aliens, Dead Space revolves around survival in an environment with a stench of death.
As a mechanic, you are armed with a laser cutter, sharp enough to dismember the already malformed alien creatures who have invaded your ship. Though armed with powerful weaponry, the task becomes difficult when the creatures hide and attacks from the dark and endless corridors of your spaceship.
Get Dead Space from Steam.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Now we are digging deeper into some of the greatest survival horror games of all times. Horror stories in nightmares may not seem real, but with Amnesia you get to see and experience the thrills. You play as Daniel, an Archaeologist who has lost his memory but has only one letter to guide him escape from the haunted castle and the scary monsters that are after him.
The only way to run away from these monsters is by sneaking and hiding. It gets even more difficult because even a single glance at the monsters can suddenly make them aware of your presence.
Get Amnesia: The Dark Descent from Steam.
Penumbra: Black Plague
Penumbra: Black Plague is a dark and creepy psychological horror game that revolves around the adventures of Phillip as he sets off to search for his dead father. Trapped in a mystic, shadowy underground complex and surrounded by enemies, Phillip is determined to discover the story behind his father’s disappearance.
Phillip must find his way and collect clues as he battles the psychological terrors before they strip him off sanity. Can Phillip conquer fear and discover the mystery behind his father’s disappearance? Only you can decide.
Get Penumbra: Black Plaque from Steam.
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned: Criminal Origins is a dark and frightening horror game that puts the player right into the closet of blood-thirsty psychopaths. There is a rogue serial killer on the loose and he really loves mannequins.
As a crime scene investigator, you’ll have a difficult time tracking down this killer before he does more menace while at the same time contend with the violent surroundings. Condemned is terrifying and really puts you in a killing mood.
Get Condemned: Criminal Origins from Steam.
Outlast
If you have watched ‘The Wrong Turn’ and felt the goose bumps this horror movie impacts, then you will be glad to discover its dear cousin in the gaming world. All this happens in the asylum of thick mountains of Colorado where horror awaits you.
Unaware of what to find in the Mount Massive Asylum, Miles, an independent journalist breaks into the facility and discovers a mystical and horrifying world that even science couldn’t explain. Once inside, his mission changes and survival becomes his only mission. He has to escape the horrors and his only hope of escape lies deep in the heart of Mount Massive.
Get Outlast from Steam.
Stasis
Things begin to get ugly when you wake up on a bizarre spaceship surrounded by bodies. Drowsy, disoriented and in pain, John Maracheck wakes up only to find himself sleeping on a wet steel floor. He finds the floor and his body covered with a thick green liquid that looks like alien blood leaving a trail that leads to a nearby stasis pod.
He has no idea of the whereabouts of his wife and his daughter. He has to begin a perilous adventure in search of his family. Using the game’s mechanics, you are supposed to use the objects around you to find John’s family.
Get Stasis from Steam.
System Shock 2
System Shock 2 is one of the greatest survival horror games of all times. It’s arguably one of the most frightening horror survival games and features intensive action scenes with all types of monsters. It’s loaded with so many extras from rogue robots to cybernetic monsters and a universe of mutants called ‘the many’ that will put your chances of survival at risk.
It’s a first-person perspective game that allows you to choose your path, your skills, and your weapons as you prepare to immerse yourself into one of the most horrifying experiences of your life.
Get System Shock 2 from Steam.
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Call of Cthulhu is one of the best examples of psychological survival horror games ever made. The game quickly immerses you into the adventure with intense action in a shadowy environment that has a stench of death.
You have to rely heavily on your investigation, exploration, and combat skills while faced with the nearly impossible task of fighting evil incarnate. You will be provided with enough ammunition and you will be able to interact freely with characters and the environment.
Get Call of Cthulhu: Dark corners of the earth from Steam.
Conclusion
Unlike racing games that arouse your brain and concentration level, survival horror games impart fear as you fight for your life. These games can be very scary especially when played on a sophisticated VR like the HTC Vive. However, that does not mean that the PC versions are less impactful.
The list above highlights the best PC survival horror games that will literally cause your spine to tingle. Do you have a favorite horror game that you feel deserves a place on the list? Sound off in the comments section below.
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