Horror has remained a prevalent theme in video games ever since the first horror survival game, 3D Monster Maze was developed by Malcolm Evans and released by J. K. Greye Software in 1982. 40-years later in early 2022, the theme has grown to encompass every gaming genre that we can possibly think of. The technological standards that today’s scary games display are nothing short of astounding to even modern gamers at times. For horror games though, it still comes down to two all-important factors: spookiness and satisfaction. Keeping that in mind, stay with us and take look through some of 2021’s scariest video games across five different genres.
Interactive-Adventure/Survival Horror
So far, The Dark Pictures Anthology by Supermassive Games has seen three interactive-adventure horror games being released under the banner. However, their latest installment form 2021 is arguably the most enjoyable and the scariest out of all three.
Even considering that interactive adventure-horror is not a genre that everyone likes, The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes comes highly recommended to any horror fan out there who has not yet delved into this ancient, underground adventure where forgotten horrors from the ancient and lost Sumerian civilization still lurk in the shadows.
2021 was a good year for interactive adventure games, so we were not surprised to find that another interactive adventure-horror game was thoroughly enjoyable in both spookiness and concept. The Medium by Bloober Team is not for the faint of heart as you will shift in between dimensions and realities as the female protagonist (aka, the medium!), to investigate, explore, and fight a terrifying presence called “The Maw!”
Horror Platformers
There is only one game that comes even close to claiming the title of being the top horror platformer in 2021 and that would be Little Nightmares 2 by Tarsier Studios. Six may have escaped the nightmare fuel of a ship called “The Maw” in the original, but she only ended up in an even more horrible place called “The Signal Tower.”
This time around though, you control a different child while trying to escape the giant, sadistic, and cannibalistic humanoid monstrosities that haunt the world of Little Nightmares. Six will still be there to assist Mono, but she will be controlled entirely by the AI only. It’s a horrifyingly satisfying, platformer with embedded survival horror elements at every step.
Unfortunately, Little Nightmares II was the only worthy horror game released in 2021 that can qualify as a platformer. If you do not mind going back a bit to enjoy your games more, we recommend that you play Little Nightmares (2017) first.
Horror Slots
Horror slots are released throughout the year, but we see a bump in interest towards horror-themed slots around Halloween among players. Catering to those interests, spooky slot games usually sweeten the pot around that time with excellent bonuses for both new and old players.
2021 was no different in that regard, but players did see a few gems from lesser-known studios this year. For example, Howling Wolves Megaways by Booming Games creates an exceptionally spooky environment for players visually, while also supplementing the experience with enough howls, creepy music, and other special effects to keep things as eerie as possible! As far as winning is concerned, 117,649 paylines with a maximum possible pay out of 2,168x the total stake does promise great things for those willing to take a few chances in Howling Wolves Megaways (96% RTP).
Speaking of big bonuses, you can always find slot bonuses and free spin offers updated and listed on OnlineCasinos.Com. What truly makes their site worth every visit is the fact that all online slots and sites listed there are licensed and registered with the UKGC. You may like horror themed slots and other games, but nobody likes the horror of discovering that they got cheated online.
Next, we have another scary slot game full of bonuses from Nemesis, called Monster’s House. In all honesty, the game’s visuals really need some work, but it still deserves a mention just for its 2,500x the total stake allowance. However, Legacy of Vlad is a better-looking slot game with some very creepy looking character designs. It isn’t as rich in slot bonuses as Monster’s House though, so play Legacy of Vlad only for the creep factor but look to Monster’s House and Howling Wolves Megaways to find the big bonuses.
Horror Deckbuilding Games
There are a ton of horror-themed card battlers or deck builders released every year now, especially after the huge success of Mega Crit Games’ Slay the Spire (2019). However, Inscryption by Daniel Mullins Games is not just a spectacular example of horror deckbuilding games, it also creates a niche of its own. No other game in the genre is as dedicated towards delivering a truly horrifying experience to the player as Inscryption was in 2021.
Since spooky is a common theme in card battler games, we did have a number of other excellent releases in the genre as well.in 2021. Out of them all, Black Book by Morteshka must be mentioned. This is another game that focusses more on the story and the spook factor than the usual, cartoonish horror themed deckbuilding games such as Deck of Ashes for example. Based on Slavic legends and ancient dark arts, Black Book is both a scary adventure and a fantastic deck builder game from 2021.
Horror Action-Survival Games
If you like horror games where Clive Barker-esque monsters chase you to within an inch of your digital life, but you are not left entirely defenceless either, then you must have played Resident Evil: Village already. Just in case you have not, know that no Resident Evil game had managed to balance action and survival horror as well as the latest entry in the series. They even have a heart-attack friendly VR version in the making for exceptionally brave souls to enjoy!
Let’s round up this list with a few bouses that did not make it onto this list. We have Dyas Gone, Forewarned, and Tormented Souls to complete the post right here. Just make sure that you are of the right age for visceral scenes though!
