Top 7 Horror Games of Yesteryear (2023)
2023 was an incredible year for horror games, making me thrilled to see what 2024 has in store for us gamer ghouls. I’m amazed at how these developers are bringing their own touch to the genre, giving us so many different experiences while we get the sh*t scared right out of us. I love so many different types of games, from the fantasy worlds of Final Fantasy, to the mind-soothing antics of House Flipper 2, but there’s a special type of magic in the horror genre that never fails to bewitch me.
Whether you just got into horror games recently, or you’re going into 2024 hoping to play more, here are my favorites of 2023 that I feel are definitely worth playing. I did my best to rank them based on my personal enjoyment, but they’re also like my babies, so just know I love them all very, very much!
7. Lethal Company
The fact that this game came out of nowhere and took the gaming world by storm is so fascinating, and I’m thrilled to see such a fun, kooky, and spooky game take off the way that it did.
In Lethal Company, you play as scrap collectors hopping from planet to planet to collect random junk and sell it to an entity known as “the Company.” While collecting scrap, players must avoid these planets’ creatures, from shadow-like specters hell-bent on snapping your neck, to mannequins that swiftly stalk you when you’re not looking. Players have to meet a quota that steadily increases by selling scraps, or else they’re ejected into space for failing to feed “the Company.”
This might be one of the most addicting co-op experiences I’ve had in gaming. Not only is it genuinely scary to be hunted by the extraterrestrial horrors, but the amount of wild shenanigans that ensue will have you going from jump-scared to laughing in no time at all. Even if you’re sensitive to horror, recruiting a friend to meet quota for the Company will absolutely create so many wacky memories for everyone involved.
6. Parasocial
Chilla’s Art, the devs behind Parasocial, have really been on a super impressive streak when it comes to making satisfying horror games. This one definitely might be one of my favorites from them.
Parasocial follows the story of a gaming live streamer (specifically a Vtuber) whose stage name is Senra Nina as she becomes the victim of a relentless stalker. As the stalker’s actions become more and more life threatening, Nina does what she can to keep herself safe while maintaining her presence as an internet sensation.
I don’t want to give too much of this one away, because the events that unfold are wild. However, if you enjoy a thrilling horror story with intriguing characters and a “whodunit” sort of plotline, you will definitely enjoy this one. Chilla’s storytelling has continued to get better over time, and Parasocial, in my opinion, might be one of their best told stories, thus far.
5. Dredge
When Dredge originally popped up on my radar, I didn’t pay much mind, as it seemed like just a dark, gritty fishing simulator. It is much, MUCH more than that.
Dredge follows the story of a new fisherman in the area who agrees to locate arcane relics for a collector that’s…passionately determined to make sure he receives them. You get to know the fishmongers and merchants who help you along the way, upgrade your ship to catch even more fish, and discover what’s lurking in the dark depths of the seas.
Dredge accomplished what I’ve always wanted out of a “chill” horror game. Most of the gameplay revolves around catching fish, dredging up scrap to improve the ship, selling the fish, and upgrading your ship so you can more efficiently sail across the map. The fishing and dredging minigames take just enough focus to feel like a challenge, but not enough to ever feel impossible, making progress feel relaxing and attainable. There’s a day/night cycle with extra dangers to avoid at night, plenty of side quests that build the world around you, and tons of unique characters that offer engaging story beats. I finished this game feeling 100% satisfied about every single moment I spent playing it, and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to ease their way into playing horror games.
4. Slay the Princess
Just when I thought the visual novel format had worn itself out, Slay the Princess came in on a wrecking ball and said “until you met me.”
Slay the Princess offers a simple premise: you’re the hero who’s told they must slay the princess, or else the whole world will end. You don’t know her, and you don’t know how she ends the world. You don’t even know if she is the one that ends the world, but you were told to slay her. What do you do, now? Probably ask her directly? Just see where that goes.
I’ve played a lot of “choices matter” visual novels in recent years, but this one didn’t just knock it out of the park, it knocked it out of the zip code. When I say literally every choice matters, literally every choice matters, and the results of some of those choices may surprise you. The story it told me was one I think people really need to hear, and that’s where I’ll leave any details about the plot. I don’t want to say too much because it really is a story you should see for yourself to really get the full experience. What I will say is that it’s got great voice acting, incredible storytelling, and the horror is horrific. You’ll definitely love your time with this one.
3. Bramble: The Mountain King
When you start this game, you might ask yourself, “is this really a horror game?” and, I promise, you will not miss the moment when it confirms that.
When Olle’s sister, Lillemor, goes missing in a forest filled with Nordic fairy tale creatures, Olle must find her before she becomes troll food. While it may seem like a dreamy adventure to bring his sister home, it quickly turns into a nightmare when you see that the journey will not be easy. Then you may think, “well, maybe that was the only time it would be horrific?” Oh no, there will be more.
Bramble’s greatest strength is the seamless blend of beautiful, breath-taking visuals of living in a fairy-tale fantasy, with the grim reality that living in a fairy-tale world also means dealing with the terrifying fairy-tale creatures. The game holds nothing back, when it comes to the danger poor Olle will go through. The narrator, however, tells this story in a way that makes it all feel so gentle, like you’re sitting next to her on the couch while she reads. Bramble is absolutely my favorite blend of the fantasy and horror genres, so far.
2. Resident Evil 4 Remake
This might be so high on the rankings because the original Resident Evil 4 was both my first Resident Evil game AND because Leon S. Kennedy, the main character, was a huge part of my gay awakening. Don’t let the bias fool you, though, because the remake absolutely served in a way that far surpassed the OG.
We follow Leon, who’s gone from “cop who saw all his coworkers get eaten by zombies on his first day at the job” to a jaded Secret Service agent full of sarcastic one-liners, to a backwards village in Spain, where the must save the president’s daughter, Ashley Graham. As he interviews the locals and searches deeper in the village, he sees that everyone seems just a little hostile, but in a murderous way, not a passive aggressive “I can’t believe you invited him to the party” kind of way. Being a survivor of a similar threat, he knows what he’s up against, and bravely goes into another survival horror nightmare.
The reason this game is ranked so high for me is because while the over-arching story and setting is (essentially) the same as the original, that’s where the similarities end. Lots of story beats were revamped to be much more engaging, with more dynamic character development and an even darker vibe that served the game very well. Characters were fleshed out in ways that were both fun to watch and felt natural, and gameplay was modernized to be way more enjoyable. This one is so much better to the point where if anyone asked me which is the preferred experience, I say “OG who? Play the remake.” The OG still has a place in my heart, but it’s simply not the superior playthrough, in my opinion.
- Alan Wake 2
It won Best Narrative at The Game Awards for a reason. It was nominated for Game of the Year for several reasons. It goes to show that horror is not to be ignored when it comes to art and technology coming together to make a truly unique and beautiful horror gaming experience.
Alan Wake 2 takes place after the story of the first Alan Wake, after The Dark Place pulls him into a nightmare beyond anything he could ever imagine. We’re brought into the story with Saga Anderson, a prodigy of an FBI agent who can quite literally profile people by getting into their mind, as she’s investigating the murder of a familiar face from the first game. When she discovers Alan’s tie into all of this, and how the Dark Presence can twist his stories into horrific nightmares and project them into reality, it becomes a race against these horrors to keep it from taking her family.
When I say this game had it all, it had it all. The way it brings in newcomers to the series with a sort of “true crime” vibe to start, and beautifully weaves in the horrors those who played the first Alan Wake will recognize. They brought an even darker vibe to the horrors the Dark Presence released upon the small town of Bright Falls, but the dynamic cast of characters were bright and effervescent enough to feel like they were holding your hand along the way. Not only is the horror of The Dark Presence as an entity so beautifully crafted, but the development of the two protagonists, Saga and Alan, is both tactful and triumphant to watch. Something I love about horror is when characters have to deal with their own personal demons to fight the literal demons, and Alan Wake 2 absolutely delivered on the message that we are stronger than the darkness that lurks within us.
2023 was a great year for horror games. I truly enjoyed how many unique experiences devs in this genre have given along the years, as so many of these games show a powerful love and a fun grasp of what works in horror. It’s always the genre I look forward to most because, even when it’s janky, it can still be a hoot and a half.
Let me know what your favorite horror games of 2023 were! Leave a comment or tweet me @jeffbrutlag!
