Top 10 Nightmare Fuel Video Games

As if trying to solve a series of grisly murders wasn’t bad enough. Wrongly convicted cop Ethan Thomas not only has to survey bloody crime scenes while on the trail of such sick individuals as Serial Killer X and the Torturer, but also deal with Metro City’s increasingly psychotic citizens. Swarms of crazed individuals hunting after you, non-stop paranoia as you follow the increasingly bloody trail, not to mention such delightful scenes as having a mutilated body leap out at you. Yeah, it’s definitely a bad day at the office.

#9: “Outlast” (2013)

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Asylums are a popular trope in horror games, but no madhouse has inspired more dread and left us with more mental scars than Mount Massive. As a hard-hitting journalist not afraid of throwing himself into danger, Miles Upshur unwittingly drags us into a nightmare scenario as he soon discovers the facility is now in the hands of its patients. While there’s a multitude of jump scares along the line that could land this game on the list, we have to divert your attention to the sadistic Dr Trager, whose introduction had everyone clutching their fingers afterwards. Snip snip.

#8: “Five Nights at Freddy’s 4” (2015)

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By this time in the series many fans were concerned that the mechanics would run stale and Freddy and company had lost their sinister edge. Then came along the fourth entry, where the whole thing got one hellish make over. Instead of a Night Guard trying to defend himself from haunted animatronics, this time we play from the perspective of a traumatised child who is hounded by much more monstrous forms of Freddy and the gang. With the added tension of being forced to listen out for footsteps and breathing combined with the intense new jump scares, five nights cannot be over soon enough.

#7: “The Suffering” (2004)

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Just because you can fight back doesn’t always mean the scares have to be detracted, case and point with the bloody escapades of Torque. Not only do you have to battle against some very creative, very unnerving supernatural creatures, but you have to face your own inner demons. Depending on your actions throughout the game, the ultimate fate of Torque’s crime and whether or not he killed his own family is slowly revealed, and the results are equally saddening across the board. Oh, and you are also haunted by some of gaming’s most sinister yet wholly entertaining ghosts. Right, Dr Killjoy?

#6: “Resident Evil” [Remake] (2002)

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Everyone knows and reveres the original game for being one of the godfathers of the survival horror genre, but it can’t be denied that its visuals and abysmal voice acting took away some of its creepy atmosphere. Then came along the remake, and with it a new chance to wrap its mutated fingers around the throats of players. With its polished look, the corridors of the mansion feel all the more claustrophobic, which makes the appearances of a giant snake, giant spiders, lickers and the Tyrant all the more terrifying.

#5: “Silent Hill 2” (2001)

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With so many equally eerie entries under its belt, what makes this second instalment stand out above its ominous peers? Two words; Pyramid Head. As James Sunderland searches the fog-filled town in search of his thought-dead wife, not only is he bombardment by disturbing monsters that can stem from literally anywhere, but his own sanity comes into question as the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death become murky. Throw in its cryptic puzzles, dreary setting heavy with a sorrowful atmosphere, as well as one of the most iconic creatures in all of gaming. No matter how much time passes, when you hear the sound of Pyramid Head’s sword approaching you heart still stops.

#4: “Amnesia: The Dark Decent” (2010)

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Prepare to take a journey into the heart of darkness as one amnesiac-stricken Englishman awakens to find himself in the less than cheerful castle of Brennenburg, where he soon discovers that the key to recovering his lost memories is held amidst a series of hideous monsters, increasingly complex puzzles as well as the involvement of an ancient artefact known as the orb. While all this culminates in a narrative that will keep you deeply invested in its mystery, what tips it over the edge into true nightmare fuel is the inclusion of the water creature, the Shadow, and the realisation that our protagonist may not in fact be a good man after all.

No one handles a haunting quite like a J-Horror game, and the Fatal Frame series stands tall in this regard among a landscapes of highly successful titles. Crimson Butterfly especially shows how true scares can come even from the most typical of supernatural beings. As two sisters find themselves lost in an abounded village, they encounter various paranormal forces dead-set on them taking part in an ancient ritual. Their only defence? A camera with the handy ability to exorcize spirits, forcing players to get up close and personal if they want to survive.

#2: “P.T.” (2014)

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It may only be a playable teaser to a game that is never going to get made but Hideo Kojima’s masterfully crafted horror experience will introduce you to new levels of fear. Taking every advantage of its short playtime, players are treated to everything from the subtle yet disturbing phone calls all the way to a talking foetus that berates your character for being a terrible human being. Top it all off from one hell of a jump scare from the lead’s recently murdered wife and P.T shows that even with so very little you can a manage to create an actual living hell. Hats off to you Kojima, can’t wait for Death Stranding! Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few honourable mentions. “Harvester” (1996) “System Shock 2” (1999)

A decade on and this thriller still knows how to bend the mind of its players until you find yourself equally invested in how it switches between characters from various points in history as well as being just downright mortified from how scary that bloodsoaked bathtub scene was. Throw in the sanity effect that will have each of your lead characters battling nightmarish creatures as well as morbid hallucinations, and from beginning to end you’ll be edging your way through this game with much trepidation, and that’s all before you have to face a God of Corpses!