Genres constantly evolve and change, almost becoming unrecognizable throughout the years. The same goes forhorror games. Horror has a special place when it comes to how they age, however. Sometimes, the things that date it make it evenscarier in the modern day.
Related:Most Cinematic Horror Movies
The primitive graphics, restrictive controls, and compressed sound all come together to create a unique experience that still gives it value even when compared to contemporary horror. The games below are still scary, but many modern gamers will have trouble going through these games without a guide. Even if they know exactly what to do, grasping with the controls presents a separate challenge on its own.
8Alone In The Dark
Survival Horror had an established formulathroughout the 1990s and into the early part of the next decade. Players controlled a beautifully detailed 3D character model as they explored a haunted setting made up of 2D backdrops. A lot of this comes from 1992’sAlone in the Dark.
Resident Evilfans will find a lot of familiarfeatures in this title, only with endlessly more obscure puzzles. Players can even enter a fail state and prevent themselves from progressing further through the story. Combat also takes a backseat. The protagonist has to run away from threats most of the time. The game’s legacy still lives on and a remake is in the works which seeks to expand and flesh out the narrative.
7Harvester
In the mid-90sthe discussion around violence in video games was heating up thanks to games likeMortal Kombat.Harvester,a point-and-click adventure game, took advantage of the zeitgeist to release a game purely about violence in the medium.
Criticisms vary on whether the game actually takes a nuanced look at the topic or if it’s just a zany and excessive example of it. If players have a guide, they can have a lot of fun going through this game, reading the quirky dialogue, and seeing the painfully cheesy FMV scenes.
6D
It is almost difficult to callDa traditional game because of its unique design. Players explore a small environment while trapped in this surreal hospital setting. They also only have two hours to complete the game. Without a guide,Dis an exercise in trial and error. With a guide, players can probably rush through the game fairly quick in one go.
Related:Every PS1 Game With More Than One Disc
The title is an allusion to what the game is aboutsince it deals with vampires.The game was ahead of its time for using a real actress to model the main character and the developers even used her for future games. Now it is normal to use an actor’s likeness for the character or at least use it as inspiration.
5I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream
Harlan Ellison wrotethis science fiction short story of the same namewhose mere concept is enough to send shivers down the spine. A sentient AI has destroyed humanity except for a small handful of people, keeping them alive for the sole purpose of tormenting them. Developer Cyber Dreams and Dreamers Guild thought this would make a great idea for a video game, and they were right.
Like many titles in the genre, there are multiple endings depending on what the player does and how successful they are. Unlike the story, the best ending turns out to be relatively happy. It is often considered one of the best adventure games of the 1990s.
4Phantasmagoria
This FMV game took advantage of the craze to make one of the most brutal games in the genre. It contains extremely grotesque death animations, though most of them look quaint and even silly by today’s standards. For 1995, though, it was really something to behold.
Related:FMV Games That Are Actually Great
Consider even what adventure games were like during the time and then how blown away gamers must have been when they saw a game with these production values. The game is more accessible than its contemporaries, but older adventure games still have a lot of hurdles for modern gamers even with a cleaner UI.
3Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest
Most of the classicCastlevaniagames are straightforward action games. They are extremely difficult, but figuring out where to go is as simple as going from left to right. The second entry in the franchise adds more RPG elements and puzzles,similar toZelda II: Adventures of Link.
Anyone experienced with NES action/adventure gamesknows they are all filled with obtuse puzzles. Figuring out where to go is only half the battle since the combat is also absurdly hard. Even with a guide, it will be hard to beatSimon’s Quest. The game is worth playing as a curiosity, but players will have a hard time reaching the credits.
2The 7th Guest
Even if players are unable to go throughThe 7th Guest, it is still important to know. It is one of the first games to be released on a CD-ROM, and it took full advantage of the format. There are tons of 3D graphics and CG scenes, more than anything else before the 1993 release.
The game involves the player solving a series of puzzles throughout a haunted mansion. Unique to the time, the game actually comes with a hint system players can access within the game and is inserted as a part of the plot.
1System Shock
Creators don’t need to do a lot more than leave gamers alone in space to frighten them.System Shockdoes this and also has a malevolent AI haunt players. While the atmosphere and plot are impressive, some controls will be confusing for those accustomed to more modern FPS controls.
Fortunately, Night Dive Studios is remaking the 1994 classic, which will hopefully make it more accessible in the modern age. The sequel,System Shock 2,more resembles a contemporary FPS while still retaining the RPG elements.
More:Horror Games That Are Cheesy But Charming
