The Top 4 Scariest Video Game Titles That I’ve Ever Played

Love scary games that are powerful enough to make your skin crawl? So do I. And now that Halloween is slowly creeping closer and closer, there’s no better time to double back and replay/relive some of those scary titles. In this post, I’ve listed some of the scariest video games that I’ve ever played and why they’ve stuck with me ever since the first time I loaded them into my Xbox console(s). 

Now, you may notice that most of these titles are quite dated and go back a loooong way. However, I can justify this because when I played these games for the first time, I was anywhere between 11 and 14 years old. And at that age, everything is a little bit bigger and scarier. Granted, there have been some pretty scary games recently released, one of which is listed in this post, but these particular titles made me squirm and continue to do so even today!

So, let’s get started!

1. Bioshock 2 (2007)

This game was actually given to me by some friends who were older than me and were looking to get rid of some of their old Xbox 360 games. I enjoyed Bioshock 2 better than the first Bioshock because I liked playing as the ‘Big Daddy/Subject Delta’. If you’ve played this game, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, have a look at this. This a first-person shooter that takes players to an underwater city called Rapture circa 1968. Sounds nice, right? Well, unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned for the inhabitants and the creators of this underwater mecca.

Since the city is free from the prying eyes of the government and other outsiders, its citizens decide to splice themselves with a gene-alternating substance called ADAM, which turned them into flesh-hungry monsters. As a first-generation Big Daddy, you must use your weapons, armor, and magical abilities to fend off these fiends (and other powerful Big Daddies) and save the “Little Sisters” from Rapture's new, evil leader, Sofia Lamb!

The whole story really is as creepy and twisted as it sounds, and the game does a great job of making players feel the fear in every conflict that they are faced with. I highly recommend Bioshock 2 to anyone who has yet to play it. An oldie, but a goodie nonetheless!

2. Friday the 13th (2017)

If you’re a huge fan of the movie series, or just love the idea of being chased through the woods by a merciless killer wearing a hockey mask, then this is the game for you. I liked both, so I HAD to give this game a try when it came out. I was actually really impressed with how the game was set up and the strategy involved, whether you’re playing as Jason or as a survivor/camp counselor. I must say though, I enjoy the challenge and suspense that goes with being a counselor and trying to escape the camp without being found.

The goals of each roll are pretty cut and dry, just like any typical slasher movie/game. If you’re Jason, you must find the counselors before they escape the camp or gain enough intelligence and weapons to kill you! Yes, it is possible to kill Jason, but there is a strategy to it, which not everyone is too keen to carry out until they’ve developed a good feel for the game. On the other hand, if you are a counselor, you must find a way to either escape the camp using a vehicle, call the police and have them rescue you, or survive the night (or the round) without being killed by Jason. Pretty simple, right? 

3. Resident Evil 5  (2009)

I received this game as a Christmas gift back in 2009 when I still had my 360. I hadn’t played any of the previous Resident Evil games in the series at this point, but I heard nothing but good things about the game’s creepy plot and the way it seems to capture the fear and attention of its players. So, I figured this was my chance to finally experience it for myself. I was actually impressed!

While I can’t say that this is one of my favorite games of all time, I can say that it did get the job done in freaking me out and delivering that fright factor that I was told about.  Because the graphics from the original 2009 version weren’t anything to write home about, the game was actually re-vamped for next-gen consoles in 2015, which made the game look better overall. And that’s why I think more players (including myself) have a newfound appreciation for this particular Resident Evil title. If you haven’t tried it yet, I recommend that you do so while we’re in the season of frights and freaks.

4. Left 4 Dead (2009)

It seems like 2009 was a good year for scary horror games, and Left 4 Dead certainly proves that point. This a first-person shooter game that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys shotgunning relentless waves of zombies, especially with friends. Besides the scary nature of this game, I really enjoyed the multiplayer/co-op part of it, which made it more fun than most games with similar plots and gameplay designs. Left 4 Dead presents players with a dark and dreary setting, which is how every zombie apocalypse should be, in my opinion. 

A few traits that attributed to the scare factor for me were the look of the zombies, the eeriness of the setting, and the way that it allows you to kill and be killed during every interaction. I also like the way that the game makes each kill look realistic according to the weapons used and where the blows/shots land. 

Given all of these cool and creepy factors, I would say that Left 4 Dead sort of set the standard for future zombie/horror games that came after it. I only say that, because prior to this game, there weren’t any other zombie games that really impressed me. But Left 4 Dead really stuck with me and continues to stick with me, especially around this time of the year!

So, what are the scariest games you’ve ever played? And, If you’ve played the games on my list, did you find them as scary good as I did? Let me know and put your picks in the comments section below. Also, if you have any recommendations for me, please leave those in the comments as well. Thanks for joining me once again!

Until we meet again,

Vince the Prince