10 Indie Horror Games That Changed Everything
Indie horror games that changed the world.
Horror games, while reflecting many of the elements that make storytelling so effective in film, are an exceedingly unique medium. Horror movies, series, books, comics—these do not require someone to take part in the scares so much as observe them, making horror games an often more frightening experience than their counterparts in other media.
Horror games are also one of those genres that invite innovation from the indie sphere, with many of the genre's greatest innovations and titles coming from indie creators.
For many years, horror games by indie developers have changed the landscape of horror gaming as a whole, creating new waves of horror storytelling that many larger studios may have trouble capturing, with few exceptions.
It's time to give some well-deserved laurels to some of the indie titles that have changed horror gaming forever, either by being terrifically influential or by presenting ideas, mechanics, or stories that have never before been seen in the genre. So here's a list of ten of these iconic titles.
10. Limbo (Playdead)
Brimming with atmosphere and interesting mechanics, as well as gruesome outcomes for its innocent young protagonist, Limbo is a gorgeous and terrifying game that has since lent clear inspiration to others that came after.
As a puzzle platforming 2D side-scroller, the thoughtful complexity put into its solutions balances well with the simplicity of its visuals and story; it's thought-provoking without being overfilled with unnecessary bells and whistles. Its visual style is easy to identify, iconic in its dreamlike, shadowy black, white, and gray. It also made a splash with its horrifically gory deaths for its child protagonist, which discouraged repeated mistakes in gameplay.
Some similarly dark horror games that took clear inspiration from Limbo include Little Nightmares and the recently released Bramble: The Mountain King, both having the child protagonist, side-scrolling puzzle platform elements, and the gruesome monsters and death scenes.
Despite reported interference by investors during the production, independent studio Playdead was able to bring such a unique and brilliant vision to the gaming world, rewarded with both critical and commercial acclaim, in 2010, with another Playdead production, Inside, releasing in 2016.