9 Underrated Horror Games You Must Play Before You Die
Nerves of steel required.
The problem with horror games is overexposure. Resident Evil, Amnesia, even P.T. itself, often considered scary enough to be a free laxative alternative, can never elicit the same shrill screams of terror on repeated playthroughs and beyond. It's that damned sense of security fostered by familiarity that denies us the sought after adrenaline rush on return visits, and short of a memory wipe, there's no way to have that first-time experience again.
Fortunately, developers love making nightmare fuel just as much as we love consuming it, even to the extent that some such offerings inevitably slip by unnoticed. The genre's niche appeal always makes getting the word out tough, though, and with only the lucky few penetrating pop culture via viral exposure, we're left to sniff out those rare gems eagerly waiting to provide a nasty thrill ride.
From adaptations of H. P. Lovecraft's cosmically horrific works to harrowing plunges into the human psyche, nary a year goes by without a slew of obscure horror games quietly making an impact, and they're being criminally overlooked certainly isn't an indication of low-quality effort.
If you're looking for ways to stave off the ever-present Sandman in the near future, granting your time to any of these greats will ensure you never sleep again.
8. Observer
What it is: Further mind-melting psychological horror escapades, courtesy of rising indie star Bloober Team. Set in a dystopic future version of the Polish city of Krakow, Observer's cyber punk-infused cityscape - which wears its Blade Runner inspirations on its sleeve - is home to Daniel Lazarski, a police detective and member of the titular Observers special unit.
In this far-flung future, Lazarski and his fellow Observers enforce the law, not through contemporary means, but by invasively hacking the minds of potential suspects through use of the aptly-named Dream Eater.
Why it's scary: Scripted scares are aplenty in Observer (almost always well-executed, by the way), but that's not the true source of its horror. As if the nightmarish existential themes it touches upon weren't enough to cause extreme unease, Lazarski literally inserting his consciousness into the minds of potential killers and drug abusers and facing the surreal terrors within is truly nerve-wracking. Credit too, goes to the accompanying sound and atmospheric design, itself enough to crush your spirit and any desire to move forward.
Fantastic stuff.