10 Horror Video Games That Had No Right To Be This Good

The previous entry talked about how side-scrolling horror can leave a player feeling detached from the world they're supposed to be scared by. Well, that sense of distance is expanded twofold when you move the camera into a bird's eye view, top-down format. By that logic, this game should be a walk in the park, but, oh no, you'll be scared with this one, you'll be very scared.

Darkwood (as the title suggests) places you in a mysterious dark forest that almost seems to be a malevolent being in itself. You are tasked with surviving in this harsh land by scavenging, crafting, exploring and battling.

Rather than overloading you with cheap shocks and scares, this game gets you on edge through the use of anticipation. There are no monsters jumping at you out of nowhere, as the use of sound always makes it clear when danger is near. However, the tension never lets up, as it's hard to tell where your death could be coming from until it's too late.

Additionally, it's incredibly punishing, as the game doesn't hold your hand. Instead, you're dropped in and forced to experiment and master the mechanics yourself, leading to a satisfying learning curve.