10 Important Video Games That Defined Survival Horror
2. Alone In The Dark
Considered by many to be the forefather of the genre, Alone in the Dark revolves around the suicide of a Mr. Jeremy Hartwood, a former artist whose death is quickly dismissed by the authorities despite its mysterious circumstances.
Trapped inside the mansion where Hartwood was killed, players take on the role of either Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood, a private investigator and the niece of the deceased, respectively. The goal of the game is to escape the mansion, and generally avoid being killed by the various Lovecraftian monsters that roam its corridors.
Though combat is an option, the game encourages you to avoid it; there are several enemies that cannot actually be beaten, and others that are rendered less difficult by the completion of various puzzles.
The title hasn't aged brilliantly (I mean, just take a look at the screenshot above), and some might argue that its been easily surpassed by the Resident Evil and Silent Hill games, the impact of Alone in the Dark shouldn't be overlooked.