13 More Horror Themed Video Games To Play On Halloween

4. Siren

Known in Japan as Forbidden Siren, this game is another of the many precious gems that deserved far more recognition than they received. With ten different playable characters the game follows a non-linear episodic format as the protagonists attempt to discover what is transpiring around them, and make it out alive.

The story centers on an ancient alien being that crashed to Earth and was devoured by a group of famished villagers. With its dying breath it cursed them all to die with the exception of one young woman who was instead cursed immortality. This woman would then create a religion surrounding the creature and a ritual to revive it. When the sacrificial ritual is disturbed, however, an earthquake is unleashed that traps the village inhabitants in a parallel dimension existing between the real world and the underworld. Those that bathe in the red waters surrounding the village are turned into shiboto - walking corpses that can't be killed, and that work to unleash the extraterrestrial being.

What makes the game so scary outside of being unable to kill these villains is the use of 'sightjacking.' This ability allows the player to see from the perspective of the shiboto in a strategic manner. The game is presented in true survival horror fashion as emphasis is placed on avoiding the shiboto rather than engaging them in battle. If you are unlucky enough to gain their notice they'll relentlessly pursue until you escape.

Siren is formatted like Alan Wake with an environment similar to Silent Hill, gameplay reminiscent of Clock Tower, and a story that rivals Fatal Frame. It even managed to attract some controversy due to the violent and disturbing imagery. Like Haunting Ground before it, Siren didn't garner a great deal of attention but is strong and scary enough to be worthy of yours.