15 'Horror' Video Games That Totally Failed To Scare Anyone

10. Dead Space 3

The very first Dead Space was a breath of fresh air, and the sequel wasn€™t all that bad either. Unfortunately, despite the popularity of the series, EA felt the need to turn, possibly the only mainstream survival horror game (at least at the time, before Alien: Isolation), into a generic action adventure, complete with quick time events, crafting mechanics and micro-transactions.

Like many of the examples on this list, there was so much squandered potential with Dead Space 3, a game which if handled better could have even rivalled the original. After all, the setting was interesting and the combat mechanics had been refined to the point of perfection; it just wasn€™t particularly scary, and the emphasis on combat over atmosphere was too detrimental to ignore. Instead of dreading the monsters, you'd find yourself remarkably indifferent; they were rarely a threat to you, and it€™s not like you had to concern yourself with dwindling resources.

If the series does return for a forth instalment, hopefully the emphasis will switch gears, back to the survival horror elements that made the first game such a genuine treat.

Contributor
Contributor

Formerly an assistant editor, Richard's interests include detective fiction and Japanese horror movies.