16. Dead Space 2
The horror genre has had mixed fortunes on the current generation until the original Dead Space came was released in 2008. The second game in the series perfects the formula. Protagonist Isaac Clarke finds himself trapped on a space-station lost in space - with legions of reanimated corpses and from the opening moment till the final second the game throws everything at you. Most horror games fail to evoke a genuine shock Dead Space 2 is the complete opposite and by the end your heart will be struggling to cope with the constant surprises. The main story revolves around Clarke destroying the Marker the machine which has caused the Necromorph outbreak - but his real struggle is within himself. He still feels guilt from persuading his girlfriend, Nicole, to work on the USG Ishimura the ship from the first game which ultimately led to her committing suicide. Clarke has been haunted by his previous experiences game and the effects begin to take their toll on him in the second entry. His mind is breaking as hallucinations of Nicole begin to haunt Isaac. You feel the atmosphere from the opening moments and the usual elements of horror games flashing lights and whispers in the distance actually create a tense environment. The game contains more action than the original and it works at a faster pace. The suspense builds and the chilling moments really do come as a shock. Dead Space 2 may just be the best horror game since the original Silent Hill.