9 Video Games With Seriously Morbid Background Lore

Although it started as a simple, jump scare-heavy title, Five Nights At Freddy's became an internet phenomenon within weeks of hitting digital stores. Why?

Partly because its jump-scare focused nature was a breeding ground for reactionary Youtube material, but also because its deep lore became a massive internet talking point.

Beginning as a story about creepy animatronic animals stalking a night watchman in a pizza restaurant, the deeper lore behind these horror games has grown exponentially, implementing a mysterious murderer known as the Purple Man, a roster of terrifying Chuck-E-Cheese inspired animatronics and angry spirits of children returning to exact revenge beyond the grave.

This was merely the beginning too, creative director Scott Cawthon expanding the game with every sequel and creating a ton of in-depth lore that cultivated a wide fanbase. The game's fourth entry, for example, turns out to be centred in a coma after the main protagonist sees himself trapped in the closing jaws of an animatronic, while the third game's confusing series of minigames reference numerous children being lured to the back room of a pizzeria by a mysterious, predatory killer.

It's clear that there's a lot more than meets the eye to these horror games and the majority of it is chilling.