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As much as gamers love to be chased by the Xenomorphs in Alien: Isolation or blow the heads off Zombies in Resident Evil, not everyone can handle that kind of scare. Unfortunately, removing scares from a horror game usually results in a lesser experience. After all, it’s a horror game! How can a horror game be good and not scary? But does that mean players with weaker stomachs have to suffer through chainsaws, gore, and killer animatronics to enjoy this genre?
No. Fear not. There are a plethora of “less scary” horror games out there. These games are less likely to give gamers nightmares. Instead, the “horror” is in the atmosphere, music, and storytelling. Thankfully, there is zero drop in quality. Although these games rank high on the horror list for their quality, gamers don’t need to endure a heart attack to enjoy them – just a slight chill down the spine and maybe an occasional laugh here or there.
10 Teen Rated Action Horror – Alan Wake
Alan Wake is a classic in the action-horror genre, and for good reason. Its intense set-pieces scattered throughout a small mountain town – armed with only a flashlight and pistol – are the perfect mix of fun and terror. If anything, the game’s narrative is more akin to a tense James Patterson thriller (with a sprinkling of Stephen King). And with a nice teen rating, the blood and gore are cut out and replaced with genuinely scary moments and legitimately good storytelling. With the recent remaster, there’s no excuse not to jump into Mr.Wake’s shoes. However, it remains to be seen whether gamers will get a sequel anytime soon.
9 How Scary Can Reading Be? – Doki Doki Literature Club
Reading isn’t scary, right? How could four cute girls in a literature club writing poetry and reading books have any terror? Well, trust any gamer who says it can. Doki Doki Literature Club is a horrifying experience due to its unexpected horror and fourth-wall-breaking gameplay. However, the scares are honestly fairly mild all things considering.
If anything, they catch players off-guard – especially if they don’t know what they’re getting into with a horror game. And since everything is read, gamers don’t have to worry about running away from monsters or hiding in the dark. They just have to worry about whether something has really taken over their computer.
8 What About Zombies, Buddy? – Death Road To Canada
Death Road to Canada is a charming game about escaping from America to Canada because of the zombie apocalypse. While it CAN be scary once the zombies start overwhelming the party, it’s a fun and lighthearted adventure overall, with more laughs than scares. In fact, the game’s brilliant sense of humor is arguably the main selling point. If gamers felt that The Oregon Trail had too few zombies and obscure pop culture references, this game is certainly up their alley.
7 Become The Horror – Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
Vampire The Masquerade – Bloodlines is as classic an RPG horror experience as it gets. The game is sprinkled with brilliant writing, level design, and character creation. And for a game nearing two decades old, it still looks and plays well thanks to the Source Engine it was built on. Other than a few moments like the perfect hotel level, Vampire: The Masquerade- Bloodlines isn’t a particularly scary game. This is mainly due to the fact the player is the monster of the night, who prowls and stalks their next victims. That said, the new game coming out this year seems like it’s going to have a beautiful blend of scares and vampiric magic in store for gamers.
6 Unending Dread In Place Of Scares – Pathologic 2
Pathologic 2 doesn’t have jump scares. Instead, it has an unending sense of dread that overwhelms players in this thrilling and depressing narrative adventure. In it, gamers play as Haruspex – a doctor returning to their hometown to investigate their father’s mysterious murder. Things quickly spiral out of control as players vainly try to cure a deadly plague killing thousands.
Gamers only have 12 in-game days. 12 in-game days to save the town, find a cure, and most importantly: survive. The game is brutal in terms of difficulty, and it’s one of the few games where characters flat-out lie to players. Furthermore, every death is punished, which causes the game to become increasingly difficult as it progresses. More atmospheric horror and scares are found in this title than anywhere else.
5 It’s All Rainbows And Unicorns Here – Pony Island
Like Doki Doki Literature Club, Pony Island has more going on than it first appears. As they say, never judge a horror game by its cover. Not only is the gameplay fun, but this short indie adventure manages to screw with its players. A majority of the gameplay takes place outside of the game itself, with multiple fourth-wall-breaking moments within the game’s actual files. There are few games out there that make players feel like they’re being messed with even after they turn off their consoles. However, Pony Island isn’t a horrifically difficult experience: it’s just rainbows and unicorns (and devil-worshipping) after all.
4 Point And Click Ghost Hunting – Dark Fall Series
This point-and-click adventure series has some of the best ghostly atmospheres in gaming. However, it’s still bearable for those with a softer disposition. The first entry came out in 2002, and as of 2020, there is a new one for players to test out their ghost hunting abilities. Each game has a solid theme and wonderfully designed locations that build an unnerving sense of mystery and horror. If gamers want a foggy ghostly mystery in place of jump scares, the Dark Falls series is a great place to start.
3 Detective Lovecraftian Mystery – Call Of Cthulu
Call of Cthulu is an adaptation of Lovecraft’s short story of the same name. In it, players take on the role of a detective investigating a series of disappearances in a small New England sea town. Before long, they find themselves in the middle of an evil ploy to summon Cthulu from the great beyond.
The game has a wonderful balance of horror stealth and detective gameplay. The mystery is compelling and the scary moments are nicely paced throughout. However, if gamers are easily scared, maybe pass the controller to a friend until the painting monster goes away.
2 Gory 90’s Throwback – Harvester
Harvester was extremely controversial upon its release for its violence, sex, and gore. However, Harvester now holds a legendary status amongst the FMV genre and is a perfect gory throwback horror game. Luckily, due to the game’s age and its marvelous sense of satiric humor, it’s an easy horror game for players who can withstand some “body horror” moments (some of which aren’t for the weak-stomached). Furthermore, a compelling mystery is truly what’s on show, making it a piece of gaming history not to be missed. Arguably, it’s one of the best FMV games out there.
1 Horror-Themed 1 v 4 Gameplay – Dead By Daylight
Playing with friends makes any horror game less scary. While the first few hours of Dead By Daylight are certainly terrifying as players learn the chase mechanics and the killer’s abilities, it eventually becomes a more cooperative strategy game than anything else. And if gamers don’t feel like being hunted, they can always play as the hunters. They can swap between multiple popular characters, such as Pinhead, Leather Face, and several original characters created for the game. It’s all fun and games in the Entity’s realm.
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