5 of the Scariest Obscure Horror Games Everyone Should Play
At some point in our lives, we horror gamers realize that there isn’t anything out there good enough to give us a fright anymore. This is when we start scouring the internet for games we might have missed, games that may be a little less known but scary all the same.
That isn’t to say that there is nothing good coming out now, but maybe you’re tired of the same ole same ole and want to give something different a try.
Here are 5 of the scariest horror games that you might not have already played, but that are definitely worth your time. That is if you can find them…
Rule of Rose
Cardington, Bedfordshire, England, 1930, Rose Garden Orphanage, children are running the establishment with no sign of an adult to be found. What has happened here? Where are the adults?
Players assume the role of a young woman named Jennifer as she stumbles across the dilapidated orphanage with no caregivers, only children. Jennifer is kidnapped by said children and forced into the lowest caste of their Red Crayon Aristocracy.
Soon, she finds herself recovering memories of her lost childhood, all while searching for tributes valuable enough to the children that they won’t hurt her.
Much like in Haunting Ground, she meets and frees a companion dog that she affectionately calls Brown. Brown stays by Jennifer’s side and protects her from many dangers as she continues her journey to find the truth; and a way out.
The game was banned in the United Kingdom for misinformation. They claimed the purpose of the game was to beat up and rape a young girl, which, thankfully, it is not. It was still enough for the ban, though. If you live in the UK, you are going to have an even harder time getting a hold of this one.
I was fortunate enough to play this game back when it came out; because it is super hard to come by now. It’s a shame that it is so difficult to get your hands on because this is one of those games that every horror lover should get to experience at least once. The game has become somewhat of a lesser-known cult classic in its own right.
Rule of Rose is a scary and strange ride from start to finish. It is also pretty expensive if you want to buy it.
Parasite Eve
While attending an opera at Carnegie Hall, NYPD rookie Aya Brea is suddenly thrust into a world of mutations, monsters, and a past she was never privy to.
As she locks eyes with Melissa, the lead role in the opera she is watching, something happens, and everyone in the building, aside from Aya, her date, and Melissa, spontaneously combusts and burn to death.
Melissa reveals that Aya is not quite ready yet and disappears into the sewers, where Aya gives chase. During her journey to stop Melissa, who now calls herself Eve, Aya will learn a lot about herself and her city. Will her decisions make her just like Eve, or will she be able to control her newfound powers to protect all that she cares about?
Parasite Eve is a turn-based biological horror RPG with an emphasis on action. There have been recent rumors of a remake coming soon, but that is still just rumors. It isn’t terribly priced usually but might be a bit hard to find.
Clock Tower
The original Clock Tower was different from those that followed. The concept was basically the same; run, hide and try not to get caught while exploring and looking for a way out of the nightmare, but the first game was the scariest.
It played out in such a way that your heart was pounding as you tried to escape the Scissorman constantly chasing you. Would he find you this time? It was possible. There were occasions where the player hid too late or in the same spot too many times and got caught.
Released in 1995, Clock Tower is a point-and-click, adventure, horror game that follows Jennifer Simpson after being adopted by the strange and mysterious Barrows family. She is brought to the Barrows’ mansion with several other orphans but soon finds herself the sole survivor amongst them.
Jennifer must explore the mansion and find a way out, as all obvious exits are unopenable. She is pursued by the Scissorman, who carries an extra-large pair of scissors he uses to chop people in half. He will kill Jennifer if he gets the chance, so she must avoid him at all costs.
This one carries a hefty price tag, so getting it won’t be easy or cheap.
Nightmare Creatures
Nightmare Creatures is the only game on this list that allows players to choose between two different playable characters. You can take on the role of master of the occult, father Ignatius Blackward, who uses staffs to fight, or gymnast Nadia Franciscus, a practiced fencer that uses swords.
In 1666, the Brotherhood of Hecate performs a series of experiments to create superhumans, but all does not go as planned, and they end up with hideous monsters they call Nightmare Creatures.
Choosing to see their failure as a blessing in disguise, the Brotherhood decides to unleash the beasts on London. Samuel Pepys, a real-life historical figure, sets fire to their facility and causes the first Great Fire of London.
He stops them for a time, but once again, they are back at it in 1834, when London is besieged by incomprehensible horrors. A priest, Ignatius Blackward, receives Samuel’s diary, entailing the Brotherhood’s secrets, and he enlists the aid of an American doctor, Jean Franciscus, who comes to his aid.
The doctor is murdered, however, and his daughter Nadia joins Blackward in the fight against the Brotherhood and their Nightmare Creatures.
As the plague sweeps the city, mutating and destroying everything in its path, it is up to Ignatius and Nadia to destroy them and to find a way to stop the disease from spreading further.
Nadia is also on her own personal quest to avenge her father’s untimely death. She vows to kill the man that murdered him and stop the powerful cult he runs. Father Ignatius is looking for a way to end the same cult.
The question is: How do you stop something once it has a life of its own? Can you?
Nightmare creatures came out for the PS1 and generally runs under $100. Still, that’s a pretty penny to pay for such an old game. If you can get your hands on it, however, it is worth a play-through.
Clive Barker’s Undying
The player takes on the role of Patrick Galloway, a paranormal investigator, and World War I veteran banished from his homeland of Ireland for a murder he didn’t commit.
Years after the war, he finds himself sneaking back into Ireland under a false name at the behest of Jeremiah Covenant, his friend and former commanding officer.
Patrick arrives to find his old comrade in a dire situation. His family has been besieged by the terrible Undying Curse, one his nemesis, Otto Keisinger, the true murderer and reason for Patrick’s banishment, has been working to help bring about. The curse has already claimed Jeremiah’s four siblings: Bethany, Lizbeth, Ambrose, and Aaron, leaving Jeremiah the head of the Covenant family.
Jeremiah’s siblings have all perished, but they have not stayed dead. They have become warped, blood-thirsty creatures that Jeremiah begs Patrick to help him stop.
Patrick chooses to help his old friend and is soon thrust into a world of monsters, undead kings, and evil, bitter rivals. As he progresses, Patrick learns more of the Covenant curse and why he was really summoned to the Covenant Mansion.
He realizes that all is not as it seems as he reads journals and comes across certain things. Will he figure it all out in time to stop the curse from raising an ancient evil hellbent on destruction, or is it already too late?
Sure, the graphics wouldn’t really hold up by today’s standards, and the story would probably be a bit tedious for some, but the game had everything.
There was an intricate story, honor-bound friendship, interesting characters, frightening monsters, a huge mystery, and a twist you just did not see coming.
The entire game is an exciting mystery that unravels slowly as you make progress. It also won’t cost an arm and a leg to buy but might pose a bit of an issue playing considering it is for Windows 98, Me, and 95, though there are ways around these things if people really want.
Do you have a favorite horror game you feel not enough people know about?
