Horror and video games are a match made in heaven. While the horror genre is popular across all forms of media, there's a case to be made for video games being the superior medium through which to experience it. The unique element of interactivity afforded by video games puts players in the middle of the action in ways that movies and books can't. Viewers and readers are essentially along for the ride, while players are burdened and have to drive the car themselves, thereby adding a crushing sense of tension and responsibility for what happens in-game.
Horror is hardly in short supply these days. Resident Evil is having its own renaissance, and indie games like Carrion have added their own unique twists to the genre. The recently-concluded E3 2021 showed that the library of modern horror games is, fortunately, about to get even larger throughout the next few years. A spiritual successor to a horror classic, an unexpectedly high-quality adaptation of a legendary film franchise, and a terrifying twist on a long-dormant series were just some of the surprises fans of the genre got treated to at E3.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Announced during Xbox and Bethesda's joint E3 conference, A Plague Tale: Requiem is the sequel to Asobo Studio's award-winning title, A Plague Tale: Innocence. While no gameplay of Requiem was shown, an in-engine trailer offered a possible first look at the game's visuals, while also showcasing some narrative elements. Protagonists Amicia and Hugo appear to be older, moments of combat are peppered throughout the trailer, and it looks like the unsettling, alarmingly large swarms of rats will be just as present this time around as they were in the previous game.
A Plague Tale: Requiem will release on PC, PS5, Switch (Cloud Play), and Xbox Series X/S consoles in 2022.
Back 4 Blood
One could argue that the Left 4 Dead franchise has long been left for dead, but the original developers of the series aren't quite ready to give up on it just yet. Formerly known as Valve South, Turtle Rock Studios is bringing Left 4 Dead's brand of high-speed, four-player co-op action to modern consoles with a spiritual successor titled Back 4 Blood.
During E3, Warner Bros. gave digital attendees a peek at Back 4 Blood's "Swarm" mode — a player-versus-player (PvP) mode that, similar to Left 4 Dead 2's "Versus Survival" mode, pits one team of survivors against a team of infected to see who can survive the longest. Even the shortest glimpse of Back 4 Blood's gameplay shows how strongly the DNA of Valve's long-dormant series courses through this title; it's fast-paced, intense, and matches are going to require a lot of teamwork in order for either side to come out on top.
Back 4 Blood is set to release October 12, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Evil Dead: The Game
It's been nearly 40 years since Evil Dead debuted in theaters, so it's only appropriate that the latest game to come out of the famous horror franchise pay tribute to the series' history. Evil Dead: The Game looks to incorporate characters and locations from nearly every installment in the film series, effectively making it a 'greatest hits' of Evil Dead. In addition to playing as fan-favorites, players can also take control of the Kandarian Demon to wreak havoc on others.
Evil Dead is an iconic piece of horror fiction. Numerous directors have cited Sam Raimi's 1981 classic as an inspiration, and its influence can also be felt in video games; the character of Duke Nukem takes some obvious cues from the over-the-top, big-talking bravado of Evil Dead's protagonist, Ash Williams. This isn't the first Evil Dead game, but it's the first one to come to console since 2005. It'll be interesting to see what Saber Interactive takes away from other hallmark horror games to deliver an authentic Evil Dead experience when the game launches later this year.
Evil Dead: The Game will release on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
A remaster of the latest entry in the Fatal Frame franchise will soon be making its way onto nearly every platform out there. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water may not be a new title, but this remaster is still worth noting thanks to the series' celebrated history as a standout in the horror genre, as well as it effectively breaking the franchise's seven-year hiatus that started following Maiden of Black Water's original release in 2014.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is set to release on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021.
Metroid Dread
Metroid isn't a horror series, but its latest installment seems to posit that it could be. In Metroid Dread, players will be constantly stalked by robots under the moniker of E.M.M.I, and series creator Yoshio Sakamoto has explained this choice was made to instill fear in players by making them feel like they're being hunted.
In theory, this newly introduced element seems like it will work similar to that of Resident Evil 2's Mr. X, whose daunting, constant presence added persistent feelings of fear and uncertainty to Resident Evil's already stressful gameplay. Based on early gameplay footage, E.M.M.I robots look more than capable of keeping pace with Samus, and just like Mr. X or Nemesis, trying to take them head-on is futile. Metroid Dread looks like it will use horror to help take the franchise in a new direction, but this change shouldn't concern or scare fans as much as the E.M.M.I bots inevitably will.
Metroid Dread will launch on October 8, 2021 for the Nintendo Switch.
Rainbow Six Extraction
It's, admittedly, a little off putting seeing the "Tom Clancy" name attached to an otherworldly survival horror shooter. But if it works, it works. The upcoming Rainbow Six Extraction appears to innovate on the run-of-the-mill co-op zombie shooter popularized by games like Left 4 Dead and Call of Duty by focusing on what makes Rainbow Six unique: its slow-paced, tactical, team-based gameplay.
While Rainbow Six Extraction's gameplay trailer does showcase moments of fast-paced gunplay akin to other survival shooters, it's not portrayed as the ideal way to play. There's an increased emphasis on stealth, taking out enemies quietly, and launching coordinated assaults as opposed to charging in guns blazing. Despite its unconventional premise, it looks like it could be a fun, tactical twist on a popular gaming genre.
Rainbow Six Extraction will launch on September 16, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S consoles.
Redfall
Like Rainbow Six Extraction, Arkane's Redfall seems like it will shake things up for co-op zombie shooters. For starters: Zombies aren't the enemy this time around. Rather, vampires are, and as evidenced by Redfall's trailer, they're capable of things the undead typically aren't in other games. Additionally, the main cast each have their own set of unique, sometimes supernatural, abilities that are sure to help even the playing field.
A trailer for Redfall was shown during Xbox and Bethesda's E3 conference that not only showcased some of these abilities, but also offered a first look at the main cast, who are each bursting with levels of charisma and personality that rival those of the leads of Borderlands or Left 4 Dead.
Redfall is planned to launch in summer 2022 for Xbox Series X/S consoles.