Urban legends are commonly horrific or humorous stories that have been spread around by people through word of mouth or other means such as the internet. Its goal is to tell a story that may warn others of a danger that may not actually be real though it has been told for generations.
This also includes folklore tales that have continued to be believed into the modern day as well as newer stories being told. Horror games have been known to work off of these urban legends to make the most horrifying of experiences as players navigate these titles and learn more about the legends behind them.
8 Escape From Lavender Town
This short horror game is based on the urban legends surrounding the infamous story involving Lavender Town from Pokemon Red and Green. When the game was first released in Japan, rumors circled that there had been an increase in the deaths of children and that it only occurred after they had made it to Lavender Town in the game.
The high frequencies in the song that played in the background was summarized to be the cause. Based on this story, Escape From Lavender Town was made, which consistently breaks the fourth wall and unsettles the player as they walk through the eerie town with the music playing in the background.
7 Paranormal HK
Mixing ghosts with urban legends can make for an incredibly creepy horror experience for players; Paranormal HK is no different. This horror title relies heavily on the urban legends of Hong Kong and China as a group of teenagers gets together to record a short video, but everything begins to go wrong.
The player's job is to go searching for the supernatural, though they may have bitten off more than they can chew this time, as the paranormal presences they hunt are far more dangerous than expected. Each spirit met is based on an urban legend that players interested in such stories may know.
6 Hanako
When hearing about a Yokai called Hanako-san on the toilet that haunts school bathrooms, a player may find it more humorous than scary; however, the game based on an urban legend called Hanako is not something to laugh about.
Players must attempt to survive against Hanako-san while trapped in a school under her curse. She can be relentless as she pursues the player while they are attempting to find their classmates and solve puzzles to avoid the spirit's wrath. This urban legend is made better through the authentic feeling of this Japanese survival horror that fans of the genre will enjoy.
5 Resident Evil Village
The Resident Evil franchise has been known to take inspiration from many mediums in the past. In its recent title, Resident Evil Village, this has been continued by basing its characters on folklore, urban legends, and childhood horror stories.
Characters like Lady Dimitrescu are evidently based on Dracula or gothic stories of vampires. However, another big inspiration of her is the Japanese urban legend of Hachishaku-sama who is a tall woman with black hair and a white dress that matches eerily to the popular Resident Evil villain's design. Moreau is similar, with his more humanoid design being based on the kappa while also being directly linked to gothic literature.
4 Slender: The Eight Pages
Originating online, the internet story of the Slender Man describes a creature that wears a black suit with a white face that has no features on it; he is known to stalk and kidnap individuals, especially children. Fake pictures were created showing him in different places, and the character's notoriety only grew from there.
Eventually, countless games were created of this digital urban legend, with the most popular involving players walking around the woods at midnight collecting notes of past victims as the slender figure follows. Although a simple structure, it has terrified millions of players, with only more games being created about him.
3 Aka Manto
Made by the same creators of the game Hanako, Aka Manto follows a Japanese urban legend of a spirit that haunts public restrooms. He is described as being a masked spirit in a red garb that will appear at random and ask an individual a question to pick a piece of paper. Picking either will end in death and therefore it is best to run away.
This retro-style horror title explores the legend of Aka Manto as the player must attempt to survive in an abandoned school while they are continuously pursued by Aka Manto until they can eventually put a stop to him.
2 Bigfoot
Cryptids themselves are also considered urban legends as many people in real life believe they have spotted monsters like Bigfoot or Moth Man in the wild. Big Foot has such a following that games have been made where players encounter the ginormous ape-like creature.
The survival horror game called Bigfoot tasks the player with hunting down Bigfoot and defeating the monster either alone or with friends. However, this commonly shy cryptid takes a sinister turn as the player is more likely the one being hunted by him and not the other way around.
1 Until Dawn
Until Dawn is a well-known interactive horror with some of the best frights of its genre. Eight young people must attempt to survive between the mountains; it not only has an incredible story but its monsters are heavily based on urban legends.
Wendigos threaten the lives of the character the player controls alongside a killer that is looking for revenge. A curse has been placed on the location of Blackwood Mountain which turns those that have resorted to cannibalism into these twisted creatures. This is based heavily on the actual legends of Wendigos though they don't look like the ones seen in Until Dawn.