Horror games are easily some of the most atmospheric titles around, with the most stellar titles in this genre featuring brilliant level design and a constant level of tension across the board as well. However, while most horror games prefer to leave the player in the most helpless situations imaginable... there are other titles that end up integrating a way for people to defend themselves against the terrifying horrors they have to experience in these titles.

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More often than not, the integration of combat in horror games is fairly hit-or-miss. However, there are some amazing titles that truly up the ante when it comes to combining the facets of horror and action gameplay into one cohesive package. Keeping this in mind, here are ten horror games that feature a surprisingly excellent combat system.

10 BioShock

BioShock 1 Big Daddy Little Sister Art

The original BioShock still stands strong as one of the most tightly designed and narratively-rich games of all time, with its combat also being an absolute blast to master as well.

While most people might not classify BioShock as a pure horror game, one can't deny that the sinister atmosphere of the game is certainly meant to involve a sense of dread in the player — something that horror games are masterful at achieving.

9 The Evil Within 2

The Evil Within 2 preparing for a fight

While The Evil Within was a decent title in its own right, critics and fans alike couldn't help but feel like the game felt like a shell of what its real potential could be — a statement that was declared to be true after the release of The Evil Within 2 showed what the franchise was capable of.

The story and characters may not be the biggest highlights of this game, but the amazing gunplay coupled with the tense atmosphere means that players will definitely think twice before turning a corner, interacting with an item, or entering pretty much any new area in this amazing horror title.

8 Condemned: Criminal Origins

Condemned: Criminal Origins

A classic horror title that pretty much any fan of the genre might've checked out at some point or the other, Condemned: Criminal Origins features a robust and exciting hand-to-hand combat system that will turn every encounter into a fast-paced brawl where survival is never guaranteed.

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It's a shame that the narrative of the game never really lives up to its initial promise and ends up reducing the overall quality of what is otherwise a stellar experience.

7 Bloodborne

Bloodborne Yharnam

Hidetaka Miyazaki might've worked on a number of titles with From Software that are legendary in their own right, but most people still consider Bloodborne to be his magnum opus to this day. The incredible lore of this series coupled with a gripping atmosphere and fast-paced combat have helped elevate this title to an entirely different level, but it's the haunting art direction and unnerving ambiance of this title that truly puts it a league above anything Hidetaka Miyazaki has crafted.

The Dark Souls games might've had their fair share of scary moments, but nothing comes close to the terrifying feeling players have as they roam through a dangerous world and try not to get caught off-guard by the horrors that the game constantly throws at them. It's in these moments that Bloodborne feels just as effective as the best horror games out there in sending chills down the spine of players at every turn.

6 The Last Of Us

the last of us ellie

 

A post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies might serve as the classic setting for a horror game, but The Last of Us takes this age-old concept and integrates a ton of brilliant narrative moments into the mix to turn this title into an absolute masterpiece.

It certainly helps that the game features a well-designed and highly tense combat system that forces players to think ahead and prioritize a stealthy approach in order to survive every encounter — whether it be with humans or zombies — by the skin of their teeth.

5 Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2 - promotional image of the protagonist

The original Dead Space was a masterclass in storytelling, coupled with excellent combat mechanics and a haunting atmosphere that would send chills down the spines of fans as they played through that masterpiece.

Dead Space 2 ends up focusing more on the combat side of things while putting the horror setting on the backburner. This is not a slight against the game by any means — if anything, most people consider Dead Space 2 to be superior to its predecessor due to its polished combat system and an emphasis on action that meshes perfectly with the bleak setting of the title.

4 Alan Wake

Alan Wake

The idea of writing a book and having all its events happen in real life might not be the most innovative concept, but it's the manner in which Alan Wake weaves these concepts with its gameplay that makes for such a hair-raising yet enjoyable experience.

While the game might get predictable after a while — what with Alan's story being pretty much force-fed to the player at times — there's no denying the fact that Alan Wake features a truly sinister atmosphere that will keep fans on the edge of their seats during their journey.

3 Prey

Prey Official Artwork With Morgan Yu And The Typhon Nightmare

System Shock 2 is considered by many to be one of the most legendary titles of all time, but one has to admit that the game hasn't aged well in the slightest. Thankfully, people who wanted to experience the magic of this title firsthand could just play its spiritual successor instead.

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Arkane Studios has always always been at the forefront of developing immersive first-person titles, and Prey is no exception to this golden rule. Unlike most of Arkane's other titles, Prey actually leans into its horror aesthetic quite a bit, turning the game into a tense trek through an abandoned spaceship as the player pieces together the events of what exactly happened.

2 F.E.A.R.

F.E.A.R.

One of the scariest and most groundbreaking games for its time, it's a shame that most people don't really talk about F.E.A.R. all that often nowadays. The run of this horror FPS trilogy was a short but sweet one, with the first title in the series being the scariest of the lot.

Uncovering the secrets of Alma as F.E.A.R.'s Point Man is nothing short of an absolute blast, with Reflex Time being a simple yet effective way to enhance the gameplay of this title. However, it's the atmosphere of F.E.A.R. that is genuinely spine-chilling at times and makes for one of the highlights of this series.

1 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Resident Evil 7

The Resident Evil series had been on a standstill for quite some time after Resident Evil 5 and 6 ended up taking the franchise down a rather rocky path. However, the series was back to its very best with the release of the seventh title in the series.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard serves as a breath of fresh air for the series, featuring a new protagonist and a fresh perspective — both figuratively and literally — that enhance the horrifying nature of this series quite a bit... while simultaneously keeping the action as tense and unnerving as possible.

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