Survival horror is a sub-genre of horror, but it takes up nearly the entirety of horror game titles. Survival horror is defined as action-adventure mixed with horror. Horror games like that include big names like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Fatal Frame, Dead Space, and many others.
Horror games that are not survival horror can actually be a little rare to come by. These games are often more puzzle and narrative oriented. Many are seen as unique, and even experimental. Instead of having major cultural recognition like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, these games have dedicated cult followings. They are hidden gems of the gaming world. So here are ten scary games that are not survival horror.
10 Layers Of Fear
The major focus of this game is exploration. You play the role of an artist gone mad. He sees frightening illusions at every turn in this mansion. He is trying to finish a painting, and it is your job to play as him as he walks through his own home in search of inspiration.
There are no monsters out to get you, but the entire house is a visual and auditory discomfort. It is a psychological horror title, using all in its power to unsettle and frighten the player as they explore the home.
9 The Witches House
RPG Maker games are a hidden treasure trove of horror titles. Many are available for free, but there are some that stand out above the others and rose to sales on Steam.
The Witches House is one such title. It's puzzle oriented as you play a young girl exploring and escaping the home of a dangerous witch. You solve a lot of puzzles while also slowly unveiling the story of what is really going on. There are many ways to die as well, so be sure to save often.
8 Year Walk
Released in 2014, this game is a piece of art. It is a spooky first-person point-and-click puzzle game that involves a lot of Swedish and Norse mythology. It has received many positive reviews on Steam for being both creepy but also enthralling. If you love folklore, then you will also love how much this game did its homework when it comes to Norse and Swedish myth.
7 The 7th Guest
Now this game is an oldie, dating back to 1993 as an interactive movie. In the game, you play as a character with amnesia. You wander though a mansion and solve puzzles to help the story unfold. The game won many awards and was well received enough to get a number of sequels.
This was before survival horror became a major video game genre. Horror games at this time were more of a rarity.
6 The Danganronpa Series
Danganronpa is not exactly a horror game as much as it is a thriller. However, its premise is like that of a horror title with a bunch of kids trapped and forced to kill each other. Some parts of this game are even funny, but there are some disturbing scenes fans will never forget (such as the punishments for those found guilty of killings).
It is definitely not survival horror, as it is puzzle oriented and acts a lot like a visual novel.
5 Stories Untold
This game has episodic horror adventures. They are all experimental and narrative-driven with point-and-click elements. It is highly regarded by those who reviewed it on Steam, saying that they were on the edge of their seats for the entire story.
Stories Untold has a little something for everyone, as its an anthology and genre-hops from psychological horror to sci-fi.
4 Dreaming Mary
Do not let the pink colors and cute characters fool you, Dreaming Mary is a nightmare in disguise as a dream (literally). You play a little girl, Mary, in her own dream. However, you find out that past traumas have infected her world and she needs to find a way to wake up from the nightmare she is trapped in.
The game is short, but genius in its writing, symbolism, and style. It definitely is one that deserves more recognition.
3 Observation
In this sci-fi thriller game, you get to play a ship's artificial intelligence named S.A.M. It is a very experimental endeavor, as you are the ship itself. You get to control the cameras and many ship tools. Your job is to figure out what happened to the members of the ships' crew. It definitely seemed to have been inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey with its own creative spin.
The game is short and some fans have complained that it feels more like an interactive movie than a video game. However, it received widely positive reviews for being different and interesting.
2 Mermaid Swamp
If you go into this title due to a love of mermaids, then you will be sorely disappointed. It's a horror game that follows a group of college friends whose car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. When they stay in the home of a kind old man, one of them starts to get sick and the others start to lose their minds. You play as Rin, and she is quite the fighter, a great protagonist.
This is another RPG Maker game, and voice acting was recently added!
1 The Zero Escape Series
The Zero Escape series is often compared to Danganronpa. If you like one, you will typically like the other. However, the Zero Escape series definitely takes itself more seriously and possessed much more difficult puzzles.
The trilogy sports a lot of great twists and scary moments, though it is definitely more of a thriller than a horror title.