PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The gaming writers here at PopHorror LOVE to be scared, and when we’re not getting our chills from horror movies, we get them from the games we play. And, as you know, we love to share the scare. So we compiled a list of the games that kept us awake at night as kids (and adults) to bring them to you, our ever-horror-loving audience. Let me present to you the PopHorror writers’ list of the scariest video games we’ve ever played. Or, based on the list, a Capcom best in show.
Dino Crisis
There have been a lot of moments in video games that have really gotten to me, but there haven’t been too many games that have been overall scary. However, the one that, to this day, still gets me is Dino Crisis. I remember playing it in 1999 as a 6-year-old and being terrified. I had to keep reminding myself that it’s just dinosaurs, and dinosaurs aren’t scary! The game did such a good job of building up the suspense that, at any moment, a raptor could come charging down a hallway at you, and that got to me. It’s no surprise that Dino Crisis was able to do such a good job within the survival horror genre, as it’s made by the same people who made Resident Evil! I can still remember watching the opening cinematic in horror as Cooper is being chased and eventually eaten by the T-Rex. — Matt Stumpf
Resident Evil VII: Biohazard
There haven’t been too many horror video games that have really ever scared me, not until the later generation systems, that is. But there is one that stands out to me, and that game is Resident Evil VII: Biohazard. I’ve played tons of horror video games, but there is just something about Resident Evil VII that just gives me the creeps and makes me jump out of my seat in fright. No horror game has ever done that to me before, and I must applaud the creators for making a game that does such a good job of getting under my skin the way this one does.
Sure, the last third of the game loses steam, but those first two thirds leave a mark on you. The Baker family are some of the scariest antagonists in any video game I have ever played. They remind me of the Sawyer family from the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which works really well in this game. But I think the main thing that makes Resident Evil VII: Biohazard one of the scariest video games I’ve ever played is the change to first person. It truly puts you in the shoes of Ethan Winters. So if you haven’t tried out Resident Evil VII: Biohazard, I highly recommend it. — Scott Crawford
Resident Evil 4
The Resident Evil series may be my favorite in all of gaming, and looking back, the one that stands out to me the most is Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube. I don’t know if it’s really one of the scariest video games ever, but to me, it’s the most intense, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. Every time I loaded it up was a white knuckle experience. You always had the feeling the shit was about to hit the fan, regardless of where you were and what was going on. That’s the beauty of the series. It also didn’t help that I wasn’t really very good at it. I lost count of how many times the “You Are Dead” screen passed before my eyes.
This game had great graphics, chilling atmosphere, and fantastic audio. The section where you play as Ashley with no weapon and no real way to defend yourself was particularly intense. Resident Evil 4 had some greatest baddies in it, too, like the Regenerator! Yikes! And don’t forget the cage fight boss that looks right out of John Carpenter’s The Thing! In all, there were 6 Resident Evil games released for GameCube. I still have my console to this day, mainly so I can play them. On that note, the Resident Evil 2002 remaster is also pretty darned amazing. And scary! — Kenn Hoekstra
Resident Evil
One of the scariest video games I’ve ever played was also the one that shaped my love for horror for decades to come. When I was 10, my dad bought me a Playstation, and the first game we got for it was the original Resident Evil. That game terrified me. Whether it was the first scene of the zombie looking over his shoulder (which still freaks me out), the zombie dogs jumping through the windows (which also still freaks me out) or the Hunters that show up after you get back from the lab (screw those guys), everything about this game is perfection. Even the soundtrack is scary. Just hearing the sound of a typewriter takes me back to the soothing sounds of the safe room music. And lest we forget the live action introduction at the beginning of the game. I have to admit, I was always too scared to play in hard mode as Chris. While it’s cheesy now, when I was a kid, I had to cover my eyes. While Resident Evil took a weird turn for the FPS, it found its way back home to survival horror with RE7. I can’t wait to see what more Capcom has to offer from this franchise. — D. D. Crowley
This about wraps up the PopHorror writers’ list of the scariest video games ever, the ones that thrilled us and chilled us the most. It’s no surprise they all turned out to be Capcom games, or Resident Evil games, for that matter. Capcom truly is the master of survival horror. With more and more horror games coming out every year, who knows what might be on our list in the future! What is one of the scariest video games you’ve ever played? Let us know in the comments!
