It's Halloween Which Means... Time For A Top 15 Scary Games!

 Written By: Tyler Selig

I almost feel cheap putting up a picture of a kitty to get views... but not quite.

            

                It’s that time of the year, when children get candy, ghouls and ghosts are everywhere and women are dressing as slutty as possible. Every video game blogger or website puts up a list of scary games, and I’m no different because you have to be topical.

                I don’t consider myself an expert on horror games. I don’t have the desire to scare myself on the same level as some people so it’s never been a favourite genre. I’ve played a decent amount of them and enjoyed them, but because of this, there are a bunch of scary games I just haven’t played. I was hesitant to even make the list for this reason but it’s Halloween… you HAVE to do it.

My apologies to some games that should really be on here. Sorry to games I haven’t played like Penumbra: Black Plague, Condemned: Criminal Origins, the Fatal Frame series, the Clock Tower series, etc. I’m also sorry to games I didn’t play long enough to have a worthwhile opinion on such as System Shock 2 and Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth. Sorry to games like Dead Space that I own but haven’t played for whatever reason. Sorry to all games everywhere at all times.

But here is my list anyway. Let’s do this.

15: Blaster Master (NES)

That poor bastard doesn't know what's coming.

                An NES platformer about a boy in a jumping tank going after his frog. I haven’t ever seen this talked about in lists, but as a kid it scared the hell out of me so I feel it warrants an inclusion on this list. The game does a pretty good job of making things feel claustrophobic but I wouldn’t really argue with anybody who says it’s not scary. It’s on here because it scared me as a kid and it’s nice to have nostalgia picks.

                The thing is, when I was little I saw that opening cut scene and I had a hard time actually playing the game. Laugh if you want but five year old (or however old I was) Tyler couldn’t handle this scene: 

                That music creeped me out. Mix that with the fact that you’re some guy exploring unknown territory trying to find your radioactive, huge frog, and little Tyler pee pee’d himself.

14: Yume Nikki (PC)

 

Nope, this is completely normal.

            Due to the graphics and the type of game it is, it’s not really about jump scares with Yume Nikki. It’s about the weirdness, the creepy and unnerving atmosphere. For that reason it may not scare many people but it is a memorable, odd experience. Scary in the same way as a David Lynch movie, really. It may not have things jumping out at you very often (does have the creepy mutant girl), but it deserves to be on this list.

13: OFF (PC)

Well at least we can agree on that.

                Two weird RPG Maker games in a row, but damn there is some creepy shit made with it. OFF has similar elements in style to Yume Nikki but I find it creepier. Don’t let the simplistic graphics fool you, this is some fucked up stuff. There are some enemies that are just scary looking and the game has an incredible atmosphere, where the oddity of it all really makes you feel out of place.

                Plus the music. Oh man. Some of the music is just terrifying.

                Though I consider it a scary game, there is certainly some oddball humour thrown in as well.  It’s not a game with jump scares, but I’m a supporter of creepy atmospheres more than jump scares, though a game with both is the best.

                The world in OFF operates on its own twisted logic and that in itself makes it worth playing.

12: Metro: Last Light (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

This can only end well.

                A tried and tested formula for horror is to shove you into the darkness and throw some weird creatures at you. Metro does both. You aren’t powerless by any means, but there are jump scares and the darkness of it all puts you ill at ease most of the time.

11: Alan Wake (PC, Xbox 360)

This too. I should explore the creepy woods.

                Alan Wake is a game of mystery, a classic story told in video game format. It uses the darkness not unlike other games in the genre, gives you limited firepower.

                It’s yet another game in my list that operates successfully but making you feel tension the entire time. There are certainly a few terrifying sections, but it’s at its best when it’s just making you feel creeped out. Any jump scares during that period just make the jump scares even scarier.

10: Lone Survivor (PC, PS Vita, PS3)

                 

               Some people may not get scared due to its throwback graphics but it’s scary. It’s survival horror in the truest sense of the word, and it’s a mixture of Silent Hill and Twin Peaks, meaning it’s very psychological but let’s be honest, it’s weird as hell and sometimes the tone shifts unexpectedly.

                But the fact that you are unsure of what’s going on, you’re totally isolated, and you may be going crazy, makes this an extremely scary experience.

                I’m not sure if the fact that the main character actually looks like he’s always smiling makes it scarier or not, but I’m just throwing that out there.

9: S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl (PC)

He just needs a girlfriend. That's all.

                It’s not lost on me how much I’ve repeated this sentiment, but S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a post-apocalyptic world and it’s because of how great the developers were in realizing this vision that it’s just straight up sinister. You walk around, and while there are definitely moments where it shows you what’s what and tries to make you pee yourself, this is another example of atmosphere done right.

                Really, there’s nothing better in this genre than being in an environment that pressures you the entire time. You don’t need monsters jumping out at you all the time, you need a convincing world first and foremost… at least in my eyes.

                I’m also bias because it’s based on Stalker, the movie (which I adore), which is based on Roadside Picnic.

8: Parasite Eve (PS1)

"Nah, that bitch is cray-cray."

                Parasite Eve is my favourite RPG of all time, and I’m not sure why I don’t see this on lists for this kind of thing. I don’t know if it’s because it’s an RPG or what, and it’s not constantly trying to scare you, but I’m not sure how a person can’t be at least a little scared when you see some of the video scenes, or listen to the music that is straight up scary at times.

                I don’t know, maybe I’m alone here but I think Parasite Eve is scary. What makes it better is that it takes place on Christmas.

7: Imscared (PC)

Sure, you don't THINK this is creepy.

                Imscared came out around the time Slender did. I’m not sure how close they were together but I think Imscared came after. I could be wrong. It COULD be seen as a clone of sorts but to believe that is to miss what makes this wonderful.

                Yes it takes the element of just walking around looking for something, like Slender does, and there is something chasing you, but it’s the gimmick here that does it for me. The game shuts down and puts files in the folder it’s installed in, like little messages about the game. Then you start up the game again and you’re somewhere else.

                It’s this constant sense of dread, like you’re being chased in and out of the game, that puts this above Slender, or a lot of games. It’s a neat little idea, and it works wonderfully. The ending is fantastic as well.

6: Resident Evil 2 (PS1, N64)

Don't worry guys, the po-po GOT this.

                I was always more of a Silent Hill guy but the first few Resident Evil’s are legitimately scary. I try to only pick one game in a series when I make these lists, so I went with Resident Evil 2 because it’s the one I spent the most time with.

                The music does a great job of setting the mood, and of course there are zombies. The series was never afraid to throw unexpected shit at you, and nowhere is this more obvious than when the licker bursts through the mirror. It’s such a scary scene.

5: Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (Gamecube)

          

Halloween is the time for love and he just wanted a hug. Or a rear-naked choke. I'm not sure. Same thing.

              One of the gems of the Gamecube, Eternal Darkness is a cult classic because the game does anything and everything to fuck with you. I have to respect a game that is willing to completely play with gamers like Eternal Darkness does. I really hope there eventually ends up being a sequel but it’s been a hard go so far.

4: Bioshock (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Something seems off about this area, but I can't put my finger on what...

               While Bioshock: Infinite kind of ditched the horror of the first two, it’s hard to deny that the world of Rapture is… not one you’d want to go in. Being underwater is scary enough (for me), but this place is populated by maniacs who can attack from all angles at any time. Did I say they’re maniacs? Oh yeah, I did. They’re psychotic, and while you can do all kinds of nasty things to them, it doesn’t really help in making the place any less fearful.

                Bioshock is my number 4 because not only is the atmosphere/environment one of the best ever in games, and the story is impeccable, but it’s got a healthy dose of jump scares thrown in there as well so there isn’t really a moment where you can breathe unless you just pause it. Don’t be a smartass.

3: Amnesia: The Dark Descent (PC)

          
 

I can't be the only one who thought PENIS when I saw this.

                Amnesia is one of those games that has to be here. It literally is one of the scariest games of all time and it does it with simplicity. Puts you in a dark, gloomy area and haunts the fuck out of you with scary environments and messed up monsters. The Dark Descent definitely fits here. In fact, it sums the game up entirely (good job people who named it).

                You got yourself a lamp and legs. And your sanity is not havin’ sitting in the dark for too long. There’s also something chasing you. That’s probably an important thing to make mention of.

                This is terror at its finest.

2: Silent Hill 2 (PS2)

               

Fair 'nuf.

                Silent Hill 2 literally made me scared of my own shadow in the game. I don’t think I can give it any bigger praise than that. If you like scary games you know Silent Hill 2. It’s iconic both for how easily it scares you and it’s story. And Pyramid Head.

                There are a bunch of Silent Hills that could get on here. Hell, I’d say 1 – 4 could get on here. They all offer something.

1: F.E.A.R. (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

"GET OUTTA THE WAY, BATTLEFIELD 4 IS OUT!"

                They fucked up and just made a decent first-person shooter with F.E.A.R 3 and F.E.A.R. 2 didn’t scare me half as much as the first, but I think that’s because they came at me with the same tricks as the first one and I was used to it. Or maybe it’s just impossible to live up to the standards of the first.

                F.E.A.R. gave me nightmares of walking through halls that are on fire. It’s a solid first-person shooter with great mechanics, but it’s not above putting you in some surreal moments and messing with you.

                Hell, even when it’s not Alma coming at you or other paranormal things, the game manages to scare you with a truck driving at you.

                F.E.A.R. succeeds in atmosphere and jump scares. Like I’ve said before, when a game does both well, it truly is an experience.

                Well there we go. Got any games that make you unable to sleep at night? Let me know in the comments, and until next time, Merry Christmas!

Is It Okay To Be The Same Or Should They All Be Unique Snowflakes? The Answer Is Batman.

Written By: Tyler Selig

That's me throwin' molotovs at people who feel different than I do, and who didn't ask for my opinion anyway. I don't know who the other two are because I have no friends.

                Hey there everybody, I know it’s been a while since there’s been a blog post. My next post was originally supposed to be a review of Batman: Arkham Origins, but I got it for Xbox 360 and my save got corrupted about ten hours in. This means that I’m too annoyed to restart the game right away, and since I saw other people having this problem I’m hoping it’s not just my piece of shit 360 and it’s something they can patch. Either way, I’ll have to finish my experience with Batman later on.

                But never fear because I’ve found a way to make an article not about Batman, but actually kind of about Batman. An article with a Batman “review” (in quotation marks because it isn’t a review to me unless I’ve at least finished the story and done a bunch of side quests) jammed in there. The genesis of the article came from me reading reviews of the new game (specifically IGN and Gamespot) and taking issue with one main complaint: how similar it is to the other games in the series.

                I’ll go on record and say that Arkham City is one of those games I’d rate a 10 and I firmly believe it’s close to perfect. I don’t think any game is perfect and I never will. Even my most loved games have minor flaws but that’s the thing… they’re so minor it hardly matters. I would say Arkham Asylum isn’t perfect but damn it is an awesome game. So I had high hopes for Origins and even though the series switched developers, I felt their heads were in the right place. I thought reviews would reflect this. I single out sites like Gamespot and IGN because they’re so big within the industry. The fact that IGN gave it a 7.8 (which is pretty good) and Gamespot gave it a 6 (which is a terrible rating) rang some alarms in my head. And it hurt.

                So I investigated. The general consensus is that it’s more of the same. That’s when my brain started to do think. And that also hurt.

                Why is that a bad thing? Some of the best series of all-time have been doing it for years. And why was Batman singled out when series like Call of Duty are notorious for getting high ratings despite offering very similar experiences. In the case of CoD, there is literally one – Modern Warfare or Black Ops, which offer slightly different experiences from one another but are still ultimately CoD – every year.

                I’m not picking on Call of Duty. It can have its fans. I’m sure they do this with Battlefield but I’m not into the series. They do it with Assassin’s Creed as far as I can tell (again, not a series I’m real into). Metal Gear, which is my favourite series of all time, doesn’t really differ that much from one another. Some differ more than others but I’d say Solid 1 to 4 aren’t a hell of a lot different outside of where they take place and some evolutions of gameplay mechanics. But it’s still Metal Gear. Killzone hasn’t changed a whole lot since the first one. Another series I love. Borderlands 2 is not a hell of a lot different than the first. I doubt the third will reinvent the series.

                I didn’t want Origins to break new ground… I just wanted it to feed me more of what I loved about the other two in the series.

               In my play through that was tragically cut short, I enjoyed the shit out of Origins. It had more of the free-flowing combat that is one of the best things to ever happen to fighting games. It gave me an intriguing story that did a wonderful job of giving Batman a reason to fight so many villains in one night (saw that in a review, thought it was a good point). The predator mode is still amazing, with clever level design and so many ways to take out opponents. The crime scene investigation element isn’t as deep as it could be but the game is better for having it, though I think this is a point of contention for people. The few boss battles I’ve partaken in have been exciting and Deathstroke was challenging to me. I also got to see people like Anarky. It also has a fast travel which is always good in an open world game. I don’t care what IGN says: it doesn’t disservice the world at all to be able to move quickly around it. I fast travelled in Skyrim like a boss.   

                So to me, Origins captures the essence of both Batman and these recent Arkham games and though it’s probably not as polished as Arkham City and it’s not a step-forward like that game was, it was an extremely satisfying game, not taking into consideration things like corrupted save files (like I said, I don’t know if that’s my systems fault or the games) or other glitches that are patchable, if the developers are paying attention.

                Okay, so this has become more of a Batman review than I wanted. So let’s get down to the points I wanted to make.

                My point is: Origins is more of the same but that’s okay. You have to have your series that don’t innovate every time. There are times that I just want to take part in something familiar, something that I know I will love.                There is a reason you gravitate towards a certain series of games, or even movies, books, etc. It’s because the original gives you something that you can sink your teeth in and like drugs, you want more more more. Not everyone is like this, but judging from the sales of certain series that are mammoths within the industry, it’s obvious that there are a lot of people picking up what I’m putting down.

                It’s hypocritical of me to say this, but yes I’ve criticized games for being predictable and for playing it safe. On the surface my comment doesn’t make any sense because I play games that are predictable and play it safe. Underneath though, that statement is more of a personal preference than anything. It’s less “this game sucks for being the same” and more “I just got tired of playing it.”

                There are just so many games that have the same gameplay mechanics, but they’ll throw in a few different guns, change up the maps, tweak something a little bit here and there, polish the game, make it a little bit bigger and badder, then release it. I know it feels like I’m picking on shooters but they have been the genre of choice for a lot of people so that’s what I’ve used as a point of reference.

Not every game is going to revolutionize the industry. I don’t even want them to, nor do I want every game to be completely original. I don’t want every game to be like Journey but I’ll enjoy the fuck out of Journey when it’s given to me.

                Maybe Origins falls apart as the game goes along, though I doubt it. I’ve seen it called glorified DLC and that’s unfair because then you have to start shit-talking a lot of classic games. The fact of the matter is, the game industry, much like the movie industry, will find things that work and exploit that. Developers will find something that sticks, and they will release that over and over because it’s a business and because they know there’s a market for it. So while it can be annoying that new and fresh games get overlooked, and believe me it happens all the time, there is still place for these sequels that provide consumers with a product that they know and love. It feels weird to treat massive series like the underdogs, but I’m just calling it like I see it. I’m the first one to pimp a title that I feel brings something new to the table, but the truth of the matter is, I just love games as an art form so I embrace both familiar games and games that have their own little niche.

I didn’t mean for this to be a long article but it seems to be. I’ll make one final point and allow me to generalize for the next little bit: You can’t actually satisfy gamers. This is true for fans of everything, but since this is a game blog I’m targeting you. Yes, you. And me. And the person next door. We all suck.

If WB Games Montreal had changed the series too much people would have bitched. They keep it the same (but add a few things) and people bitch. So what’s someone to do? Origins isn’t a bad game but people keep rating it way lower (seriously, a 6?) than is necessary. I don’t expect people to gush over it, though I am, but what were they to do? Origins suffers mainly from the fact that it’s from a great series and is arguably the weakest link of the three. But that doesn’t make it a bad game, and people can’t seem to realize that. It’s like, if a game doesn’t live up to peoples ridiculous standards, it becomes a shitty game. Although I don’t think people are going that far with Origins, my point remains.

I was playing Warface a while ago and in my first-impressions I said that it’s a generic shooter but all I saw in-game were people saying it’s the worst game ever. The nerve of me to say this because it’s all personal opinion but no, it just wasn’t a good game. It wasn’t the worst ever. People who say that make me wonder if they’ve ever played a truly bad game.

So what do you think about me white knighting for a big-budget title? Think I have no soul? You’re right, but let me know what you think in the comments below and see ya next time.