The question of why people enjoy getting scared is as old as the horror genre itself. Of course, there are legions of moralists who claim that horror films and violent video games corrupt the souls of viewers and players. But there are reasons why we are eager to pay to get scared: 

• Experiencing horror while being safe;
• Adrenaline rush;
• Curiosity;

Besides, horror movies are the best choice for dates. When watching something scary, you get the unbearable desire of getting closer to your partner. You don’t get that closeness with other genres. Finally, some people just prefer having a thrill ride and pushing their curiosity to its limits. “Will that movie scare me enough or not?”, is the question that makes you watch more. 

After all, the modern world offers us little to no classic fears. You are scared that you won’t be able to write a college essay? It’s easily solved, as there are thousands of paper writing services online, and you can entrust your essay to professionals. Still, essay writing fear is closer to the existential horrors of Japanese and Scandinavian literature, rather than a classical thrill ride. 

There are films that can scare you to death. There are books that you avoid reading at night. But, video games remain the best way to experience an actual thrill ride. You’re not just a viewer at the mercy of the director. You participate in the story. Which makes it more frightening, and far more exciting. If that’s your thing, here is the list of video games that you should try out. 

Visage

A haunted place is one of the most popular tropes in the horror genre. You can find it in the books, like Shirley Jackson’s masterpiece “The Haunting of the Hill House”, which has been adapted several times. You can find it in the movies like “The Amityville Horror”, “The Conjuring”, and “Crimson Peak”. And surely, video games don’t omit this topic. With “Visage” being the best example.

“Visage” is a first-person psychological horror game. It was published by SadSquare Studio on October 29, 2020. Here, the player doesn’t only explore the haunted house. You have to solve puzzles of stories of other characters. Each of them is going through a personal hell. You get a few jump-scares here and there, but what matters the most is the atmosphere. 

As soon as the game is on, you sense that there’s something wrong. Getting to know characters is also a part of the thrill ride. You shouldn’t dismiss the words “personal hell” as something to add to the drama. Even after you finish playing “Visage”, you get the feeling that you are still in the game. You can play “Visage” on your PC, as well as using Xbox One and PlayStation four. 

Phasmophobia

Not to go far from the ghosts and haunted houses, you should definitely check “Phasmophobia”. Kinetic Games released the game on September 18, 2020. Do you enjoy “Ghostbusters”? And what if “Ghostbusters” was more horror than comedy? Well, “Phasmophobia” is like a crossover between “Ghostbusters” and “Paranormal Activity”. 

It’s a co-op game, where you play with three other players. You act as paranormal investigators. You are called to various places to find the cause of the paranormal activity. The game is not for the faint-hearted. Here you get a slow build-up to an inevitable jump scare, but the scare is quite impressive. You can play “Phasmophobia” on a PC or numerous Android devices. 

Soma

We’ve mentioned existential fear here. Well, video games can deliver in this field as well. “Soma” was released by Frictional Games in 2015. And if you need cinematic references, think of “Virus”, “Alien”, and “Underwater”. All fused into one creepy amalgamation. A survival game, which makes you feel grateful that your life has less existential dread than you’re going to experience while playing it. 

In “Soma” you’re going to try your best to survive in the laboratory, buried deep in the ocean, that is run by the AI that went amok. It’s a game where most of the time you are all alone, while the tension builds. And when you’re no longer alone… You can use a PC, Mac, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 for your underwater hell-ride. And a hell-ride it is, which leaves you with a lot of questions about our existence. 

Until Dawn

“Soma” will probably make you want to never be alone again. And “Until Dawn” is your ideal next step. This is a multiplayer game, which is ideal for playing it together with your friends in the living room. Released in 2015, this game works as a perfect homage to horror b-movies of the 1980s. But don’t get too excited about playing it together with your friends. 

Everything depends on the decisions that each player makes. And the stakes are quite high. You need to survive the night in the mountain cabin. And it’s either you survive altogether, or the game will end with one lone survivor. Let’s put the option of no survivors in this PlayStation 4 game aside. “Until Dawn” is fun, but nonetheless scary. And can lead to fights between you and your friends. 

Devotion

“Devotion” got into a bit of controversy. The game has a joke about China’s President, and it has led to the game being pulled out from many online stores. The best way to get a hold of the game is to download it from the website of its developer – Red Candle Games. The game was released in 2019, and since then it frequently features on top scariest games lists. 

The events of “Devotion” unfold in 1980s Taiwan, where you follow the life of a family, plagued by the sickness of their child and career problems. But there’s a religious cult that you also need to fight off. The plot seems a bit dull, at first, but it’s an atmospheric game that will surely keep you on the edge of your seat while playing it on your PC or Mac. 

Final Thoughts

Those five games are just a few of dozens of items that can make your mundane life feel like the safest place on Earth. If you are looking for thrills, other than being afraid of being late with your essay submission, you should definitely try them out. They are not guaranteed to cause you nightmares but they’ll definitely satiate your adrenaline hunger for a while.