It’s one thing to watch characters run away from a monster but another to actually escape the creature yourself, and that’s why videogames are uniquely suited for horror stories. However, in a medium known for entertaining power fantasies, it makes sense that some games also allow players to find out what it feels like to be on the other end of the bloodstained machete.
After all, constantly playing as the victim can get old after a while, and there’s a reason why the chainsaw is one of gaming’s most popular recurring weapons. And after reflecting on these primitive urges, we’ve come up with this list celebrating six memorable horror games where you get to play as the monster!
While this list is obviously based on personal opinion, we’ll be limiting entries to offline single-player games only as the abundance of licensed movie monsters makes games like Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th a little too easy to recommend. That being said, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorites if you think we missed a particularly fun game.
Now, onto the list…
6. Naughty Bear
I love Behaviour Interactive’s Naughty Bear to death (probably because of all the fond memories of showing it to unsuspecting friends), but I have no illusions about it being a traditionally “good” videogame. Both the graphics and mechanics are rough around the edges and the story leaves a lot to be desired, but even the harshest of critics have to admit that this bizarre little murder simulator is at the very least memorable.
Combining slasher flicks with cartoon violence and cuddly teddy bears, this 80s-set oddity is a love letter to both the horror genre and stealth-adventure titles like Hitman. It’s not exactly a masterpiece, but this seemingly contradictory mix of ideas ends up creating a surprisingly fun cocktail.
If you’ve ever chuckled at an episode of Happy Tree Friends, I’d highly recommend checking this one out.
5. Bioshock 2
Bio-engineered brutes capable of drilling both players and enemy splicers into oblivion, the lumbering Big Daddies were the most memorable (and terrifying) part of the original Bioshock. That’s why 2K decided to focus on these monsters in the sequel by having the protagonist be a rogue Big Daddy searching for his long-lost daughter.
This return to the doomed city of Rapture may not be quite as impactful as our first visit, but there’s no denying that playing as a Big Daddy makes the combat experience much more fun. Drilling holes into enemies never gets old, and the protagonist’s tragic backstory makes this a worthy (if overly familiar) voyage into murky waters.
4. Alien vs Predator 2 (2001)
Before Paul W.S. Anderson finally had these extraterrestrial titans fight each other on the big screen in 2004, the AvP franchise was mostly relegated to comics and videogames. And of these interactive entries, Monolith’s Alien vs Predator 2 became the most popular due to its addicting gameplay and intertwining campaigns. While both the human and Yautja missions are incredibly fun, it’s the Xenomorph portion of the game that guarantees its spot on this list.
Following the complete life cycle of a Xenomorph, the Alien campaign was an especially fun treat for horror hounds during a time when movie licenses were usually considered bad news for gamers. Not only could you eat enemy heads and impale them with your spear-tipped tail, but the title also allowed for gravity-defying (and occasionally nausea-inducing) traversal that still hasn’t been replicated in modern titles.
Plus, you gotta love those movie-accurate screeches.
3. Lucius
From Silent Hill’s Alessa to FEAR’s Alma, the “evil child” trope is almost as common in gaming as it is in movies. That being said, there’s only one game that allows you to actually play as the pint-sized offspring of Satan, and that would be Shiver Games’ Lucius. Clearly inspired by The Omen, this indie Finnish title mixes adventure gaming with homicidal puzzle-solving and stealth mechanics in a surprisingly fresh experience.
Sure, the missions are a bit too linear and the gameplay is somewhat janky, but I think horror fans are sure to appreciate what basically amounts to a young Antichrist simulator. And if you like this one, the developers also produced a couple of sequels!
2. Carrion
If you’ve ever watched John Carpenter’s The Thing and wished that you could also terrorize and consume human beings as a fleshy blob of pure evil, then Phobia Game Studio’s Carrion is perfect for you! Putting players in the amorphous shoes of a shoggoth-like creature, this puzzling side-scroller becomes more complex (not to mention more violent) as your disgusting creature grows and mutates.
Boasting beautifully pixelated graphics and a surprisingly engaging story, this brief yarn about an eldritch being attempting to escape containment is a must-play for fans of Lovecraftian horror and unique metroidvanias alike.
I’d just recommend avoiding snacks while playing through this one.
1. The Darkness
While it’s technically adapted from Top Cow’s eponymous super-hero comic, Starbreeze Studios’ The Darkness is the epitome of having players embody a monster, encouraging gamers to pick off mobsters one by one as they methodically destroy lightbulbs and eat human hearts to become more powerful. I mean, can you name any other super-hero game that ends with your character becoming literally consumed by evil after a vengeful murder-spree?
And if allowing you to harness the power of a literal demon (brought to life by Faith No More frontman Mike Patton) isn’t enough, the title also boasts a truly compelling story that somehow manages to surpass its source material while still being one of the best comic-book adaptations out there.
Not too shabby for a videogame based on a Spawn knock-off…
The post The Other Side of the Chainsaw: Six Horror Video Games Where YOU Are the Monster! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.