Top Ten Survival Horror Games Nobody Played - News
by Jake Weston , posted on 28 June 2011 / 487,743 Views
It's the last week of Resident Evil Month here at gamrFeed, and we thought we'd end the celebrations with a look at some of the most underlooked titles in survival horror, the genre that Resident Evil helped popularize. From great games that just couldn't find their audience to intriguing games whose flaws prevented huge sales, these are the top ten survival horror games that nobody played.
10. Alone in the Dark: Inferno
"Jake, what is wrong with you?" hypothetical readers may ask. "Alone in the Dark for the Xbox 360 was an awful game! How could you even recommend it?" Well, dear readers, I agree whole heartedly, Alone in the Dark for the 360 IS an awful game. For the PlayStation 3 port, however, developer Eden Games did something unprecedented: They went through and fixed all of the bugs and complaints that fans had with the 360 version, almost to the point where Alone in the Dark: Inferno was almost a completely different game, and a pretty good one at that, too.
9. Cold Fear
One of the first clones to follow Resident Evil 4's monumental success, Cold Fear has the familiar set-up of players investigating a mysterious Russian boat, and soon find out the ship is over-run with zombies and other nasty creatures. Of course, the set-up is familiar, but what is cool about this game is that it employs both old school Resident Evil's use of fixed camera angles and new school Resident Evil's over-the-shoulder perspective, allowing players to switch between either on the fly. And while it may not seem like a big deal now, Cold Fear was one of the first survival horror games to allow players to move and shoot at the same time.
8. ObsCure
With one of the most appropriate names of all time, this *ahem* UNDERLOOKED survival horror game follows a group of four high schoolers who discover biological experiments going on in their school, and must determine what is going on while trying to survive. It may look like a simple Resident Evil/Silent Hill knockoff at first glance, but Obscure features a co-op mode, allowing two players to play throught the story at the same time, and was one of the first survival horror games to do so.
7. Cursed Mountain
Cursed Mountain for the Wii features something that is sorely under represented in video games, mountain climbing, and makes it seem like the scariest thing you could ever do. Cursed Mountain takes the tried and true formula of past survival horror games and effectively applies it to a unique setting, as players slowly trek up the snowy mountain in surch for their missing brother. The atmosphere and tension is laid on thick in this game, and only a few shortcomings hold it back from greatness. Unfortunately, due to poor sales, developer Deep Silver Vienna closed down shortly after release of the game.
6. Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Surprisingly few games have drawn from H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulu mytthos, but this 2005 first person shooter draws directly from Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and results in one of the most chilling games in recent times. Not only does the game feature terrifing creatures and atmosphere, the game also lacks a heads up display, meaning the player has no visual cues for things such as health, radar, or ammo. This surprisingly simple mechanic goes a long way in making players feel hopeless in an isolated, unforgiving world.
5. Haunting Ground
Developed by Capcom, Haunting Ground obviously shares some simiarities with Resident Evil, but really stands out with its mature themes and unique gameplay mechanics. Players play as Fiona, an 18 year old girl who wakes up trapped in a castle, and must find a way out while evading her deranged captors. What makes this game stand out is Fiona's companion, a white German Shepherd, who helps her on her journey. Players must treat the dog right by praising and healing it, and if they don't the dog may disobey Fiona's orders, and even attack her.
4. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
It could be argued that Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, a reboot of the Silent Hill series, couldn't really be called a survival horror game since it lacks many of the defining features of other survival horror titles. Nevertheless, this is one of the most interesting titles in the Silent Hill series, where the game actively psychoanalyzes the player, subtely changing the scenarios in the game depending on the player's actions. On top of featuring one of the best plot twists gaming, this is a game horror fans should check out.
3. Clock Tower 3
The Clock Tower series is well known among survival horror fans, but with a measly 120K in global sales, the third entry in the series never got the attention it deserved. Departing from the series' traditional point-and-click interface, Clock Tower 3 was the first in the series to allow the player to directly control their character. Clock Tower 3 plays very similarly to Resident Evil and the aforementioned Haunting Ground, and each level features a serial killer who stalks the player (similar to Nemesis in Resident Evil 3). Running and hiding from these deranged pyschopaths make for some of the most terrifying moments in gaming. Clock Tower 3 also has the distinction of being the only video game directed by renowned Japanese film director Kinji Fukasaku.
2. Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason
It seems like a lot of games on this list feature ice and snow, but the truth is survival horror and icy cold go hand in hand. Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason continues this tradition while throwing in a gripping tale of time travel, all played from the first person perspective. Similar to BioShock in many ways, Cryostasis is part of the new wave of first person horror games that live on through games such as Condemned and Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
1. Deadly Premonition
Called by some a masterpiece, others an absolute trainwreck, Deadly Premonition is one of the only games that can be considered "so bad it's good". With horrible voice-acting, awful sound effects, and nigh-broken gameplay mechanics, yet has gained a large cult following due to its surprisingly good story, surreal comedy and everything in between. Deadly Premonition is the most "out there" game to come out in awhile, and is something that truly must be experienced.
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Proud owner of Cursed Mountain, Shattered Memories and Deadly Premonition.
I think the author needs to broaden his horizons, where is Fatal Frame, Forbidden Siren/Siren Bloodcurse, Forbidden Siren 2?
I checked out Bloodcurse after you mentioned it here. Yeah, seems scary like hell!
While those franchises could be described as low key compared to the sales of other games on the list they were roaring successes.
Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth - great, I recommend you all, first half is just stunning. Play it on PC though, there are many patches for this game.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories ist one of the best survival horror games ever, especially in the Wii version. And it has solid sales (for example: The sales are higher than the sales for the last PS3 SIlent Hill-Game).
So a lot of people played Shattered Memories, it should not be in this list.
silent hill had some decent sales on Wii and PS2, wii sales were stronger though. I wouldn't say "nobody played" it because that would apply to alot of the SH titles seeing as they all had similar sales. Shattered Memories actually did well in the series.
Obscure is something I have been curious about though, might pick it up along with cursed mountain someday
I own 4 of the 10 listed, hehe.
That makes me a horror junkie, eh?
Is Amnesia: The Dark Descent too popular to be on this list?
What about Amnesia, the Dark Descent?
Totally agree
Got all these except Deadly Premonition. Also, I thought Haunting Ground was more Clock Tower-ish than Resident Evil-like. More importantly though, where is Eternal Darkness and Siren?
Aside from Fatal Frame and Eternal Darkness, this is a surprisingly good and interesting list. I might just pick a few of these up. Which user is Jake Weston (the author)?
Cursed mountain might have had better sales had it been advertised at all, same with Silent Hill
I was hoping to see Forbidden Siren in this list...
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is on of my favorite game on the Wii. The story is fantastic. I own Deadly premoniton but did'nt play it yet.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is on of my favorite game on the Wii. The story is fantastic. I own Deadly premoniton but did'nt play it yet.
I really need to try Cursed Mountain, I've been meaning to buy it for quite a while now
I played the 360 version of Alone in the Dark, it was pretty decent. The bad controls and the fact that you couldn't pause to game to change items added to the gameplay imo. Just like bad controls are signature for Silent Hill and bad camera angles is signature for RE. PS3 i have not played, but i find it hard to believe that its any better, especially when they took the 2 key features that made the 360 version scary.
I've played like 7 games on this list my favorite is Cryostatis, its really good imo.
where is Siren and Eternal Darkness?
I don't think Eternal Darkness deserves to be up there, personally. It was very clunky, not scary, poorly paced, and poorly balanced.
I don't think Eternal Darkness deserves to be up there, personally. It was very clunky, not scary, poorly paced, and poorly balanced.
I really enjoy Silent Hill Shattered Memories. It's a fantastic game! Every horrorfan should have played it! :)
Either somebody played Fatal Frame or this list is completely wrong.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories was indeed a fantastic game. That ending is still one of my most pleasant surprises of this generation. A truly poignant moment in gaming.
Yay Clock Tower getting some props!
The first game in the series with Scissorman scared the crap out of me and my friends when we rented it way back in the day, moreso than even games like Resident Evil remake and Dead Space.
Yep, played exactly zero of those games.
I've only heard of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and Alone in the Dark, out of all the games from this list.
Theres something wrong here, i dont see cod.
amazing games
Weird. For a list of games nobody played I played 7 of them.
Alone in the Dark:Inferno (PS3 version)
Cold Fear
Obscure
Cursed Mountain
Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (Wii version) Tried to play it. Motion controls sucked badly.
Deadly Premonition
i would like to see enemy zero on that list, although the list doesn't seem to go back that far.
Fatal Frame series should have been included. Also, all the Silent Hill series are frightening LOL
Cool list! Got to know of Cryostasis & Cold Fear.
I miss Rule of Rose on that list
exactly!
Aside from Deadly Premonition and Clock Tower 3, the rest are garbage.
I think the title should be renamed "Top Ten Worst Survival Horror Games Nobody Played." Alone in the Dark PS360, PS2 game should never be on a top ten list. It's terrible.
Like Turkish stated, the author needs to go out there and play some more games. Siren and Siren the Blood Curse are two of the best horror games that no one has played. I'd say Siren the Blood Curse should take #1 on this list easily.
Where is Haunted House for the 2600?! BAH!!!
Played 6 games on that list and Deadly Premonition is by far my favourite.
Shouldnt Singularity be in this list also? Surprisingly good game full of suspense and not many played that (going by VGChartz sales anyway lol)
Silent Hill and Cursed Mountain I know of. I nerver heard of the others but will like to play them. I like these type of games.
Cursed Mountain made this list? Really? That does not bode well for the survival horror genre.
I've played every single game in that list. Deadly Premonition is just bad, the horror part is good but not excellent and the sandbox part of the game is awful, probably one of the most boring games I ever played, even the town in the first No More Heroes is better than this poorly executed little town called Greenvale.
Siren: Blood Curse is probably the scariest game released this gen and it wasn't even mentioned, not cool bro. I appreciate the effort.
Fatal Frame(Project Zer), Clock Tower 3 and Haunting Ground are the best.
Another awesome horror game that was totally ignored by gamers was Clive Barker's Undying. It was not only a scary game, but it was a little ahead of its time too. It did the dual wielding gun + magic combo long before BioShock made the mechanic popular.
Demon's Souls. Not only are you killed unexpectedly by hiding zombies, but 'The Hills Have Eyes'-type creatures are hiding in plain site of you and gang up on you with axes and mineral bags in horrific ways. Oh, is there any greater S.A.F. sensation as reading "xxxx has invaded your world" flashing in read on your screen?
I own Obscure, Silent Hill, and Deadly Premonition. All decent games.
Cursed Mountain was pretty good but it was a little bit too long for the kind of gameplay the offered. If they either shortened the game a little bit or, even better, offered some cool boss fights it would be a classic. BTW, I know many reviewers had a problem with the movement controls but I hardly have any problem at all.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is not a survival horror game as your character is not really physically threatened. However, the sophisticated psychological build up make it, arguably, the best horror game I ever played.
I'm intrigued by haunting ground.
CoC is great indeed. I've been playing it this week, some of the most intense moments in gaming are there.
What about Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem? I was certain that it would be #1 on this list.
Eternal Darkness is a classic game that found a sizable audience. This list is about little known gems.
I love Cursed Mountain, it was pretty scary!
CoC was amazing!
CoC was amazing!
Hauting Ground and Clock Tower 3 are the best survival horror-games of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (exclusiv for ps2)
You should add the system for every game.
I have deadly premonition! Not yet openend it =p. Spending to much time on Halo Reach :(
Go play Deadly Premonition. RIGHT NOW.
All sucky that's why, apart from #1 :-P
Dead Space: Extraction should be here.
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accept the paypal
jordan shoes $32
nike shox $32
Christan Audigier bikini $23
Ed Hardy Bikini $23
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ed hardy short_tank_woman $16
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add resident evil mercenaries to that list. fuck you capcom!
The first one was PS2 and Xbox, Obscure: The Aftermath was available for the Wii as well as PS2 and PSP.
