The best psychological horror game that will make you question reality

Many of the best horror games are scary in a way that presents players with scary enemies and dangerous situations that definitely make the fear understandable. for example, resident evil It places players in a dire situation where police officers are trapped in a mansion and have to face off against various zombies and other mutant creatures. Reality never bends. Because that's not the point of fear.

The following games actively try to confuse players in a number of ways, which makes them even more thrilling and scary. Part of the fun is deciphering what is real and what is fiction in this world. This trippy example is one of the best available, but to preserve the mystery, it contains no spoilers.

alan wake 2

2 in 1

alan wake 2 is a third-person action-adventure shooter that follows a new character named Saga Anderson, an FBI agent investigating a murder that occurred near Bright Falls, Washington. Alan Wake is still in the game, trapped on the other side of reality and trying to find a way out. The player switches between the two characters during the campaign, with Alan's segments becoming more bizarre. This makes sense because the opponent is trying to mess with his brain. Players work their way out of puzzles, altering reality and changing the environment to move forward. Beyond that, Alan will be switching between in-game exploration and live-action acting, which is Remedy Entertainment's favorite.

One huge example includes the music, which becomes a highlight without ruining the game too much. In Saga's case, she can enter her own mind palace, which is essentially a giant corkboard that she can manipulate to sort out mysteries. It's already a strange power, but she too will have live-action segments as she talks to certain characters, including her connection to Alan Wake. What's interesting is that Remedy Entertainment's graphics technology has gotten so good that players can sometimes question whether they're looking at a gaming segment or a live-action segment. With one huge cliffhanger, fans are eagerly anticipating the next chapter. alan wake death.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan

we are on a boat

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is the first installment in this anthology horror series, set as a spiritual sequel to . until dawn. It's an adventure game that doesn't require much from the player in terms of input. They can move around the environment and inspect items, but players are not required to solve puzzles before continuing. The most active parts of the gameplay are quick-time events, where players must act quickly to make decisions. Otherwise, one of the five playable characters could die and change the story. This chapter follows the story of five friends, Alex, Brad, Conrad, Fliss, and Julia, who embark on their first deep-sea diving voyage.

Eventually, they discover and board a huge ship called SS Ourang Medan. On the ship, each character begins to see what makes them who they are, and the player begins to question reality. Based on what's happening, there seems to be a 100% chance that the ship will be haunted and the characters will act irrationally. Ghosts can force characters into life-ending situations, and it's up to the player to see through their deception. There is an answer to the question of whether this game is science fiction or whether there is an explanation for the ghosts seen on the ship, but I won't go into that here. Either way, The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan Definitely worth recommending to any horror fan looking for a good mystery.

Among the ashes

game in the wall

Among the ashes This is a modern indie horror game set in the 2000s, when the internet was still fairly new. The player takes on the role of a mysterious character known only as “you” according to the computer's chat interface. The player fate– It's like playing a shooting game before you even realize you're the one playing the video game on the computer. The session is interrupted by a message request from a man named Mark. After a short conversation, Mark gives the player a link to the following game: night callOther players say they've seen strange things happen when they play.

The premise has a similar vibe ringHowever, players will receive a free game instead of a videotape. Regardless, night call is a fairly standard first-person horror game involving an investigator sent to a house. Inside, you'll find secret rooms leading into a maze, with undead and ghosts roaming around, giving players plenty of jump scares. What's really spooky is that the player begins to hear what's going on in his apartment and briefly switches focus to exploring the apartment. Is it all in their head, or is something really happening to the videos that have started plaguing their apartment?

Catherine: full body

dream girls

Catherine was released for PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, followed by a PC port right away in 2019. Also in 2019, an expanded version Catherine: full body was released exclusively in Japan for the PS4, PS Vita, and then the Switch got a port in 2020. Beyond the new characters, the premise of the core game remains the same in this puzzle-based spiritual spinoff. persona The series was developed by the same team within Atlus. Vincent is a young man in crisis. His girlfriend, Catherine, wants to get married, but he has changed his mind. One night, he wakes up next to a blonde girl named Catherine, which makes him think he's cheated on his girlfriend.

Moreover, at night, Vincent will appear in the mysterious world wearing underpants and with horns growing out. In this dream world, players must push blocks to climb the tower, but throughout each major chapter they are chased by entities ranging from a demonic version of Catherine to a haunting baby. He can talk to others in the waiting room between puzzles, which are actually sheep. Additionally, after these trials, players will be asked some good-natured questions that will impact the story before Vincent wakes up. In the real world, the player can talk to NPCs and answer texts, and the goal is to stay with Katherine, flirt with Catherine, or, in the extended game, start a relationship with Rin. Vincent must also find out if his dreams are real and how they affect him.

Eternal Darkness: Requiem for the Spirit

kojima effect

Eternal Darkness: Requiem for the Spirit One of the best games still attached to the GameCube. It stars Alexandra Roivas, a woman who appears to be living in the mansion of her apparently murdered grandfather. As Alex investigates, he begins to uncover the mysterious nature of his ancestor's past, which allows him to shift his perspective to a variety of characters, including a Roman soldier. In addition to switching time periods, players also have a hard time keeping a grip on reality, as the game actively tries to confuse players through a system called Sanity Effects.

There is a ticking meter, and when the meter gets low, the sanity effect triggers. For example, the controller may appear to be disconnected, the TV's volume may start adjusting, or the player may fall into a dead state. At its core Eternal Darkness: Requiem for the Spirit A classic survival horror game of the era, complete with puzzles and a bit of action. The addition of Sanity Effects makes this game way ahead of its time and there is no other game quite like it. Hopefully, we'll get a port to the Switch 2's online GameCube library sometime soon.