Alongside attending options like Creep It Real and watching movies like The Ring, horror lovers also dabble in chilling games on a huge range of gaming platforms. These titles serve up the spine-chilling scenes horror gamers crave while also requiring skill and moments of bravery along a dark and testing journey.

Of course, plenty of video games have their scary moments, but products in this genre provide far more petrifying scenarios than a challenging clash with a beast in Pokemon Go or while tackling a Goomba in the Mario games. We’re talking about blood and guts, psychotic axe-wielding characters, and gaming content that is explicitly horrific here. In fact, if you aren’t terrified, then these games simply aren’t doing their jobs properly.

Today, titles like Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly and its Japanese horror and folklore theme are shining, while gamers are also exploring products with a dark and slightly twisted circus element, such as Carnival Hunt or the Jugglenaut game from Habanero. But these popular options wouldn’t be where they are without some of the iconic releases that came before them. These classic options helped shape a genre of gaming that so many horror enthusiasts adore.

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look back and remember some truly iconic horror games.

Left 4 Dead 2 was harder than the original

Although many people who are familiar with Left 4 Dead will wonder why we aren’t focussing on the first installment of the game here, Left 4 Dead 2’s, tougher aspect makes it stand out just that little bit more. Released in 2009, the game’s harder challenge made it far scarier than the first version of it. Throw in the new characters and some fresh enemies to see off, and this undoubted masterpiece is definitely up there with some of the best horror titles ever.

Haunted House is a 1982 classic

One for any grey-haired readers: if you grew up playing the Atari, then you surely managed to sample Haunted House. One of the console’s most memorable releases; while the basic graphics and lack of detail wouldn’t stand up against some of today’s graphically advanced products, the premise of the game served up plenty of horror. Released in 1982, players had to avoid things like a giant tarantula, all while trying to find their way around a haunted mansion. Given the era, the game obviously had its limitations, but it still deserves strong praise, given the impact it made at the time.

DOOM is a much-loved title

You aren’t really a horror gamer if you haven’t played DOOM, right? This 1993 favorite has spawned many imitations since, but none of them delivered quite like DOOM did. A run-and-gun demon shooter that millions of gamers grew up with, the release’s strong dose of blood and gore was ahead of its time. People simply weren’t ready for it, but it certainly didn’t put them off. Taking down frightening populations with a sawed-off shotgun never felt so good, while the game’s range of levels threw up numerous surprises along the way. Overall, DOOM’s impact on the genre shouldn’t be ignored.

Silent Hill’s package was truly terrifying

Image via https://twitter.com/juresmccann

When assessing some of the most famous games from the horror sphere, Silent Hill is definitely up there with the very best of them. While it didn’t specialize in the jump scares and ugly monsters that some of the other aforementioned titles offered, its third-person perspective and the chilling storyline created horrors of its own. Under immense pressure, players also had to solve puzzles and keep their cool in a number of spine-tingling scenes. A 1999 masterpiece, Silent Hill is a hair-raising classic.

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