The 2000s are considered to be a pioneering era for horror games since they received some major new features and the genre improved significantly in general. Despite coming short on graphics, at least compared to modern games, most of the horror games released then, similar to the 2000s horror movies, offered the fans some unique aspects.
- There are countless horror games on the market for every gaming system. However, when the spooky season rolls around, many gamers want to find something fresh and new, even if it is just new to them. The best place to find these gems is to look to the past. The 2000s saw a huge surge of great horror games, with the gameplay turning into something special as the PS2 hit the market. These games include some of the scariest and most disturbing stories to keep horror fans awake at night.
From spooky music and scary dialogues that give players the chills, to 3D and psychological horror features being first developed, some games of the 2000s managed to shine.
Obscure (2005)
Obscure is a survival horror game that arrived in 2005 around the same time that Resident Evil 4 redefined what horror games meant. That also means that Obscure was a game that mostly underwhelmed critics at the time since it was a throwback to what Resident Evil used to be. Despite that, it is a game that proves that playing within the rules of the genre can still produce a fun experience.
The one change is that this takes place in a high school, so the main characters are teenagers trying to survive the monster onslaught instead of military personnel. A blend of a high school horror movie with Lovecraftian monsters, the visuals are great and the atmosphere is creepy, making this an interesting throwback to revisit.
Rule of Rose (2006)
Rule of Rose is one of the most disturbing horror games of the 2000s. While the game is a bit frustrating at times thanks to gameplay mechanics that don’t always work as well as hoped, the horror story is what carries this game to great heights.
The storyline follows a woman named Jennifer who ends up trapped in a terrifying world of sinister and dangerous creatures. This is not a story for anyone who wants to see a happy ending, as a group of bloodthirsty girls force her to bring them offerings, and the last sacrifice is the twist that drives the tragedy into this story.
Siren (2004)
Siren was a great game when it hit in 2004, but sadly it has been forgotten over the years. This is disappointing because there is a lot to love about the series, and it deserves a revival, or a possible remake for the horror game market.
This debut game in the series split up into different stories based on the arrival of demon zombies referred to as The Shibito. Throughout the journey, the player will take control of different characters who have to complete objectives while staying alive. The story bounces around, with a non-linear timeline and the mysteries slowly unfolding. This is a cult classic despite its obscure gaming status.
Extermination (2001)
Extermination hit in 2001, and it was one of the first survival horror games for the PS2. While the creative team included members of the Resident Evil team, this game had a lot more action involved. It shares a lot in common with The Thing, as it focuses on a special ops officer investigating strange happenings on a base at the South Pole.
The creatures are scary, and if they bite the player, it is game over as the infection kicks in. The game controls will be familiar to anyone who has played Silent Hill, but it has a nice twist where the player can go into first-person when using a gun to aim the scope. The graphics are nothing compared to other survival horror games on the market, but it has that familiar story action that fans of the horror survival genre eat up.
Condemned: Criminal Origins (2005)
Condemned offered a unique approach to horror games at that time due to its improved AI. Enemies appeared as if they were able to think, and were constantly hiding and scaring the player, with almost perfect timing.
It is considered a pioneer of its kind and a solid horror game overall, and it really revolutionized the genre with its exceptional brutality and violence.
Nosferatu: The Wrath Of Malachi (2003)
In Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi, the protagonist travels to Pennsylvania in order to attend his sister’s wedding with a Romanian Count. However, it turns out that the Count was a vampire, and his family has been imprisoned by him.
The game’s dialogues and scenes bring chills and fear to the player. The most unique aspect is that the castle’s layout is randomly generated at the beginning of every game, really boosting its replay value in a way that hardly any of the game’s contemporaries can match.
Carrier (2000)
In Carrier, multiple characters are seen investigating a creepy environment after being split up by a mysterious attack. The game stands out due to being one of the first 3D games ever, which was accomplished surprisingly well.
The title also stands out for another reason, as the socio-political storyline that served as the backdrop for the game itself was surprisingly complex and detailed, developing a fictional world that was far richer than many games of its era.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (2002)
Eternal Darkness is a GameCube exclusive, and it was the first M-rated game released by Nintendo. It is known for bearing a lot of similarities with the more well-known Resident Evil series.
Eternal Darkness really digs into its own cosmic horror themes, and there is a strong element of psychological horror woven into the story and gameplay as well. The narrative itself is one of the highlights of the game, and it is not afraid to get a little experimental.
The Suffering (2004)
The Suffering follows the story of Torque, a prisoner who was sentenced to death for the murder of his wife and kids, although Torque doesn’t actually recall committing said crimes. The game begins when the prison that he is sent to starts getting attacked by supernatural entities.
The most unique aspect of this game is that choices matter. It offers 3 alternative endings based on choices given, all offering a different explanation to his background.
Cryostasis: Sleep Of Reason (2008)
Cryostasis is a psychological horror game located in the arctic biome. The player takes the role of a meteorologist, who is part of the crew of a sunken ship. By finding dead crew mates, he can alter time and change their past decisions, with his ultimate goal being to prevent the ship from sinking.
Despite offering a fearful experience of fighting against the cold and past memories, the slow-paced gameplay could be frustrating to some gamers. Nevertheless, it is still a great game that offers an interesting approach to the psychological horror genre.
Cold Fear (2005)
Cold Fear is Ubisoft’s first released horror game. The game’s main feature was the wide variety of player animations available (far more than any other game of that time). However, it was often compared with Resident Evil 4, which was obviously to the game’s detriment in the long run.
Of course, Resident Evil 4 is a classic that is hard to outperform, but Cold Fear still has a lot to offer and holds up over a decade after its initial release.
Barrow Hill: Curse Of The Ancient Circle (2006)
Barrow Hill is a point-and-click horror adventure game where the player is called to investigate a haunted archeological site. Its greatest feature is that it offers a more open world compared to most other games, and thus provides the player with more choices of where to investigate and what to discover.
It manages to maintain some immersion towards the story and is a unique approach to the open-world horror genre.
Clive Barker’s Undying (2001)
In Clive Barker’s Undying, the player investigates the paranormal hauntings that have killed a friend’s family. It features an impressive combination of horror, action, and puzzle-solving, and Clive Barker’s seal of approval clearly gives it a leg up among horror titles.
Undying is also quite distinctive because it’s a period piece, following an Irish paranormal investigator in the 1920s. Given Clive Barker’s experience in different forms of horror media, Undying makes for a great introduction to horror games for the uninitiated.
