The year 2020 was a good year for horror games and horror in general! This year saw the release of games like ‘Resident Evil 3 Remake’, ‘Phasmophobia’, and ‘The Last of Us: Part 2’. In terms of quality, the games were really good, but they were not enough. Horror is a genre in gaming that holds a lot of stake in the industry. So, we have curated an article with a list of 5 Best Horror Games To Play In 2021.
These are the games that have either been confirmed for 2021 or were pushed to 2021 due to different reasons.
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5 Best Horror Games to Play
Amnesia: Rebirth:
‘frictional Games’ make a comeback after 10 years with the 3rd installment in the ‘Amnesia’ franchise. ‘Amnesia: Rebirth’ is a survival horror game that follows the titular character of Tasi Trianon, who is a French archeologist. The game is set in 1937 and is in the first-person format. The game follows Tasi as she tries to navigate her way through a plane-crash in an attempt to find the rest of her expedition. Just like a classic ‘Amnesia’ game, our central character suffers from, you guessed it, Amnesia!
Gaming veterans would know the importance of ‘Amnesia’ as a franchise. It is a pioneer in not only horror gaming but also indie games.
Even though the game was released in October 2020, it went under almost everybody’s radar. The game, in reality, is very decent, as it returns to its classic horror roots, and elements that were last seen in ‘Amnesia: The Dark Descent’ can be found here as well. The game, since its release, has received positive reviews generally. It has a score of 81/100 for PC and 75/100 for Playstation 5
The game is available on Windows, Linux and Playstation.
Outlast Trials:
‘Outlast’ is back! The only gaming franchise that can rival and possibly outdo ‘Amnesia’ in terms of revitalizing the horror genre and breathing life into indie games, is ‘Outlast’. Developed by ‘Red Barrels’ this game will be released sometime this year. ‘Outlast Trials’ will be the 3rd installment in the franchise and is said to be a prequel rather than a sequel. The game will be set during the ‘Cold War’. The Cold War is an ignored era in the gaming industry as horror games, if given a historical background, are usually set during the Second World War. Considering that possibly more atrocities were carried out during this particular era, it is a very good opportunity.
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In classic ‘Outlast’ fashion, this game will feature a hapless protagonist with no weapons to fight with but with a new twist! Instead of a night-vision enabled camcorder, this time the protagonist will be given a night-vision headset in the form of a pair of goggles. Another feature that will be seen in the game is that this time, the game will feature co-op mode with up to 4 players.
Senua’s Saga:
As a follow-up to ‘Senua’s Sacrifice: Hellblade’, ‘Ninja Theory’ announced the release of ‘Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2’, at ‘The Game Awards’ in 2019. ‘Hellblade 2’ was supposed to be released during the Holiday season of 2020. However, the release date has been pushed and as of now, a confirmed release date is still unannounced.
The trailer looks like a dream for every horror gaming enthusiast ( even though it is quite the opposite of a dream!). It paints a very morbid and gory picture. There is a lot of Celtic and Nordic chanting apart from practices of Dark Magic and the Occult. From what we can see in the trailer, it looks like one ‘Hell’ of a ride!
The game will be released for Windows, Xbox Series X/S.
Resident Evil Village:
After the spectacular success of Resident Evil 7, ‘Capcom’ announced the release of a new ‘Resident Evil’ game, last year. The game will be released this year and it will return to Ethan Winters as its protagonist once again. The game will again make use of the wonderful ‘RE Engine’ again. The previous 3 games were based on the ‘RE Engine’ as well.
From the looks of it, the game will be reminiscent of ‘Resident Evil 4’ and it will return to its survival horror roots. The game, just like its predecessor is in first-person. The trailer of the game is excitement inducing as there will be new antagonists in the form of werewolves and blood-sucking witches ( or vampires). Apart from that, it seems that the game will be re-introducing the ‘Merchants’ from RE4.
It has also been implied in the trailer that Mia and Ethan may have a child as well in the game.
However, the thing to look forward to the most is actually Chris Redfield. In the trailer, Chris shoots Mia Winters (Ethan’s wife) right in front of Ethan. Chris is a recurring character in the franchise and is revered by the fanbase. It makes us curious if he will take on a negative role. Plus, he seems to have aged which might suggest a time gap between the events of RE7 and RE8.
The game will be available for Windows, Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X/S
Dying Light 2:
Of course, any horror game list/article is incomplete without a zombie game and any zombie games list is incomplete without mentioning the ‘Dying Light’ franchise. Much anticipated and the much-awaited sequel to the successful 2015 game ‘Dying Light’, Techland announced the release of a ‘Dying Light 2’ game in 2018 at E3. It was to be released in 2020 but it had to be pushed to 2021 due to some internal disturbances at ‘Techland’.
The story will follow a protagonist, Aiden Caldwell and it is set 15 years after the events of the original game. From what it looks like, apart from being combat-oriented, the game will also give the players freedom to make choices. These choices will shape the narrative and plot of the game. However, judging by the trailer, the choices won’t be easy, which means that at some point, the players might find themselves in a dilemma to choose, “between bad and worse”.
According to the developers, the game will invoke a sense of loss and dread. It also will show humanity’s struggle with extinction. The game will see new additions to the parkour skills of the protagonist. It will also feature a map four times bigger than the original game. Apart from that, the game will be set in a massive open urban world that the players will have the liberty to explore. Unlike the previous game, the protagonist is infected from the beginning itself, this development will give our protagonist superhuman strength. It may also prove to be both a curse as well as a boon to the players.
In the ‘Dying Light’ style, this game will feature a co-op mode as well. The game will be released for Windows, Playstation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
Will we get to see Miles Upshur or any other character from the original ‘Outlast’ game?
Highly unlikely, the game is set during the Cold War. The events of the first game took place in 2013 but it is quite possible that we might get to see a younger Dr. Wernicke.
Will be ‘Resident Evil Village’ multiplayer?
‘Resident Evil Village’ will include a six-player online multiplayer game with the purchase of ‘Resident Evil RE: Verse.
What is Senua’s mental illness?
Senua suffers from Scherezophrania and Psychosis. 5 mental health experts were consulted during the making of ‘Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2’.
What are some of the best point and click horror games to play in 2021
Some of the best point and click horror games to play in 2021 are:
1.’Wolf Among Us 2′
2.’TOHU’
3.’Papetura’
What are some good free indie horror games?
Some good free indie horror games are:
1.’Slender: The Eight Pages’
2.’SCP- Containment Breach’
3.’The Static Speaks My Name’
How to play horror games without getting scared?
This is a problem that most of us are plagued with!
There are a few points to keep in mind if you want to avoid getting scared:
1. Pay attention to details and the background score: A jumpscare can easily be anticipated if you pay close attention to details in a particular scene. Like the change in the background music, provision of medical aides and ammunition, etc.
2. Keep reminding yourself about the reality: Whenever you feel scared while playing a game, just remind yourself that it is only a game and it can do you no harm. It certainly helps you calm down.
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