The Best Horror Games That Incorporate Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Highlights

Horror games defy clichés: Alien on a spaceship, Dead by Daylight’s iconic villains.
Bioshock’s underwater horrors blend sci-fi with fantasy; Plasmids offer magical powers.
Alan Wake 2 mixes psychological horror with sci-fi elements; Resident Evil 4 adds fantasy foes.

As someone who’s been a gamer for decades now, I must say that these games take me down memory lane and leave me utterly captivated. The blend of science fiction and fantasy elements in each title is nothing short of extraordinary.

Horror, as a genre, frequently employs familiar motifs and settings. You’ll find numerous horror productions featuring common antagonists like serial killers or demons. To make things scary, these productions often transform everyday locations into frightening ones – take for example the seemingly ordinary modern family home in Paranormal Activity, or the ominous town of Silent Hill.

1979’s film “Alien,” directed by Ridley Scott, was lauded for its departure from traditional horror tropes. Instead of a ghost haunting a mansion, it featured a Xenomorph aboard a spaceship, offering a fresh and terrifying take on the genre. Remarkably, despite the outlandish premise, viewers found themselves empathizing with the characters, and it quickly became a legendary entry in the horror movie canon. Interestingly, many horror video games draw inspiration from other genres to explore novel concepts. However, there are a handful of games that have blended elements of science fiction and fantasy, resulting in an innovative and distinct gaming experience.

6 Dead by Daylight

A Multiplayer With A Multitude Of Iconic Horror Characters

“Dead by Daylight” stands out as one of the most widely-played asymmetric multiplayer survival horror video games. Essentially, players assume roles: some become survivors tasked with repairing generators to open an exit and flee, while another assumes the role of a hunter or monster stalking and eliminating the survivors. The game serves as a tribute to the horror genre, acknowledging and embracing various manifestations of fear.

Over time, the collection of characters has expanded significantly, encompassing a wide array from both fantasy and science fiction realms. They comprise of:

The Demogorgon
The Xenomorph
Dracula
A Knight
Ellen Ripley

In this game, players can experience the chilling reality of being pursued by infamous monsters from science fiction and horror movies (notably including Nicolas Cage). This game beautifully combines elements of fantasy and terror, transporting players to petrifying settings where they assume roles as either a deranged killer or a frantic survivor.

5 Bioshock

A Sci-Fi Horror At The Bottom Of The Ocean

As a passionate enthusiast, I’d describe my adoration for Bioshock as follows: This game is a gripping sci-fi first-person shooter that delves into the terrors of survival horror. The backdrop is an eerie underwater metropolis called Rapture, constructed in the 1940s and envisioned as a utopia. A mysterious substance known as ADAM was found here, granting people extraordinary abilities. Unfortunately, this paradise crumbled, leading to a chilling undersea realm of nightmares that I can’t help but be captivated by.

In addition to its traditional science fiction elements, this game incorporates a touch of fantasy through the use of abilities that resemble magic. These abilities are referred to as Plasmids and enable you to discharge lightning, ignite enemies, and summon a cloud of hornets. The game is abundant with unsettling visuals, notably the Big Daddies – towering figures who are genetically enhanced and encased in large diving suits permanently. Their role is to safeguard Little Sisters, who are peculiar girls with psychic talents that make the twins from The Shining seem ordinary by comparison.

4 Alan Wake 2 (And Night Springs DLC)

An Incredible Horror That Takes Influence From Classic Sci-Fi Writing

Last year, Alan Wake 2 was released and garnered much acclaim as an exceptional psychological horror game with a unique twist. It incorporates various aspects from science fiction, such as multiple dimensions and a gadget similar to the Sonic Screwdriver from Doctor Who. The supernatural aspect of Alan Wake 2 is characterized by Norse deities. Without giving away any spoilers, there’s a part in the game where characters inspired by Norse gods can summon thunderstorms using the energy of a Nordic Rock concert filled with countless guitar solos. Simply put, Alan Wake 2 exudes coolness.

In the Night Springs DLC expansion, there’s a stronger emphasis on science fiction themes. This is evident in a chapter featuring actor Shawn Asmore traversing multiple universes, each showcasing distinct versions of himself. Among these alter egos are the character Tim Breaker and a nod to Remedy Entertainment’s earlier sci-fi game, Quantum Break.

3 Resident Evil 4 Remake

A Timeless Classic That Uses Sci-Fi to Explain Fantasy

4th installment of the Resident Evil series is widely adored as one of the best in the franchise and ranks among the greatest games ever made. The remake breathed new life into the original GameCube version, giving it a fresh, polished look while enhancing its gameplay mechanics to make an already exceptional game even better. Throughout the Resident Evil series, sci-fi elements have been consistently used to explore the origins of zombies, mutated creatures, and colossal alligators, all tied back to Umbrella Corporation’s clandestine scientific research.

In the world of gaming, stepping into Resident Evil 4 felt like a magical shift for me. The franchise took a leap towards fantasy with a spooky castle teeming with armor-clad enemies that gave me a run for my money, a colossal lake beast, and trolls that looked as if they’d wandered off the set of a Lord of the Rings movie. Diving deeper into the fantastical realm of Resident Evil came Resident Evil Village, where I encountered vampires and werewolves. However, the response to this game was divided among players.

2 Luigi’s Mansion 3

E-Gadd’s Science Helps You Fight Fantastical Enemies

The Luigi’s Mansion series gives Luigi the opportunity to break free from his brother Mario’s shadow and stand on his own. The initial installment was a debut title for the GameCube in 2001, receiving praise as a kid-friendly horror game similar to Ghostbusters. Many gamers consider the third game, launched on Nintendo Switch in 2019, to be the best Luigi’s Mansion experience yet.

In the game, Professor E-Gadd introduces science fiction elements via his peculiar experiments, which aid you in combating and capturing ghosts. These inventions include the Poltergust G-00, the Dark-Light Device, and, to be sure, Gooigi – a green goo replica of Luigi. From the realm of fantasy, we encounter various instances such as spectral knights, sorcerers, and Serpci, a powerful Egyptian queen with magical abilities.

1 The Evil Within 2

A Matrix Inspired, Monster Fighting Nightmare

In the “The Evil Within” series, one might be surprised to find a heavier dose of science fiction elements. Particularly, the second installment appears to have been significantly influenced by “The Matrix”. This is because the entire game unfolds within an alternate world, where characters are connected to a machine called STEM, enabling them to traverse there. Essentially, STEM merges multiple minds together, creating a collective and immersive shared reality in this alternate dimension.

Inside this world are all kinds of fantasy-inspired creatures for you to fight. These include:

Sentinels – mutated wolf-like creatures.
The Guardian – a giant multi-headed troll-like creature.
Sebastian Valentini – a main villain who possesses magical abilities.

In terms of feedback, The Evil Within 2 was generally appreciated, with its science fiction and fantasy aspects setting it apart as something truly distinctive.

2024-08-20 16:35