Best Light Gun Shooter Horror Games, Ranked

Summary

Alien 3: The Gun offers intense xenomorph encounters.
CarnEvil is one of many light-gun shooters to never leave arcades.
Until Dawn: Rush Of Blood spooks VR players while the roller coaster thrills.

1990s saw a boom in popularity for light-gun games, with titles such as “Virtua Cop” and “Time Crisis” becoming staples across arcades worldwide. These games offered an incredibly immersive gaming experience, allowing players to wield and aim replica guns that responded to their movements.

Indeed, this type of immersion makes horror games particularly fitting, allowing players to encounter numerous scares with the aid of this accessory. The latest releases such as 2022’s remake of “The House of the Dead:” Remake” and popular VR titles like “Duck Season” demonstrate that on-rails shooting action remains relevant today. Here are some of the top picks from the golden age of light-gun games, organized by their fame and impact.

10. Alien 3: The Gun

Xenomorph Blasting Action

Platforms: Arcade
Released: 1993-04-06
Developer: Sega
Genre: Light-gun shooter, rail shooter, horror

A lesser-known title that remained exclusive to arcades, “Alien 3: The Gun” offers an alternative narrative for the third installment of the Alien film series. As a space marine embarking on a rescue operation, or teaming up with another marine in multiplayer mode, you find yourself battling xenomorphs and various adversaries on a prison colony that has been taken over by these terrifying creatures.

Throughout seven distinct stages, players will come up against sentry turrets, facehuggers, xenomorphs, and even hostile human opponents while fighting for survival. Early critics of the game Alien 3: The Gun praised it as both terrifying and exhilarating. Additionally, features like flamethrowers were particularly well-received by players.

9. CarnEvil

Ultra-Violent Clown Killing Terror

CarnEvil, famous for its gruesome violence and darkly amusing tone, unfortunately never found its way onto home consoles; it stayed exclusive to arcades instead. With its haunting circus characters like terrifying clowns and other freakish performers, this game might be best avoided by those suffering from coulrophobia, or the fear of clowns.

As a gamer, I’ve got some good news! The first three stages are flexible – you can conquer them in any order that suits your playstyle. Once you’ve mastered those, it unlocks the final showdown: Professor Ludwig von Tökkentäkker’s lair, where I face off against the ultimate boss. Now, his name might sound like a character out of a pulp novel, but don’t let that fool you. You can beef up your starting gear into either a shotgun or a flamethrower for those tough battles ahead. And if things get really hairy, there’s always the option to use acid rounds to dissolve the grotesque enemies in front of me before they even have a chance!

8. Until Dawn: Rush Of Blood

Thrills And Panic In A Virtual World

The surge of virtual reality appears to have rekindled the flagging enthusiasm for light-gun shooters, and an illustrative triumph in the horror genre is the game “Until Dawn: Rush of Blood“. Evidently modeled after “CarnEvil“, and serving as a sequel to the horror sensation “Until Dawn“, players engage in shooting enemies and various non-living objects while on a roller coaster ride at a carnival.

As you move forward in this game, you’ll encounter seven distinct stages filled with increasingly challenging opponents and frightening moments. Along the way, your weapons progress from a simple pistol to a flare gun, machine gun, and even a shotgun. There are numerous hidden treasures waiting to be discovered, and even the most fearless VR player might jump at some of the surprise scares.

7. Area 51

More Alien Blasting Action With Added Zombies

As a passionate gamer, I must confess that even with mixed reviews from critics, diving into the world of Area 51 was an exhilarating experience. It seemed to have rekindled Atari’s lost sparkle during its time, proving popular among players. Interestingly enough, the game’s title references the enigmatic military facility in Nevada, and the adversaries you encounter are a formidable alien race known as the Kronn, who had the power to create zombies.

In a mission known as Strategic Tactical Advanced Alien Response (STAAR), players engage in defending Area 51 from the Kronn’s invasions. The unique blend of 2D and 3D visuals, exaggerated cartoonish violence, numerous secret items, and multiple levels contributed to its popularity, leading to a follow-up game.

6. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles

A Rail Shooter With Some Freedom

Platforms: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3
Released: 2007-11-13
Developers: Capcom, Cavia
Genre: Light-gun shooter, horror

Capcom tried their hand at Resident Evil light-gun games on various occasions, but it was with Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles that they found their first significant success, launching the game on both the Wii and PlayStation 3. Although the game followed a predefined path as is common in rail shooters, players were given some degree of choice through branching paths and occasional opportunities to look around.

In this game, one fresh approach taken within the genre is enabling players to execute close combat attacks, momentarily switching the camera view to a third-person angle. Critics often noted that while rail shooter games typically feel restrictive, in this instance, the combination works effectively and adds an extra layer of terror because there’s no place to escape.

5. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles

More Classic Zombie Slaughtering

Platforms: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3
Released: 2009-11-17
Developers: Capcom, Cavia
Genre: Light-gun shooter, horror

Expanding upon the triumph of “The Umbrella Chronicles”, “Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles” serves as a precursor to the occurrences in “Resident Evil 4”. This game follows the narratives of Leon S. Kennedy and Jack Krauser, immersing players in a world where they must untangle puzzles, engage in combat with enemies, and ultimately unravel the secrets hidden behind the T-Virus and the suspicious Umbrella Corporation.

In cooperative play (either with an artificial companion or another player in multiuser mode), players may occasionally dodge enemy assaults by successfully completing a rapid response sequence called quick time events. A significant shift from its predecessor is the increased ease of landing headshots and the expanded array of weapon customization possibilities.

4. Beast Busters

Busting Beasts Since The 1980s

Originating from arcades in 1989 and being the oldest game on this list, Beast Busters stands out as the first three-player light-gun shooter. The three main characters, Johnny Justice, Paul Patriot, and Sammy Stately, are mercenaries stuck in a city overrun by an epidemic of the undead, commonly referred to as Beasts.

During every one of the seven levels, players encounter narrative sequences that advance the storyline. In each level, players may discover power-ups like rocket launchers and protective armor. At its release, the game’s horror elements and tale were highly acclaimed, while its striking visual style continues to captivate viewers today.

3. The House Of The Dead 2

As Good As Its Iconic Predecessor

Two decades past its initial release, The House Of The Dead 2 continues to be cherished by numerous gamers. Resuming the narrative approximately a year after the first game’s events, our AMS agent characters find themselves in an Italian metropolis overrun with zombies created through genetic engineering, all while on a mission to locate their missing comrade, G.

As a gamer, I have to say that the auto-reload feature, which lets you point your reticle off-screen to reload, is one of the aspects I really appreciated in this game. Alongside the impressive graphics and diverse branching paths it offers, it truly enhances the overall gaming experience. Initially, the voice acting was a bit over-the-top for some, but nowadays, many fans find it endearing and see it as an added charm to the game.

2. Dead Space: Extraction

Arguably The Best Light-Gun Shooter Horror Game

The recently launched light-gun shooter game titled “Dead Space: Extractions” for Wii and compatible with PlayStation Move peripheral, is widely regarded as the best in its genre. This game serves as a prequel to the original “Dead Space“, where players assume control of one of four survivors who find themselves stranded on a planet and spaceship overrun by the Necromorphs.

This game offers a wide variety of fresh adversaries and weaponry, allowing players to engage physically using their controllers, reminiscent of the classic Dead Space series, where enemies can be dismantled. The narrative is presented across ten chapters through cutscenes and audio diaries that help move the plot forward. Often praised as a standalone game experience, even for those new to the franchise.

1. The House Of The Dead

Iconic And Extremely Influential

Although Dead Space: Extraction might have a superior overall gaming experience, The House of the Dead is renowned for being instrumental in popularizing zombies in media alongside Resident Evil. With numerous sequels and movies stemming from it, the game was quite contentious in its day due to its high levels of violence and gore.

Despite having been released many years ago, The House of the Dead continues to resonate with numerous gamers, serving as inspiration for movies such as 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead, along with countless other games. Even three decades later, its gameplay mechanics, visuals, and story remain compelling, prompting a remake in 2022. Pioneering branching paths and multiple endings, The House of the Dead was truly ahead of its time.

2025-01-11 01:09