Top 10 Island Horror Games: Trapped and Terrified

Summary

Successful island horror games make players feel isolated and alone.
Games like Resident Evil: Revelations 2 and The Suffering make their island settings more oppressive with locations like prisons.
Games like Dead Island juxtapose sunny beaches with zombies.

One crucial aspect of any terrifyingly successful video game is their knack for making players feel ensnared and isolated in their dreadful predicament, where the prospect of escape seems distant and elusive. Interestingly, an environment such as an island can swiftly instill a sense of despair more effectively than others due to its isolation and limited exits.

Set apart from the mainland and scattered across an endless sea, islands inherently have a sense of isolation. Here are some top-notch horror games that, whether they initially appear as peaceful retreats or hidden institutions, ultimately descend into chaos and misfortune.

Total Chaos (Honorable Mention)

Release Date: July 24, 2025
ESRB: N/A
Developer: Trigger Happy Interactive
Genre: Survival Horror

Originally developed as an enhancement for “Doom 2,” the action-packed game known as “Total Chaos” is all set to debut independently this July. In

At present, you can find a playable demo on Steam that showcases the game’s greatness. The game, Fort Oasis, is set in a dismal location with an intentionally dull color scheme of grays and filled with haunting visuals. Exploring the island is undeniably, in the most engaging way, a melancholic journey.

7. Dino Crisis

Dinosaur Survival Horror

As a gamer, I’ve found myself drawn into the thrilling world of Dino Crisis, reminiscent of the Jurassic Park franchise. This survival horror game, often referred to as “panic horror” by its creator Shinji Mikami, immerses you on the isolated Ibis island research facility, where dinosaurs rule supreme.

In essence, Dino Crisis, like its inspirations, serves as another warning about not disturbing dinosaurs, even though these aren’t genetically engineered but time-traveled from the past. As a player, you take on the role of Regina, a special forces member dispatched to inspect the facility. However, upon arrival at the island, you become trapped and must fight an array of dinosaurs using the classic survival horror mechanics that you’re familiar with.

6. The Suffering

A Haunted Prison

As a gamer, I’d describe “The Suffering” as a chilling horror experience set on an isolated island. Instead of just being trapped on this desolate place, you’re also confined to a prison, surrounded by cold metal bars and the ever-present threat of drowning in the water that seems to be everywhere.

In this game, players take on the character of Torque, a condemned prisoner accused of murdering his family. However, due to a strange instance of video game amnesia, he has no recollection of committing such an act. Just before his execution, the prison is suddenly overrun by a swarm of monstrous creatures, each resembling different methods of execution. The players must battle through these creatures while simultaneously uncovering the mysteries of Torque’s past.

5. Resident Evil: Revelations 2

An Island-Sized Saw Trap

In “Resident Evil: Revelations 2,” Claire Redfield and Moira Burton find themselves abducted by a mysterious group of armed individuals. Upon waking up in a decaying prison situated on an island, they discover peculiar bracelets fastened to their wrists. The pair must then unravel the reason for their captivity and devise a plan to break free from their confinement.

Due to the distinctive episodic setup of Resident Evil 2, gamers can take on the roles of Barry Burton and Natalia, a girl with unusual abilities, during their quest to find Claire and Moira across the island. As players navigate through Claire’s episodes, they will experience a sense of being pursued by an enigmatic voice. This voice frequently creates tension for the duo by provoking them and subjecting them to hazardous circumstances, making the game feel like a sprawling version of Jigsaw’s traps.

4. Dead Island

Zombie Getaway

A tranquil paradise turned into a horrifying ordeal, Dead Island, is usually the game that comes to mind for many when discussing island settings in video games. With zombies invading the fictional island of Banoi, players find themselves taking on the persona of one out of four characters, battling their way through swarms of monsters using engaging first-person combat.

The unique blend of a heart-touching trailer and contrast between tranquil sunny beaches and gruesome zombies has significantly contributed to the legendary status of the game Dead Island in the gaming world, despite its imperfections. For gamers seeking an immersive experience of solitude within a virtual world, the atmosphere of Dead Island is bound to leave a lasting impression.

3. No One Lives Under The Lighthouse

Someone Is Probably Down There

If you enjoyed Robert Eggers’ movie “The Lighthouse”, I highly recommend you explore “No One Lives Under the Lighthouse”. This story is set on a secluded island near the U.S. coastline, where players take on the character of a lighthouse keeper who has been sent there following the mysterious disappearance of the previous one.

In intriguing, eerie, and vividly retro style, the game “No One Lives Under the Lighthouse” masterfully embodies the chilling ambiance of traditional English folklore horror with a touch of cosmic unease. As the solitary resident of the island, the game effectively creates an isolating experience.

2. Sons Of The Forest

Cannibal Island

Among the top-tier horror survival games are “Sons of the Wilderness” and its forerunner, simply known as “The Wilderness.” While the latter has players taking on the role of a rescue team searching for a CEO and his daughter, both games take place in treacherous landscapes. However, the island where “Sons of the Wilderness” is set is even larger and just as perilous as the one in the first game.

On this ominous isle, you’ll encounter gruesome tribes believed to be cannibals and terrifying mutants, relentlessly pursuing you as you strive to endure. The island, replete with numerous eerie and cramped caves, intensifies its chilling atmosphere, compelling you to delve into these locations to procure fresh tools and advance the game’s narrative.

1. Resident Evil – Code: Veronica

Umbrella Prison

Once more, Claire Redfield from Resident Evil – CODE: Veronica is captured by a band of armed forces, leaving her imprisoned on the island of Rockfurt following a raid at an Umbrella facility in pursuit of her brother, Chris Redfield.

Despite the fact that the 3D environments in Resident Evil: CODE Veronica may not seem as timeless when compared to the pre-rendered backdrops from the GameCube version, which came out a few years afterwards, the game’s setting maintains an eerily gloomy charm. The prison’s dimly lit hallways contribute to a sense of suffocating oppression that, combined with its isolated island location, results in one of the series’ most compelling atmospheres.

2025-05-05 05:59