Best Found Footage Horror Games

Key Takeaways

Found footage technique creates immersive horror experiences in video games like The Final Take and Simulacra.
Games like The Riverside Incident and The Complex: Found Footage offer eerie environments and smart storytelling.
Titles like Blair Witch and Outlast feature engaging gameplay with puzzles and exploration in terrifying settings.

As a seasoned horror gaming enthusiast with a penchant for the unsettling and the macabre, allow me to share my thoughts on these three games that have recently caught my attention.

The phrase “found footage” is often used in the realm of horror films to describe videos that were initially recorded and then lost by the person filming, only to be discovered later and shared with an audience through someone else. This method has been extensively utilized in cinema, with examples like The Blair Witch Project and the Paranormal Activity series. Lately, video games have started using this technique to provide more engaging horror experiences for players.

Games under discussion don’t merely incorporate video cameras as gameplay elements, but skillfully weave infound footage as a crucial aspect of both storyline and gameplay. This approach enables players to either step into the shoes of the camera operator, living their last moments, or watch footage recorded by those who met tragic ends, unveiling the mystery behind their untimely deaths. These are some exceptional examples of found footage horror games available today.

10 The Final Take

Don’t Accept Jobs Without Doing A Background Check

Release: June 16, 2016
Developer: HUSH Interactive
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Steam User Rating: 56%

The story titled “The Final Take” unfolds across four chapters, presented as VHS tapes labelled as “evidence footage.” The narrative perspective switches between Sarah Evans and Adam Miller, individuals who have mysteriously disappeared. Sarah, seeking to restart her nursing career in the city, attends an interview at a private hospital, only to discover upon arrival that it’s abandoned. As you progress through the story, you uncover the sinister connection binding these two main characters.

The game titled “The Final Take” faced some criticisms primarily because it featured repetitive “gather various items” puzzles that lacked complexity. Despite this, it delivers plenty of chilling moments. For just $2, you get an immersive experience that combines elements from both the 80s VHS aesthetic and an abandoned hospital setting, reminiscent of a blend between “Outlast” and “Slenderman.

9 Slender: The Arrival

Fleshing Out The Lore Of A Beloved Creepyasta

In 2023, stepping back into the chilling world of Slender: The Arrival as a dedicated fan, I was utterly captivated by the enriched lore that sewed together various narratives, making the experience far more immersive than before. Initially, I found myself in the shoes of Lauren, visiting my friend Kate’s house, only to discover it eerily deserted and adorned with unsettling markings on its walls. A blood-curdling scream echoing from the forest beckoned me to explore the unknown, a compulsion I couldn’t resist.

Beyond the recurring technical issues with the camera, the game features two tapes unveiling Kate’s and Carl’s destiny, as well as the enigma surrounding Charles Matheson from the missing poster. The game, Slender: The Arrival, incorporates classic puzzles such as locating eight pages, introduces fresh characters and settings, and boasts an advanced audio design. This revamp of the creepypasta lends a chilling new vitality to the experience, ensuring players are left feeling uneasy.

8 Simulacra

Don’t Snoop Through Other People’s Phones

Release: October 26, 2017
Developer: Kaigan Games
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Top Critic Rating: 67

As a gamer, diving into the immersive world of “Simulacra” feels like stumbling upon an abandoned phone belonging to a woman named Anna. After cracking the screen and witnessing a glitchy video where she implores not to be found, I’m tasked with unraveling the mystery surrounding her disappearance. Delving into her messages, photos, emails, and even dating app, I soon realize that the technical issues are merely the tip of the iceberg, hinting at something far more ominous lurking beneath.

The intriguing investigative vibe of “Simulacra” keeps you hooked. The assorted puzzles range from reorganizing scrambled message words and repairing damaged images, providing a balanced degree of challenge for players. Interacting with Anna’s relatives can influence the narrative’s direction, leading to five distinct conclusions.

7 Blair Witch

A Manhunt Reveals Something Much More Sinister

In the game titled “Blair Witch,” the player assumes the character of a former law enforcement officer named Ellis. Together with his canine companion Bullet, he embarks on a mission to locate a missing boy. The adventure unfolds within an increasingly challenging forest, where they search for pertinent evidence. While the narrative diverges from its cinematic counterpart, the setting of “Blair Witch” remains in the same universe, encompassing the Black Hills and the Griggs House.

In this game, players uncover tapes that influence reality when discovered. These tapes serve various purposes like helping find items or opening doors, and they also provide clues and background information. The movie “Blair Witch” skillfully delves into how past events impact the present, tackling numerous psychological aspects like PTSD. Additionally, it offers puzzles and combat sequences to maintain an immersive experience.

6 Amanda The Adventurer

This Children’s Show Is Not What It Seems

Release: April 25, 2024
Developer: MANGLEDmaw Games
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows
Top Critic Rating: 73

As a gamer, I find myself stepping into the shoes of Riley, a new homeowner who’s just inherited an eerie house from their Aunt Kate. Venturing up to the attic, I stumble upon a stack of VHS tapes and decide to pop one into the old VCR. What I uncover isn’t your typical children’s TV show – it seems Amanda the Adventurer is more than just a harmless cartoon. The deeper I delve, the more I realize that there’s a sinister undercurrent to these tapes…

The 90s-inspired animation and Amanda’s method of speaking directly to the audience through the screen creates an eerily familiar atmosphere. With entertaining puzzles and hidden tapes, the narrative revealed through the recordings makes Amanda the Adventurer a captivating play experience.

5 Outlast

A Body Horror Survival Game With A Disturbing Plot

In simpler terms, “Outlast” is a survival horror game played from the first-person perspective. You control Miles Upshur, an investigative journalist, who sneaks into Mount Massive Asylum after receiving a secret tip. Unfortunately, you find that the asylum is just a front for something far larger and more disturbing. Instead of solving a mystery, your task becomes one of staying alive while trying to escape.

In the game Outlast, the main character can make use of a versatile camcorder. This device serves not just one purpose, but two. Firstly, by recording specific significant spots, players will unlock journal entries. Secondly, the night vision feature enables them to explore dark locations. However, it’s crucial to keep an eye on battery life, as running out could leave the player in complete darkness – a situation they are trying to avoid.

4 The Backrooms 1998

A Backrooms Horror Game Inspired By True Events

Release: May 25, 2022
Developer: Steelkrill Studio
Platforms: Windows
Steam User Rating: 84%

In 1998, the story revolves around Paul, a teenager who enjoys skateboarding. After an accidental fall, he mysteriously stumbles into the Backrooms. Equipped with just a can of spray paint and a flashlight, the protagonist embarks on a quest to gather various objects to find his way out. This game, known as “The Backrooms,” draws inspiration from the real-life incident involving Timothy King in 1977. Unlike many other games, it combines elements of horror with a touch of emotional depth.

The aggressive wandering beast can detect sounds through the players’ microphones. Regardless of whether it’s the moving dummies or the blood-splattering, tentacle-adorned creature lurking in the corridors that scares the player the most, it is the truth about Paul that leaves them questioning if the beast is truly a monster or something else entirely.

3 September 1999

A Short But Impactful P.T. Style Horror Game

Release: October 10, 2018
Developer: 98DEMAKE
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Steam User Rating: 86%

Starting from September 1999, I find myself hunkered down in a bare-bones bedroom – just a mattress on the floor amidst remnants of empty bottles of booze. The camera’s lens barely captures beyond this small space, only stretching as far as the apartment’s main corridor. The scenes unfold from the 18th to the 30th, skipping over some days in between. As the days roll by, both rooms undergo changes that grow increasingly disheartening.

As a gamer, I found myself immersed in September 1999, a game that lacks interactive elements but offers a captivating narrative. The video abruptly ends after about five and a half minutes, leaving it up to me to fill in the blanks and piece together the events that transpired. The limited game space and play time didn’t hinder its ability to create an unsettling atmosphere, thanks to the grainy, low-quality camera footage.

2 The Complex: Found Footage

Walking Simulator With Fantastically Eerie Environmental Design

Release: August 18, 2022
Developer: pgWave
Platforms: Windows
Steam User Rating: 93%

The Complex – Found Footage

The Free Walking Simulator, “The Complex: Found Footage,” surpasses expectations. Despite not having combat or survival mechanics, it compensates remarkably well through its captivating setting, eerie atmosphere, and palpable tension. The game’s unique blend of liminality will undoubtedly keep players on the edge of their seats.

1 The Riverside Incident

Offputting Visuals & Smart Storytelling

Release: May 1, 2019
Developer: Puppet Combo
Platforms: Windows, macOS

In “The Riverside Incident”, you’ll find yourself taking on the role of the individual who captured the footage from a video tape, which was subsequently discovered by a group of hikers and handed over to the police. Initially, it may seem like an ordinary urban explorer recording an abandoned hospital. However, as satanic symbols and ritualistic items start to emerge in the footage, the true essence of the recording becomes increasingly clear.

Even though it primarily focuses on exploration, this game offers a compelling storyline filled with hints about the true nature of events for players to uncover. The intermittent leaps in the video footage mimic the police’s strategy of hiding certain details from the public, creating an immersive experience where players feel like they are actively gathering evidence for the public.

2024-09-21 10:34