Horror games have been a staple of the video game industry for over twenty years, but not every game developer is fully committed to the genre. While many fantastic horror games deliver the scares we expect, others only touch on horror elements – adding creepy details or a spooky atmosphere without fully embracing the genre’s conventions.
Blending different game genres is challenging, and while the following games do it successfully, they could have been even more impactful by fully embracing the horror elements. A deeper dive into horror would have created truly immersive and frightening experiences that stay with players. These games are still enjoyable, but fans might have appreciated a stronger focus on the scary parts of their stories and gameplay.
Resident Evil 5
Too Much Action Turned Resident Evil 5 Into A Shooting Gallery
Capcom aimed to refresh the *Resident Evil* series and attract new players by blending horror and action in *Resident Evil 4*. Faster enemies and a new over-the-shoulder camera created a thrilling experience that balanced intense scares with fast-paced action, keeping players hooked. Given the game’s critical success, it’s no surprise Capcom tried to recapture that magic with *Resident Evil 5*.
Many fans feel the fifth main game in the series marked a shift towards excessive action. With huge groups of enemies and the ability to play with another person, *Resident Evil 5* often feels more like a simple shooting game than a truly scary horror experience, and this problem becomes more noticeable as you play. While fans still enjoy the story, background details, and key character interactions, many have often wondered what the game would have been like as a single-player experience focused more on the horror elements that the series is known for.
Metroid Dread
Despite Being Darker, Dread Never Goes Too Far With Its Horror
The *Metroid* series has always had a spooky atmosphere, but Nintendo promised *Metroid Dread* would be significantly scarier than previous games. Throughout the large game areas, players will face the EMMIs – incredibly fast robotic enemies that relentlessly hunt Samus, trying to capture and eliminate her. While these encounters are genuinely frightening, they only represent a relatively small part of the total game length.
As a big fan, I’d say most of the game plays like a classic Metroidvania – you’re constantly getting new tools and weapons to help Samus explore. It’s really interesting because the game *almost* commits to being a full-blown horror experience, but then seems to hold back at the last minute. I get the feeling Nintendo wanted to keep things relatively tame to maintain their family-friendly reputation. Still, it’s so much fun to imagine what *Metroid Dead* would have been like if they’d really gone for a true survival horror vibe, forcing you to scavenge for every single missile just to stay alive in that terrifying world!
Firewatch
Firewatch Already Has The Atmosphere On Point; It Just Needs A Few More Scares
It’s hard to pin down exactly what kind of game *Firewatch* is, as it doesn’t fit neatly into any one category. At its core, it’s an adventure game where you explore a beautiful, expansive wilderness and communicate with a friend over a walkie-talkie. However, as you play, a mysterious undercurrent emerges. While there are occasional unsettling sounds, the game isn’t focused on jump scares or being overly frightening.
Firewatch had the potential to be a really interesting psychological horror game. It could have been similar to Doki Doki Literature Club!, which lures players in with a cute appearance before becoming genuinely frightening. While Firewatch doesn’t fully embrace horror, it feels like a missed opportunity. However, even so, it remains a pleasant and calming experience, letting you explore a beautiful, remote forest.
The Stanley Parable
The Quirky Choice Game Is Very Sinister, But It Could Have Gone Even Further
The Stanley Parable is fundamentally a game that playfully mocks typical video game conventions. While it’s often funny, it also creates a strangely unsettling feeling. Throughout the game, a narrator guides you, but you’re free to either follow their instructions or do the opposite – the choice is entirely yours.
The absence of music and supporting characters builds a persistent feeling of unease. However, *The Stanley Parable* ultimately prioritizes a smart story over horror. While it establishes a strong base for a truly terrifying psychological horror game, the developers opted for a simpler approach. Making the player’s choices more disturbing would have significantly increased the game’s tension.
Control
Remedy Could Have Taken A Page Out Of Their Alan Wake Playbook When Creating Control
Remedy is a game development team known for creating truly frightening horror games, with memorable monsters and characters. However, with their game *Control*, they shifted their focus. While still atmospheric, *Control* emphasizes unique abilities and strange environments more than pure horror, making those elements the core of the gameplay experience.
Despite not being a full-on horror game, Control still uses techniques from Remedy’s previous scary titles, like unsettling lighting, to create a creepy atmosphere. It makes you wonder what the game would have been like if they’d leaned even further into horror, making players constantly feel unsafe.
Tomb Raider (2013)
Lara’s Adventure Is Brutal, So Maybe Going All-In With Horror Would Have Worked
By the mid-2000s, the *Tomb Raider* series had started to lose popularity, so developers Crystal Dynamics decided to completely restart the franchise in 2013. The new game was an action-adventure where Lara finds herself stranded on a dangerous island and has to fight to survive, using whatever weapons and resources she can find. Players will remember that Lara’s journey is incredibly challenging – she’s repeatedly shot, stabbed, and thrown around – which gives the game a more realistic and intense feel compared to earlier *Tomb Raider* titles.
The game’s focus on typical third-person shooter mechanics sometimes makes it feel more like a shooting range than a truly scary experience, limiting the horror elements. While the series has always included frightening creatures, this 2013 reboot could have leaned more heavily into monster-based horror. Instead, the game primarily features human enemies, suggesting the developers considered a scarier approach but also wanted to capitalize on the popular trend of third-person shooters that dominated the gaming world at the time.
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2025-09-27 06:05