It’s no secret that I tend to play a fair amount of horror games. Between work and my undying love for the medium, I go through quite a few each year, so coming up with a list of my favorites has always been tough. To make matters even more difficult, in April I took over our YouTube channel, turning it into a channel for all things video games. This means I play even more now, and specifically those of the indie horror persuasion, because that’s where much of the excitement has been lately.

If you’re interested in joining me for a brief look back at the best horror games the year that was had to offer, read on for my picks (in no particular order).



ADAM’S FAVORITE HORROR GAMES OF 2013

Resident Evil: Revelations

Finally, Capcom got it right. Or, at least, they came pretty close. After Resident Evil 5 and the lazy attempt at bringing us something akin to Outbreak with Operation Raccoon City, Revelations was a breath of fresh air. It isn’t perfect — far from it — but it’s a step in the right direction for what fans have been asking for from the series for some time. It’s creepy, atmospheric and absolutely a must-play if you’re a fan of the series.

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs

It’s unfortunate that so many people waved this game off because it wasn’t as scary as The Dark Descent. A Machine for Pigs is less scary, sure, but it makes up for that in the many other things it gets right, like the setting and story. Narratively, this game is much stronger than its predecessor.

Insanity (Insanidade)

This free indie horror game scared the pants off me. It’s one part Condemned, two parts Silent Hill, and it’s terrifying.

Paranormal

This is another game that made me want to sleep with the lights on. I could boil it down to “Paranormal Activity: The Game,” since it takes place in a house at night that’s plagued by randomly generated hauntings, but that wouldn’t do it justice. This game is great and it also has a free expansion en route called The Town that will bring with it a bevy of new content, including a slew of fresh haunts.

Metro: Last Light

I immediately fell in love with Metro 2033, mostly due to its developer’s impressive attention to detail. The story, characters and world are enriched with a level of detail that isn’t often seen in games crafted by such small teams. Thankfully, publisher THQ (followed by Deep Silver) saw promise in the series and gave the sequel the backing it deserved. Metro: Last Light is a haunting tale of survival in a Russian post-apocalyptic wilderness where everything wants to kill you. It’s unforgettable.

Kraven Manor

Kraven Manor is another (free) indie horror game made by a team of thirteen graduate students. It’s one of the scariest games I played this year, and that’s saying something.

The Last of Us

I was hesitant to include The Last of Us on this list because, unlike the rest of the world, I haven’t beaten it yet. Even still, I feel I’ve played enough to know that this is one of the most memorable games I’ve ever played. It’s a story driven game delivered by a developer (Naughty Dog) that’s at the top of their game.

The Walking Dead – All That Remains

Speaking of games that favor story over everything else, Telltale finally continued their emotional episodic series based on The Walking Dead. Season two premiered last month with All That Remains, an episode that set a sturdy foundation for what could be an intense second season. Poor Clem…

State of Decay

State of Decay snuck up on me. I knew of it, but I had no idea how much love developer Undead Labs would invest in this. It’s a love letter to a genre that’s seen significant attention this past generation and one I’m very much looking forward to seeing more of with its already in-development sequel, code-named Class4.

Outlast

If you follow the games section here on Bloody Disgusting with any sort of regularity, you’re likely already very familiar with my love for this game. Red Barrels hit it out of the park with what could very well be the scariest game I’ve ever played. Ever. Outlast will stick with me for some time.