Horror games are beloved, as unlike other mediums, there’s a newfound terror in being able to control the protagonist rather than just watching them. It allows for a whole new playing field when it comes to utilizing scares, and it can be incredibly difficult to move forward when you’re at the pinnacle of fear. But there’s more to terror in the medium than just horror games.
There are many reasons why we can feel scared. An unexpected boss can make a player feel both fearful and exhilarated. Other games may have hidden themes that are quite frightening when they are revealed.
There are many ways to find horror even in seemingly mundane things. So without further ado, here are totally normal games you didn’t expect to be terrifying.
Heart of Darkness
On the face of it and given the ‘E for everyone’ rating, my Mum bought me Heart of Darkness with my PS1 for my eighth birthday. To this day, I’m still a little bit scared to pick it up.
You may be asking yourself: How can a 32-year old man still be afraid of a children’s game? This 2D platformer surprises you by creating an overwhelming feeling of terror in your protagonist, a child, by making them outnumbered by terrifying shadow monsters.
If you fail, your protagonist, which I need to remind you again is a kid, is killed in a myriad of horrifying ways — be it falling to your bone crunching death, getting eaten by said monsters or (most memorable for me) being pulled into a giant centipede’s hole and watching your legs squirm and fall limp after a bone chilling snap.
In horror, they say less is more. You can leave the mystery of their death up to your imagination, rather than showing it in all its horrific detail. Heart of Darkness is an excellent example of this art form, making it even more horrifying.
– Jason England
Super Mario 64
The inexplicable eeriness of Super Mario 64 has been discussed at length ever since the game’s launch. The seemingly simple platformer is filled with small discrepancies and surreal world-building details. It also features haunting soundtracks and a core concept that grows more sinister the more you think about it.
It is a place that retains the remains of an active city, but which I often think about as Wet-Dry World. Mario continues to the downtown area and all that we see are a series gray buildings, abandoned streets, and a few other buildings. The Wet-Dry World photo backdrop clearly depicts claustrophobic, clumped together ruins that are completely submerged in water. Meanwhile, the sun beams through the watertop.
Hazy Maze Cave is another area that’s equally creepy. There are strange bugs scattered throughout a cavern filled with labyrinthine caves, and a disturbing soundtrack. These bugs’ designs are truly terrifying. Their large eyes, round bodies, and strange textures make them look like molten monstrosities. Part of Super Mario 64’s innate creepiness has to do with its age, as old game environments can occasionally be unsettling, but the game’s creepiness certainly surpasses that threshold.
– Momo Tabari
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds, a thrilling adventure that explores a tiny but well-crafted solar system, took the world by storm in 2019. In the beginning, it is easy to assume that this experience will lead to adorable character interactions, playing acoustic guitars, and roasting marshmallows.
But the comfort of one’s home planet has no bearing on the terrors you face throughout the unforgiving depths of space. Fear of the unknown is a potent device, and Outer Wilds brilliantly utilizes the player’s lack of knowledge on the entities and phenomena which occupy this solar system to bring them an inescapable doubt from deep within.
Outer Wilds embraced the inexplicable horror of Echoes of the Eye in their expansion. But I had no idea the original would be as terrifying. My heart would race from something as simple as approaching a new location, because at some point during my playthrough, I began to understand the language of Outer Wilds: When overcoming a challenge, player’s should be seriously afraid of what comes next.
– Momo Tabari
Animal Crossing
It’s like no other place on the planet to enjoy a peaceful stroll through Animal Crossing. Fans can enjoy many joyous activities, including greeting the villagers, picking up some rocks with a pickaxe and creating cute decorations for your home. Isn’t it so peaceful? Sometimes.
Animal Crossing is a difficult exercise in mental distress that can be just as tranquil as it can be. I have never been so scared by a game that I would ever consider launching them again.
It all started during the first year of the game’s launch. I was close to my birthday, and in the months that followed, I was addicted. Animal Crossing – New Horizons. However, my enthusiasm for this game faded a week before the big event and, due to my birthday-related preparations I was unable to launch the game. The next morning, I woke up in horror to realize that I had completely forgotten to jump in the game that day.
I’ll never forget how my heart sank when I was told that my villagers were preparing a party for me. This was a party I never went to. They waited for me at home to surprise and I never came. Their love for me shined through their actions and they poured so much of themselves into making me happy on my special day, yet I didn’t even think of them. I’ll never forget it. Animal Crossing taught us that there is nothing more terrifying than disappointing loved ones.
– Momo Tabari
Goose Game Untitled
Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “Really? Animal Crossing was already quite a stretch. Untitled Goose Game, however, is insane! How could that be terrifying?” This may seem silly on the surface, but there’s more to it than you think.
The Untitled Goose Game is cute and colorful, with amazing piano arrangements that give each savage act a remarkable sense of class. The theme of the game is no secret: You’re an obnoxious little goose and your job is to annoy the hell out of people, stealing and breaking crap at every turn.
My webbed feet stomped through the streets, honking like an goose, and all I could sense was sadness at my own actions. It’s a fun game because each objective is a puzzle. But watching people hurt themselves or the goose making the hurting felt awful.
Yet when watching other people’s playthroughs, at no point did I detect an inkling of remorse. Poor children are often portrayed as expressing joy by putting them in phone booths, taking their sunglasses, and stealing their toy plane. I felt terrible for him throughout my playthrough. This caused me to feel a bit of terror towards myself as I was told to do these horrible things and I did. Untitled Goose Game proved to me that humans can be terrifying, and not just geese.
– Momo Tabari
