Dying Light

Dying Light taps into what makes horror games so irresistible. It’s got a scarcity of resources, infected humans transforming into zombies, and the fear of nighttime adding anxiety on top of it all. And while most gamers would argue the best horror games are linear curated experiences in nature, Dying Light uses its open-world to ramp up the horror in ways only it could. Threats aren’t fully scripted and can come from pretty much any direction in the map. Similarly, scrounging for resources takes on a new life given the large dynamic environments. Dying Light 2 would take the parkour of the first one and really polish it up while adding a paraglider for faster traversal. Though fans still largely prefer the darker tone of the first game over the more colorful style of the sequel.

Days Gone

Want to simulate what it would be like to outrun and outgun an ocean of zombies out in an open field? Well, Days Gone is the closest thing to that experience on the gaming market – yet nothing could prepare us for the sheer size of hordes that the game would bless us with. While it would have been amazing to mow down zombie hordes using pick-up trucks or even a combine harvester, Days Gone limits its vehicles to primarily bikes. Still, the bike controls are quite smooth and ramming into zombies is a fun, though less ideal, way to squash their huge numbers. The icing on the horror cake are the stealth sequences, which make for some terrifying moments when swarms get alerted. Now if only we could finally get a sequel that gives us more vehicles to mow zombies down with.

The Evil Within 2

The world design of The Evil Within 2 may not be as open-ended as the previous games on this list, but it makes up for it in its tightly crafted narrative. Sebastian Castellanos’ mind is still reeling from the events of the first game, but he still has to rescue his daughter, Lily within the surreal Union labyrinth. The stakes are more personal here than in the first game, amplifying the psychological aspect tenfold. The semi-open world design adds some interesting side stories and secrets to discover, nicely contrasting the more claustrophobic sequences. Oh, and the bizarre, surreal world can even be experienced in first-person thanks to a 2018 update to the game.

Sons of the Forest

Being stranded on an island full of cannibals has to be one of the more harrowing concepts in horror, and Sons of the Forest executes it frighteningly well. The size of the island and its predominant forest biome is four times larger than the first game. The larger layout both helps the player and hinders them with helpful NPCs and a host of new terrors lurking in hidden corners of the map.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

After developing The Evil Within, Tango opted to go fully first-person with Ghostwire: Tokyo. The more intimate perspective combined with a supernaturally shifting environment enveloped in fog gave it a unique brand of horror. The game’s developer describes battles with the phrase ‘karate meets magic’. You’d think being adorned with such supernatural abilities neuters the sensation of helplessness a bit, but no, the many occultic monstrosities populating the possessed Tokyo are enhanced with even more terrifying abilities than the player character, making for an unpredictable and haunting journey.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Stalker 2, actually the fourth game in the series, was first announced way back in 2010. Typically, games with development hell history turn out poorly, but Stalker 2 nailed the post-apocalyptic premise and gameplay the series had been celebrated for prior. The limited inventory space and sparse resources within the Exclusion Zone make for a true survival experience. Add on a hunger and sleep meter and some reality-altering anomalies within the open-world and you’ve got a game sure to raise players’ blood pressure.

Dead Rising

This 2006 game may be the oldest on this list, but it’s also one of the most iconic in terms of open-world horror. Willamette Parkview Mall makes for a fantastic locale to combat hordes of flesh-hungry zombies. Part of the endless charm of the series is the sheer variety of weapons available to smash zombie brains with. The first Dead Rising hosts 250 weapons ranging from useful shotguns to fun props such as Mega Man’s Megabuster. The horror aspect, while less severe than others on this list, still comes into play when dozens of zombies close in on a defenseless and unaware Frank.

State of Decay 2

The State of Decay series has quickly become one of gaming’s most immersive zombie survival experiences. There’s few games that can match the feeling of building outposts and combating zombies together with other co-op partners quite like State of Decay 2. The series has always been primed for co-op, yet the first game lacked any multiplayer, being a purely solo affair. Besides the four-player co-op, the additional facilities and utilities, as well as a far more diverse map made for an improved gameplay loop. The improved open-world may have sacrificed some of the memorable story moments the first had, but the series is certainly headed in the right direction, giving us optimism for State of Decay 3.

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus is another game that uses its semi-open world structure well. The Volga, Caspian Desert, and Taiga regions feel so distinct from each other, as opposed to the largely monotonous regions of previous games. But the game still hones in on those narrow tunnel corridors that the original did so well. The Metro series also evokes a peculiar sensation of dread with the semi-frequent hallucinations and horrific mutant creatures aptly named The Dark Ones.

Dead Island 2

Dead Island takes a more arcady and fun approach to its horror, though getting overwhelmed by zombies still provides some tense jump scare moments. The sequel partitions up its open world into regions, helping to make each area distinct. What really makes Dead Island 2 stand out from the rest is the environmental interactions. Most objects lying around can be used as weapons, and a number of hazards such as electric and fire can be used against zombie hordes.

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Combining a spaghetti western wild west setting with a zombie apocalypse probably hasn’t been done in games before Red Dead did it with Undead Nightmare. It’s such a unique fusion of disparate elements, yet feels so satisfying and fun to experience. The addition of classic folklore monsters, from Chupacabras to Sasquatches, is just the cherry on top of a well blended horror-tinged desert of the Red Dead franchise.

Project Zomboid

Project Zomboid takes a unique twist on survival horror. It’s not about how you survive, but how you die in this game. Players are fated to get eliminated by a single slow zombie bite, yet the game manages to make this process rewarding and, above all, fun. The unlimited nature of sandbox mode puts all the tools in the player’s hands, giving control of the zombie population, weather patterns, and loot. It’s a top-down 2D game though, so if you’re just in the mood for a cinematic and graphically intensive horror experience, others on this list will have to substitute.

Once Human

One of the most recent entries on the list, Once Human prides itself on its community-focused gameplay. Players can craft and build base camps meant to serve as a home base within the game world. Hunger and sanity needs to be kept in check lest players lose their loot with a respawn. What helps separate Once Human from other multiplayer survival games is the wild creature design. I mean, there’s a walking bus monster that players can use for transportation for crying out loud. Once Human isn’t lacking in creative  charm.

Beyond Hanwell

Surprisingly overlooked despite its quality, Beyond Hanwell lets players loose in the rainy streets of Westminster London amid an outbreak of mutant anomalies. The sound and music in particular really create an unsettling atmosphere, which is further aided by the environmental details of within the first-person perspective. Your primary source of self-defense is a pistol and some other light weapons, but a bigger aspect of the game is simply exploring the old buildings for notes and objects that help uncover the mystery.

The Sinking City Remastered

Fans of Lovecraftian horror should check out The Sinking City if they haven’t already. It’s filled with a variety of weird monsters beyond the familiar mortal coil, and even features a mental stability meter that diminishes as you learn new truths. The semi-open environments help fill out the background lore of Oakmont well, and the motorboat is just plain fun to traverse the waters with.

Returnal

Rogue-like third-person shooter Returnal is relentlessly unforgiving, a game in which time is an agonising loop for astronaut Selene after she crash lands on the hostile alien world Atrophos. Otherworldly creatures stalk cadaverous biomes, hurling bioluminescent bullet hell between Selene’s scavenging for artifacts, resources, and ether. Its challenge can put players off but stick around and the accumulated muscle memory makes subsequent playthroughs a breeze. Returnal’s emotional narrative weighs heavier on successive runs too when the unfolding of events has already been discovered.

Halo 2

You could make a case for any Halo game featuring on this rundown – Halo 3 for its gameplay, Halo 4 for its writing and character development, Halo: Combat Evolved, where it all began. But Halo 2 gets the nod here because it has all those standout elements but additionally its easily the most varied in terms of locations visited, with each locale itself superbly designed. The introduction of Arbiter Thel ‘Vadamee as a playable character not only put new weapons into our hands, but greatly expanded Halo’s lore too, presenting deeper purpose underlining Covenant motivations.

]]> 600361 https://gamingbolt.com/15-best-survival-horror-games-you-need-to-play-2024-edition Fri, 07 Jun 2024 08:26:57 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=588272 The survival horror genre continues to be one of the most loved in the medium of games, and over the years – we have had plenty of great experiences of this ilk that have stayed with us after all this time. To that end, we present 15 of the best survival horror games of all time. 

Silent Hill 2 

Konami’s Silent Hill 2 continues to be a benchmark for survival horror games even after all these years later, and that legendary status can largely be attributed to the excellent atmosphere that never fails to keep you guessing. The fog-infested town of Silent Hill is brimming with horrors that would give you nightmares for weeks to come, and everything from the story to the music and puzzle design works in symphony to support the central themes of uneasiness and inducing a sense of fear of the unknown. 

At the same time, however, it was also clear that the single player first person shooters that had once been the genre’s lifeblood were dying out. Multiplayer was growing in popularity at a rapid rate, and with the likes of Call of Duty, Halo, and Battlefield eating up an increasingly larger share for the market, it felt like there was no room anymore for narrative-driven single player first-person shooters. Or, well, that’s what the majority of us thought, at any rate, because in 2010, along came Ukrainian studio 4A Games’ debut project, Metro 2033, to prove us all wrong.

Developed by a team of former GSC Game World staff that had previously worked on the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, Metro 2033 was based on a novel of the same name by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky, telling the story of a group of survivors in a post-nuclear Russia, living in the cracks and shadows of Moscow’s underground Metro system in order to avoid the heavily irradiated surface. Launching for Xbox 360 and PC, Metro 2033 instantly became something of a poster child for the notion that narrative-driven single player first person shooters still very much had a place in the games industry.

Though the game received some criticism for a few of its technical issues, some clunkiness with its combat, and AI-related bugs, by and large, Metro 2033 was received well by critics and audiences alike, and with its excellent post-apocalyptic setting, its horror elements, its grueling survival mechanics, its excellent story and the way it told it, and more, it instantly endeared itself to a sizeable audience. Though it didn’t set the world on fire with its sales the way so many other shooters at the time would do (especially the multiplayer-centric ones), with over 1.5 million units sold, it became clear that the game had been enough of a success to warrant a sequel.

And it didn’t take long for that sequel to arrive. In 2013, around three years on from the launch of Metro 2033, 4A Games put out Metro: Last Light, and with it, the studio chose to head down a path of its own making. Rather than adapting the second Metro book, Metro 2034, 4A Games instead worked with Metro author Dmitry Glukhovsky to write an original, new story that would serve as a direct follow-up to 2033’s bad ending. Thankfully, it was a risk that paid off, because Last Light continued to prove that there was still a place in the games industry for linear, narrative-driven shooters.

By and large, other than choosing to tell its own original story, Metro: Last Light didn’t stray too much from the path that its predecessor laid out, which meant it had a lot of the same strengths, and a lot of the same weaknesses. The game attracted some criticism for issues related to its AI and its technical state, but at the same time, garnered widespread praise for its story and storytelling, its tense atmosphere, and its stellar storytelling. At the same time, it also made relatively smaller improvements to the gameplay, which came together to uplift the combat and stealth in some noticeable ways.

Like its predecessor, Metro: Last Light was a critical and commercial hit, and it was clear to everyone that another sequel would arrive at some point in the future. The wait for the third Metro game, however, turned out to be a much longer one than the wait for the second one had been. By this point, both the series and 4A Games had become known quantities in the AAA space (to say the least), and with expectations higher than ever, the studio started envisioning a much more ambitious experience for the series’ next instalment.

Metro Exodus arrived six years after its predecessor, in 2019, and though it was a long wait, the game proved to be worth it. One of the biggest changes it made was adopting a semi-open world structure, and taking players out of the dank, cramped, underground tunnels that they had spent the majority of their time in in the first two games. In Metro Exodus, Artyom and his crew travelled the remains of post-apocalyptic Russia, hopping from one large, open-ended map to the next, with the game once again telling an original, new story written in collaboration with Glukhovsky. The game definitely swung for the fences- and for the most part, the results were impressive.

Metro Exodus’ larger emphasis on exploration and the optional content it had on offer lent new weight and depth to the experience, while at the same time, the game also continued to deliver a healthy amount of the tense, linear, guided sections that had been the series’ bread and butter over the course of its two previous instalments. It also continued to tell a riveting story, one that benefited from its larger, more expansive worldview, while gameplay elements like combat and stealth also saw further noticeable improvements.

Unsurprisingly, Metro Exodus went on to become the series’ biggest and most successful game yet. As of February this year, the shooter has sold over 10 million units worldwide, which, of course, means the series’ future is assured. In fact, we already have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Metro in the coming months and years. First up is Metro Awakening, a virtual reality FPS being developed by Vertigo Games that will serve as a prequel to Metro 2033, and is promising a more linear, guided experience in vein of the series’ earlier entries.

And of course, there’s more things to look forward to as well. 4A Games has confirmed on a number of occasions that it’s working on the next Metro game for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. In fact, the series’ next instalment was officially confirmed to be in development all the way back in 2020- but, as 4A Games revealed a little over a year ago, the game’s development had (understandably enough) been impacted by the war on Ukraine. Work on the sequel is still continuing, but it should go without saying that 4A Games’ primary focus right now is going to be ensuring the health and safety of its team, rather than finishing the project. What exactly does that mean for when the next Metro game will arrive? We don’t know, but we do know that it’s coming.

Thankfully, the games industry has gotten to a point where the notion that story-driven single player experiences (especially shooters) don’t have much of an audience doesn’t hold much water, and the Metro series has had a significant role to play in that turnaround. Ironically, 4A Games has confirmed that it’s also working on a standalone multiplayer-centric Metro experience, but honestly, as long as the series also continues to put out the narrative-driven solo experiences it’s become known for, a multiplayer spinoff doesn’t really sound like a bad idea. One way or another, there’s a lot of Metro to look forward to in the future, and we couldn’t be more pumped about it.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Embracer Group and Saber Interactive’s deal includes an option for the latter to purchase both 4A Games and Zen Studios (developer of the Zen Pinball series). Due to “commercial reasons”, Embracer and Saber haven’t mentioned the exact price that has been set for both studios, but say that it “reflects at least the studios’ market value and is significantly higher than the current net book value (including goodwill) of USD 81 million (SEK 829 million).” This will be on top of additional “earnout liabilities of approximately USD 31 million (SEK 317 million)”.

Interestingly, however, even if Saber should exercise the option to acquire 4A Games, long-term licensing and publishing rights for all existing and future PC and console Metro games will be retained by Embracer-owned PLAION. Metro publisher Deep Silver was merged into PLAION last year.

Embracer has also retained control and ownership of 4A Games’ next AAA project (which will presumably be the next Metro game).

Meanwhile, another Metro title is also currently in the works, with Vertigo Games developing the VR-exclusive first-person shooter Metro Awakening.

As a sequel to Metro: Last Light, Exodus sees Artyom, Anna and their allies leaving Moscow to search for remnants of humanity onboard the locomotive Aurora. Unlike previous titles, there are missions with large play spaces with collectibles and points of interest. Some crafting is now possible on the go, and completing side missions nets upgrades.

Metro Exodus is available for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC – check out our review here. 4A Games’ next title, Metro Awakening, is a VR prequel to Metro 2033 and launches this year for PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 2 and 3, and PC VR headsets. It’s also working on the fourth mainline title, which will be released “when it’s ready.”

Metro Exodus turns 5 years old today, and has now sold over 10 Million copies.

Metro will return in VR with Metro Awakening from @vertigogames in 2024 – and the next mainline Metro from @4AGames…

When it’s ready

Thank you for coming on the journey so far with us. pic.twitter.com/qlOW9du4Jc

— Metro (@MetroVideoGame) February 15, 2024

METRO EXODUS

The Metro series has always prided itself on pushing the envelope with its visuals, and Metro Exodus certainly didn’t disappoint on that front either. From how spectacularly it realizes all of its many post-apocalyptic environments to how thoroughly it immerses players in its world with its diegetic and detail-oriented aesthetic, Metro Exodus is still one of the best-looking games out there, over four years on from its launch.

DOOM ETERNAL

There aren’t a lot of studios out there who can boast an equal level mastery over both game design and technology as convincingly as id Software can, and DOOM Eternal is a perfect example of that. Not only are its hellish battle arenas a veritable attack on the senses in the best way possible, the game also excels at making every combat encounter feel breathtakingly explosive in a way that very few of its peers are capable of.

HUNT: SHOWDOWN

Crytek is no stranger to developing visually spectacular first person shooters, but Hunt: Showdown in particular deserves a special mention. The game boasts all the technical polish and obsessive attention to detail that you’d expect from a Crytek joint, but on top of that, it’s also uplifted by some of the strongest art design we’ve ever seen in a shooter, allowing its dark fantasy horror world to come to life in spectacular fashion.

RAINBOW SIX SIEGE

Rainbow Six Siege might be nearly a decade old, but that just makes its technical accomplishments that much more impressive. From the destructibility and dynamics of its environments to the impressive coat of polish that encases every inch of the experience, there’s so much about this game that can still easily be described as best-in-class, several years on from its initial release.

CYBERPUNK 2077

Even when Cyberpunk 2077 was as broken as it famously was in the immediate aftermath of its launch, it was still easy to see how impressive it was on a visual level. Now, with three years of updates and improvements under its belt, it’s nothing short of a graphical masterpiece. No matter where you are in Night City, it’s hard not to be taken aback by how gorgeous it looks and the painstaking attention to detail it exhibits on a consistent basis.

WITCHFIRE

Witchfire launched in early access earlier this year after years of anticipation, and instantly impressed the masses in more ways than one- its visuals being chief among them. The dark fantasy aesthetic of the setting alone is enough to elevate Witchfire’s visuals in and of itself, and the fact that the game has the technical chops to be able to properly back its artistic ambitions only makes it that much more an impressive graphical ride.

HALF-LIFE: ALYX

VR may not have managed to permeate the gaming mainstream the way many had hoped it would, but in Half-Life: Alyx, we do have at least one major game that truly demonstrates just what a AAA VR megaton can look like. Not only does the game look excellent on a consistent basis, it’s also crammed full of a level of interactivity and attention to detail that you would think would have necessitated some technical sacrifices in a virtual reality game. That Half-Life: Alyx so confidently has its cake and eats it too probably doesn’t get enough credit.

BATTLEFIELD 5

For all the problems DICE’s games have launched with over the years, one area that the studio is pretty much always guaranteed to excel in is the visuals. Take Battlefield 5, for instance- a game that divided fans upon release, but in spite of its issues, stands as one of the best-looking shooters you’ll ever play. From the snow-encased Norvik to the war-torn ruins of Devastation to the wide, open spaces of Panzerstorm, every map in Battlefield 5 is gorgeous to behold.

STARFIELD

It’s fair to say that Starfield has plenty of rough edges on the visual and technical fronts, but for all of its many typical Bethesda flaws, it’s still a game that’s capable of taking your breath away with its graphics. Whether you’re looking at the futuristic city of New Atlantis stretching out in front of you or standing on a desolate planet and watching the sun rise over the horizon, from time to time, Starfield showcases just how incredible it can look when it isn’t being bogged down by technical issues.

WOLFENSTEIN 2: THE NEW COLOSSUS

It’s hard to believe that Wolfenstein 2 is over six years old at this point, because even it certainly doesn’t look its age. Though perhaps not as much of a visual stunner as something like DOOM Eternal, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is still a gorgeous game. From the detailed character models to the explosive and gleefully violent combat, there’s plenty about this game that still stands out on a technical level.

FAR CRY 6

Ubisoft has got the balance between scope and visual fidelity down to a science by this point, and Far Cry 6 illustrates that point perfectly. You’d expect that a game as massive and sprawling as this one would have to make significant cutbacks in the graphics department, but that most certainly isn’t the case here. The level of detail and fidelity that Yara’s many biomes boast is partly why exploring Far Cry 6’s enormous map is as engaging as it is.

GTFO

You don’t need a massive budget of dozens of millions to make a visually impressive shooter, as evidenced so convincingly by GTFO. Made by indie Swedish studio 10 Chambers, the co-op horror shooter flexes its technical muscles almost constantly, immersing you in is terrifying reality that much more. GTFO’s impressive visuals alone making it worth checking out, even if its uncompromising approach to difficulty might turn some people off- though of course, for many that’s exactly what makes the game as good as it is.

RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE

The Resident Evil franchise has always been associated with cutting edge visuals, especially in its RE Engine era, and Village, like all of its siblings, demonstrates the series’ graphical mastery every step of the way. Whether it’s the varied and horrific environments of the titular village and the areas surrounding it or the many monstrosities you clash horns with throughout the experience, there’s no shortage of things in Resident Evil Village to remind you of just how impressive a AAA flagship Capcom release can look.

DESTINY 2

As a game that’s over six years old, Destiny 2 maybe doesn’t have the wow factor that many of the other games on this list do, but the fact that it is still comfortably earns itself a spot here is testament to just how good it looks. On a technical level, the looter shooter is one of many fine examples of Bungie’s mastery and knowhow, but it’s with its stellar art design that the game really cements itself in your memory.

DEATHLOOP

Arkane Studios’ games have never really been leaders of the pack with their graphical ambitions, but even though Deathloop isn’t the most technically impressive game you’ll ever play, it’s hard not to be impressed by how good it looks. A lot of that is obviously down to its unique art style and aesthetic, but the game is no slouch on a technical front either. The end product is one that looks significantly better than you’d expect from an Arkane game.

Regardless, it’s a fantasy that many enjoy indulging in, and there are some great games to help with that. Check out 25 of the best post-apocalyptic games available on PC and what makes them so fun.

Fallout 4

Controversial though it may be among hardcore fans, Fallout 4 remains the most accessible game in the series, with some of the best combat. The Commonwealth is pretty massive, with multiple points of interest to explore, junk to pick up and settlements to build up. Learning more about the post-nuclear fallout world, whether it’s HalluciGen Inc and its suspicious chemicals that drive enemies mad or the creepiness of Dunwich Borers, is enticing. Plus, you can lead gangs of raiders or build robots with the DLC. Just steer clear of Preston Garvey. Your sanity will thank you.

During its recent quarterly fiscal meeting, Embracer Group announced that Metro Exodus has now sold over 8.5 million units worldwide across all platforms, four years on from its launch. It sold another 500,000 units during 2023’s first quarter (January-March). The game’s player base, meanwhile, has exceeded 10 million players.

Meanwhile, 4A Games is currently also at work on the next instalment in the Metro franchise for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The developer, based partially in Ukraine, has said that the game’s story will be influenced by Russia’s ongoing invasion of the nation. Earlier this year, leaks claimed that the game could be revealed later in 2023, and was targeting a 2024 launch.

4A Games is also developing a standalone Metro multiplayer game, and working on a new first person shooter IP.

Embracer Group $EMBRAC has revealed that #MetroExodus has now sold 8.5 million units to date!

Metro Exodus has been played by more than 10 million people.

The game sold more than 500.000 units last quarter (Jan-Mar 2023).#PS5 #PS4 #Xbox pic.twitter.com/1kfEvvkXXJ

— EmbracerInvestor (@EmbracerInvest) May 24, 2023