Five Indie Survival Horror Games You Should Play
Shinji Mikami is often credited as the father of modern survival horror, and his influence can still be felt today. His former studio, Tango Gameworks, released two titles that prove classic survival horror tropes can still enthrall players.
The new indie games like resident evil are bringing back the thrills of old-school horror. They feature claustrophobic mansions, limited inventories, and dicey combat.
1. You Will Die Here Tonight
You Will Die Here Tonight is a love letter to survival horror classics, featuring top-down exploration and visceral first-person arcade shooter combat. The game is beautifully presented, with an asymmetrical style that immerses the player in a nostalgic experience.
While the gameplay may seem familiar, it manages to add a few twists to keep the experience fresh and exciting. Players will find themselves battling deadly creatures, carefully managing their resources and solving challenging puzzles as they explore Breckenridge Estate, a cursed mansion with a sinister history.
The game’s storyline is also intriguing, with many unanswered questions and a surprisingly clever time-looping mechanic that will keep players guessing. While the cheap deaths can be frustrating, this is a small price to pay for such an impressive indie debut.
2. Nightmare of Decay
If you’re looking for a well-crafted survival horror that rewards exploration and careful management of your limited inventory, Nightmare of Decay is worth a look. The game is a tongue-in-cheek love letter to the classic roots of the franchise, but still manages to stand on its own thanks to clever mechanics like a claustrophobic mansion that’s always crowded with moaning zombies and the ability to turn your back on enemies so you can sneak behind them.
With a 2-3hr campaign and tons of extra content to come back for, Checkmaty’s Nightmare of Decay is an absolute steal at $5. Just be prepared to be challenged – on Normal difficulty it takes a few hits before your health bar drops significantly, so careful planning is essential.
3. Signalis
Signalis is a survival horror game about identity, alienation and the unknowable. Developed by rose-engine and exhibited at PAX East and the Tribeca Games Showcase, it is an award winning title that has received critical acclaim.
While it may not feature a familiar hero like Leon or Chris Redfield, this third person title is still a worthy addition to the series. It is a very atmospheric science fiction story that features many elements of classic cosmic horror.
Players will have to solve ingenious puzzles and build out a mansion map while also sending non-player characters on valuable missions. The game is an excellently paced survival horror that will have you gripping your controller tightly. Elster moves at a much more fluid pace than the typical Resident Evil tank controls but there is little room for error as the facility becomes more and more hostile.
4. Tormented Souls
Tormented Souls is a fantastic love letter to survival horror games of old. While it may have some rough edges, like clunky combat and dodgy voice acting, it still manages to be an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.
Taking place in an abandoned hospital, players will take on the role of Caroline Walker who receives a letter with a picture of twin girls that have gone missing. After waking up naked and hooked up to equipment in a bathtub at Winterlake, she begins her journey to uncover the truth behind their disappearance.
Tormented Souls features a fresh twist on the fixed-perspective action-adventure game with brilliant puzzles, a scary setting to explore and unsettling monsters to fight. The only drawback is that the backtracking can get a little repetitive at times.
5. Outlast
Despite warnings of gore, nudity and madness Outlast delivers on its promise of horrifying content. The game places players in the role of investigative journalist Miles Upshur, whose tip leads him to Mount Massive Asylum in Leapville, Colorado. Armed only with a camcorder and batteries, the player infiltrates the long-abandoned asylum to discover what horrors have been committed there.
Unlike many games in this genre, Outlast removes combat from the gameplay leaving only running and hiding as means of defense. The camera acts as a night vision device but constantly drains the battery so scavenging replacements is a must. Developed by veterans of some of the biggest games franchises, Outlast boasts excellent graphics and an uncanny sense of atmosphere. However, the game is guilty of relying too heavily on cheap jump scares.