Summary
Back when thePlayStationwas first released in the mid-1990s, horror games were still finding their footing. Though there had been a few attempts to establish the genre with titles likeAlone in the Dark, it was with the arrival of the PlayStation that these games really began to reach mainstream popularity. With influential titles likeSilent HillandResident Evil, PlayStation fans were spoiled for choice when it came to horror, but the immense popularity of these series, paired with rumors of an oncoming PlayStation 2, did mean some later horror titles were overshadowed.
In fact, even today, a lot of people aren’t aware or have simply forgotten about a lot of the system’s horror games, since the developers made the mistake of releasing them so late in the system’s life. Any horror buffs out there who are looking for a new and frightening experience to enjoy should definitely boot up the PlayStation to try out these horror hidden gems listed below.
6Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within
Metacritic User Score: 5.8
In an attempt to try and carve out the blueprint forthe survival-horror genregoing forward, the originalClock Towerwas quite unique in the way it played. Unfortunately, though, the slow pace and severe lack of enemies caused a lot of critics to label it as nothing more than a point-and-click adventure game, with horror fans losing all interest they had in the series. As a result,Clock Tower 2received little to no attention when it dropped in 1999, despite the game making a much better attempt at presenting itself as a horror game, which was far scarier and a lot more engaging than its predecessor.
While players take control of Alyssa for most of the game, there is also another character who will take over if they’re not kept in check, and that’s Alyssa’s alter ego, Mr Bates. Luckily, Bates is locked within an amulet, but if Alyssa is struck with fear throughout the game, there’s a chance that she will be taken over, and the gameplay will completely change. For example, though Alyssa is forced to run away from enemies, Bates can use weapons against them, including handguns and shotguns, resulting in an incredibly unique mechanic that helps to keep the gameplay fresh and unpredictable.
5Countdown Vampires
Metacritic User Score: 6.2
Countdown Vampireis a survival-horror game that oozes atmosphere, with itsgothic-inspiredenvironments and otherworldy monsters all giving the game a distinctive style that helps separate it from its peers. Players are able to kill the myriad of enemies they come across throughout the game’s lengthy story, but there’s also an option to “Save” them by using items like the dart gun and holy water. This adds a bit more variety to the gameplay and can also be helpful in general, considering the sheer lack of ammunition that players will be able to find for their regular guns.
Because the game was released just months after the PlayStation 2 arrived, it had a hard time standing out and didn’t perform well from a commercial standpoint despite being a fantastic game in its own right. The story and characters might be a little dull and uninteresting, butCountdown Vampiresstill manages to nail both its heart-pounding survival-horror gameplay and immersive atmosphere.
Galerians
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Galerians is a survival horror game in which you play as Rion, an amnesiac boy with psychic powers, created to battle the artificially created Galerian race.
Released in North America just a few months before the debut of the PlayStation 2,Galeriansdidn’t receive the attention it deserved upon release, with many people writing it off as yet anotherResident Evilclone. In truth though, while the game does share the tank-controls of that series, it’s different in almost every other way, including its combat. When the protagonist, Rion, comes up against creepy mutated and enhanced humans known as Galerians, he must rely on his psychic powers to take them down.
This might sound easy enough, but in practice, it can be challenging to try to take on more than a single enemy without being damaged, encouraging players to be smart about whether they should fight or make a desperate retreat to a safe room. Alongside the health bar, the game also features an AP gauge, which gradually fills up as Rion takes more damage, resulting in a huge psychic shockwave that blasts away all nearby enemies when it’s full. It’s unfortunate thatGalerianshas been largely forgotten by horror fans since it incorporates plenty of fresh and unique elements into its gameplay that make it much more than a simple clone.
3Resident Evil Survivor
Resident Evil Survivorcame out at a pretty awkward time in the series. At the end of the first threeResident Evilgames, which were all released beforeSurvivor, the characters swore that they would all band together to take down Umbrella once and for all, with fans eagerly awaiting the next mainline game to see this for themselves. As a result,Survivor, which was anarcade-shooterspin-off, was ignored by a lot of people who simply wanted to see the next episode in the story, which is a shame since the game is still a ton of fun.
Unlike previous games,Resident Evil Survivorallows players to assume a first-person view, which allows the experience to be much more immersive but also incredibly creepy when venturing around some of the game’s bleak environments. The story is also quite unique in how it takes place shortly after Raccoon City has been destroyed, giving players a glimpse into how people reacted to the incident, and what effect it’s had on the nearby areas. The arcade-like gameplay might not be for everyone, butResident Evil Survivoris still an absolute blast to play through and contains plenty of unexpected scares that harken back to the early years of the series.
2Nightmare Creatures 2
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Nightmare Creatures 2is one of the most gory and over-the-top horror games ever released for the original PlayStation, but some have even regarded it as being an early predecessor ofthe Soulsborne genre. Though it doesn’t feature any of the RPG mechanics or grueling boss fights as those future games,Nightmare Creature 2’s gameplay is still similar, with players maneuvering around their enemies before striking at the exact right moment to catch them off guard.
Metacritic User Score: 8.5
Parasite Eve 2
The Threat ReturnsAya Brea is back. The Neo Mitochondrion Creature infestation has resurfaced and taken on a sinister twist. The outcome of this battle will determine earth’s dominant species.Horrifying CG cinemas and sharper graphics bring the shocking new storyline to life as Aya hunts for the source of the outbreak. Fully-upgradable weapons, customizable armor, and a new, realtime battle system will aid in the conflict, along with powerful new Parasite Energy abilities.
It’s been argued that ifParasite Eve 2had been released for the PlayStation 2,maybe even as a launch title, it would have gone down as an all-time horror classic since the game itself is exceptional in regard to its gameplay and story. This unfortunately didn’t happen though, as Square instead decided to release the game for the original PlayStation six months into the PS2’s life cycle, resulting in it being largely forgotten about. Just like in the first game, players take control of Aya, an FBI agent who continues her investigation into a new mitochondria outbreak that is infecting creatures and turning them violent.
As players make their way through the richly detailed environments, they will need to keep an eye out for any bullets, health items, and vital tools, which will all prove useful in aiding Aya’s chances of survival. Killing an enemy will reward Aya with EXP, which can be used to unlock special abilities, but unlike the first game, these can now be unlocked in any order rather than being locked behind certain levels. The story, which is based on the idea of furthering human evolution through biological experimentation, is intriguing and captivating from beginning to end. It also features many unexpected twists and turns that will keep players guessing for the entirety of their playthrough.
