Underrated Horror Games | #1

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well.

maybe not "underrated" in some places, but games that are somewhat lesser known that i've always loved or thought were really cool.

i'm also trying to limit these to games that were made before 2016, sorry! there's some REALLY good games that came out after that date, like Detention, i just have a particular love of obscure 2000s and 90's horror games.

expect a tiny bit of rose tinted glasses wwww, i haven't played some of these in years.

also..this is part 1. i plan to make more of these, long spacehey posts are just annoying to deal with, so, i'm splitting this up for my own sanity. also to dig up or remember more games.

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ダークメサイア  / Dark Messiah - Also known as "Hell Night" internationally, Dark Messiah is a very underrated PS2 horror game that didn't sell very well outside of Japan. Still, it's a game with an interesting premise that I won't spoil entirely, but, the main gameplay loop revolves around solving puzzles whilst evading a constantly evolving monster that's chasing you.

Said monster cannot be fought off, or killed, only evaded. Even getting close to it will kill you, (or, you can sacrifice a companion, although this can have a variety of consequences..or boons...)

Not everyone wants to help you. Others are just trying to survive.

Also, the game basically takes place in a giant sprawling sewer system where people have made a civilization. It's very scenic! The dark, dingy hallways, all the rust and grime..So atmospheric <3

I'd compare the soundtrack to something like Silent Hill or Pathologic. To some people, it may actually be very unsettling to listen to. It's simple. Like the splashing of water, the buzzing of machines..long periods of silence, before a twinge of instrumental, like the pulsing of a dying heart. String instruments are pretty common, alongside synths. My favorite song, at least as it's titled in the English OST: "...Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Hell Night OST

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the white chamber - the white chamber is a bit of a fun one on this list, because it was actually a university project turned freeware software. The creators also went on to create the game Kairo, which is somewhat similar--it's another point and click psychological game.

Anyhow, first released in 2005, I can actually directly link to where you can download this little gem! Just be warned that this game is pretty difficult and has some puzzles that literally cannot be solved if you missed a certain item, and simply clicking around and trying things out will likely lead to your death. A lot of death. There's even a spot where you can get soft-locked if you're unlucky.

Anyhow--the graphics on this one are REALLY nice. It reminds me really heavily of stuff like Kazuki Takahashi's works--Big ol' spikey hair, thick eyelashes, and heavy inked shadows. It's pretty 'shiny' looking, I suppose, but it looks nice, and the environments in particular are absolutely gorgeous at times, and even occasionally disturbing or unsettling to look at.

There's a remaster planned, if I recall, although I'm not sure if it's still being worked on.

As for the soundtrack..I like it! It almost reminds me a little of Event Horizon.

The pulsing of a heartbeat, discordant voices speaking to you, an oppressive white noise hanging heavy over you, sloshing sounds..

The soundtrack does a very good job at conveying that this is a game about madness to the player!

The White Chamber - Original Soundtrack

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Penumbra: Necrologue - I'm sure quite a few of you here may be aware of 'Penumbra', which was a three-part series of survival horror games made by the creators of Amnesia, Frictional Games. The original Penumbra itself was a HPL Engine 1 tech demo, but it was Penumbra: Overture, and its sequel episodes, that got Frictional off the ground, and gave them the experience to make the acclaimed Amnesia series.

Now, Necrologue isn't made by Frictional. In fact, it's not even made in the same engine version. Penumbra: Necrologue is a fan-made sequel to the Penumbra games, made as a total-conversion mod for Amnesia: The Dark Descent, a sequel which took 2 whole years to develop!

Honestly, it's an incredibly well-made fan mod, that almost fools the player into thinking its an official Penumbra game.

(Ignore the header I'm using...the actual cover art for Necrologue is so big it makes Spacehey panic, uwaa)

I also have to give complete and utter props to the sound team for this mod! They replicated the feel of the Penumbra OST really, REALLY well! Check it out if you're a fan, or just curious!!

Penumbra: Necrologue FULL SOUNDTRACK

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Waxworks - Alright..I'm sorry. I don't think this one is really all that underrated since it was kind of a Big Deal back in the 90's, especially if you were a fan of Elvira, but I really don't see people talking about it much today, beyond maybe some discussion about the remake. 

So...a little bit of love for Waxworks, a weird, weird ass game about evil twins, witches, family secrets, and gore. This game really, really wanted to make a statement.

Clutch your pearls, Censors!

We've got pixel DISEMBOWLMENT!

(this is probably one of the absolute tamest death CGs, and probably one of the few that i can actually share on this site, wwwww)

As for the soundtrack, it's an Amiga/DOS game, so don't come in expecting trumpets and fanfare. That said, the Amiga soundtrack is much better, likely due to the computer being made a few years later with better technology.

It's quite the dismal affair, however! Much of the OST is in minor key, (with some notable exceptions), and..surprisingly jazzy? I've heard some people describe the music as having 'funky beats'.

I suppose I can hear it with some songs. Still. I'll admit, it's not a something I'd personally listen to, and there's soundtracks from this era of computer gaming that I'd much rather be putting in a playlist, but, it's serviceable.

Waxworks [ 1993 release ]