There are too many sub-genres of horror to count, but action horror is easily one of the best. The experience is just as it sounds — action-packed gameplay that’s just as thrilling as it is terrifying. The genre puts you right in the thick of it — whether you’re in outer space, deserted towns, or abandoned asylums.
Sometimes the enemies you face are supernatural or paranormal, while others assume different forms, like mutated aliens and zombies. No matter who you’re fighting, the experience is simultaneously scary and exciting. You can fight, run, or hide, and in the best cases, you can do all three. These are some of the best action horror games.
Imagine anaggressive pandemic suddenly afflicting the world, turning most of the population into walking, deadly, fungal husks that only worsen as time passes.The Last of Ustakes you to a post-apocalyptic United States as Joel, a smuggler who is given the unique assignment of transporting Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, across the country.
The third-person game takes you through the country, as Joel and Ellie defend themselves from Clickers, cannibals, and Hunters. The action-horror game brings survival and drama together in the best of ways.
TheResident Evilseries is comprised of dozens of games, including remakes of some of the most popular. It’s hard to say which of the games is the best action-horror game, butResident Evil 2 Remakeis likely the easiest answer. The remake takes everything great about the original game and modernizes it.
You’re given a choice between two iconic characters, Leon and Claire, who now have more realistic character models. Better graphics heighten the thrills, adding more detail to the already terrifying environments and enemies. And of course, updated mechanics make the game much more exciting and easier to play.
Alan Wakeis a psychological thriller that feels like something straight out of a Stephen King novel. Crime-fiction writer Alan Wake is haunted by enemies called the Taken. Some of the Taken are humans, while others are animals or inanimate objects. Theseshadowy figures lurk in the darkness, preparing to attackyou at every turn.
As Alan Wake, you must defend yourself against the darkness with the power of light. This aspect sets the game apart from others in the genre, as combat differs from the regular firearm or melee object.
6BioShock
BioShockis easily one of the best games of its kind. The first-person shooter takes place inRapture, an underwater city in ruin at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, where everyone is well beyond the brink of moral decay.
The city is plagued by Splicers, Vitamin D-deprived residents who’ve descended into delusion and violence. Other creepy foes include Big Daddies and Little Sisters, both of which have been experimented on beyond recognition. For combat, you’re able to switch between guns and special abilities called plasmids, which always keep things interesting.
5Dying Light
Dying Lightis a first-person survival horror game set in Harran, acity overrun by a zombie-virusand a vicious group. You’re sent there on a mission as Kyle Crane, and now you must navigate the city and manage to survive while fulfilling your duties.
During the day, you’re dealing with regular human enemies with the occasional slow zombie. But once the sun sets, the zombies become formidable. Now faster and stronger, the zombies make it increasingly difficult to walk the streets without dying. In addition to combat, you’ll have to do plenty of climbing at varying heights.
Bloodborneis an RPG thattakes place in the cursed city of Yharnam. One night out of each year is deemed the “Hunt” in which frightening monsters of all shapes and sizes, which could be a main boss, optional boss, or just something you’re running into, take over the entire city.
Many townspeople choose to hunker down in their home for the day, but others remain outdoors for the hunt. Gathering in groups, these villagers become violent and deranged, believing you to be one of the beasts they’ve set out to kill. With customizable armor, weapons, and potions, you must conquer these foes — beast or human — by any means necessary.
It’s common for action-horror games to be set in abandoned areas, but those places are usually on Earth.Dead Spacetransports you outside the normal horror environment and brings you to outer space — more specifically to the USG Ishimura, a space vessel in desperate need of repairs.
This third-person shooter takes you throughdifferent dark and chilling areas of the massive vessel, some of which lack gravity. To make matters worse, freakish, deadly creatures with elongated limbs infest the ship, and they’re hellbent on killing anything living.
2Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Deadis another first-person shooter zombie game, taking place on the East Coast of the US. A fast-spreading zombie virus has infected most of the population,creating large hordes of man-eating enemies.
The game offers an exciting multiplayer experience with four unique characters. You’ll choose any one of four survivors, while the other three can be played by friends or AI bots. No matter how you play, it’s comforting to know you’re not entirely alone in this cruel, post-apocalyptic world.
1Silent Hill
Small, quiet towns can be charming, but they can also be quite eerie.Silent Hillperfectly encapsulates this feeling, taking place in a town by the same name, cloaked in a heavy fog with limited sight distance. The classic game kicks off with main character, Harry Mason, as he searches for his missing daughter.
Unbeknownst to Harry and some of the townspeople, Silent Hill is undergoing supernatural changes due to the activity of a local demonic cult. Because of this, Harry has to fight his way through horrifying creatures with whatever weaponry he can find.
