It doesn't matter whether it's intense horror from the get-go, a slow-burn story, supernatural or just a pure gorefest, horror is a timeless gift that keeps on giving. However, for me personally, as much as horror is my favorite movie genre, when it comes to video game portrayals, nothing scares me more.
Don't get me wrong, a well-written and produced ghost story in a movie will often have the hairs standing up on the back of my neck but there's something extra special when it comes to the level of immersion that only video games can offer. For example, Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), one of the best sci-fi horrors ever and its Xenomorph creature is one of the most iconic and scariest in cinematic history.
That being said, ask any fan of the Alien(s) franchise that has played the 2014 game from SEGA and the Creative Assembly, Alien: Isolation and most will probably tell you that the horror in that game is far more terrifying and stressful than the movie counterparts.
If the likes of Alien: Isolation and Amnesia: The Dark Descent sound like your cup of tea, then you might want to check out another classic survival horror, namely Outlast, which quite recently saw a multiplayer co-op adaptation released with Outlast: Trials.
"In the remote mountains of Colorado, horrors wait inside Mount Massive Asylum," reads the synopsis of Outlast. "A long-abandoned home for the mentally ill, recently re-opened by the "research and charity" branch of the transnational Murkoff Corporation, the asylum has been operating in strict secrecy… until now."
"Acting on a tip from an anonymous source, independent journalist Miles Upshur breaks into the facility, and what he discovers walks a terrifying line between science and religion, nature and something else entirely. Once inside, his only hope of escape lies with the terrible truth at the heart of Mount Massive."
On Metacritic, Outlast has scored a respectable 80, which gives this survival horror game, developed and published by Red Barrels, a seal of approval. So, if this heart-pounding horror piques your interest, you will be pleased to know that you can pick it up right now for just $1.99 in the US or £1.54 in the UK on PlayStation 4 (and it's PS5 backwards compatible).
What's more, its sequel Outlast II can also be picked up for $2.99 and £2.49, respectively. But that's not all, because if you want to pick up Outlast Trinity which includes the original Outlast as well as its 'Whistleblower' DLC and Outlast II, it's available for $5.89/£5.79.
If you want to pick up any of these bargains, then you need to act fast because they end on 17 July 2024. So claim them now to avoid the inevitable feeling of disappointment.
