If there is one genre of gaming that has advanced a lot over the years, it’s horror. After all, many unique scary games have emerged in the last decade and become must-play for players. These horror titles includeAlien: Isolation,Amnesia,Dead Space,The Evil Within,Resident Evil Village,Alan Wake,The Quarry,and more.
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While thenew horror games certainly have a great demand and value in 2022,many players still love the traditional-style horror gameplay mechanics. Let’s look at a few modern games (in this case, titles that were released in the last ten years) that still utilize the old-school approach.
9Vaccine
The Vaccineis a 2017survival horror title with a good mix of action and violence.It’s a game by a fairly less-known developer, RNC, that still uses the good old tank controls. In this retro-style game, players are stuck in a randomly rebuilt house, looking for a cure for their infected friend.
Besides tank controls,Vaccinealso utilizes old-school visuals and graphic style that seems to be a nod to the classicResident Eviltitles. Moreover, the Steam description clearly states that this game “is a new approach to Survival Horrors inspired by those of the 90s.”
8Murder House
Murder Houseis another horror title that sits on an “Overwhelmingly Positive” review score on Steam. It’s a 2020 game with an 80s-style slasher storyline and a mix of action and survival gameplay mechanics. This game comes from developer team Puppet Combo, known for other great horror games on Steam, such asChristmas MassacreandStay Out of the House.
InMurder House, players are a part of a local news team that enters an abandoned house to film a horror story. Unfortunately, things go south when a murderer starts chasing them.
7Outbreak: The New Nightmare
Outbreak: The New Nightmareis an episodic survival horror title that came out on Steam in 2018. It’s amultiplayer game that relies on online co-op, where survivors must scavengethe post-apocalyptic environment for supplies, fight against the dead and do whatever it takes to survive. Unlike other games on the list, Outbreak has an interesting game direction.
In terms of visuals,Outbreak: The New Nightmareis pretty modern and uses dynamic lighting, high-resolution models, detailed environments, and more. At the same time, the game uses the classic tank-like controls that were popular in old-school horror games.
6Outbreak: The Nightmare Chronicles
Outbreak: The Nightmare Chroniclesis the spiritual sequel toThe New Nightmare. Similar to the previous game, the new one claims to be an exploration-based survival horror title. The game’s Steam description states, “Experience an immersive and horrifying episodic single-player survival horror nightmare.”
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Outbreak: The Nightmare Chroniclesis a solo game, unlikeOutbreak: The New Nightmare.However, it still features the classic tank controls and does an even better job of building horrifying environments. In this game, players fight unknown foes in a “desolate manor” while managing resources and solving puzzles.
5Darkness Assault
Darkness Assaultis a 2015 game that combines various genres together. According to the Steam page, it is an action title with horror, survival, gore, and violence. In the game, players assume control of a protagonist named Katrine, who’s somehow stuck in a terrible location forty meters underground. She has no memory of her past and goal, and it’s up to the players to uncover the truth by exploring the depths.
The game occurs in a world where the number of missing people has greatly increased. Could it be human experimentation? Aliens? Werewolves? The rumors are endless.
4Back In 1995
Back in 1995is an action-adventure title that came out in 2016. It is based on retro gameplay and horror storylines of the PlayStation 1 era. The game is a homage to the year 1995 and games that were popular at that time. The Steam description of the game clearly states, “Get lost in the nostalgic world of retro 3D graphics," which is the main selling point of this game.
Back in 1995features low-resolution models, texture warping, CRT emulation, and classic tank controls. Additionally, it re-creates “everything from the all-but-forgotten era” of games.
3Resident Evil HD Remaster
Every gamer knows theResident Evilseries, as it is one of the most iconic game franchises in history. However, the roots of its success are still prevalent and enjoyable in the first game.Resident Evil HD Remasteris a remake of the classic title that came out in 2015 and became extremely popular. Capcom’s bold decision to not alter the gameplay much was a big reason for its success.
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Resident Evil HD Remasterstill features the good old frozen camera views, tank controls, and fun gameplay but amps it up by making everything high-definition. Even the cinematics.
2The Medium
The Mediummay bethe latest and greatest survival horror gamethat still uses tank controls. Players assume control of Marianne in this game, a medium that can travel into different realms. The psychological horror game uses Unreal Engine 4, which is why it has the best visuals of any game on the list.
However,The Medium’s storyline is what truly makes it worth experiencing. Moreover, the main character has unique psychic abilities, making the exploration, combat, and puzzle gameplay mechanics quite interesting.The Mediumis a relatively new game that recently came out in 2021.
1Babysitter Bloodbath
Babysitter Bloodbathis a popular yet underrated game because it’s unavailable on Steam. However, for players who love retro-style survival horror titles, this game is a true embodiment of what made the classic horror games so good. The game takes inspiration from old-school movies such asHalloween,Psycho, andFriday The 13thbut adds its own spin to the concept.
InBabysitter Bloodbath,players take care of a kid whose parents are out on a date.Unfortunately, a murderous madman is also in the house and is ready to kill on the spot. The game uses tank controls and the classic gameplay mechanics from early PS1 & N64 games.
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