The State of Horror Games in 2020: It Takes a Village

Previous entries in the State of Horror series I’ve written since 2015 have repeatedly emphasized one truth about horror games these days: They’re largely dead at the high-budget AAA level. Few could have known at the time, but the last console generation was the last big gasp for the genre outside the occasional high-budget title or indie games. The Silent Hill franchise, for instance, died during the generation (though it could and should have gone another way), while Dead Space was born and laid to rest during that time and its developer was eventually shuttered. Little has changed regarding the genre’s status in the last year, nor is it likely to during the next console generation.

But there are still plenty of options for horror game fans, along with upcoming games they should keep their eyes on if they aren’t already.

The biggest upcoming and most prominently advertised game is unsurprisingly Capcom’s Resident Evil Village. This will be a direct sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard not only through it also being presented in a first-person view, but in how it will star several returning characters.

Ethan Winters wasn’t the most memorable protagonist, but he’ll somehow be the first one in the franchise to star in two straight games. Chris Redfield, the franchise’s most prominent face, will also return, who’s apparently also killed Ethan’s wife, Mia. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t some kind of twist there. Capcom hasn’t shown much of the game yet, but hints suggest it will inherit several features unique to the first-person view from its predecessor, within environments reminiscent of the village (hence the name) and castle areas from Resident Evil 4.

Village is due for release sometime next year for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and might release on current-generation platforms. Between this, the Resident Evil 3 remake arriving quickly between its December announcement and April release, and the other media, it’s a good time for the Resident Evil franchise.

The other prominent non-indie game is the second title in Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures horror adventure game series, Little Hope, which released today on current-gen platforms and Steam. The series is a spiritual successor to the Sony-published Until Dawn, though split into separate episodes instead of being one self-contained game. Both episodes have garnered an adequate critical reception, not quite as high as Until Dawn, but acceptable for any horror fan clamoring for games with good budgets. The third installment, which will star Ashley Tisdale in a role, will release in 2021.

The other games are lower in budget, but shouldn’t be treated with less importance. Amnesia: Rebirth recently and fittingly released just in time for Halloween, a new installment in a series that leans heavily on hide-and-seek gameplay. In addition to more traditional horrors, the game also ventures through psychological terrors, despair, and the fear that comes with motherhood. Hide-and-seek horror games aren’t for everyone (like me), but impressions suggest it’s one of the best examples of the subgenre around.

As mentioned above, most recent releases were from indie developers, all of whom are fully aware that first-person is the best perspective for horror. There weren’t too many releases to keep track of, but enough to keep anyone fine with lower-budget (though not low-budget per se) occupied. In addition to Amnesia: Rebirth, other examples included Visage and Maid of Sker. It would also be horrible (ha ha) if I forgot co-op horror game Phasmophobia, which has quickly become an entertaining hit on Twitch.

Expect the current trends to remain unchanged, with most horror games being indie outside a few AAA or B-tier examples. It feels like rumors suggesting more AAA-level horror titles are on the horizon have perpetually persisted, however. The most prominent one has said that a Silent Hill game is being developed and published by Sony, likely from team members previously involved in the Siren games. Keiichiro Toyama, who directed the Siren and Gravity Rush titles, also directed the original Silent Hill. Insiders insist it’s coming, but there is no concrete evidence that it exists. The best we’re getting in the meantime is a collaboration with Dead by Daylight that features Silent Hill 3’s Heather/Cheryl Mason as a playable character, and Pyramid Head as an executioner. Silent Hill 4: The Room was also released on GoG.

Hideo Kojima has also discussed a desire to spearhead a horror game. Kojima Productions confirmed they’re working on a new game and are hiring for development, but there are no overt clues as to what kind of game it is. We’ll learn its identity in due time.

The big picture for horror games is about as rosy as it was in previous years. The days where the gaming market received a fair amount of AAA and B-tier releases have long passed, with the PlayStation 2 era making the true end of the halcyon days. But again, don’t take this as me undermining indie games from developers that have provided plenty of options throughout this console generation, and will continue over the next. We could soon see if Resident Evil will have competition in the higher-budget space.