Summary
The survival horror genre has roots in monster horror and supernatural scares, withgames likeResident EvilandSilent Hillbeing the most iconic examples. These games are cornerstones in the genre, and it’s no surprise that many survival horror games take heaps of influence from them; it’s hard to escape the impact that these games had on the shape of the genre.
Because of this, survival horror games are inherently unrealistic — be that the intricately designed mansion of the originalResident Evilthat has players unlocking doors with specialized keys, or the manifested creatures and alternate realities of theSilent Hillseries. However, there are a handful of survival horror games that take place in more grounded environments and/or lack supernatural monsters.Science-fiction gamessuch asAlien: Isolation, for example, are far from realistic in concept, but the artificial intelligence of the Xenomorph and realistic visuals make it feel grounded in reality.
Taking place in a dark and gloomy WW1 bunker, this first-person survival horror game is inherently grounded in reality. This setting is a recognizable, realistic, and naturally creepy place, and this does a lot for the game’s realism.Amnesia: The Bunker’sgraphics arehardly photo-realistic, but the environments are brought to life nonetheless through well-placed lighting and immersive sound design.
While the haunting beast that stalks the player throughout the game isn’t realistic in any sense of the word,Amnesia: The Bunker’srichly detailed setting and immersive mechanicsare built to ground the player.
Science fiction as a genre is inherently unrealistic, butthe originalAlienfilmdid a superb job of grounding the audience in its world by pitting believable blue-collar workers against the otherworldly Xenomorph. As a game that’s remarkably faithful to its source material,Alien: Isolationmanages to capture thegrounded atmosphere and sense of dreadthat made the original film so iconic. This allows for an experience that feels grounded in reality, making the Xenomorph all the more terrifying.
The diegetic user interface and impressive visuals also help players to get lost inAlien: Isolation’sevocative science-fiction setting.Furthermore, the notorious intelligence of the dynamic Xenomorph ensures it feels like a living, breathing thing, providingemergent scares that are more consistently terrifyingthan a scripted encounter could hope to be.
The Long Darkis a tremendous first-person survival game set in aharsh and hostile wilderness.The game is heavily focused on exploration andresource management, with very little in the way of combat — though the game does have it.The Long Darkis particularly notable for offering an engaging survival experience that pits the player against the elements themselves (and the occasional wild animal), rather than supernatural creatures.
The heavy simulation and superb sound design offer players an experience that’s grounded in realism but offers little in the way of pure horror. In spite of this,The Long Dark’sgameplay is highly reminiscent of survival horror games, specifically with its focus on making the player feel vulnerable through limited resources. Whilegenerally much more survival than horror,The Long Darkdoes feature a survival horror challenge called “Escape The Darkwalker,” which has players trying to survive while on the run from a supernatural monster. The monster is far from realistic, but thetrue-to-life foundationsofThe Long Dark’sgameplay offer an immersive experience.
Project Zomboidis anisometric survivalhorror sandbox that gives players complete freedom to explore and survive in its decaying world. Almost everything is simulated inProject Zomboid;from thirst and hunger to physical and mental health, players will need to be prepared for anything to happen to their character. This level of detail allowsProject Zomboidto feel realistic, making surviving feel tremendously rewarding and resulting in moment-to-moment gameplay that’s consistently immersive.
While it’s true that a zombie apocalypse is far from a realistic concept,Project Zomboid’sdedication to its simulationallows it to feel like a grounded experience. Furthermore, thesimulation of physical injuries does its best to be realistic,and the system in place for zombie bites is incredibly faithful to genre expectations.
Condemned: Criminal Originsis a rough-and-readyfirst-person survival horrorgame that puts players in the shoes of an FBI agent on the run after being framed for murder. The game’s plot centers around this FBI agent (Ethan Thomas) as he tries to clear his name. Along the way, the player must contend with a slew of crazed, murderous individuals wielding all manner of weaponry.Condemneddoes feature a handful of supernatural elements, but much of thegame is relatively down-to-earth in its approach.
Condemned: Criminal Originslacks inventory management, but the player will still need to manage their stamina, dwindling health, and ammunition. Managing ammunition is rare, however, as firearms are relatively hard to come by. Instead, players will usually be forced toscavenge blunt weaponsfrom the environment in order to defend themselves; pipes, conduits, and even signage taken from the wall are all among the player’s options in any given level. This is a large part of what makesCondemned: Criminal Originssuch an immersive survival horror game — along with the richly detailed, realistically-lit environments and the grounded nature of its cast of enemies.
