Highlights
- The 1990s saw the birth of new horror gaming franchises and styles, including survival horror and psychological horror.
- Advances in home console technology and PC hardware allowed for improved detail, graphics, and sound quality in horror games.
- Games like Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, and Silent Hill paved the way for the success of the horror genre today and offered unique and terrifying experiences.
The 1990s were good for horror gaming as the decade saw both creative growth and the birth of new franchises and styles. Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark crafted an entirely new type of game called survival horror, while Silent Hill was tapping into the more psychological aspects of the terrifying genre. Each year seemed to be improving on what these games could be in the future, and how they could scare players in different ways.
Hardest Capcom Survival Horror Games, Ranked
Capcom has a plethora of survival horror games in its catalog, but these titles are, without a doubt, the most brutal and unforgiving.
In addition to the new styles of games, the horror genre was also able to take advantage of the growing home console market and advancements in PC hardware. The ability to add in more detail and enhanced graphical fidelity wasn't all that added to the scares, as the increased sound quality was also crucial to this revolutionary time in horror games. Here is a look at the best games from each year of the 90s, which paved the way for the successes the genre enjoys today.
A Nightmare On Elm Street - 1990
Spooky 2D Adaptation Of Horror Film Series
- Platforms: NES
- Release Date: October, 1990
- Developer: Rare
- Genre: Horror, Platformer
Freddy Krueger's longtime rival, Jason Vorhees, managed to beat him to the video game finish line in 1989, but the horror film icon still got his own interactive expedition in 1990 courtesy of Rare. A Nightmare On Elm Street was initially planned to put players in control of Freddy himself, but fear of controversy affecting sales caused Rare to pivot.
In the final game, players take control of a teenager attempting to collect Freddy's bones and burn them. The game featured a unique sleep system where the player can doze off unless they stay in motion, thus entering the Dream World where they are susceptible to Freddy and an unnerving soundtrack. Considering these stand-out elements and the time they were birthed, A Nightmare On Elm Street is certainly a forgotten horror gem from this era.
Super Castlevania 4 - 1991
A Successful Transition to 16-Bit Technology
Castlevania had already established itself as one of the premiere horror games in the industry by the 1990s, as the three NES entries had proved to be some of the console's most popular titles. But with the transition from 8-bit to 16-bit technology with the Super Nintendo, Castlevania was one of the franchises that was able to take advantage in the best way.
With the improvements to what was possible with sprites and background art, Konami created a world that looked terrifying in 1991. Along with some impressive Mode 7 scaling and parallax backgrounds, the world felt more frightening than anything on the console. It also features one of the best final boss fights against Dracula, another reason this spooky platformer is one of the genre's best.
Alone In The Dark - 1992
A Pioneer Of The Survival Horror Genre
One of the architects of the survival horror genre, Alone in the Dark was one of the first games to use fixed cameras placed in cinematic locations. These ominous angles were a key element to the game and its ability to scare the player, as it evoked the same feelings of mystique and tension as the classic horror films that inspired it.
Every Alone In The Dark Game, Ranked
The Alone in the Dark franchise paved the way for survival horror and includes some memorable entries as well as some forgettable ones.
Set in Louisiana during the year 1924, Alone in the Dark is the fascinating tale of a private investigator named Edward Carnby, but it also features a second playable character in Emily Hartwood. It was a unique game for its time, encouraging evasion of monsters over brute force. In a time of action games and a burgeoning FPS market, Alone in the Dark would set the stage for what horror games aspired to be in the decades to come.
Doom - 1993
Hell Unleashed On Earth In Horror Shooter
As the first-person shooter market was beginning its rapid ascent, thanks in no small part to Wolfenstein 3D, developers id Software sought to create a game that combined the action of their previous efforts with an emphasis on horror.
With Doom, the focus wasn't just on shooting, but surviving the horrifying demons and monsters that were unleashed on them. The atmosphere is evident right from the start, as the nightmarish landscape and howling monsters in the distance set the stage immediately. It's one of the PC's most terrifying games of the decade and can still be somewhat oppressive even today.
System Shock - 1994
Survive Citadel Station And Escape The Clutches Of Shodan
An early ancestor of the immersive sim genre, System Shock was developed by Looking Glass Studios and set inside a haunting space station that is overrun with mutants and deadly cyborgs. The sense of paranoia is perfect, as the player is never made to feel safe or protected at any point during the game.
Pro Tips For System Shock Remake
Those hoping to jump into the new System Shock remake will need to know a couple of handy pro tips before facing off against SHODAN.
The harrowing journey through Citadel Station is one punctuated by System Shock's main villain, the malevolent AI Shodan. Voiced by the game's writer, Terri Brosius, Shodan is one of the 90s' most terrifying and fascinating antagonists. System Shock's use of horror and isolation was so well done that it influenced countless iconic titles and still remains one of the decade's scariest experiences.
I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream - 1995
Bizarre Adventure Game Is Must Play
Based on the short story written by science fiction writer Harlan Ellison, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is set in a surreal post-apocalyptic world featuring a powerful computer named AM. This 1995 point and click adventure game deals with a host of mature and taboo subjects, with an emphasis on the horrors of humanity and how they are seen by others.
Featuring a roster of five completely unique and equally fascinating characters, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream derives its sinister atmosphere from not just the apocalyptic setting, but the exploration of these characters and their flaws. It is often a deeply unsettling, highly disturbing experience that can be purchased for a ridiculously low price these days.
Resident Evil - 1996
A Historic Survival Horror Game That Set The Standard
Resident Evil
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo DS , PC , PS1 , Sega Saturn
- Released
- March 30, 1996
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Originally beginning development as a remake of a SNES horror game called Sweet Home, Resident Evil tells the story of a highly-advanced law enforcement team called STARS. As they attempt to escape the sinister Spencer Mansion and survive the zombie outbreak, players are forced to confront all manners of monsters and creatures.
Best Resident Evil Games With Fixed Cameras
Known for the famous fixed camera, these Resident Evil games left an iconic mark on the franchise.
The fixed camera angles took clear inspiration from Alone in the Dark, but where Resident Evil innovated was in the inventory system and its reliance on the technological advancements of the time. Thanks to the power of the PlayStation, Capcom created a world that looked and felt like it was straight out of a horror film.
Nightmare Creatures - 1997
Gothic Horror Action Game
Nightmare Creatures
- Released
- September 30, 1997
- Developer(s)
- Kalisto Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Activision , Sony Interactive Entertainment , Sony Computer Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror , Action
Before the likes of Bloodborne and Salt & Sanctuary, the gothic horror genre was attempting to take off in 1997 thanks to Nightmare Creatures. Influenced by real-world UK history such as the First Great Fire Of London, this hack and slash horror masterpiece is set in a grim world with creepy back alleys and a huge roster of monsters.
The atmosphere of the game is fabulous, with smoke and fog filling the streets, all while the creatures stalk the player from the darkness. It also features a fantastic lead villain in the devious Adam Crowley, an occultist lurking in the shadows. It's altogether creepy, challenging, and is in desperate need of a reboot of some kind.
Resident Evil 2 - 1998
One Of The Best Survival Horror Titles Ever Made
Sequel expectations are often sky-high, but if any continuation was up to the task, it was Resident Evil 2. Though it restarted development several times, the final game ended up being not only one of the best games of 1998, but one of the greatest survival horror games ever made.
Every aspect of Resident Evil 2 is built with confidence, from the highly detailed backgrounds to the absolutely frightening Mr. X. With the introduction of a few new monsters, including the Licker, as well as two of the franchise's most popular characters in Leon and Claire, Resident Evil 2 is still a horror masterpiece that can hang with the best of them.
Silent Hill - 1999
Dark Exploration Of Trauma And Guilt
While Resident Evil had the market cornered on the explosive, blockbuster kind of horror, Konami was positioning Silent Hill to fly the flag of an entirely different style. By exploiting the untapped market of psychological horror, Silent Hill created something truly different and, in the process, ended up being one of the greatest horror games ever created.
Every Silent Hill Game, Ranked
Silent Hill is one of the only truly scary gaming franchises. Here is every one of the survival horror games, ranked.
The art direction and intentional griminess give Silent Hill all of its trademark style, as the pixelated textures and low-fi nature of the game is a perfect fit for horror. This extends all the way into the player's trips into the terrifying Otherworld, all while the excellent music of Akira Yamaoka brings everything together in one spectacularly scary package.
The Best Psychological Horror Games
Horror fans shouldn't pass up on these titles, which are considered by many to be the best psychological horror games out there.
