PlayStation Vita is perhaps one of the most underrated consoles ever made. Despite initial popularity, Sony quickly abandoned its creature once sales began slowing down, and it was clear that Nintendo had once again one the handheld market console war. But even though the console wouldn't see any more major releases after just a few years, many indie titles continued to come out on its store, giving it a second lease on life.
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One of the most underrepresented genres on PS Vita is for sure horror games. Despite the console being able to run almost PS3 quality games in terms of visuals, very few horror games made their way to Sony's handheld. This does not mean that there's not something for horror fans to enjoy on their PS Vita, as there are definitely some good horror experiences to be had on the platform.
5 Silent Hill: Book of Memories
- Release date: 2012
Silent Hill: Book of Memories is without shadow of a doubt the most hated entry in the Silent Hill franchise. This is because the game is heavily different from the main series. For starters, this is not a typical survival horror, but rather a dungeon crawler set in a world inspired by Silent Hill games. This alone could've been a reason for making this the worst Silent Hill games, but if it wasn't enough, the game isn't very good at being a dungeon crawler either.
Despite its (many) flaws, Silent Hill: Book of Memories could still be worth a short for any horror lover who's playing on the PS Vita. After all, the game is still inspired by the world of Silent Hill, and this does allow for some creepy, eerie set pieces and enemies to appear in the game. Plus, while it might not be everyone's cup of tea, there is still some dumb fun to be had in the game, and it is still one of the few games that has remained stuck on PS Vita.
4 Resident Evil: Revelations 2
- Release date: 2015
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is the series' only outing on PS Vita, excluding other classic games you could download from the store, and unfortunately is not one of the best games in the series. At the time, Resident Evil's main series was focusing on action gameplay, while the Revelations subseries was meant to provide a more horror take on the franchise. The first game was a good attempt at recreating the old Resident Evil horror that made the series, famous, but this second entry felt much more anonymous and bland. Thankfully, it added co-op support, and it's one of the best co-op experiences in the series as well.
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However, the PS Vita port left much to be desired, with too many frame rate drops when compared to the main console versions. However, despite all this the game is still a solid experience, and will offer a good amount of fun for every fan of the series or horror games in general. It just isn't one of the best installments in the franchise, but it's also far from being one of the worst.
3 Yomawari: Night Alone
- Release date: 2016
Yomawari: Night Alone is a masterfully crafted adventure horror game, which despite sporting a simple visual style will surely leave an impact on everyone who plays it. Players take the role of a young girl, who after going out with her dog Poro barely escapes being killed in an accident. When she comes to her senses, she realizes that the dog is gone, so she goes back home, where her sister is waiting. Luckily, her sister agrees to go out and look for Poro, but after a few hours she has not come back. The girl then decides to go out herself, looking for both her sister and Poro, but realizes that the town she knew is gone, and she's now in a totally different place.
While the game plays much like a very basic RPG, the best part lays in its plot and atmosphere. Even through simple visuals, the developers managed to tell one of the eeriest stories that players will be able to find on PS Vita, and one that is worth playing for every horror fan, especially for those who love horror based on Japanese folklore. There is also a sequel called Yomawari: Midnight Shadows, which is not as good as the original, but it's still a good time for everyone who enjoyed the first entry in this series.
2 Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
- Release date: 2017
Spirit Hunter: Death Mark is a horror themed visual novel game, where players take the role of amnesiac Kazuo Yashiki. In the beginning of the game, Kazuo notices he has a weird scar on his arm, called the Mark. According to urban legends, the Mark is left after a person is cursed by a ghost, and it will lead to the death of said person at dawn. After discovering this, Kazuo loses his senses, and when he wakes up he finds himself in front of Kujou Mansion. Here he finds the owner of the mansion, Saya Kujou, dead. Saya had the Mark too, but passed away before being able to find a way to save himself.
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Kazuo will then have to deal with vengeful spirits, sentient dolls and much more in order to save his life. The game is played through first-person perspective, which makes the adventure much more immersive. Horror fans will surely have a great time playing this game, especially those who love Japanese horror. There's also a sequel, called Spirit Hunter: NG, which was released in 2018 on PS Vita among other platforms.
1 Lone Survivor
- Release date: 2012
Lone Survivor is a retro-styled 2D survival horror game, set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players take the role of an unnamed survivor, who's been living in his tiny apartment ever since a disease started turning people into zombie-like creatures. Without any instruction given, the player must go outside and start scavenging resources, while exploring this apocalyptic setting and trying to make sense of what has happened.
Despite its retro-styled visuals, Lone Survivor is undoubtedly one of the most tense experience ever made, and surely the best horror game on the PS Vita. It could also make the case for being one of the best games on the system, as it could appeal even to non-horror fans. It's hard to go wrong with this one.