Every decade has its collection of stellar video games. Some are quite famous while others, for one reason or another, fly under the radar. Horror games are no exception to this rule. Specifically, the 1990s witnessed a plethora of excellent horror titles, some of which are still fondly remembered to this day.
Many horror games from this era were released exclusively on PC. At the time, players who favored a console were out of luck if they wanted to experience these genuinely creepy titles. Luckily, getting one's hands on these older games is now easier than ever. It's certainly worth checking out these interesting horror titles, especially if anyone missed out on them the first time around.
7 The 7th Guest (1993)
Sprawling mansions can be creepy. One doesn't have to look much further than the original Resident Evil to be convinced of that fact. However, in 1993, The 7th Guest depicted an equally spooky estate filled to the brim with supernatural horror.
Taking place within the macabre confines of the Stauf mansion, players must use their wits to solve various puzzles. Along the way, they will learn a bit about the dark backstory of the mansion's mysterious owner, as well as the doomed guests who once occupied it, including the titular "seventh guest." The game's positive legacy was such that it was later ported to mobile devices.
6 Sanitarium (1998)
Awakening from a coma only to find oneself in highly strange surroundings isn't an enviable prospect. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens to the protagonist of Sanitarium, a point-and-click psychological horror game with no shortage of unnerving imagery.
Players are tasked with unraveling the unusual mystery. The environment as well as the characters players will meet are positively weird. The antiquated nature of the graphics only heightens the creep factor of the surroundings and NPCs. In a genre filled with examples of psychological horror, Sanitarium actually manages to pull it off competently.
5 System Shock 2 (1999)
Although Irrational Games is primarily known for the Bioshock series, their earlier title, System Shock 2, is also fondly remembered by fans. Its blend of action and survival horror elements made it an instant classic. Its disquieting surroundings are just as immersive as Rapture later proved.
Throughout their journey in System Shock 2, fans will tangle with an incredibly dangerous AI known as SHODAN. Aiding SHODAN are crazed individuals infected by a strange alien entity. Fans of the original Bioshock will surely appreciate everything System Shock 2 has to offer.
4 Nocturne (1999)
Fans of both fantasy and horror will find themselves right at home with Nocturne. Taking the role of "The Stranger," players will put their monster-hunting skills to good use in service to the U.S. government in a story that spans four action-packed chapters.
Multiple genres are thrown against the wall in Nocturne. Players will battle vampires, werewolves, and even undead gangsters in this fun and strangely endearing gem from 1999. Although its gameplay is archaic by modern standards, its unique narrative is still worth experiencing.
3 The Dark Eye (1995)
Whenever players feel they are in need of fresh nightmare fuel, they may want to consider The Dark Eye. A fairly obscure game from 1995, The Dark Eye is memorable for its unsettling artwork, effectively a blend of stop-motion and clay animation.
Fans shouldn't expect deep levels of gameplay from this point-and-click adventure. Rather, it's the visuals that tend to be enduring. The story revolves around reenactments of various tales by Edgar Allan Poe, so fans of that author should find plenty to occupy their attention.
2 Bad Mojo (1996)
Video games, much like books and movies, are home to some rather odd stories. Bad Mojo is certainly strange, serving as a loose adaptation of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Muck like Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis, the protagonist of Bad Mojo finds himself transformed into a cockroach.
As an insect, players will have no shortage of obstacles to overcome. Avoiding deathly hazards while solving puzzles is the name of the game. Meanwhile, the sad backstory of the protagonist is steadily revealed. If one was ever curious about the struggles of being a cockroach, give Bad Mojo a shot!
1 Aliens Versus Predator (1999)
Fans of the Alien vs. Predator movies will no doubt be interested in this game, despite its age. Aliens Versus Predator attempts to answer the age-old question: Who would win in a fight between colonial marines, Predators, and Xenomorphs? The answer to that question lies in the hands of the player.
Fans can play as any of those three races in unique single-player campaigns. Each faction, of course, has strengths and weaknesses that need to be taken into account. For example, marines are heavily armed but aren't nearly as resilient as their savage counterparts. Perhaps to the surprise of no one, it proved to be a game as cool as it sounded.