At their best, horror games force us to confront our worst fears. They immerse us in terrifying nightmare worlds and challenge us to survive. From being hunted by unstoppable monsters, haunted by ghostly apparitions, or stalked by a psychotic killer, few genres illicit emotion like horror games can.
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Horror video games will also often tackle serious issues, from childhood trauma, to addiction, mental health, or grief. Some of the most effective games dealing with these issues are set during wartime. These games show us the worst parts of human history while asking us to survive the monsters that lurk in the shadows. While only a few horror games have been set during a war, these memorable titles leave a lasting impression. From the hellscape of World War One to the trauma of World War Two, these are games with depth, tension, and terrifying monsters.
6 Trenches
Follow A Soldier's Struggle To Escape
- Platform: Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
- Released: 2021
- Developers: Steelkrill Studio
- Genre: Survival Horror
- Setting: World War 1
- Metascore: 51
This first-person indie survival horror game takes players into the dark and atmospheric setting of the trenches of World War 1. The game follows a soldier who has become lost across enemy lines and struggles to make his way back home. The game takes on a surreal nature as the soldier’s sanity is tested during one of the most horrific times in human history.
While the game received mixed reviews on release, this cult indie horror game will appeal to genre fans and has a mostly positive rating on Steam. Players must even stay quiet in the game, as the enemies react to the real-life player’s sound through their mics. Trenches blends tense survival mechanics, a haunting atmosphere, and disturbing imagery, creating a short yet memorable horror experience.
5 Ad Infinitum
Experience the Trauma of Trench Warfare
- Setting: World War 1
- Metascore: 68
In this first-person survival horror game, players control a German soldier struggling to deal with his experiences during the First World War. In the game, players must also solve puzzles to progress and escape the various monsters manifested from the soldier’s trauma.
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Ad Infinitum delves into the mind of someone who survived the horrors of trench warfare, with his experiences having a lasting effect on the rest of his life. The main character, Paul von Schmidt, relives his experiences through memory, with the monsters depicted representing different aspects of his experiences, such as hunger or pain. While the game received mixed reviews on release, with many critics commenting that the horror elements could have been done better, the game was praised for its unique setting and compelling story.
4 The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
A Cinematic Journey Into an Ancient Evil
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
- Platform(s)
- PS5
- Released
- October 22, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Setting: 2003 War in Iraq
- Metascore: 72
The Dark Pictures Anthology series has long been a staple in narrative-driven horror games. Each game is presented more like an interactive movie than a game. Players control the various characters and are presented with different decisions and quick-time events. Choosing certain options or failing an event can lead to a character dying a gruesome death.
In House of Ashes, players take control of five different characters. Each featured protagonist is involved in the armed forces during the 2003 Iraq conflict; four from the US and one from the Iraqi Republican Guard. The story revolves around the group becoming lost in an underground temple complex and being hunted by vicious vampire-like creatures. While the series has received mixed reviews, House of Ashes was considered the best of the Anthology on release and received praise for its balanced depiction of the two sides in the conflict. House of Ashes is a fun addition to the series and is great to play with friends, with the multiplayer allowing people to control the different characters.
3 Martha is Dead
A Dark Narrative Dealing With the Tragedy of War
- Setting: Italy - World War 2
- Metascore: 73
Martha is Dead is a first-person horror game that leans heavily into psychological aspects, as there are no enemies to defeat. Set in German-occupied Italy in 1944, the game revolves around Giulia and her murdered twin sister Martha. In the game, Giulia's father is a general in the German army, with the Italian resistance becoming a constant threat to their lives. The game depicts complex relationships that can only happen during times of war. This narrative-driven horror game deals with themes of family, guilt, and mental health during wartime.
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The game received mixed reviews on release, with some calling it nothing more than a walking simulator. However, this dark, atmospheric game offers an engaging narrative with elements of superstition and folklore, set within one of Europe’s darkest times. Fans of narrative horror games will love this tragic and immersive horror game.
2 Amnesia: The Bunker
A Tense and Claustrophobic Horror Experience
- Setting: World War 1
- Metascore: 77
When discussing horror in video games, Swedish developer, Frictional is often cited as one of the best in the industry. Their landmark titles, Amnesia: Dark Descent and Soma set a benchmark for survival horror, with tense atmospheres and engaging narratives. Amnesia: The Bunker is the latest in the long-running series and was a significant change in style from previous entries, incorporating a semi-open world for more freedom.
The Bunker is set within the trenches of the First World War. It follows a soldier waking up alone in a large bunker complex and finding everyone has disappeared. Players soon discover they are being hunted by a creature that reacts to their movement and sound. The Bunker brings all the tension and atmosphere the Amnesia series is known for, but this time it does not include a sanity meter. The game was released to positive reviews, with critics praising its urgency and design.
1 A Plague Tale: Innocence
A Tense and Engaging Survival Horror Adventure
A Plague Tale: Innocence
- Platform(s)
- PS5 , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , Switch , PC
- Released
- May 14, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Asobo Studio
- Genre(s)
- Action , Adventure , Stealth
- Setting: 14th Century France - Hundred Years’ War
- Metascore: 81
Blending elements of stealth, action, and horror, A Plague Tale: Innocence is a disturbing adventure into the terrifying reality of war and pestilence. Players take control of Amicia de Rune, who must escape her home with her younger brother after her family is killed. As players travel across the war-ravaged land, destroyed by conflict and plague, they encounter various puzzles and obstacles to overcome. These include swarms of killer rats that have grown numerous and hungry, and hostile soldiers searching for the two siblings.
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The game was well-received on release and would go on to win several awards. Its blend of storytelling, puzzle-solving, and immersive survival horror made it a hit with fans. A sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem, was released in 2022 and continued the story of the De Rune family.
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