There is a game genre out there for everybody. Whether you want to shoot people or bake the best cake ever, an effortless Google search is going to direct you to exactly what you want. Some people definitely seek games that that can provide a thrilling experience. However, not everybody is built to be able to cope with horror games, which is why there is a slightly less terrifying alternative… depending on how you look at it.
Creepy games leave you disturbed rather than scared, and we honestly don’t know which one is worse. Whether this is because of their atmosphere, their story, their graphics, or simply because you can’t figure out why they exist, here are 10 Creepy Games That Will Make Your Skin Crawl.
#1 Slender
Image Courtesy of Michael Hegemann
Anyone who’s been active on the Internet in the past three years or so remembers the Slender craze. Since the release of this highly appreciated game, many other titles have been released that have made people think of Slender as anything but a horror game. And in a sense, they’re right. It was the atmosphere, and the unpredictability that made people love Slender and these are the factors that play really well on your paranoia.
#2 Neverending Nightmares
Image Courtesy of Infinitap Games
This game exists through the power of Kickstarter, and we are definitely grateful for that. Neverending Nightmares stands out immediately through its fascinating-looking black and white graphics, which give the game an appearance that resembles pencil scribbles. Created by the developer as a reflection of his own struggles with depression, Neverending Nightmares gives you a blood-chilling immersion into the world of mental illness.
#3 Ao Oni
Image Courtesy of noprops
What could possibly be creepy about a Japanese puzzle-solver RPG game? Maybe it’s the fact that you’re being hunted by a purple demon while you’re trying to find a way out of the mansion you’re locked in. Ao Oni is one of the most surreal gaming experiences you could possibly have because of how disturbingly weird the demon’s appearance is. You won’t be running away from this entity because it’s frightening, but simply because you don’t want to look at it for too long.
#4 Among the Sleep
Image Courtesy of Krillbite Studio
In Among the Sleep, you play as a toddler that is exploring an imaginary world distorted by the cruel reality of parental neglection. Another indie game funded by Kickstarter, it received a lot of praise for its creativity and profound message, earning a loyal fanbase that completely loves the concept of a twisted world seen through the eyes of a child. What makes all of this even better is that, despite the unsettling atmosphere, there is still a dose of childhood innocence that really makes you feel for the story.
#5 Sonic.EXE
Image Courtesy of MY5TCrimson
A classic among the creepy games genre, Sonic.EXE is one of those games that completely ruined your childhood. Starting off as a seemingly normal Sonic the Hedgehog adventure, it gradually turns into a nightmare and surreal experience fueled by a lot of confusion. The strange controls, the weird levels, the distorted characters, and voices, as well as the breaking of the fourth wall, are all elements that have contributed to the puzzlement of those who’ve played this game.
#6 Fran Bow
Image Courtesy of Killmonday Games
What do you get when you combine the twisted senselessness of Alice in Wonderland with a point-and-click puzzle game? Fran Bow tells the story of a girl trying to escape a mental institution as she tries to find the killer of her parents. Throughout the game, she encounters a variety of eerie characters, which only add to the odd atmosphere and haunting music which make this game such an uneasy experience.
#7 Deep Sleep
Image Courtesy of Armor Games
Deep Sleep is an online point-and-click room escape game that masterfully plays with the concept of nightmares, sleep, and how vulnerable our minds are during this time. Developed with minimalist graphics, players must navigate the house and solve puzzles, while also trying to understand the mysteries hidden in the story.
#8 LIMBO
Image Courtesy of Playdead & Double Eleven
LIMBO is a definite classic among creepy games, having essentially reinvented the genre through the power of sheer atmosphere alone. A side-scrolling 2D platform game, it managed to woo players through its fantastic noir and grim imagery and the dark themes found throughout the game. Not only is LIMBO an incredibly beautiful-looking game, but it’s guaranteed to transport you temporarily into another realm.
#9 Year Walk
Image Courtesy of Simogo
A Swedish folklore-based exploration game, Year Walk taps into the primal human fear of darkness and forests. Players dive into the wintery woods in an attempt to play along to the belief in Swedish folklore that these nightly forests foster visions of one’s future. The game has a slowly-unfolding story, founded on murder, obsession, and many grim encounters with entities and creatures that are part of Sweden’s traditions.
#10 Yandere Simulator
Image Courtesy of YandereDev
This may seem like an odd choice, but anyone who has explored everything that Yandere Simulator has to offer so far might agree. A game heavily influenced by Japanese anime culture, it puts players in the shoes of a schoolgirl who is so obsessed with her crush that she is borderline psychotic. You have to eliminate all the students at the Akademi High School one by one, in the most gruesome of methods, until it’s only you and Senpai left. Involving everything from torture to drowning, to dismembering, and to demon summoning, it’s safe to say that no matter how much fun you might have, you’ll still find yourself highly freaked out by this game.
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