The best side scrolling horror games

Summary

  • Side-scrolling horror games use a limited perspective and great sound design for immersive gameplay.

  • Different 2D horror games offer unique narratives and gameplay mechanics to explore.

  • The visuals, puzzles, and atmosphere of side-scrolling horror games create a terrifying and enjoyable experience.

Side scrolling games cover a wide range of styles and genres. Horror, in particular, uses this style of gameplay to its advantage, with its claustrophobic spaces, hide-and-seek mechanics, heart-pounding chase sequences, and fear of the unknown. Players are made to feel vulnerable with limited perspective; not being able to see what's going on around the main character is sure to make any desensitized gamer feel even a little scared.

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Sound design is also an important element in games of this type because it can make the player feel awkward because it would be hard to tell where the sound of glass breaking or a creature moaning is coming from. Thus, these elements ensure that side-scrolling horror games are exciting, terrifying and enjoyable.

8

Re: Turn – One way trip

A terrifying coming-of-age tale set on a train

Saki and her friends go on a camping trip to celebrate graduation, unbeknownst to them, one last time. Jumping between the past and the present, explore the abandoned train for Saki to find out where her friends have suddenly disappeared. Switching between pixel art and digital graphics, the visuals really add spark to the proceedings.

Since it's mostly set in one place, there's quite a bit of backtracking, so it can often feel a bit tedious. However, the eerie atmosphere, creepy antagonists, and mysterious story make up for some of the shortcomings. If players like the simple puzzle mechanics and quest gameplay, they will enjoy what Re: Turn series has to offer.

7

The Coma: Recut

A nightmarish look at Korean school culture

School Korean horror movie The Coma: Recut (2017) is a revised version The Coma: Cutting Class (2015). Student Youngho falls asleep during his final exams at Sehwa High and finds himself trapped in the school's dark hallways with no end in sight.

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While he is also being pursued by a killer, the player must help him survive this nightmare by collecting notes and talking to classmates to solve the mystery. With hand-illustrated visuals straight from the manhwa and social commentary on the Korean school system, it offers a narrative worth playing.

6

Withering of rooms

A soulful roguelike game set in a spooky mansion

Explore the ever-changing Mostin House, a Victorian mansion inhabited by a variety of enemies, including ghosts and witches, who target the main character. Players can customize the gameplay to their liking, using stealth mechanics to avoid the creatures or fighting them head-on.

From rituals and crafts to hand-to-hand combat, the player decides whether the main character Nightingale will survive or not. It has a steep learning curve from the start, but it's a fun and unique experience nonetheless.

5

Endless nightmares

A terrifying, never-ending depiction of mental health



Endless nightmares

Released

September 26, 2014

OpenCritic rating

Fair

Inspired by the developer's own struggles with depression and OCD, Endless Nightmares follows Thomas trapped in a nightmare door, not knowing when he will wake up. In each nightmare, there are different ways for Thomas to die – either from the manifestation of the monster or from self-harm.

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The black and white visuals really help to make the world empty except for the bright red to emphasize the horror that Thomas has encountered. With a depiction of the difficulty of the creator, this can be related to some players, making the fear factor much more realistic.

4

Detention

Students trapped in 1960s Taiwan



Detention

Released

January 12, 2017

Set in a Taiwanese school, explore Greenwood High as students Wei and Rei work together to solve a mystery while avoiding spirits and other evil creatures. Since they are under strict martial law, combined with the desaturated color scheme, the world seems bleak and hopeless.

There's more of a focus on puzzle solving and stealth than the fast-paced platforming that helps drive this horror. Characters hold their breath to get past enemies, making them very tense with limited vision. Some of the visuals are pretty creepy and will make anyone leave the school ASAP.

3

Clock Tower: Rewind

Click and click survival horror classic revived.



Clock Tower: Rewind

Released

2024 year

Franchise

Clock tower

Getting a fresh coat of paint with the updated version of the 1995 classic Clock towertake on young orphan Jennifer as she explores the Burroughs mansion. It's the first time it's been officially translated outside of Japan, striking a chord with a new, modern audience.

This 16-bit game delivers stunning animated cutscenes, gore and jump scares while solving puzzles and avoiding the Scissorman threat. Jennifer can't fight back except by using traps, and players will have to keep an eye on her health and stamina, which can be stressful for some. Remastering adds additional content and improves the quality of life, and allows you to play in the original or revised state.

2

Inside

Escape from a disturbing dystopian world

9/10



Inside

Released

June 29, 2016

Developer(s)

Playdead

OpenCritic rating

Powerful

Set against an eerie, desaturated background with just a hint of color, a young boy exposes himself to avoid being captured by the watchful eyes of those involved in the mind control experiments. Using the environment, carefully making your way to freedom, Inside turns out to be quite disturbing.

Along with an ominous narrative and an unexpectedly difficult ending, platforming and puzzle solving are an integral part Insideencouraging the player to think about their actions and preventing this young boy from being just another number in the system.

1

Little nightmares

A deeply infuriating view of human nature

8/10



Little nightmares

Survival Horror

A puzzle

Platformer

Released

April 28, 2017

Developer(s)

Tarsier Studios

OpenCritic rating

Strong

As a faceless child in a bright yellow cloak, traverse the creaking ship as Six's protagonist to uncover the disturbing underbelly of human consumption while exploring themes between childhood and adulthood. Little nightmares as dark as it is exciting.

Avoid grotesque monsters using stealth mechanics or time jumps during the chase to avoid being caught. Due to the size difference between the main character and the antagonists, the limited perspective here is really rich, making the player more vulnerable and sensitive to the added tension, as it can sometimes be difficult to predict the next move.

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