Summary

• Gothic horror games offer rich, creepy atmospheres that keep players on edge through suspense and dark narratives.
• Games like Castlevania and Bloodborne excel at merging gothic aesthetics with thrilling gameplay and eerie settings.
• From old classics to modern hits, the gothic horror genre continues to captivate with its dark, foreboding themes.

There are many forms of horror out there to enjoy. Fear of the unknown with sci-fi horror, there's underwater-based horror, and there's 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:even cryptid horror. However, it's best to look at one of the oldest forms of horror in games: gothic.

Gothic horror has been a staple of entertainment for decades. With classics like Castlevania or even the original mansion from Resident E♓vil, a gothic setting or subject always seems to have appeal. So what games handle gothic horror better than൲ others?

Updated March 8, 2024, by Zackary Wiggs: Horror games fright and delight people of all ages and all backgrounds. As the horror genre gets bigger, the subgenres that are included get more diverse. No matter what scares you most, there's probably a game that falls well into that subgenre, and that goes especially for gothic horror. As more horror games hit the proverbial shelves, it's easier to see that connection to the genre as a whole and one of its oldest subgenres. Creepy castles, victorian outfits, or even just dark and foreboding dialogue; gothic horror is here for you.

15 Castlevania: Symphony Of The Nig🌺ht

A Gothic Series For The Ages

The 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Castlevania series has always leaned more towards action than horror. However, it's always nailed a rich gothic atmosphere. From the dark environments to creepy music, Castlevania is one of the pioneers of gothic games.

Often labeled as the best of the series, Symphony of the Night has you control Alucard. The son of Dracula must slaughter evil throughout his father's castle and defeat him and the evil priest Shaft. This was the first Castlevania to introduce the RPG open-ended style of gameplay that would become known as Metroidvania.

14 Lies Of P

Soulsborne Meets Gothic

While Bloodborne may be the Soulsborne game that most think about when it comes to the gothic genre, but 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Lies of P really picked up where Bloodborne's setting left off. The enemies, the city, and even the protagonist himself all tie into the theme as a whole.

What else would you expect from someone forced to fight an army of puppets in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:a steampunk world? The Soulsborne genre 🔥really lends itself to the gothic horror genre too, thanks to the fear that the creatures and the dark setting as a whole induce.

13 Fran Bow

Cats And Creeps

Do not be fooled by the seemingly childish visual♑s. Fran Bow is a psychologically horrifying story of insanity and monsters. In many ways, it resembles a more horror-like version of Alice In Wonderland.

The story is about a young girl escaping an asylum. Uponꦆ escaping, she is taken across many worlds with many disturbing creatures. Rather than relying on jump scares and cheap thrills, Fran Bow keeps you on edge through suspense and nail-biting atmosphere.

12 ൲ Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Vampire's And Horror, What More Could You Want

The setting of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines is cont🦂emporary, but it still manages to give a gothic vibe. Bloodlines is often labeled as one of the most revolutionary RPGs of all time.

You play as a new vampire of their creation and delve into the seedy underworld of vampires. With customizable combat, dialogue, and abilities; it is easy to call it the Skyrim of vampire games. A bloody good time all around.

11 Dante's Inferno

A Retelling Of A Classic

When you're discussing the gothic horror genre, you have to discuss one of the foundational writers of the genre. Dante Alighieri's epic trilogy of a poem is one of the first major looks at the genre, so it makes sense that someone made a game of the series.

As Dante himself in Dante's Inferno, you dive into hell a circle at a time, seeing all the various horrors that the game has in store for you, all to save your beloved Beatrice. It's a game that stood out in the PS2/Xbox 360 generation.

10 🏅 Call Of Cthulhu

Cosmic Horror And Gothic Horror Meet

Based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft, Edward Pierce is investigating a💮 case in a small island town. Without spoilers, it becomes a dark and twisted tale of the occult and eldritch horrors.

The action takes a step back this time around with 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Call of Cthulhu focusing on detective work: similar to the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Sherlock Holmes games. The game does a brilliant job immersing you in a 19🐲th-century fishing town thus making the scary parts even more effective.

9 Nightmare Creatures 🎀

London Calling

London has become ground-zero for a mad scientist's horde of monsters and mutations. Play as one of two characters, traverse London, and stop these Nightmare Creatures!

One of the most forgotten action-horror games of all ౠtime. Nightmare Creatures balances a genuinely creepy setting and atmosphere with tight, very fun combat. Add some unique monster designs and a villain who is always watching you: it is a perfect game for Halloween.

8 𓂃 Layers Of 🦩Fear

A Troubled Artist

Gothic horror games often rely on their setting to instill fear. Knowing that, it makes sense to have a setting that's diverse and that changes as the character moves through it. Layers Of Fear is one such game that does it nearly perfectly.

As you move through the painter's mansion, you'll come across many jump-scares as the house creaks, groans, and changes around you. The house is practically, and sometimes actually, alive depending on your choices.

7 The Sཧink𒁏ing City

A Gothic Setting Come To Life

Call of Cthulhu was very reminiscent of the Sherlock Holmes games. Meanwhile, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Sinking City was developed by t💞he creators of the Sherloc✱k Holmes games. An open-world Lovecraftian-inspired game about the flooded city.

You play as a detective roaming the city to solve a mystery. The Sinking City takes everything great and gothic about the Call Of Cthulhu game and manages to be even better. The city of Oakmont is both dismal yet beautiful to experience at the same 🍃time.

6 Vampyr

Turn Of The Century Vampires

For those who love the detective work of The Sinking City but want some action mixed in, Vampyr is the game for them. Vampyr is the story of a surgeon in 1918 London trying to cope with his new vampiric nature while dealing with the citiꦓzens of the city.

Vampyr can best be described as a vampire version of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mass Effect; lots of dialogue o♏ptions, character missions, morality choices, and RPG elements as a bonus. Vampyr also features the most immersive and goth💯ic version of London in gaming history.