As an avid horror fan, it’s always amazing to see the genre being explored in my favorite medium: video games. I can appreciate both the great games, like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, and the not-so-great ones, like 2008’s Alone in the Dark.
But something that is still astounding to see even now is how easy it is for video games to immerse you into their worlds. Just the act of controlling your characters adds a layer of relatability that no other form of entertainment has.
Role-playing games go one step beyond, giving the player the option to create their own character, shape their decisions and personalities, or a combination of those. This is why I think it’s interesting to delve into the possibilities of such a combination, as well as take a look at the games that made the best of it.
Here are some of the best RPG horror games on the market.
Call of Cthulhu
If there’s something I love to see in horror is a Lovecraftian theme in it. Either as part of the setting, the way the story is told, or how the antagonists are so unbelievable beyond our comprehension that their mere presence compromises our sanity. This kind of horror, however, has been proven hard to adapt. Books have it easier since they usually rely on the reader’s imagination to induce terror. Movies have tried to no avail, but videogames seem to be able to do something right.
Call of Cthulhu, while far from perfect, it’s living proof that Lovecraftian horror has a place in other media other than novels, and not only that but that it has the potential to thrive in videogames.
In this game, you play as Private Investigator Pirce who’s on a case in the isolated Darkwater Island. The more you investigate, the more you realize the magnitude of the situation you’re in, full of cultists, conspiracies, dreadful monsters, and cosmic horror.
The Secret World
The Secret World is an MMORPG that started with the intention of breaking the many conventions that riddle the genre even to this day. A very competitive launch year mixed with poor sales made it fall into semi-obscurity for years that forced The Secret World to become free-to-play and branded as Secret World: Legends.
But, despite its rocky launch, The Secret World has gained a cult following and has managed to stay afloat thanks to a very dedicated fanbase.
And that’s because The Secret World is a game that deserves to be played. While overly ambitious, this game executed its promises pretty well. A rich and open world set in the modern-day instead of a medieval European one like most in the fantasy genre and a progression system that rejects the conventional leveling-up system that we’re so familiar with are some of the best things this game has to offer.
Add to the mix a compelling and intriguing storyline that unfolds its mystery through fully voiced, quirky characters and an unbelievable amount of clues scattered throughout the world, and you find a gem of a game that begs to be played by any RPG fan.
Bioshock
Bioshock is a hard game to categorize. You could call it a survival horror, an action shooter, or a thought-provoking adventure with RPG elements, and you’d technically be right.
What is certain is that it is an amazing game capable of pulling the heartstrings of horror and RPG players alike, providing a unique and memorable experience.
The high-concept setting alone is enough to intrigue anyone. You’re the sole survivor of a plane crash that landed next to a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean.
Upon inspecting closer, you’re taken to an underwater city where its founder monologues his reasoning for creating what seems to be the promised land for free minds, entrepreneurs, and artists. But soon enough, you realize that something has gone terribly wrong in this place.
Vampyr
Vampyr puts you in a moral dilemma right from the get-go with its premise. You’re a doctor who took an oath to help and heal those in need. But you have become a vampire, and those vampiric instincts threaten that oath, forcing you to decide between staying alive and hurting the ones you swore to save.
A strange form of flu plagues the citizens of this alternate 1918’s London, and you’re struggling to find a cure. You’ll get to use your undead gifts freely against vampyr hunters and creatures of the night alike.
But remember, like every good horror RPG game, your actions will shape the story and the lives of the ones around you. You can be the difference between saving London and condemning the city to hell.
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines
This RPG horror game is living proof that even if a game goes through development hell and publisher interference throughout its creation, along with glitches and game-breaking bugs at the time it was released, it still has a chance of being successful if the core gameplay and story are good.
In fact, Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines has been regarded by most of its player base, including myself, as one of the best RPGs ever made.
Not only is the character customization pretty detailed for a game of its time, but even the clan you choose to align with can also tremendously affect the way you play, to the point where a new game with another clan can feel like a completely different experience.
The modern-day setting of Los Angeles is a breath of fresh air for RPG lovers who are used to castles and dragons, and it pulls the player in with lore that is both deep and engaging.
The Evil Within 2
It was hard for me to decide between Evil Within and its sequel, mostly because I hold the original game in such high regard, but it’s also hard to ignore that The Evil Within 2 improved on a lot of things from the first.
On the one hand, the world is more open and gives the player more freedom than ever before. You can explore and experiment in ways to take down or evade enemies. On the other hand, the sequel doubled down a bit on the horror aspects that made the first one so iconic. Personally, I don’t have any issues with that, even though I’m a fan of horror through and through.
If you can have more relatable characters, a larger, more in-depth map, improved graphics, and the introduction of side missions in exchange for some of the atmosphere, then I’m all up for that.
The RPG elements in The Evil Within 2 come in hand when upgrading your weapons and unlocking certain abilities to improve the playability. While not a full-on RPG by definition, it is definitively one of the best horror games out there.
Pathologic
This RPG horror survival gives you the option to choose between three playable characters, one of which is unlocked after completing the game once, with the goal of surviving twelve consecutive in-game days while also completing quests from NPCs.
The beauty of Pathologic lies in the fact that it is a very edge-of-your-seat experience all the way to the end when all of your expectations take a turn, and you end up feeling rewarded by the challenge and sort of depressed by the conclusion.
The ambiance adds to the daunting atmosphere, the gameplay can be bothersome at times, but it’s worth pulling through to unravel the mysteries of this gem.
Witch Hunt
Witch Hunt is one of those games that just throws you into the action with a bunch of questions and no answers, no guidelines, just you in the middle of the woods left to hunt whatever is lurking in the darkness.
This game relishes in the exploration and non-linearity of the setting. It has light RPG elements such as very simple skill and financial system. You’ll have weapons, magic, and your wits at your disposal to face the unknown dangers that have been haunting the town of Bellville.
The world of Witch Hunt is relentless, challenging, and suspenseful all at once, so truth be told, your greatest assets are going to be your patience and perseverance. If you’re the kind to get easily spooked, then I’d think twice before getting this game. Or, better yet, buy it and play it in the night, with headphones on and lights off. It’ll be a treat.
Bloodborne
Bloodborne is a perfect combination of RPG and survival horror. This PlayStation exclusive from the hands of the Dark Souls creators has you playing as a Hunter in the decaying city of Yharnam, where nightmarish creatures roam through the streets, and the townsfolk are hostile to any and all foreigners.
Like the Dark Souls games, Bloodborne serves a cryptic story in clues scattered throughout the world, item descriptions, enigmatic dialog, and the setting itself. It’s up to you to figure out what’s going on in Yharnam, but that’s not the game’s main point.
Here, you have to survive, plain and simple, as you venture deep into the heart of this God-forsaken world where everything and everyone is out to kill you.
Challenging as any other FromSoftware game, full of blood-pumping boss battles, non-linear progression, and an ominous atmosphere that engulfs everything around you, Bloodborne breaks the mold in terms of quality for many RPG and horror games alike.
The RPG elements are more refined than other From Software games, with a very familiar currency, in this case under the name of Blood Echoes instead of Souls, that you’ll need to level up and buy items with and that you’ll lose every time you die and fail to retrieve them. And guess what, you’re going to die pretty often.
Truly a masterpiece that proves that video games should be considered art.
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