The year 2019 saw the release of some remarkable horror games such as Resident Evil 2 Remake that was claimed to be one of the best games in the year.
The indie horror games community, on the other hand, did not miss out. These 10 titles were some of the most outstanding indie horror games released in 2019.
10. Palmyra Orphanage (PC)
Palmyra Orphanage – Release Trailer
Palmyra Orphanage revolves around the emotional story of you trying to find information regarding your long-lost brother, where would be the perfect place for that if not an abandoned orphanage filled with cryptic messages?
The environment that the game aims to achieve is not as polished, however, the jumpscares are often done right and the horror elements used are plausible for a low-budget game.
9. Wounded (PC)
Wounded Gameplay Trailer
Wounded is a short indie game made by a small group of developers. Following the story of Tim who finds himself looking for his daughter at a creepy motel. Hide and run, no other way to fight the demons from killing you. Wounded centers around completing puzzles and survival techniques as you are not provided with any weapon.
An indie game made with zero funding but love and support, Wounded reached its potential to the maximum with captivating visuals and excellent atmosphere buildup. It is with no doubt, Wounded wins in terms of being one of the best indie games that you should experience at least once.
8. Day 7 (PC)
Day 7 Gameplay)
Puppet Combo is a noteworthy indie game maker with multiple fan-favorite titles. Day 7 is not just another psychological horror form Puppet Combo as it implements the horror elements of The Backrooms creepypasta and PS1 graphics style. The developer himself has admitted to Day 7 being a mix of inspiration of mentioned creepypasta and Stephen King’s works which automatically becomes a must-experience title for indie horror games lovers.
7. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (PC, PS4, Xbox)
9 Minutes of The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan Gameplay
Man of Medan is the first installment in The Dark Pictures Anthology series by Supermassive Games. Be among young adventurers in the middle of the ocean as they eventually made their way to an abandoned ship filled with forgotten spirits of its former crew. Escape death or you will remain sailing with the dead.
Given that its developers quickly gained recognition for its choice-based narrative game, Until Dawn, Men of Medan swiftly makes it to the list as similar elements are used upgraded with an immersive co-op mode. Each decision will put the character’s fate at stake.
6. Pacify (PC)
Pacify - Gameplay Trailer
Pacify is a terrifying fast-paced co-op horror game that simply puts you to bed with the worst nightmares of your life. Play as a paranormal investigator to investigate the past of the location you choose to enter. The catch, unfortunately, is the fact that the ghost itself is wandering around as you are doing your investigation!
The game is heavily adrenaline-inducing as you are chased by the ghost while trying to collect items to finish the story, the jumpscares are ruthless. There is no chance to stop and think about surviving Pacify, one of the most terrifying multiplayer horror experiences.
5. Blair Witch (PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch)
Blair Witch - Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer
This game lets you take a step into the iconic Blair Witch films. Experience the dark woods as your character tries to survive to find a missing boy. This survival horror title keeps the found-footage aspect of the original films.
What makes this game one of the best in 2019 is how the atmosphere was built along with its eerily beautiful sound design to accompany your journey to not get caught by unknown creatures in the forest. Although the difficulty presented in the game has not been its greatest highlight, Blair Witch remains to be one of the best horror games of the year.
4. Devotion (PC)
DEVOTION Trailer
Think of it as watching a movie filled with metaphors, that is what Devotion feels like for most. Play as Du Yeng Fu, a screenwriter who goes on a mesmerizing journey into his past to find out what happened to his wife and daughter.
The game is constantly praised for its use of the environment to invoke emotional flashbacks and storytelling elements while lacking in some points of its puzzles mechanics. Overall, Devotion is a well-paced psychological horror game that will leave a mark in your heart for its story alone.
3. Layers of Fear 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch)
LAYERS OF FEAR 2 - Official Gameplay Trailer
Layers of Fear 2 continues the psychological horror ambition of its predecessor. You will play as an actor on a cruise ship from the 1950s. An unsettling story awaits to be slowly revealed as you explore said cruise ship with a maze of rooms to lead yourself into.
For the most part, you will find yourself walking to find the pieces of the story. Layers of Fear 2's atmosphere is excellent for its slow buildup and lack of reliance on jumpscares. This further makes the game a remarkable title despite multiple critics on its chasing and dodging mechanics. Otherwise, it stands as one of the best psychological horror games in 2019.
2. The Sinking City (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch)
The Sinking City - Gameplay Trailer
From the developers of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series, fans of mystery-solving horror games would not need to look further. The Sinking City lets you explore a cursed town to escape from your past visions as you try to uncover the town’s mysteries.
The amount of attention needed in this game is almost therapeutic if you are into solving cases or mysteries. Every quest and challenge depends heavily on how you interpret the minimal clues given. The haunting atmosphere and plot are ideal for such investigation.
1. Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted (PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch)
Five Nights At Freddy's VR: Help Wanted Gameplay
Virtual reality technology has been a good friend to horror games, maximizing immersion and scare potentials. The classic Five Nights at Freddy’s series did not miss the chance to hop on the VR trend with Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted.
To survive the nights in Five Nights at Freddy’s, you simply need to be attentive to the surveillance cameras and your surroundings at the same time. The VR experience certainly enhances the footsteps, the animatronics cheekily sneaking up on you and yes, the jumpscares. Experience the nights at a haunted pizzeria with psycho animatronics.
There goes our list of top 10 horror indie games that were released in 2019. Although it was not exactly the best year for indie horror games, these titles deserve their spot as they were the best and most thrilling.
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