Check Out These Scary VR Games!

Few gaming genres lend themselves more strongly to the horror niche than virtual reality gaming.

With VR headsets gamers can achieve levels of immersion previously unthinkable in video games, and, when it comes to VR, that means you can really live the scares. Of course, like the best horror movies, the games are held back only by those who create them and the top VR horror games deftly balance tension, suspense, and immersion to a degree much greater than in mainline console and PC horror games.

After all, people are going to stop playing quite soon if the experience is too intense, or rather unbelievable, or even if the game’s pacing is too slow.

Unlike many gaming platforms, VR truly promises, from the onset, a kind of simulation of the world around us. Not only do we think these titles will give you a good fright but also we think you’ll really enjoy how they take advantage of the virtual reality format’s advantages over console or PC experiences had through a monitor.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

When you think survival horror, your mind probably thinks Resident Evil, a series that helped kick off the zombie craze all the way back in 1996 when it debuted for the PlayStation. Now in VR, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a translation of the regular video game into VR – and what a transformation it is. Already too visceral and intense for some, the VR iteration of Resident Evil 7 can be downright gut-wrenching in its depiction of gore, violence, and horror. Not for the faint of heart, this game is recommended for VR fans and those who are on the fence. What better way to experience virtual reality than with something familiar like Resident Evil.

A Chair in a Room

This game has what some could term noir horror. You explore and investigate a mystery in a derelict and decaying town with suspense and tension at the forefront of the experience. Unlike other games that rely upon tropes from a horror film, this game can best be described as a suspenseful detective procedural and, like the best in the genre, will have you hooked within the first few opening moments.

Arizona Sunshine

A zombie apocalypse is almost an overused concept at this point but Arizona Sunshine makes sure it works on the VR headset. Offering intense action and zombie horror, this game is geared towards those players that enjoyed Valve’s Left 4 Dead series.

Until Dawn

Basically, a horror roller coaster simulator, Until Dawn is one of those games that basically sounds insane on paper but works in concept. Made specifically for VR, Until Dawn is a unique horror game in that it reminds you vaguely of Five Nights at Freddy’s but is definitely its own thing. Another good approximation would be Sega’s arcade classic shooter series the House of the Dead. An on-rails horror fest, Until Dawn, is the perfect VR game for the player that needs an “experience” that can’t be had elsewhere.

Affected: The Manor

Affected: The Manor is closest to a VR approximation of the old PC horror titles like Phantasmagoria or even the adventure games like Return to Zork and Myst. Exploring a horror realm filled with terror at every turn, Affected: The Manor is, again, a game that could only be done well on VR in this day and age.

Here They Lie

This game can best be described as a nightmare simulator. You inhabit a mysterious city filled with horrible things. Without giving too much away about the game, it ultimately tries to delve into the mysteries of existence itself but gradually ratchets up the horror along the way. Another game that is partially a horror film and part adventure game, Here They Lie is a dark experience, to say the least.

The Brookhaven Experiment

This game is basically a survival horror game with mechanics that are reminiscent of the Call of Duty zombies game modes. You have to survive wave after wave of enemies using nothing but the resources you can find. Of course, there is a narrative and the focus of that is this end of the world event that is consuming everything, but the real focus of the game is on intense survival gameplay and overcoming the hordes of enemies sent your way.

So what are some of your favorite horror games in VR? Post in the comments below!