Best Obscure Horror Games You've Never Played

Anatomy

We start off with a genuine bloodcurdler, having a rare ability to truly frighten. A slow-burning caster of pristine suspense, Anatomy offers a peculiar take on body horror.

Occasionally Carpenter-ish, with graphics taken straight out of PS2 games, craftily employing a splendid concept of meta found footage, or, rather, sound footage, it simultaneously retains something which only few titles have ever accomplished – simplicity without repetitiveness.

On the other hand, the game is almost banal, it can be ended in under one hour, yet its glitchy way of crawling under your skin momentarily grants Anatomy a place in the Pantheon of the most obscure indie horror games ever made.

Detention

The Asian horror aesthetics is famous for its spine-chilling combination of body horror, monsters of the unknown origin, sudden ‘shortages’ in reality, and slowly uncovered mysteries.

Detention clearly fits into the mold, with terrifying results.

Image credit: RedCandleGames

A teenage Taiwanese boy falls asleep during somewhat boring lesson, only to discover, after having woken up, that everyone is gone, and the school seems abandoned. Soon, he realizes it may be more than abandoned…

A 2D point-and-click side-scroller, Detention offers plenty of frights, jump scares that actually work, as well as nuanced fits of unnerving I-told-you-sos. Sound design is brilliant and only adds to the overall atmosphere.

Detention

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The Path

In an alternative universe, if David Lynch were into video games, he would definitely dabble in The Path.

Not much of a straightforward hair-raiser, this almost 15-year-old game is many things, among which ‘an epitome of eeriness’ stands out as its clear description.

Image credit: Tale of Tales

Not only is The Path a fascinating take on the Little Red Riding Hood tale, but it also bends the rules of the game, encouraging you to go into the woods, unveil the mysteries ahead, and confront the wolves which haunt the forest. The exceptional thing about Tale of Tales’ little gem, is what is NOT BEING SAID and NOT BEING SHOWN. The Belgian studio are masters of fueling players’ imaginations by crafting a story of constraints. Also, they have impeccable taste in music, as circa half of the odd vibes comes from the psychedelic folk and ethereal ambient we hear from the loudspeakers.

The Path is something that everyone, not only horror games fans, should play at least once in their lives, just as everyone was told the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale.

The Path

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Condemned: Criminal Origins

Another solid title from Monolith Productions studio, Condemned: Criminal Origins tells the story of an FBI agent which hunts a ruthless serial killer called the Match Maker.

While exploring another murder site, things get an unexpected twist, leaving our Protagonist to finish off the investigation which quickly turns out to be another unpredictable table-turner.

Image credit: Monolith

C:CO, although released in 2005, still holds its own, especially narrative-wise. Melee combat looks exceptionally realistic, but what really makes the game are grimy and gritty locations as well as murky and musty interiors which build the claustrophobic, overwrought atmosphere handsomely.

Condemned: Criminal Origins

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Year Walk

Although labeling Year Walk a ‘horror’ would be a gross exaggeration, it is, nevertheless, a title which ignites a certain uneasiness within the player.

With its plot woven into a story full of Swedish folklore, mythology, and an ending hardly anyone can anticipate, Year Walk could be regarded as a study in edginess, mostly.

Image credit: Simogo

Graphics evokes some sort of minimalism, everything is simple, even music, at times very ambient-ish, indeed. The story is elaborate, yet far from being overwhelming. There’s quite a lot to read, but it’s really worth it, as we kill two birds with one stone: we get to know quite a deal about Swedish folklore, and find out who the killer is.

Year Walk

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