Summary
- DayZ started as an Arma 2 mod, spawning the Battle Royale genre.
- Cry of Fear showcases Source Engine's horror prowess.
- The Forgotten City, a Skyrim mod, offers a dark time-loop tale.
It's great to see something as small as a simple turn into something huge — even when it's terrifying — because it is bound to be a work of love and passion. Most mods are fine as they are, and aren't meant to grow into anything else, but some others have the potential to become even more
Every once in a while, gamers are treated to some fantastic games that started out as simple mods. The horror gaming scene is lucky to have been a fertile breeding ground for a lot of awesome horror games conceived in this way, so here's a look at some of the most memorable out there.
7 Best Titanfall 2 Mods
Titanfall 2 has a small but commited modding community, and they have produced some great mods for the game.
10 DayZ
Grew Like A True Zombie Outbreak
DayZ
- Released
- December 13, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival
DayZ, is one of the most influential multiplayer gaming phenomena, and likely the game most likely to have paved the way for the creation of the Battle Royale genre and the likes of PUBG and Fortnite. And it all began as an Arma 2 mod. Unlike the original tactical shooter, DayZ spawns players in a random area of a map, then warns them that a zombie outbreak is what they have to worry about the most. That's wrong.
Though the zombies can chew anyone up, the true enemies here are other players, whose malice or proneness to pre-emptively get rid of possible threats will ruin a lot of games for decent players. And that is what makes it all the more interesting.
9 Cry Of Fear
A Great Half-Life-Inspired Slice Of Horror
Cry of Fear
- Released
- February 22, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Team Psykskallar
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, FPS
Remember Ravenholm from Half-Life 2? The way that game steered into full-on horror territory for one single area proved one of the most memorable moments of the game, and left many wanting more. Cry of Fear doesn't take place in Ravenholm, but it is modded from Half-Life 2. It offers a great showcase of Valve's Source Engine's prowess when it comes to horror, and creates a surprisingly terrifying campaign capable of going toe to toe with some of the heavyweights of its time. Cry of Fear is no joke, and players should give it a chance even a decade after its release.
8 Most Iconic Horror Game Settings, Ranked
Eerie towns shrouded in mist or cities plagued by a virus, these horror settings will live on as some of the most memorable in video game history.
8 The Forgotten City
Philosophical Horror In An Amazing Setting
The Forgotten City
- Released
- July 28, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Modern Storyteller
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Forgotten City began life as a Skyrim mod, and likely remains the best game to spawn out of The Elder Scrolls series. It's a mesmerizing, well-written time-loop tale that will not look horrifying at first, but will get darker and darker as players go.
The Forgotten City: 10 Things The Game Does Better Than The Skyrim Mod
Skyrim's The Forgotten City mod is incredible, but the game might be even better.
The Forgotten City can be beaten in just a few hours, but it'll take a little longer for players interested in peeling off all the layers of this fascinating adventure. Anyone who thinks games are no longer original and lack storytelling prowess should not forget to give this one a try.
7 Killing Floor
A Bit Darker Than Its Originator
Killing Floor 2
- Released
- November 18, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Tripwire Interactive, Hardsuit Labs, Saber Interactive
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Survival Horror
The Killing Floor FPS series, where players are sent into a dungeon to either complete objectives or just survive hordes upon hordes of enemies, actually began a long time ago. It had its start as a mod for the oldie but goldie Unreal Tournament 2004, so it's a title from even before the times of Gears of War. Though the original mod is a bit dated by today's standards — and likely even hard to get running nowadays — the series is still going strong and will likely stay that way.
6 Total Chaos
Doom 2 With Amazing Graphics
- Release Date: Q4 2025
- Developer: Trigger Happy Interactive
- Platform: Microsoft Windows
When people think of Doom 2, the first thing that comes to their mind will likely be the immense amount of fun they had with the game. The second, however, is the memories of dated graphics. Total Chaos is an absolutely gorgeous horror experience in first-person that began as a Doom 2 mod.
5 No More Room In Hell 2
When There's No More Room For Mods, They Will Become Full Games
No More Room in Hell 2
- Released
- October 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Mild Sexual Themes, Language, and Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Torn Banner Studios
"When There's No More Room In Hell, The Dead Will Walk The Earth" is an expression from a classic movie by George H. Romero, the father of the zombie genre. It's also the name of an FPS mod for Half-Life 2, using the source engine that turned into an unofficial game adaptation of Romero's universe. As far as mod-originated zombie action goes, it's far more chaotic than DayZ, so it might prove an interesting title to pick up for fans of games such as the Left 4 Dead or Dead Rising series.
4 Natural Selection 2
Get Ready To Fight A Bunch Of Unnatural Monsters
Natural Selection 2
- Released
- October 31, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Real-Time Strategy
Natural Selection began as a mod for the original Half-Life. Though it exudes Xan vibes (the least popular area in the original Half-Life), it deserves a chance. First off, Xan isn't that bad. Secondly, this is a versatile Alien Versus Predator-like title where players not only get to enjoy the carnage and gunplay allowed by Half-Life's original engine, but also to put their gray matter to use.
Natural Selection doubles as a strategy game, and thus naturally pays tribute to the more cerebral gameplay seen in the original Half-Life in an original manner. Players get to pick a side in the action too.
3 The Dark Mod
Doom 3: The Dark Ages
DOOM 3
- Released
- August 3, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Doom 3 might not be the best game in the Doom series (it definitely isn't the most well-liked one) but it's a great horror game in its own right. To make it even better, Team Dark Mod came up with a mod of the same name, which went on to become its own game. The Dark Mod brought doom to the medieval setting long before The Dark Ages, and it imbued it with horror vibes and some gameplay elements reminiscent of the good old days of the Thief series, making this one a must-play title.
2 Red Solstice 2: Survivors
Warcraft In Space, But Not Like Starcraft
Red Solstice 2: Survivors
Plan your strategy and undertake real-time combat missions, in this sequel to the best-selling tactical game Red Solstice!
Welcome Executor!
It's the year 117 After Earth and you have a very important mission. You were awakened to lead the Cell, a secret taskforce that was assembled to counter the threat of the STROL mutant invasion. Take command of your squad to fight the mutants and find a cure to the virus that threatens to end mankind.
Across both a deep strategy layer and engaging real time combat missions, you'll need to make decisions quickly to survive in this hostile world and determine the fate of the planet. Choose your mission, select your loadout, take to the battlefield, and lead your squad to victory.
Playable in single-player or co-op with up to seven friends, Red Solstice 2: Survivors combines tense claustrophobic action with careful strategic planning to create a sci-fi experience like no other.
KEY FEATURES
• Red Solstice 2: Survivors is playable with the classic Real-Time Strategy controls. These controls provide a lot of freedom, more control and they allow the player to learn proactive actions which are to plan, execute and improvise.
• Survival Strategy: Red Solstice 2: Survivors combines tactical missions with ongoing survival against the STROL virus. Explore the entire planet in a campaign that expands over time with a single goal - survival of humanity.
• Research technologies: Research and upgrade new technologies and use them on the battlefield.
• Real Time Tactical Battlefield: Fight in an open battlefield in real time, while adapting and making plans on the move.
• Combat Missions: Deploy alone or with other players into combat missions to contain the spreading biomass infection. Manage your resources, explore an open map and secure areas in order to save humanity.
• Three Mission Types: Over 15 main missions and more than 20 side missions, with each having a different mission type (exploration, stealth and survival).
• Unique Classes: Choose between 6 classes, each with a unique gameplay experience – Assault, Demolition, Heavy Support, Marksman, Medic and Recon.
• 8 Player Co-op: Join campaigns and combat missions from other players – or let them join yours. Play together and work towards the survival of the planet.
• Powerful Weapons: Cause mass destruction, wipe out battlefields and decimate entire colonies.
• Biomass Infestation: Fight the spreading threat which changes the environment and adapts to your actions.
- Released
- June 17, 2021
- Platform(s)
- Windows
The Red Solstice series began as a mod for Warcraft 3, an excellent game responsible for a bunch of equally awesome spinoffs such as Dota. The Red Solstice series follows the remnants of a doomed humanity who left Earth to find refuge on Mars, right before learning that Mars is actually populated by alien monstrosities who don't really want people there.
Unlike most games on this list, Red Solstice is not an FPS, but rather a fun tactical strategy shooter title where players will control the human troops as they fight off hordes of spooky alien critters.
1 Black Mesa
New (Half)-Life
Black Mesa
- Released
- March 6, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Crowbar Collective
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
This one isn't likely to come as a surprise, as Black Mesa is one of the few mods to ever be recognized by the developers of the game it began as a mod for. Valve likes it so much that players will often see it being sold alongside the Half-Life series on Valve's own store.
The most modern version of the beloved classic helps highlight the original's horror elements. Black Mesa is a much better remake of the original Half-Life than Half-Life: Source, and remains one of the best — and spookiest — ways to enjoy the classic's darkest and most gruesome moments.
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For those players with a penchant for horror but happen to be short on time, these top-notch horror games should fit the bill.