Summary
- True kaiju horror games are lacking in Western markets, with few titles offering the experience of being hunted by monstrous creatures.
- Games like Little Nightmares, Call of Cthulhu, and Subnautica provide horror experiences revolving around giant, unsettling beasts.
- City Shrouded In Shadow is inaccessible to many, but stands out as the best kaiju horror game, featuring creatures from popular Japanese franchises.
The term kaiju means "strange beast" and is most commonly used to refer to Japanese media revolving around giant monsters of unimaginable power. When people think "Kaiju" most think of Godzilla, King Kong, and Ultraman, all of which have an element of goofiness to their franchises. However, there is a distinct element of horror to the concept of these unstoppable forces of nature being able to destroy cities with no possible way of stopping them.
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Despite the popularity of the genre and the latent horror within, there is a distinct lack of true kaiju horror games, especially for the Western market. This list looks at titles that, while not focused on Japanese kaiju, give the player the experience of a horror game revolving around giant, strange beasts, many of which the player cannot kill.
1 Little Nightmares
Everything Is Scary When You're Small
Little Nightmares
Little Nightmares is a franchise well-known to many gamers who enjoy horror. The player takes control of Six or Mono, depending on the game, and must solve puzzles and complete platforming tasks to survive the horrors lurking around every corner. These horrors are, of course, giant, grotesque, humanoid creatures of varying levels of deformity, that seem to be hellbent on destroying the player at all costs.
These creatures that haunt the player, while not traditional kaiju, offer the experience of being hunted by a monster much larger than the player, and the overall horror atmosphere of the games lends itself to a feeling of inescapable dread. Both are great experiences for fans of horror, puzzles, and kaiju alike.
2 Call Of Cthulhu
The Unknowable Made Real
Call of Cthulhu
- Released
- October 30, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Cyanide Studio
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Based on the Cthulhu mythos created by H.P. Lovecraft, Call of Cthulhu is a game predominantly focused on solving mysteries, uncovering secrets, and facing the completely incomprehensible creatures that live on the boundaries of reality. While these creatures are not a main focus for much of the game, the shadow of the great old one, Cthulhu, lingers over every moment, and its appearance at the end of the game is truly terrifying.
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It is impossible to approach horror as a whole without finding innumerable games influenced by Lovecraft, and Call of Cthulhu is an example of how it is done right. While not a perfect game, it is a worthy experience for any fans of adventure and horror games, and the horrifying creatures that threaten the protagonist would be right at home with some of Japan's most disturbing kaiju.
3 Bramble: The Mountain King
The Monsters Of Old Made New Again
Bramble: The Mountain King
- Released
- April 27, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Dimfrost
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Bramble: The Mountain King is a game set in Scandinavian folklore, which doesn't sound like the premise of a kaiju horror game. However, in a similar vein to Little Nightmares, this game gives the player control of a child in a world of hulking humanoids of varying species, most intent on killing said child. While not a direct horror game, the atmosphere of old myths and legends that are portrayed in Bramble is certainly unsettling, and many of the creatures the player can meet are at least somewhat monstrous in appearance, if not also in size.
Bramble is an underappreciated gem that offers a unique setting for this style of game and is an experience any fan of action-adventure and horror gaming would be foolish to miss out on. If nothing else, there are plenty of scenes of giant monsters that are sure to scratch the itch for any fan of kaiju media, while putting an interesting spin on the typical formula.
4 Sunless Sea
What Lurks Beneath The Waves?
Sunless Sea
- Released
- February 6, 2015
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Linux, iOS, Android, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Adventure, Indie Games, Shooter
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Sunless Sea is another Lovecraftian game, although, unlike Call of Cthulhu, this entry is not directly related to the Cthulhu mythos. The player takes control of a ship, exploring the Fallen London setting created by Failbetter Games. The world is dark, steampunk-esque, and wholeheartedly unsettling. Not only will the player encounter pirates and other vessels on their expeditions, but they will also come into contact with some of the grotesque beasts that dwell just below the surface of the "Zee".
The giant creatures the player can encounter are largely unique mutations on existing sea life, as is often the case with the kaiju found in the Godzilla franchise, and tend to act less as threatening, evil presences, and more like simple animals or forces of nature. Just as the original Godzilla was a simple animal, mutated and acting out of instinct, so too are the creatures inhabiting the world of Sunless Sea.
5 Subnautica
A Horror Game Hidden Behind The Guise Of Adventure
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Another ocean-themed entry, most gamers will be familiar with Subnautica and the unique brand of terror that it brings. What starts as a journey to repair a spaceship to flee a planet quickly devolves into a terrifying fight for survival against some of the largest and most horrifying creatures in gaming. Taking place from a first-person perspective, a player can be entirely unaware that a leviathan is drawing near until it is atop them, making for some horrifyingly effective jump-scares.
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While Subnautica has less narrative focus than other entries on this list, it finds itself at such a high ranking thanks to its overall well-crafted gameplay, the level of genuine fear it can produce, and the increased presence of the giant beasts that roam the oceans in which the game takes place. This style of game isn't for everyone, as the lack of a guiding narrative can leave some players feeling lost. It is one of the best games for those looking for their kaiju horror fix.
6 Mega
Survive A Monstrous Rampage
MEGA
MEGA is a short game, taking most players just under an hour to complete. The player is thrust into the center of a kaiju rampage and must fight to survive in a crumbling cityscape, surrounded by rubble and constantly threatened by the looming presence of whatever creature caused this event. To those familiar with Slender: The Eight Pages, this game may appear derivative, as the player must explore the city and collect key items to eventually escape.
Despite this, the game is genuinely fun and the atmosphere has brought many players back time and time again for repetitive replays. For many gamers, MEGA is the closest they will get to a true kaiju survival horror experience (negating the final entry on this list) and for the relatively low price, it is definitely worthy of its place on this list.
7 City Shrouded In Shadow
The Best Kaiju Horror Game, But Good Luck Finding It
City Shrouded In Shadow
- Released
- October 19, 2017
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- Survival
The final entry on this list is one that, while recommended for anyone who can play it, is inaccessible to a majority of the gaming community. Kyoei Toshi, or City Shrouded in Shadow, is a game produced by Bandai Namco in which the player must survive and escape a city that is ravaged by creatures from several popular kaiju franchises. From Godzilla to Ultraman to Neon Genesis Evangelion, creatures from all corners of popular Japanese media appear in this game to torment the player and beat each other up.
Sadly, this game never got a release outside of its original Japanese PS4 run, and as such is a gem that many gamers who yearn for this exact game will never experience. While the game itself is far from perfect, it is the best example of a kaiju horror game to date and is what many would consider the perfect formula for any developer looking to create something similar in the future.