Summary
- Dark Seed set the standard for graphic quality and cutscenes that became common in video games.
- Blood's dark Lovecraftian themes influenced modern retro shooter games.
- The House of the Dead revitalized the zombie genre and introduced fast-running zombies to pop culture.
The 1990s saw the rise of the horror genre in gaming, as classic titles were released, pushing video games into the successful worldwide industry we know today. Some of the most influential games of the decade were in the horror genre. These influential releases pushed technology, gameplay, and narrative storytelling to new places while simultaneously scaring the hell out of their players.
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From cult classics to worldwide blockbusters, many of these titles created successful game franchises that are still strong today. The current gaming landscape would be very different without many of these games. Several have even enjoyed modern remakes, ensuring a new generation can experience all the scares, blood, and action that made these games' genre classics.
7 Dark Seed
A Forward-Thinking Horror Experience
Dark Seed
The Point-and-Click adventure game genre has largely disappeared from mainstream gaming, but in 1992, Dark Seed was ahead of its time. The game was led by famed Swiss artist H. R. Giger, who lent his unique and twisted vision to the game.
Dark Seed was innovative for its high-quality graphics, pre-rendered backgrounds, and cutscenes (which would become the standard in many video games), which brought a cinematic quality to the game. Players control Mike Dawson, who discovers the existence of a dark parallel universe in his new home. The game is extremely challenging, with many actions occurring within a short timeframe. If players miss this window, it means game over.
6 Blood
A Cult FPS Classic
Blood
This FPS horror shooter would eventually gain a cult following and be influential on the Weird West genre of games. Players control Caleb, an undead gunslinger on a path of vengeance against a demon who killed his family. The game has an unspecified setting and includes pop-culture references, ultra-violence, and an armory of weapons, many with alternate attacks.
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The game influenced many modern retro shooter games, including Dusk and Cultic, with its dark Lovecraftian themes and western setting. It also inspired the manhwa Priest, which was adapted to the screen in 2011.
5 The House of the Dead
The Original Arcane Sensation
The House of the Dead
- Released
- October 15, 1996
- Platform(s)
- Arcade, PC, Sega Saturn
- Developer
- Wow Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Shooter
The House of the Dead is one of the most successful arcade games of the 90s. In 1998, it successfully transitioned from arcades to consoles with its Sega Saturn port. The game's story revolves around two agents fighting to stop a zombie outbreak, as the hordes of the undead are unleashed. Players use a light gun to shoot the numerous attacking zombies while avoiding human targets and rescuing hostages.
While the gameplay is simple, The House of the Dead is a fun shooter that has made a big impact. The game helped revitalize the zombie genre in both film and video games. It introduced fast-running zombies into popular culture, whereas before they had been the traditional Romero-style, slow-moving kind.
4 Alone in the Dark
A Genre Defining Release
Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark is one of the original survival horror games and is noted as being the first 3D survival horror game. While the game never had the same cultural impact as Silent Hill or Resident Evil, its influence on horror gaming is no less important. It defined many mechanics now common in survival horror, such as a limited inventory and puzzle solving. It was even a big influence on the first Resident Evil.
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Alone in the Dark revolves around the player escaping a large mansion in Louisiana. The game is set in the 1920s and takes influence from the work of H.P. Lovecraft, with the player fighting various ghosts and monsters. Alone in the Dark spawned a successful franchise, with several games, films, and even a reimagining of the original game, released in 2024.
3 System Shock
Innovating the Genre
System Shock
System Shock became a cult classic in the gaming world, and was highly influential in modern gaming with its complex gameplay and dark atmosphere. Its lasting legacy can be seen in games such as Soma, Bioshock, and Cyberpunk 2077, and it helped to bring emergent gameplay to a wider audience.
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In System Shock, players control a security hacker who must stop a rogue AI that has taken over a space station. The game employed an innovative physics system and a non-linear style of gameplay, which earned it its place among the defining games of the immersive sim genre. The game even enjoyed a successful remake in 2023, bringing this unique and dark vision of the future to a new generation of players.
2 Silent Hill
A Psychological Horror Classic
Silent Hill
Silent Hill is one of the most iconic games in the survival horror genre. Bringing a strong emphasis on psychological horror, the game is a mature and terrifying experience that launched a successful franchise. The game follows Harry Mason, who has come to the town of Silent Hill to search for his adopted daughter.
Silent Hill’s narrative goes to some very dark places, both literally and psychologically. The game's bleak design fits perfectly with the story and creates an oppressive atmosphere that rarely lets up. Its influence on modern gaming is huge and can be seen in many survival horror games that came after. In a medium that was often seen as crude, or for kids, Silent Hill helped bring artistic recognition to video games.
1 Resident Evil
A Worldwide Phenomenon
Resident Evil
- Released
- March 22, 1996
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS, PC
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Resident Evil is one of the most successful video game franchises in history. The series revolves around the evil Umbrella Corporation and their experiments in viral weaponry that result in mass zombie outbreaks. Resident Evil was largely responsible for the resurgence of the zombie genre in video games and film, and was a defining moment in survival horror.
The game follows a special operations unit investigating a mysterious mansion, who find the dead have risen and are stalking the corridors. Resident Evil pushed narrative storytelling in games, taking a more cinematic approach with its live-action opening and fun cutscenes. While the series has evolved and changed, the first Resident Evil remains a classic survival horror experience.
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