Nobody is making horror games like Supermassive Games, for better or worse. They are the minds behind 2015’s surprise hit Until Dawn, its spiritual successor The Quarry, and the spinoffs in The Dark Pictures Anthology. Which currently consists of four games in season one, with four more on the way in season two. Though the first entry, Directive 8020, is still without a release date.
Every game is all about the choices you make. What you have the characters say, and the actions you make them perform. It’s all on you whether they live or die, and some choices can have deadly consequences hours down the line. It’s a stressful and occasionally annoying recipe for success. You’ll be hard pressed to find a game with more tension laced in every step than the games on this list.
But nobody bats a thousand. Some games are destined to be better than others. Maybe you only want the best of the best. Or you’re looking for some good horror games to play this October and don’t want to break the bank on a disappointment. Well, I’ve got just the ranking for you.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
Starring Actor: Will Poulter
From left to right: Taylor, Daniel, John, Andrew, & Angela
I had high hopes for this second entry, despite its name. Little Hope is all about the Salem Witch Trials. A group of people wind up in a bus crash and navigate the ghost town of Little Hope while suffering from flashbacks of the town’s dark history. They have to solve the mystery of Little Hope’s ancient evil and fight off their own demons if they want to make it out of the mysterious fog alive.
It’s an interesting premise executed rather well for a majority of the game. But everything falls apart at the end. If you don’t want direct spoilers, just know that Little Hope has a wholly unsatisfying conclusion that completely invalidates the entire experience. Rendering the whole game rather pointless. It’s not good if the main thing your players are thinking when the credits roll is that they wasted their time.
Spoilers: The ending reveals that none of the game’s events are real. They’re all conjured up in the main character’s head as a manifestation of his PTSD over his family’s death decades ago. Nothing from the Salem Witch Trials era matters in the grand scheme of things. This ending is a letdown for a multitude of reasons, one I’ll get into later. The most intriguing elements of the story, which was also the selling point of the game, end up meaning absolutely nothing. All in favor of a poorly executed mental health story.
You can skip this one. No one will judge you.
Which Witch is which?
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan
Starring Actor: Shawn Ashmore
From left to right: Brad, Julia, Alex, Fliss, & Conrad
“First is the worst” isn’t exactly true in this case, but it’s pretty darn close. Man of Medan, the first Dark Pictures game, is only spared from the bottom spot because the characters in the game are actually real. The game is based on the urban legend of the ghost ship SS Ourang Medan. With a group of divers being taken to the mythical boat in search of Manchurian Gold, and being confronted by the freighter’s frightening passengers.
Man of Medan is an overall weaker package than Little Hope, but it’s a slightly more rewarding experience. The big plot twist is incredibly easy to figure out and can make the whole game feel rather slow, and potentially even funny at times. The characters aren’t all that great either, so you aren’t exactly pulling for their success. However, Shawn Ashmore’s Conrad is a highlight.
Spoilers: The crew discover that the “Manchurian Gold” aboard the Ourang Medan is a highly potent hallucinogen. Revealing it to be the cause behind all the monstrous creatures they’ve encountered. So, yes, the first two Dark Pictures games both had the big plot twist be that none of what was going on was real. I don’t know whose genius idea that was, but they should be rewarded with a high five…using a brick…to their face.
You can find much better accommodations than the Ourang Medan. And things actually get real.
The Lonely Island would love this game
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
Starring Actor: Ashley Tisdale
No one matters except Ashley Tisdale
House of Ashes has Ashley Tisdale in it. How can it not be good? The game isn’t based on one set concept. Instead it takes inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft, the Curse of Akkad, and a few other things. It’s set during the Iraq War, with the conflict in the Arabian Desert sending the protagonists into a deep and dark labyrinth of caves. Where they have to put aside their differences and work together to escape the bloodthirsty creatures that await them.
This game probably has the strongest story in The Dark Pictures Anthology. Though your agreement with that depends on your tolerance of relationship drama and character-focused narratives. House of Ashes also has a more action-oriented feel than the others, thanks to all the main characters being soldiers. There’s also a pretty wild plot twist here, but it’s nowhere near as bad, overplayed, or insulting as the previous two.
Spoilers: Imagine Alien, but with vampires. You’ve got House of Ashes. It turns out that the accursed Akkadian temple they fall into was built on top of an alien spacecraft housing extraterrestrial creatures infected with a parasite that turns them into bloodsucking vampires that feed off of adrenaline. It’s a strangely Sci-Fi turn for the game, but they pull it off well.
Ashley’s fabulous spelunking adventure is certainly a great choice. Though you might want to look elsewhere if you’re claustrophobic.
I think I saw this in a Tomb Raider game once
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
Starring Actor: Jessie Buckley
From left to right: Mark, Kate, Charlie, Jamie, & Erin
A controversial spot for the season one finale, but it’s my list. The Devil in Me is based on America’s first serial killer: H.H. Holmes, and his murder castle. The game follows a true crime documentary crew being invited to a remote island with a full recreation of the original Triple H’s infamous World’s Fair Hotel, where they soon find themselves the pawns in a deadly game.
The Devil in Me is half-interactive SAW movie, half slasher movie. I think the total package would be stronger if they focused more on the SAW side of things. However, the story takes some interesting and shocking turns along the way to keep you on your toes. Above all else, it’s the only Dark Pictures game I actually want to see as a full-length game. Even given the lackluster ending.
Spoilers: As if impersonating H.H. Holmes wasn’t bad enough, they had to throw in my biggest video game fear – mannequins. Not just mannequins, animatronic mannequins made from the preserved corpses of his victims. It’s nightmare-inducing stuff that hits a lot harder due to the more realistic nature of it when compared to vampires and past-life demons.
Your stay at the hotel will certainly be memorable, just don’t expect any R & R.
He never SAW it coming
The Quarry
Starring Actors: Several
Former WCW Champion David Arquette
The Quarry is the 2nd full-length game in the series, and it definitely benefits from the added runtime. A group of Summer camp counselors end up having to stay an extra night after all the kids leave, and end up right in the center of Hackett’s Quarry’s deadly history. It is heavily inspired by ’70s and ’80s slasher films like Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp. With a bit of Teen Wolf in there.
This is a great game that horror fans should try to play at least once. The characters are each given time to shine, and you’ll find yourself actively trying to save all of them, and feeling awful if you fail to do so. The story itself is also told very well, though the plot twists can be pretty obvious at times. Especially when it comes to the evil force infecting Hackett’s Quarry. But The Quarry gave us the Peanut Butter Butterpops jingle, so it easily lands toward the top.
Spoilers: Where wolf? Why, wolf is at Hackett’s Quarry! Yeah, it’s werewolves. One of the most overdone horror characters that is way past the point of being scary. However, just like with the vampires in House of Ashes, a unique spin is put on these creatures that actually make them terrifying again. Also, being able to infect and cure all of the characters is a nice touch that wouldn’t be possible elsewhere, and makes for some good development.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. And what does kill you can be undone in chapter select.
This game has so many characters
Until Dawn
Starring Actors: Hayden Panettiere & Rami Malek
The legendary Peter Stormare, amazing as always
Sometimes, you just can’t beat the original. Until Dawn is less an homage to slashers or any specific genre, and more an homage to horror in general. It follows a group of friends meeting at a mountain lodge one year after the disappearance of two of their friends. Things go from awkward to terrifying when a psycho starts targeting them. And they soon find out there may be more than one monster in these mountains.
I do not believe that Until Dawn was a fluke. However, it’s hard to argue that Supermassive Games haven’t struggled to recreate the magic they created on Blackwood Mountain. The story combines so many different genres, tropes, and archetypes and uses them all in compelling ways. You get attached to every single character, and every moment is filled with dread as you try to help them all see the sunrise and figure out the bigger mysteries at play. The only downside is that it’s the only game on the list without multiplayer.
Spoilers: A key to Until Dawn‘s success is the balance of normal and supernatural. A human psychopath terrorizing them for their own twisted enjoyment, and the very real threat of cannibalistic wendigos trying to feed on them. The story of the Washington family is equal parts tragic, intriguing, and heartbreaking. You’ll find yourself searching for every secret trying to piece it all together.
You will definitely enjoy your stay on Blackwood Mountain, just do watch what you eat.
Ashley and Josh just hanging out
