With classic franchises like Resident Evil and Silent Hill continuing to churn out great games, it is clear that the best horror titles in video game history have stood the test of time. 2002 was a banner year in video games, and some of the best releases came from the horror genre.
From unbelievably scary remakes like Resident Evil to heart-stopping movie tie-in games like The Thing, two decades have done little to curb the chills that 2002's best horror games had to offer. Though they are nearly antiques, 2002's scariest games are still worth playing in the year 2022.
The House Of The Dead III
Though it was later ported to home consoles in the ensuing years, The House of the Dead III was most effective in its original, arcade form. Set twenty years after the events of the first game, the story follows Lisa Rogan as she must traverse the zombie-infested wasteland of the U.S. to rescue her father.
Picking up where the previous games left off, the most exciting part of the rail shooter is the light-gun technology implemented in the arcade game. With zombies lurching towards the screen from every angle, the player never gets a chance to breathe while pouring pocketfuls of quarters into the machine.
Clock Tower 3
The original Clock Tower is considered one of the scariest games of the '90s, and the sequels continued that tradition well into the '00s. Clock Tower 3's plot follows a young girl with mystical powers who travels from the present day back to the 1940s to combat evil spirits.
The third game was a massive departure from its predecessors in both storyline and execution, and it brought the series into the modern day of gaming. Leaving point-and-click behind, the game gave players direct control over the main character, though the classic survival horror elements remained. Stealth is the name of the game, and hiding from enemies is so much more frightening than facing them head-on.
BloodRayne
While it never took off into a full-fledged franchise, BloodRayne has stood the test of time as one of the best vampire video games of all time. The hack-and-slash title casts the player as Rayne, a human/vampire hybrid who embarks on a quest to save her father.
The game's fast-paced action was in direct conflict with the usual slow and plodding horror titles of the time, and it leaned more heavily on its action than its scares. Nevertheless, the game had all the trappings of a chilling good time, and the gameplay itself was addicting and infinitely replayable.
Blood Omen 2
Coming as a spinoff of the Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver series, Blood Omen 2 put the focus on action and eschewed the puzzle-solving of its predecessors. The game follows Kain as he is opposed by vampires as he continues his rise to power over all the realms.
The game was warmly received by fans and quickly became a "greatest hit" on the PS2 despite some gripes from critics. The series' rich lore is expanded in the game, and though it isn't inherently scary, the melding of horror and fantasy was a clever use of both genres in the video game form.
The Thing
Though it was a game based on a decades-old film, the 2002 release of The Thing shattered everyone's expectations and was actually spine tinglingly terrifying. Picking up where the film left off, the player investigates the remains of the research station and is attacked by the alien beings from the film.
Mixing action with survival horror, the bitter cold of the environment is a factor just as deadly as the alien monsters, and the fear meter must be managed as well. Limited in the number of attacks, the player must think on their toes to escape before they become the next assimilated host.
Resident Evil Zero
The Resident Evil franchise has changed drastically over the years, and Resident Evil Zero was a step in a new direction. A S.T.A.R.S. officer must team up with an ex-convict in order to explore a medical research facility that was once overseen by the Umbrella Corporation.
Though it maintained the series' divisive tank controls, the game implemented a character switching ability that factored heavily into the puzzle-solving. The music was brilliantly crafted to ratchet up the tension, and though it isn't the most well-received entry in the series, Zero has gone on to have a life of its own within the RE fanbase.
Run Like Hell
Pulling its name from the unique mechanic that helps to set the game apart from other horror titles, Run Like Hell was a one-of-a-kind game that missed the chance to become a franchise. Set on a space station in the distant future, the player assumes the role of Nicholas Conner as he fights his way through a horde of aliens that have taken over the ship.
Aside from the basic 3rd person shooter elements, the game features several chase sequences that rely on quick time events to escape from enemies. With a voice cast of recognizable names like Lance Henriksen and Clancy Brown, Run Like Hell was the gaming equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster that didn't live up to its potential. Despite missed opportunities, the game is still a spooky good time with fast-paced action and genuine chills.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Released at the tail-end of the show's iconic run, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the video game that the fans had been clamoring for. The beat 'em up game sees the Scooby Gang take on the ghostly Master as his acolytes attempt to resurrect him.
The game succeeds because of its simplicity and its commitment to the recognizable elements from the show. The basic controls are uncomplicated and intuitive, and the detailed story keeps things from getting repetitive by weaving a tale that is like something ripped from Buffy the Vampire Slayer's best episodes.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
As video game technology gets more complicated, so too do the stories being told in games. However, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem was a surprisingly prescient title that saw characters in different time periods attempt to stop an evil cosmic entity from taking over the world.
Drawing from inspirations like the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Eternal Darkness was a much richer experience than gamers were used to in 2002. Not relying on cheap scares, the game is of a more psychological nature and is able to chill the player in subtler ways. Coming as Nintendo's first game to receive an M rating, it marked a decidedly dark turn for the company and showed they weren't limited exclusively to family-friendly game.
Resident Evil
Though remakes are all the rage today, the idea of remaking a game that was less than ten years old was a revolutionary idea in 2002. Resident Evil follows several police officers who become trapped in a mysterious mansion while investigating a series of murders in Raccoon City.
The graphics were improved, and the overall gameplay was tightened to meet the Gamecube's updated capabilities. While some fans were disappointed to see the tank controls return, it wasn't enough to dull the massively positive critical reception the remake received. Scarier on every level, the game gave the franchise new life in the 2000s and set it in the horrifying direction that it is still traveling in today.
Source:gamerant.com