4 Horror Games So Bad They Forgot To Be Scary

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The most effective horror games create a truly unsettling atmosphere, keeping players tense and on edge. However, many horror games don’t quite succeed. They often focus too much on action, or they fall short because the monsters aren’t frightening enough, or the game provides too many supplies, lessening the sense of dread.

As a horror game fan, it’s super frustrating when a game *promises* to be terrifying, but ends up relying on things like loud noises and constant action instead of actual scares. I’ve run into this a lot! This list is about those games – the ones that are actually pretty good at what they do, but just…miss the mark when it comes to being truly frightening. They forgot what made horror games great in the first place.

1. Alan Wake

Remedy’s *Alan Wake* begins with the writer of the same name arriving in the town of Bright Falls. Trouble quickly starts when a strange force takes his wife. The game takes place in a dark and frightening world where the town has been taken over by undead creatures. *Alan Wake* boasts a fantastic horror story, but unfortunately, the gameplay doesn’t quite live up to it. While the game features a creepy atmosphere, a bleak color scheme, and a captivating story, the actual gameplay feels underwhelming.

Honestly, playing *Alan Wake*, I always expected a really tense experience where you’re constantly worried about running out of bullets. It *should* have been a game where every fight felt dangerous. But it ended up feeling kind of the opposite! I always had tons of ammo, and it wasn’t uncommon to find a crate with unlimited supplies right near a boss. Plus, the game just kept throwing enemies at me, wave after wave. It felt more like I was a one-man army than someone genuinely struggling to survive.

The enemies, initially unsettling, quickly become repetitive. After encountering them countless times, fighting them feels more like a task than a thrill. They also lack originality – you’ll have seen every type within the first couple of hours. While *Alan Wake* had a promising horror story, the constant action detracts from the atmosphere. Fortunately, the developers at Remedy Entertainment recognized this issue and improved upon it in *Alan Wake 2*.

2. Resident Evil 6

Resident Evil 6 marked a strange shift for the series. Previously, Resident Evil was synonymous with survival horror, known for its suspense, scarce resources, and frightening creatures. It helped define the genre, alongside Silent Hill. But with Resident Evil 6, Capcom surprisingly transformed the game into an action-focused shooter, even more so than they had with Resident Evil 5.

Resident Evil 6 played more like a fast-paced action movie set during the apocalypse. It featured a much more dynamic combat system than earlier games, letting you dodge, slide while shooting, and perform various melee attacks. Weapons and ammo were plentiful, which removed the tension of carefully managing resources and lessened the fear of being overwhelmed by zombies.

Honestly, playing the story with a friend just totally ruined the scary feeling. *Resident Evil 6* felt nothing like the classic *Resident Evil* games I loved. It was all non-stop action, and I kept asking myself with each chapter, “Where’s the horror gone?” It just wasn’t spooky at all.

3. Dead Space 3

A major part of what made the original *Dead Space* games so popular was their incredibly immersive and frightening atmosphere. *Dead Space 1* and *2* really put players on edge with feelings of loneliness, limited supplies, and expertly timed scares. However, *Dead Space 3* moved away from these elements.

In Dead Space 3, the larger groups of zombies made each fight feel routine. The game moved away from the tight, scary hallways of earlier titles, opting for more open spaces. The horror elements were also lessened by the addition of a cooperative mode. Playing with friends made you feel less alone, and the ability to chat while fighting zombies turned a frightening experience into a more lighthearted one.

By shifting towards more action and less suspense, *Dead Space 3* largely lost its horror elements, becoming more of a typical zombie action game. Many fans believed this change went against the core identity of the series, and looking back, they were proven correct.

4. Until Dawn

Many consider *Until Dawn* to be a standout interactive horror drama, and it’s certainly an enjoyable game. However, its horror elements are fairly mild. A significant portion of the game is dedicated to building the story and introducing the characters, allowing players to make important choices. While the game’s visuals are effectively spooky and create tension, it leans more towards being a thrilling story than a truly frightening horror experience.

The game features a serial killer as one of the main antagonists, but they don’t appear often and aren’t particularly frightening when they do. While there are occasional jump scares, *Until Dawn* doesn’t build a consistent sense of dread. The monsters are also saved for the very end of the game, and because the scary moments are pre-determined, it’s easy to predict when something bad will happen. Plus, if you make the right choices, everyone survives, guaranteeing a positive outcome.

Until Dawn is a well-made interactive thriller, but its attempts at horror mostly rely on creating a dark and bleak winter atmosphere.

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2025-09-17 21:44