3 PS1 Horror Games That Were Scarier Than Resident Evil

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The original *Resident Evil* on PlayStation 1 launched a hugely popular and still-terrifying franchise today. But it wasn’t the only scary game on that classic console. Several other titles might actually be *more* frightening than the first *Resident Evil*. Here are three games that will genuinely scare you, giving *RE* a real challenge. And don’t expect to just see *Resident Evil 2* and *Resident Evil 3* on this list – we’re digging a little deeper! Those sequels are fantastic and many fans find them scarier, but including them would be too obvious, so they’ve been left out.

With that said, here are three PS1 games that are scarier than Resident Evil.

3) Dino Crisis

  • US Release Date: September 23rd, 1999
  • Developer: Capcom

So, after making the first *Resident Evil*, Shinji Mikami directed *Dino Crisis*. He was a producer on *RE2*, but *Dino Crisis* was his chance to really lead a brand new game. Honestly, if you’ve played *Resident Evil*, you’ll immediately see the similarities, but Capcom did something cool – they took the survival horror formula and tweaked it to create what they called ‘panic horror’. It’s a bit different, and really ramps up the tension!

In addition to its other changes, *Dino Crisis* featured fully 3D environments built with a real-time engine, unlike the pre-rendered backgrounds used in *Resident Evil*. Plus, Capcom replaced the zombies with dinosaurs.

Maybe I watched *Jurassic Park* too many times growing up, but dinosaurs always frightened me more than zombies. A slow-moving zombie is one thing, but a velociraptor that can sprint up to 25 miles per hour is truly terrifying! Combine that with the game’s amazing dinosaur sound effects, and you’ve got one of the scariest games from that time period.

2) Silent Hill

  • US Release Date: February 23rd, 1999
  • Developer: Team Silent (Konami)

Similar to *Dino Crisis*, *Silent Hill* borrowed heavily from *Resident Evil*. However, the team behind *Silent Hill* improved on the original formula by adding a branching story with different endings. This encouraged replayability and allowed Konami to create a more complex narrative.

Unlike *Resident Evil*, which relies on sudden shocks, *Silent Hill* creates fear through psychological horror. It’s hard to directly compare the two games, but *Silent Hill*’s deeply unsettling and oppressive atmosphere makes it one of the most frightening experiences on the original PlayStation.

Similar to *Resident Evil*, *Silent Hill* launched a successful series of games, movies, and more. The second game was a significant improvement in terms of production quality, story, and how frightening it was. While later installments weren’t as strong, the series has been improving again lately. Despite that, the original *Silent Hill* remains incredibly creepy, and a new remake will allow a fresh audience to experience its horror.

1) Clock Tower

  • US Release Date: October 10th, 1997
  • Developer: Human Entertainment

Clock Tower is an unusual game. While it’s the second installment in the series, the original Clock Tower wasn’t released in the US until much later. It’s a point-and-click survival horror game, and the slightly slow controls actually add to the suspense. However, the gameplay style quickly feels old-fashioned.

That conflict actually makes Scissorman even more effective. Sure, tyrants and zombie dogs are frightening, but they don’t compare to the unsettling image of a small man carrying enormous scissors.

Whenever that unsettling music started, you knew things were about to get really difficult. Combined with the slow, deliberate controls, every moment felt like a life-or-death situation. It’s tough to revisit older games now, but few capture that intense feeling of dread quite like when Scissorman appeared.

Okay, so Resident Evil definitely throws a lot of monsters at you, but honestly, I think Clock Tower is scarier. The way Human Entertainment builds the suspense is just amazing. They really let the tension build and build, so when something *does* jump out, it’s way more effective. It’s seriously one of the most terrifying experiences I’ve had on the original PlayStation.

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2025-10-15 20:42