Horror classics like The Shining and The Thing demonstrated how winter can provide the perfect setting for scary stories. Out in the wilderness, there's no telling what secrets are lurking beneath all that frost and snow. When crafting a story where characters are forced to stay in a dangerous and secluded location, snowstorms are an effective plot device.
Just as is true for books and films, there's no shortage of horror games that take advantage of the fear and isolation that can accompany snow and ice. Regardless if they're indie or AAA, the weather outside isn't as frightful as these scary titles.
10 Frustrating Design De-Fanged Dracula Unleashed
Infocom's Dracula Unleashed serves as an unofficial sequel to Bram Stoker's novel, where players take on the role of Quincey Morris' brother Alexander. During the Christmas season, the young Texan explores the streets of London to uncover the nature of his brother's demise and face off against the resurrected Count.
Dracula Unleashed's FMV nature led to some idiosyncratic design choices. Players needed to have a specific item equipped before they entered a room. Unfortunately, once players fail a puzzle the game becomes unwinnable, though the game doesn't bother to let players in on this secret. Poor design makes this game frustrating but its humor, intentional and otherwise, makes it worth checking out.
9 D2 Is Another Quirky Title From A Gaming Auteur
Despite sharing the same developer and similarly named protagonist, D2 had almost nothing to do with Kenji Eno's D or the canceled sequel for the ill-fated M2 console. The game puts players in control of a young journalist named Laura Harris who survives a plane crash in the snowy wilderness. Players were tasked with surviving the inhospitable landscape while fending off bizarre plant creatures.
While D2 was praised for its presentation and ambitious narrative, the gameplay provoked a polarized reception from critics. However, D2 is worth a quick look for those interested in one of gaming's oddest auteurs.
8 Players Must Avoid The Big Sleep In Kona
Kona calls private investigator Carl Faubert to meet with wealthy industrialist William Hamilton to consult on recent acts of vandalism on his property in Lake Atamipek. However, when he arrives, the P.I.'s meeting is upended by a car crash. Stuck in the deserted town, players are forced to survive the harsh surroundings and discover the truth behind this seemingly innocuous assignment.
Kona is played from the first-person perspective as players investigate and survive. The game's horrific tone combined with noir tropes, including a gumshoe protagonist and Chandler-esque narration, make it a unique and interesting challenge.
7 Mundaun Sports A Distinct Pencil Art Style
In Mundan, players take control of a young man named Curdin who ventures forth to his grandfather's hometown in order to attend his funeral. However, when he discovers his relative's empty grave, Curdin decides to traverse the mountain and unravel the mystery. Mundaun is played from the first-person perspective and gives players different means to overcome the many obstacles and puzzles that await them.
Mundaun features several possible outcomes depending on the choices players make. It also incorporates a distinct sketchy, monochromatic art style which blends wonderfully with its frost-ridden setting. It's a unique game with unique charms.
6 EA Made Dead Space 3 Less Horrific Than Its Predecessors
As Visceral's third outing with Isaac Clarke, Dead Space 3 made the controversial choice to incorporate 2-player co-op into the survival horror franchise. While it is optional, adding an extra player diminished the loneliness and sense of dread crucial to horror titles.
Nonetheless, the game still boasts the same excellent gameplay and visuals the Dead Space franchise is known for. The snowy planet of Tau Volantis helps give the third game a distinct look and feel. Unfortunately, the studio was shut down shortly after the game's release, meaning the Dead Space franchise never quite managed a return to form.
5 Silent Hill Shattered Memories Brought The Series Back To Its Roots
Climax Studios' second stab at Konami's psychological horror franchise proved to be a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories should be given credit for bringing the series back to its psychological roots after Homecoming veered further into action territory.
Akira Yamaoka returned to provide Harry Mason's journey with a suitably atmospheric score as well.
Shattered Memories even has some neat original ideas such as interactive therapy sessions and the way it incorporated the Wii-mote into its gameplay. Unfortunately, the game was held back by the inexplicable choice to only feature hazards during designated chase sections. However, the game's plot and presentation manage to elevate what could have been a lackluster experience.
4 Until Dawn Is A Playable Slasher Flick
Supermassive's Until Dawn put players in control of several characters whose lives are put in peril on a violent night on snowy Blackwood Mountain. In stark contrast to efforts from Telltale, every character in this game, even the playable ones, could get the ax. What made this game stand out among other graphic adventures was its much-touted "butterfly effect" mechanic where the characters could all die while still letting the game's story proceed.
Until Dawn boasted an impressive cast for its motion capture and voice acting, including Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere, and Peter Stormare. Unfortunately, the game's writing wasn't as strong as Telltale's The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us, but it's become a favorite for horror gaming fans everywhere.
3 Winter Brings An Extra Challenge To Don't Starve
Although some gamers might argue that Don't Starve doesn't quite qualify as a horror title, it is a survival game. As Chris Avellone of Fallout fame said, "Survival's a subset of fear." The game puts players in control of Wilson as he attempts to survive a hazardous world while unraveling the secret behind the mysterious Maxwell.
In Don't Starve, cold weather changes the game's mechanics. Freezing, longer nights, and decreasing sanity are just some of the new hazards that players have to endure during the 16-day period. This makes winter a special challenge that most players dread.
2 Metro Last Light Brings An Acclaimed Novel To Life
Based on the acclaimed novels of the same name, 4A's Metro games present players with a dark nuclear-ravaged future. Society survives the radiation-filled surface by taking refuge in underground subways. Metro: Last Light brilliantly blends narrative and first-person shooting gameplay without sacrificing player input. In a nice combination of social commentary and gameplay mechanics, ammunition is also used as currency.
Metro: Last Light brings Dmitry Glukhovsky's apocalyptic world to life with impressive visuals and no shortage of supernatural scares. Last Light improves upon the strengths of Metro 2033 with more refined stealth and less frustrating missions, helping the franchise evolve while also providing fans with plenty of scares.
1 Resident Evil Village Piles On The Camp And Body Horror
Resident Evil 7 successfully managed to bring the series back to its survival horror roots and breathe new life into Capcom's undead franchise. For the follow-up, Resident Evil Village, Ethan Winters' sophomore outing shifted its setting from a rural house in the middle of nowhere to an entire village.
When Winters' wife is shot dead and his child is stolen by a team of mercenaries led by Chris Redfield, Ethan is forced into another frightful trek that will push him to his absolute limits. Resident Evil Village successfully builds upon the prior game's mixture of body horror and camp while featuring some of the most disturbing set pieces the series has ever seen.