Alien: Isolation (2014)
© Creative Assembly
Similar to how Terminator counts as a horror movie in many ways, Alien and its sequel fall into the horror category within a sci-fi setting. Capitalizing on the horror concepts of the series, especially ones featured in Aliens, we have Alien: Isolation. In Alien: Isolation, you play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter Amanda who’s attempting to unravel the truth behind her mother’s disappearance.
To complicate matters, you’re being hunted Xenomorphs, people, and even rogue AI. You’re never truly safe, and that alone is terrifying. Similar to other games on this list, you have resources that you can use to help you progress through the game including a cool tracker that detects alien movements. The catch? Using these resources makes it easier for you to be tracked yourself.
Yes, you can fight back, but the more you fight the more your foes learn and prepare for the next encounter. The game ramps up like this all the way to the end until the tension becomes almost unbearable. As a whole, Alien: Isolation is a phenomenal entry in both the sci-fi and horror genres, and worthy of being known as one of the best horror games of the decade.
Honorable Mentions
© Konami
You may be at the end of the list wondering where P.T. is. While we wanted to include the game in the main list, we felt it would be better as an honorable mention for a few different reasons. First, we have no doubt that it’s one of the best pieces of horror ever created. That is a fact.
However, it’s not a full “horror game” in that it's a demo or “Playable Teaser” for a horror game (Silent Hills) that was foolishly cancelled by Konami. We wanted to restrict the list to full, released games that everyone can play and experience. That said, it does deserve recognition as one of the top highlights of the decade, and as such, we’re including it here.
As a whole, P.T. showcased what horror can and should be. We hope that in the next decade, Kojima finds a way to bring Lisa back in some capacity now that he’s free from Konami’s clutches. A brand new horror game with a character like Lisa and would do just fine, thank you very much.
Now that we’ve shared our picks, we want to hear from you. What horror games do you feel deserve to be recognized as the best titles of the decade. What games did we miss? Comment below! For more “best of the decade” lists here at AllGamers, be sure to check out our picks for the best puzzle games of the decade.
