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Top 10 Gothic Horror Games to Play This Halloween

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By Timothy

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Gothic Games

Nowadays, there are numerous different types of horror games. There are underwater-based horror, science-fiction horror, and even cryptid horror.

But, it’s just in time to look at and discuss gothic horror games for Halloween, one example of the oldest forms of horror games.

If you are a fan of gothic horror games, these ten games would be the best choice.

1. Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night

Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night

Even though the Castlevania series is more action-based than horror-based, there’s always a well-presented gothic atmosphere in this series.

Not only its creepy music is greatly made, but there are also excellent environments that will bring you immersive experiences in the game. Castlevania can also be counted as one gothic game’s pioneer and the other of its kind.

Castlevania is often recognized by its franchise and is usually claimed to be the best franchise.

In Symphony Of The Night, players are controlling Alucard, which is the son of Dracula. They are required to slaughter evil through Dracula’s castle, then defeat Dracula as well as the evil priest Shaft.

And this is the very first Castlevania game to introduce a Role-playing open-ending style game that would soon become well known as Metroidvania. Its music and the game’s environment will make its way up to one of the best gothic games.

PS: here are the best games like Spore, for your reference.

2. Fran Bow

Best Gothic Games - Fran Bow

Don’t be fooled by the childish visuals in Fran Bow. Of course, it’s not a game for a three-year-old baby, or else it won’t be on this list. Fran Bow is more of a frightening psychological story of monsters and insanity etc. Basically, it seems to be a horror version of Alice In wonderland.

Furthermore, the story presented by Fran Bow is talking about a young girl that is trying to escape an asylum. As always, it won’t be an easy trip. On her way, the little girl will be taken across various horrifying worlds with numerous disturbing creatures.

The good news is that instead of having a bunch of jumps scares or cheap thrills. Additionally, Fran Bow better nailed a rich gothic environment.

So there’s no need to worry too much about jump scares in the game but instead, put your eye on some crazy friend that is trying to scare you while you are playing the game.

Also, if you are looking for the best Minecraft Bow Enchantments, just click to read more.

3. Clive Barker’s Undying

 Clive Barker's Undying

From Clive Barker himself, Undying is more focused on Patrick Galloway, who is an investigator who is trying to stop a curse brought up to a family.

Every level of the game is filled with a gothic atmosphere, which makes the player never feel at ease. Each location in the game is just horrifying.

Undying is like a predecessor to BioShock in which the player holds a weapon in one hand and a spell on the other. There are also terrific enemies and a series of bosses.

The environment of this game is also well made, just as stated above, which makes the players feel more intense as the story goes on.

4. The Sinking City

Best Gothic Games - The Sinking City

While Call Of Cthulhu was very retrospective of the Sherlock Holmes games, The Sinking City was developed and made by the creators of the Sherlock Holmes games. An open-world game inspired by Lovecraftian.

In this game, the player is playing as a detective(Again!) and solving the mystery of the sinking city. The Sinking City took the gothic atmosphere and the music just like Call Of Cthulhu and managed it better.

The story in this game is also fascinating; the mystery and the unknown factors make the players more immersive in this game. The titular city of Oakmont is also well made and yet has beautiful experiences and solves the mystery at the same time.

If you liked the Sherlock Holmes games or Call Of Cthulhu, you would surely enjoy The Sinking City. If you haven’t tried any of them, then The Sinking City will still be a great choice as a start.

It not only has the gothic environment you want(or else you won’t be looking at this description) and also the “detective” part of solving a mystery. That’s also why The Sinking City is one of the best gothic games.

5. Call Of Cthulhu

Call Of Cthulhu

This game is about the story written by H.P. Lovecraft, and it’s about Edward Pierce investigating an island town case. Later on, the story becomes more and more strange and turns into a twisted, strange tale of horror and darkness.

The game took one step back for Call Of Cthulhu and focused more on detective jobs and work. An example of this kind would be the Sherlock Holmes games. This game includes factors of discoveries and adventures.

These things do a great job of making a gothic atmosphere for players. The scary section of this game makes it even better and more effective. If you are a fan of gothic detective games, this game would be a suitable game for you.

6. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

Best Gothic Games - Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

This game manages to give players a gothic vibe while having a contemporary setting. Bloodlines are often recognized as the most revolutionary Role-playing game of all time.

In this game, the players will be playing as a new vampire of their own creation. With excellent combat, dialogues, this game well maintained its RPG/action game type. As a matter of fact, the ability system in this game is fantastic and well presented(you are a vampire, after all).

Many players claimed it to be the Skyrim of vampire games by all these factors. This game well maintained its original style while having a contemporary gothic setting. One of the best gothic horror games? Why not?

7. Nightmare Creatures

Nightmare Creatures

Just like its name, you are going to be dealing with those Nightmare Creatures. In the game, London became a place of horror because of these monsters. Players are being one of the two characters and stop those Nightmare Creatures from creating Chaos.

Nightmare Creature had been one of the forgotten gothic action-horror games always. It combines a creepy setting as well as an environment with somewhat fun combat, despite the fact that it also includes a significant amount of monsters and monster designs with a villain who’s always observing the player fight through the horde of monsters and mutation.

The music and the environment in the game well present its gothic atmosphere. This game came in this best gothic game list because of its playability and factors like fun combat and monsters—a great game to play during Halloween.

8. Vampyr

Best Gothic Games - Vampyr

If you liked The Sinking City and prefer some action elements mixed within it, then Vampyr is the suitable game for you. Vampyr is the game with the story about a surgeon within 1918 London that is trying to deal with his new vampiric nature while facing the citizens in the city.

The dialogue of this game is well developed. Like Mass Effect or The Walking Dead, there are numerous dialogue options, role-playing elements, and character-side missions. Those factors made the game’s atmosphere and player’s experience are very intense.

Other than the dialogue, there is also action mixed in. With all these factors combined together, Vampyr will bring the players a brand new experience, and that’s why it is one of the best gothic games.

9. Diablo III

Diablo III

Being the king of gothic role-playing games, Diablo III is an RPG game(of course) with many classes to play. Different classes have very different abilities. It also features multiplayer that allows more fun.

The adventure mode as well as the levels of this game practically made it endless, but it also has a story that connects all the events together.

In the game, the player would be facing a whole horde of monsters that they need to deal with. Different abilities made this game more playable and fun. While you explore the map, you will find better weapons that better fit your character, and when you finish fighting bosses, you will get weapons in return too.

Diablo III features an excellent combat system and dialogue system. While fighting the monsters, the story of this game will still be progressing. Until Diablo IV, Diablo III will still be the best decision if you want a gothic RPG game.

10. Bloodborne

Best Gothic Games - Bloodborne

Even though Diablo revolutionized gothic role-playing games, but Bloodborne is not bad too. The subgenre reached the best with this game. Every place and monster in this game is pure gothic, bringing the players a pure gothic experience.

The combat and the story of this game are flawless, and this game’s game experience is not bad either. The gothic horror would make the old adventure horror movies filled with joy.

On the other hand, Bloodborne is tough to play. Many players of this game argued that Bloodborne is even more challenging than the Dark Souls series. Still, this does not prevent it from being one best gothic games recently.


FAQs

1. Are these games suitable for all players? While gothic horror games can be thrilling and exciting, they often contain mature themes, violence, and intense situations. It’s important to check the age ratings and content warnings of each game to ensure they are suitable for your comfort level.

2. Can I play these games on different platforms? Most of the games mentioned in this article are available on multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Be sure to check the specific platform requirements and availability for each game.

3. Are these games multiplayer or single-player experiences? The majority of the games mentioned in this list are single-player experiences, focusing on delivering a personalized and immersive horror journey. However, some games may have multiplayer modes or additional content that allows for cooperative or competitive gameplay.

4. Do I need to play the previous installments of these game series? While some games mentioned in this article are part of a series, they can generally be enjoyed as standalone experiences. However, playing previous installments may provide a deeper understanding of the lore and background of the game world.

5. Are these games suitable for casual gamers? Gothic horror games are known for their challenging gameplay and intense atmosphere. While they can be enjoyed by players of all skill levels, casual gamers may find some of the gameplay mechanics and difficulty levels demanding. It’s recommended to research each game to determine if it aligns with your gaming preferences.

Conclusion

That’s pretty much it for the ten best gothic horror games. Even though gothic horror is no longer that popular nowadays, it’s still a very interesting type of horror game that is still very playable.

The environment and the atmosphere of these ten games can make the players feel as if they are the character in the game. If you are a fan of gothic games, these are the ten-game you should pay attention to.

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Timothy

Timothy is a passionate student of both art and science. He enjoys programming, playing guitar, and gaming.

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