What makes it exciting: Ah, yes, Outlast. There’s not much more I can say about this game than I haven’t already. It’s amazing and terrifying, it’s my pick for scariest game of 2013, and I absolutely cannot wait to return to Mount Massive Asylum in its prequel story, Outlast: Whistleblower when it arrives next month.
I’m also dreading my inevitable return to those bloodied halls and the horrors that lurk within.
When you can expect it: April 2014
What makes it exciting: Speaking of games that scared the pants off me, Matthew Cohen’s indie horror game Paranormal was pretty terrifying, too. Its randomized haunts make its scares almost entirely unpredictable. What makes The Town even more exciting is the fact that it takes the limitations of the house the original game was set in and brings it to an entire town that promises to be brimming with scary things to see and run away from, screaming.
When you can expect it: TBA 2014
What makes it exciting: I can’t think of many games that are set in a NASA lab, much less a game that’s also of the horror persuasion and a period piece. Quadrant is set in the 1970’s and follows a person who’s lost in an empty NASA lab. Unfortunately for them — you guessed it — there’s something else in there with them, and that something wants to eat their face. Or something.
When you can expect it: TBA
What makes it exciting: There are a lot of zombie games out there with a myriad more on the way, but ROAM has me pumped for its arrival because it’s a top-down isometric game (I love these with all my heart) and it features a deep crafting system that gives you the tools, resources, and freedom to craft the ultimate anti-zombie fortress.
When you can expect it: TBA 2014
What makes it exciting: If you’ve kept up with some of the more high-profile indie horror games lately, you would’ve had to work fairly hard to let Routine fly under your radar. Set on an abandoned lunar outpost, this game is best described as “Dark Souls in space.” It’s unforgiving — permanent death, no HUD — and looks ridiculously scary. If you plan on playing this one, I suggest you bring a box of Depends with you.
When you can expect it: TBA 2014
What makes it exciting: The next game from the studio that brought us Amnesia: The Dark Descent, a game that’s widely considered to be one of the scariest of all time, is SOMA, a sci-fi horror game that would very much like to “chill you to your core.” It’s not due until 2015, but I can wait. I want it to be perfect.
I’m also really enjoying all these unsettling trailers Frictional keeps churning out.
When you can expect it: TBA 2015
What makes it exciting: The guy who made that wonderful homage to Halloween is at it again, only this time the old-school teen slasher shenanigans are being held at a camp — Splatter Camp, to be more specific. A delightful 80’s vibe, buckets of gore, teen angst, and all the slasher movie chicanery you could ever hope to get from a video game. I’m sold.
When you can expect it: TBA
What makes it exciting: If you’re a fan of point-and-click adventure games, it’s slim pickings out there. Fortunately, the developer of Stasis is fully aware of this, and they’re looking to remedy it by providing a genre game that’s scary and shares the polish and production values of AAA games. I sat down with its demo last week, and even unfinished, it looks and plays great.
When you can expect it: TBA 2014
What makes it exciting: You’ve undoubtedly noticed a popular trend among many of these games, where you’re unarmed and trapped in an unfamiliar environment with a creature that wants to see your dead face. U55 shares this concept and takes it underground, to the subway system. Its crowd-funding campaign wasn’t a success, but its developer is still focused on seeing it become a reality. That’s true dedication right there.
When you can expect it: TBA
What makes it exciting: This mystery game differs from the others on this list because it eschews the predator/prey dynamic to focus on a narrative-driven experience where a child is abducted. It looks like one part Dear Esther, two parts Heavy Rain, and it’s being developed by some of the folks that helped make Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment.
When you can expect it: TBA 2014
Did I miss something? Probably. This list is proof that there is no shortage of upcoming indie horror games that are worthy of a spot on your radar. If I missed a game you’re particularly excited about, feel free to set me straight in the comments.
If you’d like to see some of my favorites in action, you can see my top five in action below:
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