Looking for horror games where you can play as a monster? You are where you need to be! It's one thing to watch characters run from a monster and another to escape from one yourself, which is why video games are uniquely suited to horror stories. However, in a medium known for entertaining power fantasies, it makes sense that some games also allow players to experience what it's like to be on the other end of a bloody machete.
After all, constantly playing the victim can get boring after a while, and there's a reason why the chainsaw is one of the most popular recurring weapons in games. After reflecting on these primitive desires, we have compiled a list of six memorable horror games where you have to play as a monster!
While this list is certainly based on personal opinion, we'll limit the list to single-player games only, as the abundance of licensed movie monsters makes games like Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th too easy to recommend.
And now to the list of games where you can play as a monster ...
6. Naughty Bear
I love Behavior Interactive's Naughty Bear to death (perhaps due to fond memories of showing it to unsuspecting friends), but I have no illusions about it being a traditionally "good" video game. The graphics and mechanics are uneven and the story leaves a lot to be desired, but even the harshest critics have to admit that this quirky murder simulator is at least memorable.
Combining slasher movies with cartoon violence and cute teddy bears, this 80s curiosity is a love letter to both the horror genre and stealth adventures like Hitman. It's not exactly a masterpiece, but this seemingly conflicting mix of ideas ends up making for a surprisingly fun cocktail.
If you've ever laughed at an episode of Happy Tree Friends, I highly recommend watching this movie.
5 Bioshock 2
Bioengineered brutes with the ability to obliterate players and enemy spicers alike, the bulky Big Daddies were the most memorable (and scary) part of the original Bioshock. That is why 2K decided to focus on these monsters in the sequel: the main character will be the outcast Big Daddy, who is looking for his long-lost daughter.
This return to the doomed city of Rapture may not be as impressive as our first visit, but there's no denying that Big Daddy is much more fun to play. Drilling holes in enemies is never boring, and the protagonist's tragic backstory makes for a worthy (albeit all too familiar) journey into troubled waters.
4. Alien vs. Predator 2 (2001)
Before Paul W.S. Anderson in 2004 finally got these extraterrestrial titans to fight each other on the big screen, the AvP franchise was mostly moved to comics and video games. And among these interactive parts, Alien vs Predator 2 by Monolith has become the most popular due to its addictive gameplay and intertwining campaigns. While both the human missions and the Yautja missions are incredibly fun, it's the xenomorph part of the game that earns it a spot on this list.
Going through the full life cycle of a xenomorph, the Alien campaign was especially interesting for horror fans at a time when movie licenses were usually considered bad news for gamers. In the game, you could not only eat the heads of enemies and pierce them with your tail with a spear, but also overcome gravitational obstacles (sometimes nauseating), which are still not repeated in modern games.
Plus, you'll love those movie-accurate screams.
3. Lucius
From Silent Hill's Alessa to FEAR's Alma, the "evil child" trope is almost as common in games as it is in movies. However, there is only one game in which you can play as the little spawn of Satan, and that is the game Lucius from Shiver Games. Clearly inspired by the film The Omen, this Finnish game mixes adventure gaming with killer puzzle solving and stealth mechanics to create a surprisingly fresh experience.
Sure, the missions are a bit too linear and the gameplay is a bit clunky, but I think horror fans will definitely appreciate what is essentially a simulation of a young Antichrist. And if you like this game, the developers have also released a couple of sequels!
2.Carrion
If you've ever watched John Carpenter's The Thing and wished you too could terrorize and devour people as a fleshy bundle of pure evil, then Phobia Game Studio's Carrion is perfect for you! Placing players in the amorphous boots of a shoggoth-like creature, this mind-bending side-scroller becomes increasingly challenging (not to mention more brutal) as your hideous creature grows and mutates.
With beautiful pixel art and a surprisingly engaging storyline, this short story about an eldratic creature trying to escape its captivity is a must-play for Lovecraftian horror fans and fans of unique metroidvanias alike.
I would only recommend avoiding snacking while playing.
1. The Darkness
Although technically adapted from the Top Cow superhero comic of the same name, Starbreeze Studios' The Darkness is the epitome of players embodying the monster, challenging gamers to take down mobsters one by one as they methodically destroy light bulbs and eat human hearts. to become more powerful. Can you name any other superhero game where your character is literally consumed by evil after being killed in revenge?
And if being able to use the power of a literal demon (brought to life by Faith No More frontman Mike Patton) isn't enough for you, the game also boasts a really compelling story that somehow manages to surpass its source material while still being one of the best comic book adaptations.
Not too bad for a video game based on a Spawn knockoff...
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