These are ten of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade. Some may be titles that you missed completely and have never heard of, others may be titles that you are aware of but yet to play. Regardless, it is a shame that a lot of these titles flew under the radar upon their respective releases, as they are all absolutely worth going back to and playing.
Apsulov: End of Gods
Apsulov: End of Gods is a sci-fi horror game which released back in 2019 and blends Viking lore and Norse mythology with futuristic gameplay elements. Apart from its unique sub-genre, Apsulov also boasted some great voice acting and smooth visuals, making the game’s overall presentation very strong. This high quality presentation carries over to game’s environmental design, which is stunning and also makes exploration feel worthwhile.
Apsulov was developed by a Swedish team called Angry Demon Studio. As was the case with their previous game, Unforgiving: A Northern Hymn, for Apsulov, the studio pulled aspects of Norse mythology to bolster the game’s horror and it greatly pays off. Instead of feeling clichéd or trite, the horrific Norse elements feel legitimate, almost as if this is a dark folklore tale being told to the player by a Nordic local. All of this makes Apsulov one of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade.
A code for Apsulov: End of Gods was provided to FandomWire by Perp Games.
Broken Pieces
Broken Pieces may not be the most terrifying horror game on this list by a long shot, but there is no denying the game’s horror elements which are used in tandem with adventure and puzzle mechanics to create something that actually feels unique and fresh. Horror fans are always looking for something a bit different to shake up the genre. If you relate to this desire to experience something fresh, then Broken Pieces may be the title for you, even if it is only a tangential horror game.
Armed with a strong presentation and decent voice acting performances, Broken Pieces sadly flew under the radar when it released last year. However, it is absolutely worth picking up, even just for the creative gameplay mechanics alone. Broken Pieces is a title that will appeal to players who have been gaming since the early 2000s and it is also one of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade.
A copy of Broken Pieces was provided to FandomWire by Perp Games.
Silver Chains
Silver Chains is a very typical horror title in terms of its setting and gameplay loop. The game dropped in 2021 and sees the player character crash their car and pass out, before waking up in an eerie, abandoned mansion. As the player traverses the creepy environment, they must avoid Mother; a horrifying creature who endlessly pursues the main character with aggression.
The game does a good job of making the player feel as though they are constantly being watched. It is also a short experience, which lends itself to being able to sustain a feeling of uneasiness throughout its duration. Also, the level design within the mansion is well done, emphasizing a purposeful sense of constraint when being chased by the creature lurking within.
A code for Silver Chains was provided to FandomWire by Thunderful Games.
Yuoni
Yuoni puts players in the fairly unique shoes of a child stuck in a horrifying game of hide-and-seek. The lore that is baked into this title is fascinating, as is the sun-soaked Japanese aesthetic that makes up the game’s setting. The use over over-exposed sunlight gives the game a distinctive look and makes for some stunning visuals, which complement the game’s graphical style.
Yuoni is also not the kind of horror game to hold your hand and show you exactly where to go at all times, with progression through the game relying on the player’s intuition. It is also a pretty short experience, clocking in at around four hours, meaning that it could potentially be completed in a single intense sitting. That said, there are many worse ways to spend your evening than to experience one of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade in a single sitting.
A code for Yuoni was provided to FandomWire by Stride PR.
The Beast Inside
The Beast Inside utilizes the intriguing concept of splitting its plot between two vastly different time periods. The blend of modern and historical settings along with the game’s quality presentation combine to create some striking visuals and the 3D scanned environments also help to add immersion.
If you happen to be a fan of jump-scares, then you will be glad to know that they are plentiful in The Beast Inside. The high frequency of scares in tandem with the game’s intriguingly disturbing enemy design keeps players on the edge of their seat during the time they spend with The Beast Inside. All of this makes it one of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade.
A code for The Beast Inside was provided to FandomWire by Illusion Ray.
Martha Is Dead
There is a lot about Martha Is Dead that makes it one of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade. From the engaging plotline, to the brilliant voice acting, to the brilliant graphics, Martha Is Dead presents itself as a rival to heavy hitters like Resident Evil Village, rather than just being yet another throwaway first-person horror title. It also contains an interesting camera mechanic and a number of cutscenes that use a creepy puppet show to provide a great deal of additional character depth.
The game also features some extremely gory and depraved scenes of violence. However, one thing to note is that these vary depending on which version of the game you pick up. While these visceral sequences are still fully intact in the PC and Xbox versions of the game, on both PS4 and PS5, there is no interactivity within any of the game’s several corpse mutilation sequences, in fact they can even be skipped completely if the player chooses.
A code for Martha Is Dead was provided to FandomWire by Wired Productions.
Oxide Room 104
Oxide Room 104 was an extremely satisfying game to play though. It achieves this feeling of satisfaction in a few different ways. First off, it is the sort of game that can take a while to get through on a first play-through. However, once you get your head around the game’s layout the next play-through becomes a much shorter experience, now that you know what you are doing.
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The other way that Oxide Room 104 satisfies is via its rather original death mechanic. Every time that Matthew dies and returns to the bathtub in Room 104, the game gets more difficult. The enemies become more aggressive and the environment becomes more complex to escape from, meaning that dying in this game not only has an interesting effect on gameplay, but it also comes with some real consequences too.
Beyond that, the game is also worth checking out for its intriguing plot, its brilliant enemy design and its fantastic audio. The combination of Oxide Room 104’s eerily beautiful score and its creepy, well-implemented sound effects come together to create a palpable sense of built up tension throughout the experience and help to make it one of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade.
A copy of Oxide Room 104 was provided to FandomWire by Perp Games.
Charon’s Staircase
Charon’s Staircase arguably contains the least horror on this list of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade, although it is still worth checking out. Charon’s Staircase takes its name from the flight of stairs in Greek theater that connects the middle of the stage to the orchestra, which was typically used by characters from the underworld. In the game, we follow the story of Desmond, who must descend into the depths of hell to bury the past of a tyrannical government, making the title rather fitting.
The game boasts some nice visuals and its darkly intriguing story full of plot twists is well worth experiencing. Although it may be a stretch to call it a straight-up horror game, Charon’s Staircase does employs classic horror elements such as puzzles, jump scares and a spooky backstory which is used to build tension and atmosphere.
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Although the game does contain a few creepy moments, horror doesn’t seem to be the primary focus, instead playing out as more of a thriller. Towards the end, there is a brief section of horror that lasts around 20 minutes before returning to the mystery. Charon’s Staircase is a solid game that offers an entertaining narrative-driven experience with some horror elements. However, players should not expect a non-stop scare fest and should be prepared for a more thriller-oriented story.
A code for Charon’s Staircase was provided to FandomWire by SOEDESCO.
Those Who Remain
Those Who Remain takes place in the small town of Dormont, where a man called Edward must navigate his way through a mysterious parallel dimension in order to uncover the town’s secrets. Edward must use light sources to his advantage in order to progress through the game, avoiding the darkness that is home to dangerous creatures waiting to kill him. The town of Dormont is shrouded in darkness, with only flickering streetlights and Edward’s flashlight to guide him through the creepy, abandoned streets.
One of the most impressive aspects of Those Who Remain is its atmosphere. It manages to sustain a palpable sense of unease throughout its short duration. The enemies in the game also add to this unease due to their erratic, partially obscured, jutting movements. The sound design in the game also helps to build atmosphere and although the game’s graphics are not the most polished, lighting is cleverly used here to create some hauntingly alluring visuals.
A code for Those Who Remain was provided to FandomWire by Wired Productions.
Bloodrayne ReVamped
Do you fancy revisiting one of the coolest games of the PlayStation 2 generation in 2023? Of course you do. As much as I’d love a full scale remake to emerge one day, this remaster is likely as close we are going to get for a while. Bloodrayne ReVamped captures the nostalgia of slashing your way through hordes of enemies as if you are starring in a Robert Rodriguez movie, complete with an egregious amount of slow-motion sequences.
Video games have clearly come a long way since the release of the original Bloodrayne, and this is on full display when playing this remaster. With that being said though, the game does bring with it a bloody, irrefutable charm that left me with a huge grin on my face during my time with this remaster. Keep your fingers crossed for a full ground-up remake, but in the meantime, this version is worth checking out and is definitely one of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade.
A code for Bloodrayne: ReVamped was provided to FandomWire by Ziggurat Games.
There you have it; our list of the most underrated horror games released in the last decade. What do you think of our picks, is there anything that was missed out and should have been included? Hit me up on Twitter @DanBoyd95 to let me know.
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