GAMERS DECIDE - Bioshock 2

[Top 10] Best Horror RPGs to Play Today

girlplaysgames — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:58:51 +0000

What Are The Best RPGs with Horror elements?

Horror RPGs are becoming more and more popular in video game culture - there's something about the medium that is perfect for immersing people in terrifying tales of monsters, mystery, and mayhem. The thing I admire most about games like this is how they can still be terrifying when I can fight back against the monsters. You'd think that I'd be less spooked with a gun or a sword in my hand, but you'd be wrong. Here are the top 10 horror RPGs to start playing right now.

10. BioShock 2 (PC, macOS, Playstation, Xbox)

BioShock 2 Trailer

While this game is a little bit older than some of the others on this list, it still deserves its place amongst horror RPG royalty. BioShock 2 takes us back to Rapture, the underwater city that stunned and delighted fans in the series' first installment. Players get to experience a different side of Rapture this time around, taking the role of Subject Delta, a Big Daddy searching for the Little Sister that he's bonded to. You'll fight your way through hordes of psychotic Splicers and battle new, terrifying enemies as you navigate Andrew Ryan's crumbling utopia.

BioShock 2 improved upon many of the mechanics and narrative arcs from the first game, and I personally like the combat mechanics much more. There isn't anything more satisfying than smacking a Splicer across the face with the massive drill attached to your arm. The graphics are also noticeably better - the Little Sisters firmly crossed the threshold from creepy gremlin to cute (but still creepy) little companion.

Technically, the BioShock series leans more in the horror game direction than it does the RPG direction, but the plasmid mechanics and upgrade system do echo RPG standards. Plasmids allow you a small amount of customization, letting you keep the loadout that suits your style of play the best. Choices are also a fairly large part of the game's narrative, giving the player a little bit more control over Subject Delta's story. But if you're looking for a little more RPG in your horror RPGs, keep reading.

2. Call of Cthulhu (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)

Call of Cthulhu Official Trailer

Tabletop RPG fans might recognize this title - developer Cyanide did indeed adapt the popular tabletop game into a beautiful horror RPG. The game follows Edward Pierce, a quintessential Lovecraftian character - he's a veteran turned private eye that has been self-medicating his PTSD and nightmares with sleeping pills and alcohol. As you do. He's been hired to look into the mysterious death of an entire family in a strange little seaside town called Darkwater. Players will explore this creepy town, battling mutated creatures and Lovecraftian horrors as they unravel the mystery.

Horror RPG fans will probably be pretty familiar with Lovecraftian horror by this point, and of course Call of Cthulhu delivers. The game's gritty noir themes and beautiful art style satisfy everything that a Lovecraft fan could ever want. Additionally, this game has more RPG elements than the last one on the list, with a more complex choice system that leads the player to one of the game's four possible endings. However, the character of Edward Pierce is less customizable than most traditional RPG player characters.

8. Prey (PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Prey Official Launch Trailer

Who needed a little space in their horror RPG? Look no further than Prey. This game takes place in an alternate universe where the space race was accelerated, leading to incredible advancements in space travel and technology. Players step into the role of Morgan Yu, a scientist who wakes up onboard the space station Talos I. The game is mostly comprised of a mixture of stealth and FPS elements as Morgan fights for their life in the near-abandoned space station against terrifying aliens that can mimic everyday objects. Nothing and no one is safe...

Prey has a lot of similarities to BioShock and as such, the RPG elements are pretty limited. You can choose Morgan's gender and a few of their attributes, but there is significantly less customization than other traditional RPGs.

What the game lacks in customization it makes up for in atmosphere - the big difference between Prey and predecessors such as BioShock is that it is filled with masterful jump scares. Things as simple as picking up a coffee cup could trigger a fright, giving the entire game a tense, electric atmosphere. Narratively, choices matter - the game has "tons of little permutations" of endings, based on interactions with other characters and various other choices.

7. Remnant: From the Ashes (PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Remnant: From the Ashes Gameplay Trailer

Remnant: From the Ashes takes place in an apocalyptic future universe that has been destroyed by an interdimensional creature known as The Root. Players wander a series of interdimensional realms that contain a wide variety of creatures and monsters. Discover a long-dead civilization ruled by an undead king, a hive mind that has taken over an entire planet, and satyrs locked in a bitter civil war. How will your choices shape this weird and horrible universe?

This entry into our list has the most RPG elements thus far - you create your own character to play through the story, and there's an upgrade system for weapons and armour that lets you customize your loadouts perfectly to your style of play.

The game plays much like a Souls game and is known for its difficulty. You're not just limited to melee weapons, however - your character has access to guns, and can carry one large gun and a smaller sidearm. The world is randomly generated, even though the story elements remain constant. The story mode can also be played in a multiplayer capacity, which greatly increases this game's replayability.

6. System Shock: Enhanced Edition (PC)

Welcome to Citadel Station, a high-tech space station owned by a company called the TriOptimum Corporation. You've been in a coma for a while, and when you wake up... you're the only one left alive. Fight your way through mutants, cyborgs, and hostile robots and do battle against a sinister AI that wants to take over Earth.

I know what you're thinking - "What is a PC game from 1994 doing on this list?" System Shock is a unique and beautiful ancestor of games like Deus Ex, BioShock, Resident Evil, Half-Life, and many others, and it deserves its place among horror RPG royalty.

System Shock is one of the first games to ever feature a concept known as "emergent gameplay" - a style of gaming that allows a player to explore environments and make decisions to further the plot in their own time, rather than being forced to do things in a particular order as with level-based games. This style of gameplay is incredibly common in today's video games, but it all began with this little number here.

Getting your hands on an original copy of System Shock might be difficult, but don't worry - Night Dive Studios acquired most of the rights to the franchise in 2012 and released System Shock: Enhanced Edition in 2015. This is the actual game - they rebuilt it from the original code to run on modern machines, increasing the resolution and improving some of the technical aspects while leaving plot and gameplay entirely untouched.

5. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (PC)

Vampire: The Masquerade Official Trailer

The bad news? You've been murdered. The good news? Someone brought you back as a vampire. Welcome to the dark side of LA, where creatures of darkness walk the streets. Someone has discovered a strange relic that could end all vampires, and even though you haven't been one for very long, it's up to you to save vampirekind.

Yet another entry into the list that is based on a tabletop RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines lets you make your very own fantasy vampire. You select a clan based on your play style and allot attribute points into skills, vampire abilities, and traits. You can even choose between playing in first-person and third-person views.

As for the horror aspects, there are definitely some blood and guts in this game, but most of the horror comes from the moral decisions that you must make along the way. Much like its TTRPG ancestor, Vampire: The Masquerade deals heavily with themes of insanity, morality, and humanity, and Bloodlines is no different.

4. Darkwood (PC, macOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)

Darkwood Official Release Gameplay Trailer

Welcome to Darkwood, a strange forest that is slowly consuming your homeland. You, along with other survivors, have become trapped inside this dark otherworld. And you'd probably be fine, without the plague that's slowly turning surviving humans into monsters and mutants.

Darkwood runs on a unique day/night cycle - during the day, you can explore the forest and search for supplies. At night, you have to hunker down and fight for your life against all the monstrosities out for your blood. Your decisions relating to the NPCs around you directly influence the way the game progresses, with multiple different endings.

In terms of character customization, Darkwood is a bit lacking, but the other RPG elements make up for it.

3. Vampyr (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)

Vampyr Official Launch Trailer

When Jonathan Reid became a doctor, he swore to do no harm. When he became a vampire, that got a little more complicated. Vampyr follows Reid as he attempts to balance being a vampire and being a doctor, using his vampire abilities and reputation to feed without getting caught.

The horror elements of this RPG are more in the realm of moral dilemmas and the need to murder the people you're meant to protect. I like the spin on a horror game that makes it into your character's own personal hell. Of course, character customization is lacking because you are playing the role of Jonathan Reid, but you still get to control his skill progression and make decisions to progress the game.

2. Salt and Sanctuary (PC, macOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)

Salt and Sanctuary Official Launch Trailer

This beautiful 2D RPG contains a lot of mechanics similar to Souls games, and its atmosphere is definitely something out of a nightmare. You have been shipwrecked alongside a princess who is now missing, and it's up to you to find her. Navigate a sinister, dangerous landscape and make friends with several NPCs to unravel the mystery of this land.

Don't be fooled by the simplistic 2D art style - Salt and Sanctuary is a fully realized RPG with origins, classes, stats, and a very extensive skill tree that gives players hundreds of possible combinations to choose from. There are hundreds of different items and weapons at your disposal, making your little character fully customizable to your style of play.

The world that the game takes place in is one of the bleakest and most horrifying game worlds that I've ever encountered, reminiscent of a Tim Burton film. Terrible dangers and godlike powers are vying for power, and the only thing standing between them and the world's destruction is little old you. Move over, Dark Souls - there's a new horror RPG taking centre stage.

1. Bloodborne (PS4)

Bloodborne Launch Trailer

We couldn't end this list without at least one Souls game. Bloodborne takes place in the Gothic city of Yharnam. The human inhabitants are either long dead or have been transformed into any number of monstrosities that you must fight through to unravel Yharnam's secrets and free yourself from this waking nightmare.

Bloodborne is often referred to as Dark Souls' scarier, bloodier cousin. The monsters are even more twisted and the plotline is even more brutal. The game retains the intense difficulty and frustration of Dark Souls, making it a rite of passage for any horror RPG lover. It's been named as one of the greatest video games of all time, and by all rites, it deserves the title.

As for RPG elements, your character and skills are fully customizable. My favourite part about Bloodborne characters is the wide range of unique weapons and Victorian-style clothing. Who said hunting monsters can't be aesthetic?

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Horror RPGs often put us up against monstrosities we could never dream of, like this flying hairball.

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2K Games: A List of the 10 Best 2K Games To Play in 2015 and 2016

MichaelLogarta — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:44:56 +0000

2K Games has published some of the best games we know; here are ten of them!

Developer, distributor, and publisher of video games, 2K Games is home to titles widely considered to be the best of their respective genres. And they boast games for several of the most popular genres known to the gaming world. First-person shooter? Turn-based strategy? Sports simulation? You name it, they’ve got it.

Here then, is A List of the 10 Best 2K Games To Play in 2015 and 2016. We’ve focused on the most recent games, and included a few that have yet to be released but have all the signs of becoming massive hits. So let’s begin with game number…

10. Battleborn

Blizzard isn’t the only developer with a first-person MOBA in the works; Gearbox Software, creator of the Borderlands franchise, is behind the eagerly anticipated Battleborn, due for a late 2015 or early 2016 release.

Cartoon violence

So why are we excited about Battleborn? Check out those beautiful, eye-catching colors, and that charming, cartoony art style. And this being Gearbox, we can expect stellar shooting – not to mention addictive MOBA elements such as leveling up, interactive battlegrounds, and a roster of eclectic heroes to kick butt with.

Battleborn is a science fiction fantasy hybrid. Its story involves different species fleeing to the planet Solus, where they form factions and fight the Varelsi – the monsters responsible for destroying entire star systems in the universe. Sounds great to us!

That wacky art style...

New look, good old fasioned shootin'!

9. Evolve

Evolve is a first-person shooter with a twist; four players assume the role of Hunters, who have to kill a single alien Monster. The Monster, controlled by another player, has to either kill all the Hunters, or accomplish a secondary goal, such as wrecking a human base so that it becomes a pile of steaming rubble.

That epic 'stache

There are four Hunter classes: assault, support, medic, and trapper. Similarly, there are four Monster types: Behemoth, Wraith, Kraken, and Goliath. While Hunters come with a variety of unique abilities, the Monster can evolve by murdering punier creatures.

It’s innovative and tactically deep, making it one of the best 2K games.

Say good night, freak!

"That tickles!"

8. The Darkness II

Enjoy your first-person shooters soaked in blood and entrails? The Darkness II will turn your stomach as one of the goriest first-person shooters around.

You are Don Jackie Estacado, head of the Franchetti crime family. You also happen to be in possession of the Darkness, a sinister, supernatural force giving you incredible powers.

They should probably just run away

Those powers include controlling enormous worm-like monstrosities that strike at enemies, sinking their teeth into heads, necks, and whatever looks particularly scrumptious to them. And while they’re busy tearing your foes into bloody chunks, you can pump their bodies with lead using your two pistols. Talk about overkill!

One of the best 2K games, if you enjoy your first-person shooters with huge helpings of horror.

Your gun doesn't impress her

Not the best way to go

7. Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide

We already know how awesome Civilization: Beyond Earth is. But come autumn 2015, we’ll be losing even more sleep with the game’s first expansion pack, Rising Tide.

So what’s new in Rising Tide? Firstly, the game introduces new factions. These were the guys left behind when the first expedition departed from our doomed planet to find a new world to inhabit. They felt a tad sore for having to stay on Earth while their forerunners got to have all that interstellar fun, so they too left for the new planet. And now they want a piece of the pie, and they’re not about to play nice.

It's time to sail the seas!

Aside from a slew of new options, systems, and units, you can also now colonize the seas by building floating settlements. Additionally, there are the new world types, including a chaotic one replete with volcanoes, and one blanketed with ice and snow.

Say goodbye to your social life!

Vast, alien landscapes await

A whole lot of squid

6. NBA 2K16

2K games is known for publishing some of the best sports simulation games, including those in the long-running NBA 2K series.

NBA 2K15 is a clear favorite among fans and critics, with its authentic feel, in-game models so lifelike you’d think you were watching your favorite basketball stars in an actual match, a MyCareer Mode, and even a coaching system that provides real-time feedback.

Dunking in style

Come late 2015, though, we’ll have NBA 2K16. A fan of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant of the 2000-2001 Los Angeles Lakers? How about the 2007-2008 Bolton Celtics’ Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce? In NBA 2K16, you’ll be able to play classic teams culled from the sport’s illustrious history.

We’re confident NBA 2K16 will be just as good, if not better than its predecessors.

Don't underestimate him just 'coz he's wearing glasses

Sign language

5. BioShock 2

Mixing storytelling, a grim yet beautiful world, pulse-pounding action, and genuine frights, BioShock and its sequel, BioShock 2, are modern first-person shooter classics.

BioShock 2 strands you once more in the beautifully decadent underwater city of Rapture. This time, you play as one of the series’ iconic mascots – a Big Daddy.

A house of freaks

Yes, you’re a powerhouse on two legs with a giant drill for one hand… what’s not to love? Plasmids and tonics give you special powers, such as the ability to fling bad guys about like rag dolls, and summon a swarm of bees to encourage your foes to do their best Nicholas Cage “Not the Beeeeeeeees!!!” impression.

You’ve also got Little Sisters to save or murder (you cold-hearted monster!), and a mystery to solve involving young girls being kidnapped and brought to Rapture. You’ve got your work cut out for you, you big lumbering freak, you!

If bullets won't stop her, maybe lightning from his hands will

Burn for me, baby!

4. Borderlands 2

With a bazillion guns to collect and even more bodies to drop in the most violent yet hilarious ways possible, Borderlands 2 revels in the absurd.

Set on Pandora, Borderlands 2 tells the tale of Vault Hunters who must end the rule of the cruel, narcissistic tyrant, Handsome Jack.

That meat shield won't stop a badass like Maya

Borderlands 2 is a first-person shooter RPG, with each of the six classes (the Siren, Commando, Assassin, Gunzerker, Mechromancer, and Psycho) boasting unique, upgradeable skills. It also gives you an overwhelming amount of loot to collect and enhance, from guns and grenades to costumes.

Aside from the stellar gunplay, the comedy will have you in stitches – which we mostly owe to one of the most memorable villains ever created, Handsome Jack.

One of the best 2k games in existence!

That's one way to take that aircraft down!

The local wildlife is pleased to meet you

3. XCOM 2

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is considered one of the best 2k games for good reason: not only is blasting alien invaders into tiny, gooey bits a heck of a lot of fun, the game’s strategy elements is also intoxicating.

XCOM’s addicting brand of tactical turn-based gameplay returns in the sequel, XCOM 2, which will be released late 2015. Set 20 years after the events of the first game, it pits humanity’s remaining defenders against the aliens who have conquered Earth.

Lookin' snazzy in that armor

Like its predecessor, XCOM 2 is squad-based. You’ll have to equip your soldiers with the right weapons and armor, then send them out to capture aliens. Winning means using every tool at your disposal effectively, exploiting the environment, and the smart positioning of your soldiers on the battlefield.

And when not exchanging laser gunfire with malevolent extraterrestrials, XCOM 2 has a new mobile base called Avenger, where you’ll be researching technology to give you the upper hand in battle.

We can’t wait to turn alien scum to dust in XCOM 2!

I think he could use a sandwich or two

I'm betting that sword isn't just for show

2. Sid Meier’s Civilization V

You can’t call yourself a true PC gamer unless you’ve spent at least one sleepless night playing a Civilization game.

In Civilization V, you’re given a randomly generated world to explore and exploit, an empire to build, and enemies to exterminate. Starting at the dawn of time, you grow your territory by conquering neighboring cities or founding new ones. And as the centuries progress, you’ll find that there are many alliances to be made, technologies to research, cultural marvels to build, and, of course, wars to be waged.

Going where no man has gone before!

You can bring prosperity to your people by nuking everyone else and forcing the entire world to bend the knee to you. Alternatively, you can be the first to show off your technological superiority by launching a vessel into orbit. You can also achieve the impossible and unite the world in peace, or win the cultural victory by impressing everybody with your vast collection of priceless paintings.

Trust us, you’ll be chanting “just one more turn” until the wee hours of the morning with Civilization V. Sounds like one of the best 2K games, to us!

Historical dignitaries await to shake your hand... or stab you in the back

Tank army

1. BioShock Infinite

When we think of the best 2K games, one title often pops into mind: BioShock Infinite.

Booker DeWitt, eager to escape his debts, agrees to kidnap Elizabeth from the floating city, Columbia. But it isn’t long before the two are dragged into a rebellion threatening to destroy Columbia, and worse.

Sky's the limit

The President

Infinite combines first-person shooter goodness with RPG elements. Upgradable Vigors grant Booker amazing abilities, such as frying enemies with lightning and summoning murderous crows to peck them to death. Elizabeth, on the other hand, can open Tears in reality, allowing you to reach into another dimension to grab items and interact with environmental features. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.

It’s not all fun and games, though. Infinite also touches on significant social issues, many of which still affect our world today. So the game’s as intelligent as it is a joy to play.

BioShock Infinite is, hands down, one of the best 2k games – and a favorite here at Gamers Decide!

She needs a hug

Sending them flying

Well, those are the best 2k games for ya! Want to add anything to this list? Leave a comment below and tell us what other 2k games deserve a place in the top 10!

And when you’re done with that, check out these other articles!

See, there are several reasons why 2K Games titles are so popular. One is because they’ve got great stories, as you can see in the article 10 PC Games with the Best Storylines. Not to mention some of them have got really challenging boss fights, which you can read about in the 10 Video Game Bosses Who Slaughtered Millions of Noobs Worldwide.

In the first-person shooter department, 2K Games absolutely delivers, as we discussed in the 10 Best First-Person Shooter Games To Play in 2015.

But it’s not all about shooting things that move between the eyes for 2K Games… they’ve also got strategy games that’ll actually make you smarter, which you can check out in the 10 Strategy Games That Make You Smarter. One of those games is good it inspired a ton of similar brainy games, as the article Top 10 Games Like Civilization. If You Like Civilization, You'll Love These Games discusses.

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2K goodness!

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