Dead Space 2 and the Horror Games We Want -- Fatal Frame, Catherine, Silent Hill, Mortal Kombat And More

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Posted January 21, 2011 - By Kevin Kelly

Dead Space 2 and the Horror Games We're Looking Forward To

Isaac Clarke returns in Dead Space 2, bringing with him bone-curdling musical stings and spine-shocking creatures leaping into the camera. Besides entertaining you and offering up a compelling story, this video games want to do one thing: stop your heart. If you played the first Dead Space, you know there were plenty of moments that left you with damp palms, and stained undershorts.

While the horror genre certainly isn't new to video games, it still hasn't blasted full-force onto the scene like first-person shooters have. Horro junkies have to bide their time between releases, filling the cracks with B-grade movies and back issues of Fangoria. That means when a game finally does come out, you'll blast through it in record time just because it's finally in your hands.

But despair not, oh lovers of the gore. Let Dead Space 2 be the harbinger of more horror that is just around the horizon. There's plenty of scare left in the current cycle of consoles and handhelds, you just have to show a little patience. Check out our list below of upcoming horror titles that will carry you past the release of Dead Space 2 and beyond.

Catherine Gameplay Japanese Trailer »

Catherine

Technically, I'm not even sure if this game counts as horror, as most of the information about it says "erotic adult thriller" or "weird Japanese game." It is quite possible that it is all three, but right now I'm plunking it squarely into the horror category. Mainly because there are nightmares involved and people trying to escape horrific things in them. Of course, to get to the horror portion, you'll have to first get past the cover of this Xbox 360 / PS3 game set for release next month, likely in Japan only. That cover is of the titular character Catherine seemingly yanking her top off. With all of this going on, there has to be something scary in there, right?

Silent Hill 8 (working title) E3 2010 Trailer »

Silent Hill: Downpour

While not so much a reboot as a relaunch, the next Silent Hill game. expected to be called Silent Hill: Downpour, but still referred to as Silent Hill 8 at E3 last year is taking the game in a new direction with its next installment. A direction that appears to be particularly emo based on the images we've seen of the title. The game concerns itself with the southeastern portion of Silent Hill, which hasn't been featured in the game before, and will have a plot that is completely separate from any of the other games. What we do hope they keep is the creepy atmosphere and unnerving music. We do know that Akira Yamaoka won't be back as composer this time, with that duty going to Dexter soundsmith Daniel Licht.

Shadows of the Damned "Happy Halloween" Trailer »

Shadows of the Damned

This title unites the amazing forces of Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, and sends title character Garcia Hotspur (yes, really) straight into the depths of hell to battle for his true love. This is the title that Akira Yamaoka is working on instead of Silent Hill 8, and it looks to bring a punk rock edge to the horror genre. While the game is supposedly coming out in 2011, we still haven't much of it since its debut at the Tokyo Game Show last year. With Suda, Shinji, and Akira behind it, you have to hope that something terrific, and terrifying, will come out of it.

Fatal Frame

Tecmo worked with Suda51's Grasshopper Manufacture to produce Fatal Frame 4: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse for the Wii three years ago, and the next installment of the series will be what looks like another sequel on the Wii. Screens were shown at the Nintendo Conference last year that showed Wii screens featuring some of the characters from Fatal Frame 2. While we're all for horror sequels from this series, isn't it about time they made the jump to the PS3 and Xbox 360? There are some fantastic scares in Fatal Frame, and we just want to share the love.

inSANE Announcement Trailer »

inSANE

While we don't know much about the next click of the Fatal Frame shutter, we almost know even less about Guillermo del Toro's planned horror trilogy inSANE. We know he's working on it, and that it will debut in 2013. Other than that, we just have a logo and an extremely brief teaser trailer that was slapped together for the announcement. Oh, and it loftily promises to provide you with an, "unprecedented cinematic experience while redefining storytelling in gaming." Aim high, we say. Del Toro has proven time and time again that he can deliver horror in a film, both as a director and a producer, and we're hoping he can do the same in a video game.

Resident Evil: Revelations

While Resident Evil: Afterlife hoped to deliver a 3D horror/action experience to your eyeballs via movie theaters last year, Resident Evil: Revelations hopes it can do it in the same dimension via Nintendo's 3DS later this year. We know that Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine will be back in this game, and while exploration and puzzle-solving are involved, the producers stated that they are putting a greater emphasis on horror. How exactly that will take advantage of the 3DS' abilities, we aren't quite sure yet. But a horror title that can walk around with you in your pocket with an emphasis on scaring you? Sign us up.

Mortal Kombat

Sometimes, horror just means gore. If you didn't get your fill in splatter and gibs from Splatterhouse, look for them both to be delivered by the truckload in Mortal Kombat. The reboot of this iconic series is sure to bring with it buckets of blood. If you take anything away from the Kung Lao fatality video above, it should be the fact the testicular trauma will always make you cringe. This guy's hat has nothing on Oddjob's razor-edged bowler from Goldfinger. Gameplay aside, we're really looking forward to all the finishing moves that you'll be able to pull off on downed foes in this game.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as upcoming horror games are concerned. What are you most looking forward to? And if you're a real horror junkie, tell us what your favorite past terrifying titles have been.

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Tags: Features, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Wii, Xbox 360

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RockZillaX

S.H. Downpour looks amazing.

Posted: June 21, 2011 10:06 AM
Z0D1AKHUN73R

@Ashley_Si ido believe you are referring to the Fatal Frame 4 game, and if I recall, did they not also say why not move to XBOX 360 and PS3? I think they did. As for replacements, there have been little to no reappaearnces of Red Rings since they figured out the problem and fixed it. Why they have have 5 different copies of the same system as you joking said could be that they have the original white, any number of the specially colored version (Halo 3, Halo Reacher, MW2, RE5 and so on) and then the Black Elite and the new Slim version. I mean, let's see, white, black elite, new slim (thats three different models right there. Add in a couple special edition models and you easily can have 5. besides, the wii is not a gamers console, it is a party and family console where you casually play games, any game that isnt for casual play doesnt alway translate well to that console. For a reason.

Posted: January 25, 2011 8:12 AM
Deato9000

Love me some horror games!

Posted: January 24, 2011 4:33 PM
GrimMonkey

Bioshock comes to mind...it's pretty damn creepy. Made me jump a couple times the first time through. lol

Posted: January 24, 2011 2:41 PM
CheerleaderKratos

Catherine is more likely to be localized. Considering the rather mature themes in previous Shin Megami Tensei games, why would Catherine be any different? Atlus hasn't passed a chance to localize one of their own titles for years and it only received a C in Japan.

Posted: January 24, 2011 1:46 PM
venromero

i wish someone would port the suffering to the ps3! that game was awsome! what about another manhunt game? maybe a port also with the gore unlocked instead of that psycadelic junk!

Posted: January 24, 2011 11:17 AM
GordonFreemonster0

Woah. Insane looks.... Insane! Too bad I'll half to wait 2 more years... :(

Posted: January 24, 2011 10:09 AM
Servcrow

It only takes two words to define heart-pounding, skin-crawling, pants-soiling horror for me...""Hello Kitty".*shivers and stifles a scream*

Posted: January 24, 2011 8:50 AM
Servcrow

For pants-soiling, mind-numbing terror you only need these two words..."Hello Kitty". *shudders and stifles a scream*

Posted: January 24, 2011 8:36 AM
JOKERNJ732

Deadly Premonition 2!!!

Posted: January 24, 2011 8:08 AM
GameDon

Shadow's Of The Damned looks like it coulod be worth while. Silent Hill 8 is also looking rather promising. Looks like there are a few games I'm gonna be anticipating this year.

Posted: January 24, 2011 12:10 AM
HumanGiant13

now i want to play dead space after seeing this

Posted: January 23, 2011 7:48 PM
huzoozoo

are scary faces the only thing it takes to scare ppl now days. the best thing about games like sh2 or amnesia as scary as they were is the lack of "monsters" and even in sh2 the lack of being able to take them on in a fight and just shoot there skull out there ass with your fist.

p.s. catherine could be scary if you have a phobia of sheep's

Posted: January 23, 2011 6:21 PM
Mo-licious

Years back I picked up the original Fatal Frame ... concept seemed lame but my husband & I thought we would give it a go. DAMN ... it scared the bejezzus out of us and I'm a horror film fan. Just creepy, won't forget it, especially the broken neck ghosty thing!

Posted: January 23, 2011 4:21 PM
OrangePopsicle1

@ exiled_vagrant, in Catherine, there are two women named Catherine (just spelled differently). Catherine is the one who causes Vincent to have nightmares after meeting her and Katherine is Vincent's girlfriend who is pressuring him to get married.

Posted: January 23, 2011 2:45 PM
lilrob37

YAHH!!! MORTAL KOMBAT DUDES!!

Posted: January 23, 2011 9:46 AM
M6000

I wouldn't mind getting a sequel to Eternal Darkness:Sanity's Requiem that game was F*ing Horrifying. it was another reason I was happy I owned a Gamecube.

Posted: January 23, 2011 8:33 AM
mvanish

huh, i would think that Fear 3 and Metro 2034 would of been at the top of the list for horror games. i know you said tip of the iceberg but some of these like catherine seem like the bottom of the scrapheap in regards to horror and scares.

Posted: January 23, 2011 12:04 AM
Princkyuubi

Daaaaamn The Resident Evil Looks AMAZING But I Hate Nintendo DS's.. =\ It's Just Not My Thing..Ahhhh Now I Have To Get The Crap To Play This one game =\ (Hardcore Resident Evil Fanatic!!) I Had to Do It For The Wii And OMG Big Mistake!! Umbrella Chronicles And Darkside were Really Fun In It's Own Way.. But I Didn't Like The Fact That I Barely Had a "Freedom Of Choice". Anyway Hope They Remake This Resident Evil Game For PS3 And Xbox.. =\

Posted: January 22, 2011 9:31 PM
Ashley_Si

you guys ruin it every time, some good exclusive comes to the wii, and you've got to add "why not the 360". everybody gets it, you want everything on the 360, we know you all own like 5 each, so many replacements.

Posted: January 22, 2011 7:41 PM