.jpg)
One of the great things about horror games is how they can immerse you in a variety of cultures and stories, all the while reaching for the diapers. Asia is rich in history and intricate customs that vary from country to country, making it ripe for truly gruesome stories.
There are many cool horror games in Asia, but there are quite a few that stand out as interesting peeks into lore and fears that drive every place. It’s at least a handful of fun experiences to get your heart pumping.
10/10 Death: Thần Trùng
The Death puts you in the shoes of a man living in Hanoi in 2022. He seems to be living a normal life, complete with a solid gaming rig and a PS5 to boot. Behind this seemingly pleasant life, however, lies a mysterious curse that plagues the place.
It’s a cool experience that jumps through different timelines and visions as you try to escape the Vietnamese folk legend of Thần Trùng. There is also more than one ending, so you need to consider your final choices very carefully.
9/10 Good night
GoodNight is a short horror story about a girl living through an endless nightmare after her family is killed in a tragic fire. It ends rather abruptly, but the ending hints at more chapters.
Scares are nicely placed in the game, and although it’s never explicitly mentioned, clues and references from the environment firmly establish this game’s location in the Philippines. The way the nightmares unfold also implies a reference to the country’s ‘bangungot’, which is both a bad dream and the phenomenon of a person suddenly dying in their sleep.
8/10 Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly
Crimson Butterfly, arguably the best of the Fatal Frame series, is full of hair-raising moments and panic-inducing sections. Although set in a made-up region, Minakami is meant to be in Japan. This fictional place is home to the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, which failed and now leaves its haunted mark on the lost village.
As you walk into the village, learn more about the nature of the Crimson Sacrifice and must use the Camera Obscura to ward off ghosts and escape the fate of the village’s previous inhabitants.
7/10 The Convenience Store
Working at The Convenience Store can be stressful enough, but this Japanese horror game takes it to the next level. It does a great job of building tension as you go through the monotony of your day-to-day tasks, with some things suddenly feeling a little out of place or out of place.
As you uncover secrets that make it much harder to finish your night shift, you need to make the right choices to get a happy ending. Although, if we’re honest, even the ‘good’ ending has a dark undertone.
6/10 Detention
Detention is a remarkable entry into the 2D horror scene, which manages to create an unsettling atmosphere that draws you in without being a first-person experience. Set in Taiwan during the martial law era, the game tackles many dark topics in a way that is historically respectful yet uniquely haunted.
The story itself is a big draw, but the art, puzzles and enemies also make up an awesome and spooky package that will probably stay with you.
5/10 world of horror
When you enter the World of Horror, you immediately have the feeling that there is no turning back. The title does a great job of using monochromatic horror in a way that feels increasingly unsettling. The developers call it a love letter to Junji Ito and HP Lovecraft, and it’s easy to see the references every time you launch it.
You head into the end times in Shiokawa through largely text-based point-and-click gameplay with randomized elements in each playthrough, so it’s not a one-time game. It’s also a roguelike, so every decision carries more weight.
4/10 corpse party
Corpse Party is a cult classic in pixel horror gaming and has seen many releases over the years. The 2021 remastered version expands the story significantly, with new characters and art bringing the title to life.
Corpse Party can really leave you with a lot of corpses if you don’t make the right choices. The original already had a whopping 27 endings, and the new version pretty much doubles that number. It’s an interesting adventure that really tries to maximize how 16-bit graphics can depict horrific events.
3/10 East West home is best
Home Sweet Home excels in survival horror because it creates a compelling story that makes you want to keep going despite the fears that threaten to push you away. Based on Thai mythology, you are faced with really scary enemies that you have no power against.
The game was originally developed for PC but is now available on consoles and PSVR. The terror that this game brings is actually perfect for the VR experience, but only if you’re willing to take a bathroom break every now and then.
2/10 The Bridge Curse: Road to Redemption
The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation is actually an adaptation of an existing horror movie, but makes the scare awesome. Take on a Taiwanese urban legend brought to life, and you’ll get well-deserved fears and captivating story twists further into the game.
Make no mistake though, because this game starts the horror pretty quickly. Great sound design and character development make this game beautiful. Meanwhile, stealth and exploration are your friends when it comes to finding rescue.
1/10 dedication
Devotion is an East Asian folk inspired horror game that will still make you feel things long after you watch the credits roll. The horrors that await you in every corner of this apartment complex are nicely connected with story elements that are truly intriguing. As you delve into a family’s decline under religious beliefs, you’ll get a first-hand look at the shadowy and unnerving webs that need to be untangled.
Created by the same developers at Detention, this game actually comes from Steam and other digital storefronts. You can buy it from their own online store with no DRM, as controversies related to certain Chinese political figures and Winnie the Pooh references in the game make it unlikely that it will return to Steam anytime soon.
0 Comments