Key recommendations
- Until Dawn creates a thrilling story with branching storylines for players to control the outcomes.
- Mundaun offers a unique art style and a compelling story set in the Swiss Alps.
- Darkwood offers a tense, top-down horror experience in a Soviet forest setting.
When a horror the game is well made, the setting in which it takes place is almost irrelevant. As long as there are scary elements around the story and enough nightmarish creatures to give players goosebumps, it's the experience that counts, not the location. However, if the developers can pair a good story with a suitable location, then that's when gold is struck.
Related
5 Best Halloween Games That Aren't Horror
Halloween is a wonderful time of year; however, many games around it are focused on nightmare themes. Here are some non-horror titles.
Abandoned mental institutions, cemeteries, and other desolate areas are the most common setting for most modern horror stories, whether in movies or video games. But as some titles prove, rural areas surrounded by mountains are also a great option to scare players. Here are some of the the best horror games set in mountainous regions.
5 Until dawn
A horror story with branching stories
- Eight different playable characters
- Players' decisions determine who lives and who dies
while Until dawn didn't invent games with multiple playable characters, it did an amazing job of giving players an immersive experience throughout the story. When a group of friends gather at the Washington Cabin on Blackwood Mountain, a seemingly uneventful trip takes a turn for the worse, resulting in the apparent death of two of them. A year later, in the same snowy and mountainous location, the game follows the story of eight friends (Josh, Sam, Jessica, Emily, Beth, Mike, Matt and Ashley) as they try to survive the vicious creatures they encounter in the forest.
With multiple branching storylines and a powerful butterfly effect that determines future events as players make one decision or another, the game gives players full control over who dies and who survives. It is possible for all eight characters to live until the end of the game, but the wrong choice can also lead to the death of one or more of them.
4 Mundaun
An intriguing story set in the Swiss Alps
Mundaun
- ISSUED
- March 16, 2021
- Developer
- Hidden Fields
- Curdin travels to the Alps to attend his grandfather's funeral
- The game features a unique Sepia-toned art style reminiscent of photographs from the early 1900s
Mundaun it's a very underrated game with a unique art style and an engaging story that could use some work here and there, but it makes for a fun experience overall. The game focuses on Curdin, a man who returns to his hometown to attend his grandfather's funeral. At first, everything seems normal; however, as Curdin investigates further, he finds many inconsistencies surrounding his grandfather's death. Set in the Swiss Alps, this game follows Curdin as he searches for answers and finds some he never expected.
Related
5 Best Horror Games Without Puzzles
Puzzles tend to be common in any horror game, but there are several scary titles that offer a great experience without them.
Gamers looking for a colorful experience or highly detailed graphics won't find it here either, as the game is designed to have a Sepia tone reminiscent of early 20th century photography, which works amazingly well to deliver an creepy and a touch of mystery. . In terms of gameplay, Mundaun it has just the right amount of exploration and narrative encounters to make it feel complete and interesting.
3 Darkwood
This game proves why dark forests are scary
Darkwood
- ISSUED
- August 18, 2017
- Developer(s)
- Acid Wizard Studio
- Stressful yet thrilling experience that horror fans will love
- The game has its fair share of vicious creatures
Set in the decade of the 80s in the middle of a forest on Soviet territory, Darkwood it has a top-down perspective and great horror elements that make it a great addition to the list. Focusing on The Stranger, this title will have players explore the darkest areas of the mysterious forest to find answers and uncover points of interest. While at first it might seem like a game with a top-down perspective wouldn't work for horror, Darkwood proves otherwise, offering a stressful yet thrilling experience.
While it's never been mentioned that the forest the game takes place in is in a mountainous region, it's a safe assumption given the terrain that can be seen. As they progress through the game, players will encounter creatures such as Banshees, Centipedes, Human Spiders, and Shadows that they will need to defend against and escape in order to survive.
2 Alan Wake
Writer's block leading to a heart-pounding story
Third person shooter
Survival Horror
- ISSUED
- February 16, 2012
- The psychological thriller and horror elements blend well with the story
- Bright Falls presents the perfect mountain setting for such a game
Alan Wake is probably one of the most popular games of the last 20 years, and most players agree that the title is well deserved. Focusing on bestselling author Alan Wake and his wife Alice, the game follows them as they go on an impromptu vacation to a remote location called Bright Falls in Washington. Both Alan and Alice hope that this trip will help him overcome his writer's block, which has plagued him for several years; however, upon their arrival in Bright Falls, things will take a turn for the worse.
2:40
Related
32 Best PS2 Horror Games
These PlayStation 2 horror games are the best genre titles of the console era.
While some would argue that Alan Wake is a psychological thriller first and a horror game second, it still has its fair share of horror elements to justify being on this list. The mountainous area of Bright Falls provides the perfect setting for Alan to explore and uncover the region's secrets to save his wife.
1 Resident Evil Village
The Eastern European mountains hold some very dark secrets
- The mountainous location works incredibly well with the horror theme of the game
- Amazing character models and creatures that will make players fight for their lives
Even non-resident evil fans probably know Resident Evil Village thanks to the iconic Lady Dimitrescu and all the cosplayers who participate in conventions characterized as her. However, this antagonist is not the only element that makes this title great, as there are many other aspects of horror that have helped elevate it to the status it holds today. Resident Evil Village is located in the mountainous regions of Eastern Europe and draws inspiration from the folklore and castles of the area.
The game is set approximately three years after the events of Resident Evil 7when Ethan and Mia move to Europe to start over. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse and Ethan is left to fend for himself and survive the many dangers he will face throughout the game. Resident Evil Village it features great combat mechanics, amazing enemy design, and a location that works extremely well with its horror theme. While there are obvious variations, some of the game's areas feel very similar to those in Resident Evil 4but with a heavy Slavic touch.
More
The 8 Best Female Villains in Horror Games
From Resident Evil to the FEAR trilogy, female villains have solidified themselves as icons of the horror genre over the years.