Image via Konami Add Collider on Google Add as Preferred Source Follow on Google Discover By Robert Lee III Published Oct 24, 2026, 11:39 PM EDT Writing from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, Robert is an avid movie watcher and will take just about any excuse to find time to go to his local movie theaters. Robert graduated from Bradley University with degrees in Journalism and Game Design with a minor in Film Studies. Robert tries his best to keep up with all the latest movie releases, from those released in theaters to those released on streaming. While he doesn't always keep up with the latest TV shows, he makes it a goal to watch nearly every major new release possible. He has been honing his craft and following any and all movie news all his life, leading up to now, where he has a vast knowledge of film and film history. He also logs every movie that he watches on his Letterboxd page, and has hosted a weekly online movie night with his closest friends for over 6 years. Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Listen Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Horror as a genre has always been able to scratch a tantalizing itch in the form of literature or filmmaking, yet the genre arguably is at its absolute best in the playable medium that only video games can provide. Something about having the player actively in danger of the horrors presented, fighting for survival to continue with the story, raises the tension considerably, as there are genuine stakes that result in top-notch scares. While not perfect right out of the gate, horror gaming has evolved considerably over the years to the point where the best horror games are celebrated as some of the greatest horror experiences in any medium .
From prominent entries in long-running horror franchises to legendary one-off titles, horror gaming taps into a distinct energy and feeling that no other video game, or even other horror media, can match. Playing out and having control in a horror space rife with limitless creativity and potential for scares and worldbuilding has made these games some of the most impactful and memorable experiences horror has to offer.
Image via Tecmo While not as immediately recognizable as some of the other icons of early horror franchises, Fatal Frame has carved out a niche for itself thanks to the implementation of its core gameplay elements in relation to Japanese mythos and paranormal nightmares. The clear highlight of the franchise proves to be Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, which amplifies and evolves the proof-of-concept strengths of the original game to create a terrifying mixture of heart-pounding gameplay and engrossing narrative .
This essential horror game proved to be massively influential for the entire genre at large, with the mixture of third-person and first-person perspectives adding to the angst and tension of the game as a whole and making its scares hit that much harder. However, the narrative is the real major element that makes this game the best in the franchise, as the dynamic of its twin sister main characters and the tragedy of the ghosts haunting them makes for a powerful experience.
The full cast of the video game Until Dawn standing outside a cottage door at night, including Hayden Panettiere, Meaghan Martin, Brett Dalton, Nichole S…