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In recent years, the horror genre's popularity has skyrocketed in the creative industry. With the regular release of new consoles and upgrades, the gaming industry is flooded with horror titles to keep players interested and on their toes.
Usually, horror game sequels thrive due to the popularity of the franchise name, the most prominent example being Resident Evil. With the rising demand for new content, every developer strives to produce something unique that evolves via a captivating plot or excellent gameplay. While some sequels have succeeded in enrapturing gamers, some have failed to meet expectations.
Here's a look at the hits and misses of the horror game industry in recent years.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.
5 horror game sequels that exceeded expectations
1) Silent Hill 2
Despite the fact that the previous Silent Hill games are all regarded as horror masterpieces, Silent Hill 2 takes the top spot on this list and returns to the titular gloomy town. However, the game isn't a true sequel to the first.
Being under the impression that his wife had died three years, James Sunderland begins receiving letters inviting him to meet her at their favorite area, Silent Hill. Silent Hill rapidly transforms into a perplexing hallucination packed with creatures, and strange occurrences as James navigates the town. The game's psychological components are meant to play with the player's head, and that’s the main aspect of Silent Hill 2.
2) Resident Evil 7
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard upholds the Resident Evil series' heritage by exceeding its predecessor in a variety of different ways. Resident Evil 6 isn't a horrible game by any means, but it deviated enough from the formula that gamers didn't appreciate it as much as previous installments in the series.
The main criticism was that it strayed from the survival horror elements that established the brand. Hence Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is considered a return to form. Resident Evil 7 is one of the most well-received games in the franchise, and in terms of sales and reviews, the game fared well.
The player controls Ethan Winters as he searches for his wife on a property infested with diseased creatures. Despite the significant shift in aesthetics, the game was generally hailed for being the first in the franchise to employ a first-person perspective rather than the previously utilized third-person camera.
3) Outlast 2
Outlast 2 excels at both survival and psychological terror. It provides a compelling story that will have the player’s heart racing as they traverse through its terrible world filled with much more terrifying characters.
In Outlast 2, a local cult and a ruthless mob have targeted journalist Blake and his wife, Lynn. Like its predecessor, players are mostly unable to protect themselves. Aside from a few quick-time events, players are forced to flee and hide, and unless they want Blake to meet a horrific, painful end, gamers must excel at both.
4) Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
The Fatal Frame franchise began in 2001. The game's setting was specified as 1980s Japan, with an emphasis on paranormal forces. The game centers on research using the Camera Obscura, which has the ability to catch and soothe ghosts, introducing the franchise to the basic aspects of Japanese horror.
The original game was a huge hit, but Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly was able to expand on that success and garner even more praise. The game is frequently mentioned as the most terrifying video game ever made, which is high praise considering the quality of the other scary games on this list.
5) Little Nightmares II
The first Little Nightmares game was a puzzle-platform horror title that was published in 2017-2018 on just about every device and system conceivable. Six is a character in the game who is recognized by her yellow raincoat and her experiences. She wanders the Maw with nothing but a lighter, encountering a variety of strange creatures.
Mono, a small child wearing a paper bag as a mask, is the protagonist of the second title. Together, they must try and solve the secrets of the realm in which they are stuck. Six and Mono must work with each other to explore the Pale City, a massive, crumbling city populated by disfigured television addicts.
The objective of the game is to reach the Signal Tower and disable the Transmission, which the Thin Man controls. Like the original game, Little Nightmares II features fantastic characters and settings that will keep players engaged.
5 horror game sequels that were disappointing
1) Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil is probably one of the best and most adored survival horror series in gaming history. It was a pioneer in the development of the genre, making it bizarre that Capcom would deviate from the franchise's roots in terms of both value and substance for Resident Evil 6.
The game began to experiment with more action-based mechanisms, abandoning the depth of riddles and puzzles and the eerie tone of the previous games. RE6 was received fairly poorly, prompting a course correction with RE7.
2) The Suffering 2: Ties That Bind
The Suffering was a title that appeared out of nowhere, introducing aspects that could only be described as 'action-horror.' With the excessive amount of shooting involved, the tag of being a "survival horror" game was a loose fit.
While the game was received fairly positively, it was considered a step down from its predecessor.
3) Alone In The Dark
Alone in the Dark, released in 2008, had the potential to be a revival of the legendary favorite series. However, after its launch, it became a complete embarrassment.
The mechanics were unpolished, the plot was uninteresting, the fighting was uncomfortable, and the language was simply irritating. This doesn't even scratch the surface of the terrible steering and handling model of this game. This game fails in almost every aspect, and while there are many excellent survival horror games out there, Alone in the Dark is not one of them.
4) Dead Space 3
The Dead Space series is known for its horror and action elements. While Dead Space 2 maintained the horrors while adding additional action and monsters, Dead Space 3 absolutely lost its scare factor. However, despite not holding a candle to its predecessors, the game wasn't a complete write-off.
The co-op narrative and extensive weapon customization were two of Dead Space 3's greatest selling features. Unfortunately, the campaign was not very frightening, and the customization was coupled with a system that pushed users to pay real money for in-game items.
5) SAW 2
Michael, the son of Detective Tapp from the original film and game, is at the center of the plot of Saw 2. Michael is a news reporter who has engaged in some questionable business activities, and it's time for him to make amends. Jigsaw appropriately puts him in life-threatening circumstances to challenge his resolve.
Saw II effectively reconstructs the terrifying ambiance of the tight dungeon from the original film. However, the title's poor combat system, reliance on quick-time events, and overly convoluted puzzles gained negative reviews.
The original SAW was a terrible new entrant in the survival horror genre, but it had the ingredients to be something special. However, none of the concepts are polished in the second game, marking it a failure.
