The top-down horror game niche subgenre consists mostly of games that were made in RPG maker. These games offer a very unique type of horror that easily gets lost if the perspective gets changed. We’ll take a look at the best games this genre has to offer, as well as some top-down horror games that don’t fit into this category!
15. Ashes Of Immortality (PC)
What begins as a simple mission to free a small town from evil quickly turns into a quest of discovery and revelation, as Simona Rinoldt, a Hunter from the Family, must travel a dangerous world, making unlikely allies, and facing unbeatable foes.
Ashes of Immortality is an RPG game with a nice story. It takes place in Ruthven - a world where vampires, werewolves, and hunters fight a three-way battle for power. It’s up to you to try and make a difference in the balance.
14. Dap (PC)
Something sinister and incomprehensible has descended into the forest. This forest is home to “Daps” tiny, fragile creatures that need a savior. You and the daps will have to band together to solve puzzles and fight hellish enemies.
Dap is a game taking place in a strangely beautiful and alien pixelated world. It has intricate puzzles and is overall a smooth and unique exploration-horror experience. It offers a fun world and a nice ambiance with an ominous plot.
13. Boris And The Dark Survival (PC)
A lone wolf struggles to survive the inky abyss of Joey Drew Studios in this top-down survival horror.
There’s not much to say about this game. It’s a fun spin-off of the Bendy franchise in which you play Boris - one of the recurring characters. Your goal is to explore the floors of the Joey Drew Studios (In which Bendy And The Ink Machine takes place) while avoiding Bendy. It is a fun little game, but it is quite small content-wise.
12. Midnight Remastered (PC)
Midnight Remastered is a game in which you play as a mysterious little girl on a mission to collect 7 notes representing the 7 deadly sins to absolve her sins.
The game gives very little information to your face. The story is very abstract and cryptic and you have to piece it together by reading notes you find along the way. The gameplay is best described as a top-down slender man game. A shadowy figure will follow you around while you are collecting pages in a very dimly lit setting.
11. SEARCH PARTY: Director’s Cut (PC)
Search Party starts with our main character Claire participating in a search party for her missing 8-year old brother Daniel. Unfortunately, she gets lost alone in the forest. Eventually, she stumbles upon a house in the distance. She decides to check out if Daniel is in that strange house…
The game boasts “cat and mouse gameplay” which has you constantly running from a creepy murderer. It’s best described as a lovechild of Resident Evil and Clock Tower. It’s a neat game that slowly builds tension and stakes as you play through it.
10. Yuppie Psycho: Executive Edition (PC / SWITCH)
Brian Pasternack is a young man who just got a job at Sintacorp - one of the world’s largest companies. Unfortunately, he soon realizes his first job is going to require hunting a witch that seems to have made the rise of Sintacorp possible in the first place but has now become a nuisance. On his journey, he will discover many secrets about Sintacorp's past and meet many odd characters.
Yuppie Psycho: Executive Edition is a horror game that focuses on immersive storytelling. It’s an amazing mix between tense, thrilling moments, and lighthearted moments that make the experience highly immersive and interesting.
9. Luna (PC)
After coming home from school Luna sees a note from her parents explaining that they will be back late. At midnight, a grim and mysterious being approaches her. The more you play - the more you will realize the dark truths hidden deep inside Luna’s memory.
Luna is a short game (it takes about an hour to finish) with a grim story. The gameplay is simple yet interesting. The art style is nice and it has that indie, RPG maker style.
8. My Big Sister (PS4 / PS Vita / XBOX 1 / PC / SWITCH)
The game’s protagonist is a 12-year old girl called Luzia. But this game isn’t about her, it’s about her sister Sombira. However, Luzia takes it upon herself to try and help Sombria escape, after being kidnapped by some strangers.
My Big Sister is a horror game about a girl that tries to save her sister. The game is filled with charming moments that ease you up before the story kicks back in with a slightly morbid subplot. The game isn’t extremely gruesome and creepy like other games it’s similar to, so it’s a great alternative for when you’re not in the mood for something bloodcurdling.
7. Alicemare (PC)
The main character, Allen, is a child who lost both his parents and his memory. Eventually, he arrives at a home for lost children where he meets a bunch of kids his age. All of a sudden, everyone from the home seemingly gets transported into a different dimension where the true story begins.
Alicemare is barely a horror game. It’s a fun RPG game consisting of exploration and intriguing puzzles. The game doesn't have any jump scares and explicitly morbid moments. It’s more focused on an eerie undertone while you explore the game and slowly piece the story together.
6. Mad Father (PC / SWITCH)
Play as Aya Drevis - an 11-year old girl as she explores and uncovers the secrets of the Drevis mansion where maniacal experiments take place every night. Aya’s home stops being her safe space and becomes a rather hellish place as Dr. Drevis’s past starts becoming apparent.
Mad Father is a difficult survival horror game. Although it puts a strong emphasis on its story to creep you out, you will have to focus to get through all of the chase sequences and quick-time events. The game also slows down the pace with intricate puzzles which are quite difficult but also satisfying.
5. The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth (PS4 / PS5 / PS Vita / XBOX 1 / 3DS / Wii U / SWITCH / PC)
When Isaac's mother hears the voice of God demanding a sacrifice to prove her faith, he realizes that his fanatic mother will indeed sacrifice him. He escapes to the basement to find shelter from his cruel mother, only to find out the basement hides many dangers he will need to overcome to survive.
The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth is a procedurally generated rouge-like RPG shooter with a heavy emphasis on a Christian thematic. You play as Isaac (or other unlockable characters) as he travels through a basement filled with biblical horrors. There are many power-ups that you can find which make every run unique.
4. Darkwood (PS4 / PS5 / XBOX 1 / SWITCH / PC)
Darkwood is a survival horror game with a unique art style and perspective. In Darkwood you will have to collect resources and explore a randomly generated map during the day. But after nightfall, you will have to barricade yourself and fight for your life.
Darkwood is a great combination of wonderful sound design, unique and captivating art style, and highly addictive gameplay. It will take a while to master the harder difficulties, but Darkwood is one of those games that just make it very noticeable and satisfying when you improve.
3. Don’t Starve (PS3 / PS4 / PS Vita / XBOX 1 / Wii U / SWITCH / PC)
Wilson is an “intrepid Gentleman Scientist” that was transported to a mysterious different world by a demon. He must adapt and harvest resources to survive in this strange world and hopefully find a way to return home.
Don’t Starve is a game in which you play multiple characters exploring a weird world that’s similar to ours yet vastly different once you get to know it better. Don’t Starve has charming graphics and is one of the games that are amazingly fun to learn completely, especially with friends! It offers fun survival gameplay that can soak in a LOT of hours.
2. Ao Oni (PC)
Ao Oni is a game in which a gang of four teenagers decides to explore a haunted mansion. It starts as a fun idea until they realize the mansion is inhabited by a big blue demon.
Ao Oni later got 2 sequels released to android, an anime series, and a movie. For me, it’s one of the more iconic RPG maker games and it’s a nostalgic masterpiece. The gameplay is simple: you get separated from your friends and locked in a mansion. You must explore the mansion and find items that will help you move forward to reunite with your friends, all the while trying to survive and avoid encounters with the demon.
1. Corpse Party (PS4 / XBOX 1 / XBOX X / SWITCH / PC)
Mayu Suzumoto transfers to a new high school. Her friend Ayumi decides to help her get to know her future classmates by doing a charm she found on the internet which is supposed to bind them all as friends, forever. The charm “worked” by seemingly transporting all of the classmates to a horrid, tragic version of an elementary school filled with vengeful spirits of elementary-aged children.
Corpse Party has a few chapters which can all have different endings depending on your choices. The game can get really, REALLY morbid with its gore. The game slowly develops a tense atmosphere by having you explore the horrific school at your own pace, and learn the gruesome secrets bit by bit.
