Resident Evil is one of the most famous and well-known horror gaming franchises EVER. During its long run which started in 1996, and is still going strong with the recent release of Resident Evil Village, it has changed genres many times.
It's gonna be hard to compare games to this legendary franchise that dabbled into every subgenre of horror - but someone has to do it. We’ll try to showcase a variety of games that are similar to games from the RE franchise that are worth playing.
10. F.E.A.R.
The F.E.A.R. franchise offers some hardcore, gory, epic combat intertwined with a very grim story that spans 3 games. There’s a whole lot of fast-paced shooting action and the story is very gory but also very interesting.
It may be a little less similar to Resident Evil than the other titles on this list but it's a great game to play for anybody that loves action games or first-person shooters. The gory overarching story complements the gameplay perfectly.
9. Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus is the newest game in the Metro franchise. It has amazing graphics and takes the franchise past the dim metros that have been its staple. Exodus has amazing graphics and beautiful scenery that makes you wanna take things slowly while fighting the ravenous mutants.
Metro Exodus has some interesting shooting mechanics and sports a variety of enemies that all require some restrategizing to defeat. It’s a great game and it’s most akin to the action-oriented Resident Evil titles.
8. Outlast 2
Outlast 2 is a psychological horror game that focuses on religious fanatics as its main story motif. Outlast 2 is great at making you uncomfortable and scared. The great story and the bone-chilling chasing sequences make this game one of the must-play horror games for anybody.
The Outlast franchise started before Resident Evil switched to first-person psychological horror games. You can see the similarities between the two franchises. Both are great in their way, but if you’ve enjoyed the last 2 RE games without playing Outlast, you should look into changing that.
7. Alan Wake
Alan Wake is a story-based game in which the writer Alan Wake gets stuck in a nightmare as the things he wrote in his last novel come haunting him. The game has a really good story that is unique and interesting.
Besides the story, Alan Wake has some shooting and puzzle sequences which are good but I would most recommend this game if you’re looking for a good horror story. It's creepy and interesting from start to finish.
6. Dead Space
Dead Space is a survival horror game set in outer space. It is best known for its unique sci-fi weapons that make the combat extremely interesting. It has a meaningful story and the main character carries over to the other titles as his journey progresses.
Dead Space is a well-known horror franchise. If you like sci-fi and horror - Dead Space is the thing for you. It has all of the qualities of cult games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil but changes the setting to a futuristic space station.
5. Cry Of Fear
Cry Of Fear is a free-to-play game that started out as a Half-Life mod. The game can be played as a single-player experience but also has co-op and PVP modes. It’s a great game that has amazing gunfights and a good and symbolistic story.
With the game being action-oriented and with the story being a big part of the experience, I find it to be similar enough to the RE franchise. It's a good game on its own and it's fascinating how a small team made such a complete game. With the game being free, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t give it a shot.
4. The Last Of Us
The Last Of Us franchise focuses on emotional story-telling and action-filled shooting sequences during the zombie-like apocalypse. A virus is turning everybody into fungi monsters that you have to fight against. The Last Of Us is another one of those games that made itself a staple in the horror genre.
This game is perfect if you enjoy the apocalyptic setting or the carefully thought-out storytelling. The action sequences are quite fun and inventive and I would recommend everyone to play this emotional rollercoaster of a game.
3. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water Remaster
The whole Fatal Frame franchise has an interesting spin on the combat that appears in horror games. In Fatal Frame games, your weapon is a camera that you carry with you. You are effectively dodging the ghosts that are chasing you as you try to focus your camera to take pictures of them to defeat them.
Fatal Frame games also have that unique Japanese horror vibe like Resident Evil. It also has great action-packed sequences and grim and confusing storytelling. The ghosts are absolutely scary and the whole franchise has a unique charm to it.
2. The Evil Within
The Evil Within’s director worked on Resident Evil 4. Both of these games are action-oriented 3rd person survival horror games. The Evil Within has a gruesome setting where you are faced with countless mutated monstrosities.
The Evil Within is a hard game that takes some patience to complete, but it’s certainly worth your time and effort if you are a fan of survival horror games. It resembles the 3rd person RE games quite a bit yet it still gives off a unique vibe.
1. Silent Hill
Silent Hill and Resident Evil are possibly the 2 most well-known horror franchises. They both started at closely the same time and they have many similarities. The whole franchise has interesting yet hard combat but its main attraction is its great symbolic story-telling.
Although the franchise hasn’t been getting new games for 10 years now, it's still one of the biggest names in the horror genre. That alone should speak for the quality of the games.
