Brand new horror to look forward to
2016 was a year that saw the release of many amazing horror games. From the bleak and dreary world of Inside to the high octane action sci-fi horror that is DOOM, PC Gamers were treated to a mass of great horror experiences that they will hold on to for a very long time. So as we leave 2016 behind and enter the New Year, what can we look forward to in 2017? There are already numerous highly anticipated horror games that are due for release in 2017. The games vary greatly in genre, gameplay and story, but one thing that may tie them together is that the majority of them will give us a great sense of nostalgia as many will remind us of our favorite horror games from the past. So, let’s have a look at the top 10 most anticipated horror games that you should try out in 2017.
1) Resident Evil 7
Resident Evil 7 Promotional Video - Desolation
The Resident Evil series has been a staple in horror gaming ever since the release of the first game in 1996 for the Playstation 1. Since then it has changed from being a standard survival horror game about zomibes and mutants, to something that is more akin to an action-horror shooter. The upcoming Resident Evil 7 game puts a new perspective on the gameplay as the game has been changed to be a first person horror game. Though it may not be an entirely new feature as the first person style gameplay has also appeared as a feature in Resident Evil Code Veronica X, the first person perspective is central to the gameplay in Resident Evil 7. It should be noted that Resident Evil 7’s first person gameplay will not be like other horror games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, where the player was completely defenseless. The player can use a variety of different weapons, ranging from guns like pistols and shotguns, to melee weapons like chainsaws. However, the player is not likely to be participating in many shootouts and there will be no quick time events at all.
The player will not be facing off against hordes of monsters, but rather they will be dealing with a set of villains
In addition to the first person shooter type gameplay, the player will also be taking control of a civilian named Ethan, a man who is looking for his missing wife. This changes the game’s playstyle drastically as the player will no longer be taking control of someone who is extremely skilled at combat. The player character is just a normal person who is looking for his missing wife. This search leads him to a strange derelict mansion, not too dissimilar to the mansion in the first game. Resident Evil 7 is set to release on the 24th of January 2017.
Resident Evil 7 Promotional Video – The Bakers
2) Outlast 2
Outlast 2 Teaser
If you’ve been itching for a return of Outlast after the harrowing adventures in Mount Massive Asylum, then the sequel is definitely a game worth waiting for as it has an entirely new storyline with new characters and a unique setting. The player takes control of Blake Langermann who is investigating the murder of a woman named Jane Doe alongside his wife Lynn. During the investigation, the two crash land in the Supai region of the Sonoran Desert.
One of the antagonists that the player will encounter is the Testament of New Ezekiel, a cult that believes that the end of the world is coming
Outlast 2’s gameplay is very similar to its predecessor. The player is completely defenseless and will need to outwit the deranged psychopaths that face them if they are to survive and complete Langermann’s investigation. The game also integrates the found footage element from the first Outlast game as the player character’s video camera has an infrared mode that can be used to brighten up darkened areas. Of course one unique feature that was introduced to this game is Langermann’s need for his glasses which comes into play whenever they are knocked off. This worsens the player’s vision, increasing the difficulty.
3) Lorelai
Lorelai Dev Peek
The third in the “Devil Came Through Here” series as publisher Screen 7 calls it. Lorelai is the third game in a series of games by Harvester Games which includes The Cat Lady along with Downfall and its remake. Lorelai plays very much like The Cat Lady and the remake of Downfall; being a side scrolling adventure game. The main focus of the game is on the “Queen of Maggots”, a major character from the Cat Lady and a supporting character in Downfall.
Lorelai will be made using the Unity Game engine instead of the Adventure Game engine
Player’s excitement peaked on August 17th 2016, when the game’s developer uploaded a sneak peak of the gameplay from Lorelai. The video shows that the game is very much like The Cat Lady and the Downfall remake as it features the same strange horrific imagery and the gameplay is similar with it being a two-dimensional adventure game where the player explores strange locations and solves puzzles in order to advance the story. What sets this game apart from the others however is that the game will be made using Unity rather than Adventure Game Engine, which was used for every other game developed by Harvester Games. This means that one can expect improved playability as the Unity game engine has less limitations in comparison to the Adventure Game Engine.
We can expect to see this game failry soon according to a Youtube comment by the game’s publisher, who states that the game is set for a 2017 release date. However time will tell what day the game will actually be released.
4) Visage
Visage Alpha Gameplay Trailer
Another highly anticipated game where you play a defenseless protagonist is Visage, a horror game developed by Sadsquare Studio, the creators of Allison Road, which was a spiritual successor to the playable trailer for the cancelled Silent Hills. The game is centered around a large house where family members killed one-another, people went insane or committed suicide in addition to a host of other gruesome events that took place.
The player character will experience the memories of those who have died in the house as they go through with their investigation
The player will relive the dark past of the house as they wonder through the corridors of this house, defenseless with no weapons to keep you safe from the deadly entities that are watching you, waiting to attack from any corner. Death is a key part of this game as players will need to make sure they keep themselves sane unless they want to end up like the other dead residents. Presently, the game is likely to be released on March 2017.
5) P.A.M.E.L.A
P.A.M.E.L.A Trailer 2
P.A.M.E.L.A is an interesting open world dystopian horror game by NVYVE Studios. The game is set on a destroyed utopian city known as Eden. The player awakens from a Cryosleep to see the city desolate with the residents having split up into different factions. The player must take advantage of hi-tech weaponry and equipment in order to fight against the various threats that exist on the utopian city turned dystopia. One ally that the player does have is a strange omnipresent A.i called P.A.M.E.L.A, who will assist the player as they go through the game.
The player can get a collection of powerful weaponry along with customizable equipment. In addition to this, there are a number of bio-augments that the player can use to make it easier to deal with hostile characters. Not all characters are hostile however. Some may be citizens just trying to survive while other characters include security droids and robotic custodians. What is interesting is that the way the player’s behavior in the game will have an effect on how the other characters view the player character. This results in the other characters acting different depending on one’s playstyle.
Your Playstyle will determine how other characters interact with you
Although the game was due for release in 2016, a developer update released on Steam announced that the release date would be pushed back to February 2017. This was to buy the developer more time to polish the game and get rid of any imperfections. So while we may be disappointed that the wait for the game will be much longer, we can at least find reassurance in the fact that the game will be a much higher quality when it is released.
P.A.M.E.L.A Gameplay Trailer
6) Agony
Agony Kickstarter Trailer
If you wanted to explore the depths of hell in a true horror game fashion, then check out Agony in 2017. Agony is a survival horror by MadMind Studio which is set in the fire and brimstone filled afterlife. In this game, the protagonist is a tormented soul trapped in hell, remembering absolutely nothing about their past. The player’s goal is to meet with the mystical Red Goddess so that they can escape.
Your possession powers are your only means of survival in his hellish landscape
The player character must explore the fiery hellscape and make use of the power of possession in order to survive the challenges set against them. This allows the player to take control of various people that they encounter on their path. The player will also be able to possess demons that are simple minded.
7) Call of Cthulhu (2017)
Call of Cthulhu E3 Trailer
Call of Cthulhu is an investigation horror game that is set to release in 2017. The game makes use of a combination of psychological horror and stealth to create a perfect stealthy horror game with a lovecraftian plot. The goal for the player is to get key information about a disturbing truth in the lead up to Cthulhu’s awakening.
Creepy Imagery will appear frequently in this horror game
It can be seen that Cyanide Studio is a company that has created a number of critically acclaimed games that have been praised by numerous critics. For example, Styx: Master of Shadows was seen as being excellent due to the variety in its level design in addition to its gameplay and immersive atmosphere. This should give fans hope for the upcoming 2017 release of Call of Cthulu. The screenshots and trailer for the game are also a testament to the fact that this game’s stealth and psychological horror could perhaps trump that of Amnesia the Dark Descent.
8) System Shock Remastered
System Shock Remastered Steam Trailer
Another Science Fiction Horror to look forward to in 2017 is System Shock Remastered. This remake of the original System Shock allows players to experience the original horror RPG sci-fi adventure without having to deal with the graphics which have aged poorly since the game’s release in 1994. Of course this game is not just a scaling up of the original graphics, it is a complete revamp from the ground up in the Unity Engine.
The game retains the original story where the protagonist is indentured by TriOptimum’s executives following their attempt to break into the company. The Protagonist then wakes up six months later and discovers that the entire space station is in chaos. All the surgeons are missing and the only residents are killer cyborgs, robots and mutants who swear allegiance to a malevolent A.I known as Shodan.
All of our favorite elements from the original system shock appear in the new remake
All of the original elements of the game remain along with some newer more refined elements being inserted to improve the gameplay. The new changes were popular as many who have played the alpha-demo of the remastered edition noted how the developers put a lot of work into the game and how the remake feels like the original, but with upgraded graphics.
System Shock Remastered Pre-Alpha Demo Gameplay
9) Friday the 13th: The Game
Friday the 13th: The Game E3 Teaster Trailer
If you were disappointed by the original Friday the 13th on the Nintendo Entertainment System and have been yearning to play a game involving the titular Jason Voorhees, then you can look forward to the release of Friday the 13th: The Game in 2017. The game is a third person 8 player game of cat and mouse. Seven players play as the camp counsellors who are trying to survive the night as one player controlled Jason Voorhees hunts them down relentlessly. Jason Voorhees himself can be fairly scary for those who have watched the film, but, an intelligent Jason that is being controlled by a skilled player brings the horror to a whole new level.
Explore the camp of Crystal Lake
When playing as Jason, the player can stalk those who are playing as the camp counsellors. Jason has a number of abilities that will help with massacring the other players. This includes gaining extra strength as the night goes on which means that as the night gets darker, Jason gets stronger, making him more terrifying. Players who take control of Jason will also have better sight and hearing in comparison to the camp counsellors, making it easier for Jason to track them down.
Jason In-Game
10) Scorn
Scorn Teaser Trailer
Scorn is an atmospheric horror game being developed by Ebb Software. The game will be released in two parts, with the first part being released in the first Quarter of 2017. Unfortunately, there is no information about when the second part is to be released.
Scorn is a game that, to many, owes its designs to H.R Giger as the majority of the game’s visual elements include disease ridden organic material. The game is an atypical first Person Shooter according to the developer, with very few creatures actually trying to hurt the player. There will also be no cutscenes as all storytelling will happen during gameplay, so the player will not be distracted by the strange, grotesque world that they are exploring. According to the developer, every single thing has a purpose and must not be ignored.
Each location that the player explores has its own story along with unique puzzles and characters
The game’s immersion is better done by making them aware of the movements of their character. The interaction is realistic as players can actually see the object being picked up by the player with machines and instruments mainly activated through grabbing the controls of the machines. Players will need to employ a number of different gameplay styles as they think about what they are doing in the game. With the game’s limited ammo, managing supplies is important. The player’s actions will also have an effect on the world around them.
Conclusion
From looking at these upcoming horror titles, it is clear that horror game fans have quite a lot to look forward to in 2017. Different titles with great varied gameplay will be released in 2017. Whether you want a fun multiplayer slasher movie type game or an atmospheric horror game that will keep you up at night, 2017 looks like it is going to be a great year for horror gaming.
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