7 Survival Horror Games to Shake Up Your "Resident Evil Village" Experience

It is no secret that the Resident Evil franchise has been one of the most successful survival horror series in gaming history. With its eighth installment, Resident Evil Village, recently released, fans of the genre are already looking for something new to play. Although Resident Evil Village offers a unique blend of horror elements, it may be time to take a break and explore other titles with similar gameplay and atmosphere. That being said, here are 7 games worth checking out if you’re looking for a change of pace from Resident Evil Village. 

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of the most acclaimed horror games ever made and still holds up today as one of the best examples of psychological horror. Developed by Frictional Games and released in 2010, this first-person survival horror adventure game follows Daniel as he travels through an abandoned castle filled with monsters and puzzles. To survive this perilous journey, players must stay hidden from enemies while solving environmental puzzles that will open up new paths forward. Throughout his journey, Daniel slowly unravels the mystery behind his own forgotten past while struggling to keep his sanity intact in a world filled with darkness and despair. 

Alien Isolation is a 2014 first-person survival horror game developed by Creative Assembly that takes place fifteen years after the events of Alien (1979). Players take on the role of Amanda Ripley as she explores an orbiting space station in search of her mother’s lost flight recorder. As Ripley investigates further into this derelict environment she quickly learns that she is not alone; a single Xenomorph lurks somewhere within these walls and must be avoided at all costs or suffer certain death. With limited resources available at her disposal, Ripley must rely on her wit and cunning to survive this dangerous encounter and discover what happened to her mother all those years ago. 

Outlast is an incredibly unsettling first-person survival horror game developed by Red Barrels in 2013 that follows investigative journalist Miles Upshur as he infiltrates Mount Massive Asylum — a facility owned by Murkoff Corporation — in search of answers about some unusual experiments occurring within its walls. As Miles delves further into this nightmarish labyrinth he discovers more than what he bargained for; grotesque creatures roam free while secrets long forgot to lay buried deep within these decrepit halls waiting to be revealed. Players will have to rely on their wits if they hope to survive this unhinged descent into madness unscathed. 

Dead Space is a 2008 third-person action horror game developed by Visceral Games where players take on the role of Isaac Clarke; an engineer sent aboard an abandoned mining ship called USG Ishimura in search of survivors following a distress signal emitted from it several days before his arrival. As Clarke travels further into this colossal vessel, he quickly learns that something sinister awaits him; mutated aliens called Necromorphs roam freely throughout its corridors, eager for fresh prey which can only be eliminated using special weapons specifically designed for them, such as plasma cutters or mining tools found scattered around each level. In order to survive against impossible odds, players must use every tool at their disposal if they hope to make it off Ishimura alive with their sanity intact.  

Until Dawn was released back in 2015 and remains one of PlayStation 4's best interactive story experiences set atop Blackwood Mountain, where eight friends gather together during winter season only to find themselves hunted by supernatural forces beyond their control, throughout their journey, players are presented with various choices which can either save or doom any given character depending on how they choose them which makes playing Through Dawn multiple times both rewarding and entertaining experience due to its nonlinear narrative structure. It also features some convincing motion capture performances, which help bring each character alive even more so than seen before in any other interactive story-driven title.  

The Forest was released back in 2018 PC, an exclusive title developed by Endnight Games which puts players in control of Eric Leblanc, who crash lands onto a mysterious island inhabited by strange mutant-like creatures known as cannibals who want nothing more than hunt down anything living creatures unfortunate enough to stumble upon their domain. To survive against these unimaginable odds, Eric must scavenge supplies from surrounding areas, craft weapons and traps build shelters to hide away from the enemy's sight while uncovering dark secrets behind the island's mysterious inhabitant's ever-looming presence. With atmospheric visuals, intense combat scenarios unpredictable AI behavior, The Forest stands out amongst other post-apocalyptic survival titles currently available market.                                     

Soma was released back in 2015 sci-fi adventure title developed by Frictional Games same team behind Amnesia Dark Descent which puts the players in control Simon Jarrett protagonist, navigates a treacherous underwater research facility located bottom Atlantic Ocean in order to uncover the truth behind the facility's harrowing events occurred prior player's arrival. With an oppressive atmosphere, adventurous exploration unique puzzle-solving set pieces, Soma stands strong amongst other sci-fi thrillers currently out there, offering a gripping experience never seen before video games genre.