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Although it had its roots in early PC titles like Alone in the Dark and bizarre NES games such as Sweet Home, the survival horror genre didn’t truly get underway until the fifth generation of consoles with Resident Evil.
What started with an escape from a decrepit mansion has spawned an entire cottage industry. Both indie and AAA developers have become rather adept at this style of game, which is not surprising considering they’ve had a lot of practice since 1996.
Every console generation since then has had some form of survival horror game. It’s right up there with JRPGs and first-person shooters in terms of prolificness, so you won’t have to look far during a console’s life to find a dreaded tale of horrific nightmares to escape from.
As we look back at the previous five generations of survival horror games on home consoles, it’s important to note how much this genre has evolved and expanded itself. Each generation has improved on something in some way, and the strength of this style of game shines through immaculately.
5 Resident Evil 2
Fifth Generation
The original Resident Evil may have codified a lot of the elements that make this genre what it is, but the sequel wasn’t just an improvement. In many ways, it’s still the blueprint for how to make a game like this work.
Sometimes it’s hard to determine what makes a game perfect, but I truly believe Resident Evil 2 is perfect. Everything about its pace, structure, and story is flawless.
The pre-rendered backgrounds are some of the best the console has ever seen, and the 3D characters are a seamless fit. It’s one of the best uses of the technique ever seen during this era.
It also has some unique writing for the time. There’s a certain otherworldly, almost Shakespearean way to how the characters speak. It’s something the franchise would never do again, but it works so well here.
4 Silent Hill 2
Sixth Generation
To this day, the leap from PS1 to PS2 is the most impressive graphical jump of all time to me. It felt like we had moved into the future overnight.
No game was more evident of that than Silent Hill 2. Even now, it’s a game that doesn’t seem possible to achieve.
The lifelike faces and dingy corridors of the Otherworld are just spectacular. It has some of the most consistent art direction in the entire Silent Hill franchise.
There was no survival horror game as good as this one during the sixth-generation of home consoles. There are a few, like Rule of Rose and Haunting Ground, that come , but Silent Hill 2 is still in a class all its own.
3 The Last Of Us
Seventh Generation
Of all the games on this list, I have replayed The Last of Us more than any of them by a mile. In spite of its dark, oppressive story, I find some unusual comfort in its discomfort.
There were a lot of excellent survival horror games during the seventh-generation. Dead Space and Condemned 2 spring to mind, but none of them even came to The Last of Us.
The cross-country journey of Joel and Ellie to find a cure for humanity is one of the most harrowing survival horror adventures of all time. It’s filled with so many memorable moments and haunting encounters.
The way it makes survival feel like a genuine concern is still so impressive. Ammo scarcity feels far more genuine than other games in the genre, and Naughty Dog’s ability to create drama through that is impeccable.
2 Dying Light
Eighth Generation
During the long, painful wait for Dead Island 2, it was rather alarming to watch Techland abandon the sequel in favor of a completely new IP. It’s good to see developers freed of any sort of shackles, but I found myself a little wary of Dying Light.
The original Dead Island is one of my favorite games of all time. The prospect of Techland doing a completely new thing left me cautiously optimistic.
I was thankful to have my concerns laid to rest, as Dying Light became one of the best games of its generation, and the eighth-generation’s most outstanding survival horror experience.
The fear it creates when nightfall rolls around is still fabulous. It was different in a lot of ways from Dead Island, but retained all that game’s commitment to a fun survival experience.
1 Alan Wake 2
Ninth Generation
I found myself filled with excitement when Remedy’s Sam Lake described Alan Wake 2 as the studio’s first survival horror game. There were certainly elements of that in the first game, but the commitment to that in the sequel was just one of many reasons to be hyped.
After waiting so long, perhaps the scariest thing about Alan Wake 2 was that it would be a disappointment. Thankfully, it more than lived up to expectations.
The dual character story, intimidating enemies, outlandish plot – all of it is textbook for the genre. It ticks all the boxes and then some.
Alan Wake 2 may have taken some time to finally arrive, but the wait was worth every second. No survival horror experience this generation has even come to this absolute masterpiece.
