Quality art direction is crucial to a frightening horror game. Often enough it makes or breaks the game’s success, serving as a primary component of the dividing line between a truly immersive survival horror experience and a failed attempt. Gripping aesthetics and graphical fidelity can bring you half-way to being inside a video game by truly evoking fear and suspense.
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The 2010s saw the rise of 4K consoles like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, helping to bridge the gap between PC and console gaming in terms of visual quality. It was also a decade that did wonders for the horror genre and saw the release of immersive horror games scarier than ever before. So turn off the lights, and get cozy. These are the ten most beautiful horror games of the 2010s.
10 Dead Space 3
Although it’s not widely considered the strongest entry in the Dead Space trilogy, Dead Space 3 has splendid art direction. Set on a frigid planet inhabited by the undead, you’ll find a variety of dilapidated structures and broken ships. The weather effects make it a lively game. It’s set in an expansive world, which contrasts with other games in the series.
9 The Evil Within 2
As you journey through this game’s immersive world, you get the sense that this isn’t your ordinary survival horror game. This hauntingly beautiful game earned high praise for its visual design and atmosphere. You play as the same protagonist, but The Evil Within 2 takes you to unique locations that set the tone for the game. Also, the character models are richly detailed, providing a seamless experience for horror game enthusiasts.
8 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is considered a departure from the main series since it focuses on a unique story that is mostly unrelated to the other games. But you’ll still be cautiously exploring the game’s world while subtly enjoying every bit of its detail.
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There is much to appreciate about the game’s artwork. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard has a southern United States setting that goes well with its paranormal themes. Although the game isn’t quite as expansive as other Resident Evil games, it’s filled with small nuances that give the game style.
7 Alien: Isolation
For those into everything extraterrestrial, Alien: Isolation is a must-play. The game’s content consists mostly of playing hide and seek with an endoparasitoid species that serves as the antagonist of the game.
It’s not until later in the game that you do receive weapons to combat enemies. Alien: Isolation does a great job of keeping you guessing. To say that the developers paid attention to detail is an understatement. The game builds on the notion that “in space, no one can hear you scream.”
6 Outlast 2
Many of the details contained in this game are enshrouded in darkness, yet what we do see looks beautiful. Outlast 2 takes place in the same universe as its predecessor but has different characters and settings. It’s set outside of the psychiatric hospital in a rural village that is inhabited by deranged derelicts. This game received no shortage of acclaim for its art direction. A third Outlast, titled The Outlast Trials, is scheduled to release in 2021.
5 Until Dawn
Other than a few jump scare scenes, you should have no qualms about picking up and playing Until Dawn. It features voices from prominent actors like Hayden Panettiere, Peter Stormare, Rami Malek, and Brett Dalton.
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Until Dawn is much like your typical cheesy horror flick, but highly interactive and rendered with astonishing detail. You’ll have to survive the cabin in the woods setting as you flee from a serial killer on the prowl. Interestingly enough, each character can live or die, depending on your decisions in-game.
4 P.T. (Silent Hills)
P.T. was meant to be an interactive teaser for Silent Hills, a game that was, to the disappointment of many, canceled. With Hideo Kojima directing and designing the project with movie director Guillermo del Toro, there was no shortage of hype funneled into it by a legion of eager fans.
The puzzles contained in P.T. were considered overly difficult. Regardless of if you were a fan of P.T.’s gameplay, this game’s lifelike graphics were way ahead of their time, making this one remarkably beautiful horror game.
3 Metro Exodus
Had it played without frame drops on the Xbox One and PS4, Metro Exodus would have placed higher. This game suffers from performance issues. But beneath loading issues and frame drops, there is a game with visual appeal. The detail is densely packed into its sizeable world. Metro Exodus continues the saga of Artyom after the events of Metro 2033 and Last Light, delivering even more post-apocalyptic thrills in a more open environment than its predecessors. And it looks good doing it.
2 Layers Of Fear 2
Layers of Fear 2 is even more beautiful than its predecessor. The first game revolved around paintings and a painter that had gone insane, but the sequel is a work of art in itself. One can lose themselves in this beautiful horror game as you become lost in the game’s winding story. Instead of showing the emotional development of a painter, Layers of Fear 2 tells a Hollywood actor’s story. Both games follow a similar premise and are excellent games.
1 Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil is a highly acclaimed survival horror series. The second game in the series, Resident Evil 2, received a remake in 2019. It’s not a coincidence that one of the most recent 2010 horror games made it to the top of this list. Graphics improved drastically during the 2010s, and Resident Evil 2 serves as a quintessential example of how far graphical fidelity has come since its original outing. And guess what? The game plays as good as it looks. The lighting effects and facial animations are truly impressive, and need to be seen in order to be believed.
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