Summary
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Japanese horror media exploded in popularity around the world, becoming its own distinct subgenre known as “J-Horror.” It was known for its incredibly punchy scares, eerie atmosphere, focus on an increasingly digital world, and truly cursed atmospheres. It’s no surprise, then, that many Western games have since decided to use J-horror as an inspiration.
Whether it’s games that explore the new digital frontier of horror-making, or straightforward homages to J-horror foundations, there are plenty of games that celebrate the great subgenre. This list is ranked both by the quality of the games, and how much they were influenced by J-horror.
It’s hard to undersell the immense impact ofP.T., released in 2014 as a playable demo, which took a simple concept of a domestic ghost invasion and made it possibly one of the scariest games ever made. It’s simple, but effective, and its cancellation and disappearance from stores made gamers hungry for more.
That’s whereVisagecomes from. Clearly inspired byP.T.andP.T.’s J-horror influences (particularly the onryo yokai visual influences),Visagedelivers on the promise of what could have been. It’s a punchy horror gamefull of unsettling detailsthat’s heavy on the scares, making it a great time for any J-horror fan.
Sometimes, breaking out of the indie game zone and into the mainstream isn’t just a matter of catching attention, but catching attention through the sheer power of the game. InThe Mortuary’s Assistant, the sheer self-evident power of the scares is apparent from the moment players boot up the game.
In the game,perfect for horror beginners, players take on the role of a morgue assistant who has a couple of run-ins with some very not nice demons while she’s trying to do her job. The game plays on J-horror tropes of the supernatural in a workplace environment, and the scares are just as powerful as anything in aJu-Onfilm.
Bloober Team, though controversial among some fan communities, is undoubtedly on the vanguard of modern horror games. They not only remade the indomitableSilent Hill 2,but are constantly pushing out new horror games that always deliver on the scare factor.
J-horror is frequently concerned with the overlap between the worlds of the dead and the living.The Mediummakes that overlap extremely apparent, with sections of the game taking place simultaneously in a hellish world and reality. It’s a novel gameplay conceptbacked by a great storythat makesThe Mediumstand out from its competitors.
First-person, and to a lesser degree, third-person games, are tailor-made for horror, putting the player in the shoes of the protagonist to make the scares extra impactful. So, it would seem that a top-down perspective would do the opposite…right?
Darkwoodis a stunning statement to the contrary, delivering one of the most oppressive atmospheres and frightening game experiences of the 2010s, all from that top-down perspective. With an emphasis on uncertainty, supernatural spirits, shadows, and uncertainty, the J-horror influences are clear.
In the early 2010s, indie gaming experienced its first major boom period, with several games created by small studios breaking through to the mainstream and giving AAA games a run for their money. In the horror space,Amnesiausually gets the credit here, butLone Survivordeserves its laurels too.
Lone Survivoris a perfect encapsulation of the lo-fi gritty digital camcorder aesthetics of the best J-horror, in a game narrative clearly inspired by the likes ofSilent Hill, providing an adrenaline shot of inspiration to the horror genre in a time when it was catatonic. This one’s a must-play for horror fans who haven’t experienced it.
The early 2010s remain the golden age of indie gaming, with new digital platforms like Steam providing unfettered access to new developers, and even the big console guys beginning to lower the barrier of entry. In modernity, horror fans tend to considerThe Cat Ladyone of the biggest boons of that era.
In the adventure-style point-and-click gamewith incredible writing, players take control of a depressed woman who finds herself under the spell of a demonic entity determined to torture her. It’s an emotional game defined by its grungy J-horror aesthetics that make it stand out from the crowd, and a beloved darling of the horror indie boom of the early 2010s.
While the early 2010s were undoubtedly a golden age for the indie gaming space, it never disappeared, only evolving into new territories. In the early 2020s, indie horror games began to make a push into the world of co-op. This might seem like it would diminish scares, but instead it opened up a whole new popular subgenre that has resonated with players.
Phasmophobiais the standard-bearer of that new wave of co-op indie horror games. In it, players are tasked with huntinga roster of terrifying ghostsusing substandard digital equipment which ghosts mess with. It’s a great reinterpretation of the digital/analog tensions explored in classic J-horror, and the ghosts themselves are clear send-ups of the onryo visual archetype.
Daniel Mullins is well known for pushing the boundaries of whatever game genre he works on. That was never more true than in 2021 when he releasedInscryption,perhaps the first horror card-game video game that was stunningly inventive and delivered some incredible scares.
Not to spoil some of the game’s biggest twists, but it becomes clear as the game progresses that the player is dealing with the game on multiple levels of digital reality, harkening back to J-horror roots likePulse,which do the very same. It’s a stone-cold classic and undoubtedly one of the best horror games of the 2020s so far.
