Creepy Games in 2022

Horror games on the PlayStation 1 were what turned me from a gaming hobbiest to an obsessive. They were the reasons I spent long hours on dial up, reading forums about the behind the scenes and rumors about games. They were the reason I spent weeks building an Angelfire site and joining a web ring. 

To this day, I still love them. They are some of the few games that don't tell your standard super soldier story. In fact, the weaker and more flawed your character is, the scarier the game tends to be. 

After completing Elden Ring and it owning March through August, I wanted to play a few shorter games. Horror games lend themselves to this need because the sweet spot for a good horror game is about 5-15 hours. Anything beyond that and the fear has diminishing returns

Wolfenstein: The New Order and The Old Blood

Played on: Playstation 4
Release Date: 

• Wolfenstein: The New Order: May 20, 2014
• The Old Blood: May 5, 2015

It's hard to talk about one of these games without talking about both at the same time. 

The current Wolfenstein reboot borrows elements from so many games.

The sneaking ability is that of Thief and Dishonored where you have to trust the AI to your periphery won't see you because you're stalking a soldier, crouched, and hoping you can land a melee blow without anyone noticing.

The combat is ultra-violent like something ID Games, Quake and Doom, would make.

The level design feels oddly like Resident Evil 4 and Metal Gear Solid in these Gothic castles with branching paths.

I don't think many people had this on their radar, but something about the reviews I read spoke to me and I had to get them both.

Wolfenstein

I got Wolfenstein: The New Order for Christmas. I don't know why I picked this one, but it just felt like the right time to play Wolfenstein again.

Like many people my age, the first FPS I ever played was Wolfenstein. I couldn't believe I was exploring this "3D" Nazi castle and fighting Meca-Hitler. I spent hours pressing the spacebar over and over again trying to find hidden passages. The only way I could truly describe my time with Wolfenstein was magical.

And this weekend, I found myself running through bunkers, and exploring Nazi castles with a huge smile on my face. B.J. Blazkowicz was given a voice and a story, and it fit the narrative I've always had in my mind.

I was overcome with joy, almost brought to tears at how well the game brought me back to my childhood. I collected Nazi gold and fired dual welding machine whilst laughing with delight.

This game had no right to be good. No right to be in multiple top 10 discussions. Bethesda pulled it off. I guess I should've expected it. Beside's Blizzard, no one has a better track record.