It’s been said before that the defects and mistakes of any medium will eventually become the aspects of it that trigger audiences’ nostalgia (via musician Brain Eno). While the tracking lines, bad textures, and low-poly character models were once the PS1’s weak points, in the modern age, it’s some of the most endearing parts of the retro gaming experience. For any horror gamers that are reminiscent of the old-schoolResident Evilor Silent Hilldays, here are a few great modern titles that mimic that iconic PS1 aesthetic.
Updated June 21, 2022, by Christine Mendoza: The classic genre of retro horror/horror survival games is timeless, and it seems as if game developers big and small aren’t quite done with paying their homages yet. Many game developers (especially indie ones) have recently tried their hand at that classic PS1 horror game aesthetic and have made their very own unique changes and have truly reinvented the genre altogether.
To keep up with the amazing new titles that are constantly being released and older gems being rediscovered, a few new key entries have been added (along with their developer info) for any horror fans that want to stay updated with the PS1 aesthetic resurgence.
13 No One Lives Under The Lighthouse
Developer : Sowoke Entertainment Bureau Year : 2020 Platform : Windows
For any horror film buffs that loved the 2019 psychological horror The Lighthouse, No One Lives Under The Lighthouse is a great retro horror experience to give a go. Sowoke Entertainment Bureau is an indie Ukrainian developer that specializes in retro horror games. While this title starts off relatively slow the descent into madness and uncovering the real dangers that reside on the island after each passing day makes the slow burn worth the wait.
That eerie feeling of the solitude of being on one’s own slowly fading from calmness to paranoia is one of the most difficult horror game experiences to create and No One Lives Under The Lighthouse certainly delivers it successfully.
12 The Convenience Store
Developer : Chilla’s Art Year : 2020 Platform : Windows
Chilla’s Art has been well known in the Japanese indie gaming scene for their fantastic horror games that always start out as seemingly mundane, everyday jobs that eventually transform into something more sinister. The Convenience Store follows the life of a young college student on her way to her night shift at her local convenience store. However, as each night passes, more and more eerie happenings occur in both the protagonist’s house and also while at work.
The game effectively utilizes the retro-style VHS static aesthetic and works the low fidelity into the theme of the game as it heavily features the use of CRT monitors when checking the security footage at work or when watching the mysterious VHS tapes in the protagonist’s home.
11 Paratopic
Developer : Arbitrary Metric (LLC) , Baltoro Games Year : 2018 Platform : Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Windows, macOS, Linux
Paratopic is a first-person horror game that is separated into shorter gameplay segments that all loosely connect in the end. With all the perspectives shifting from one to another and through time as well, the player is constantly kept in an unnerved and tense state, not having all the information or details to fill in the blanks.
Paratopic is often praised for being known as a short horror experience rather than a more conventional video game. The game focuses heavily on its gritty appearance and atmosphere in order to tell the dark story it wants to tell with the mysterious cast of (intentionally) unnamed characters.
10 The Closing Shift
Developer : Chilla’s Art Year : 2022 Platform : Windows
The Closing Shift is yet another Chilla’s Art title that plays with the idea of much more realistic fears that anyone could imagine and hit closer to home. The Closing Shift isn’t like other café games where the aroma of coffee, soft jazz music, and the cozy environment make for a relaxing game night.
Instead, it takes that seemingly calming and peaceful picture of a café late at night and slowly turns it into a nightmare where it feels like the player’s each and every move is constantly being watched at all times. Much like The Convenience Store, The Closing Shift has more than one ending depending on the player’s choices.
9 Fears To Fathom: Home Alone
Developer : Rayll Year : 2021 Platform : Windows
Fears To Fathom is not one single horror game and instead is an entire series of episodic psychological horror games. Home Alone is the very first installment of the series and is currently free while other episodes are in development and on their way.
Fears To Fathom: Home Alone centers around the young Miles, left home alone while his parents are out of town. During the seemingly quiet night in, Miles is forced to fend for himself and make all the right choices in order to defend his house and survive through the night.
8 Babysitter Bloodbath
Developer : Puppet Combo Year : 2013 Platform : Windows
Babysitter Bloodbath is a game developed by Puppet Combo, a developer that just so happens to specialize in that famous PS1 survival horror game look and feel. Complete with a start screen that displays a mock-up of a VCR tape box’s cover art, Babysitter Bloodbath takes full advantage of the entire old-school aesthetic, featuring fixed camera angles and tank controls (the choice of playing in first-person is also available). This game not only looks retro, but its story involves a very old horror trope as well.
The player takes control of Sarah, a young girl that is called for a babysitting job late at night at a moment’s notice. The night may start out with normal babysitting errands, but after Sarah convinces her date Jack to check the backyard after hearing a suspicious noise, the night grows grim. It’s clear that there is a dangerous intruder in the house, and it’s up to the player to lead Sarah and helpless Billy to safety.
7 The Thirteenth Floor
Developer : Comp-3 Interactive Year : (In Development; demo available ) Platform : Windows, macOS
As of the moment, The Thirteenth Floor is available for free as it is still in its early stages of development. However, what it currently has ready for players is definitely worth checking out. A perfect mix of scares and fun/interesting Easter eggs, The Thirteenth Floor is a fun short horror experience.
The game is played from a first-person perspective with simple controls and allows the player to find hilarious Easter eggs/set dressing items (among the other legitimate items and clues) while navigating through the eerie abandoned hotel the player wakes up in, making for a great juxtaposition in the overall mood of the game.
Any gamers that are interested in a short horror experience with a fun twist should give the game a go and leave some feedback for the game’s final release.
6 Squirrel Stapler (Dread X Collection 2)
Developer : David Szymanski Year : 2020 Platform : Windows
Squirrel Stapler may seem a bit outrageous and almost comedic at first sight, but after playing the first day or two in-game, it’s clear that the plot is much darker than it initially seems. Squirrel Stapler is part of the Dread X Collection, a collection of short horror games/teasers made by a number of different developers.
Mimicking a traditional hunting game, the player hunts squirrels in the forest every day, returning to their cabin at night. The player then discovers that the goal of the game is to acquire dead squirrels in order to staple them to their dead wife as a means to “rebuild” her, with the last day of the game bringing the player a big surprise.
The days may start mundane, but as the game and story progress, Squirrel Stapler begins to get more and more chilling, revealing more about the psyche of the player’s character.
5 Murder House
Developer : Puppet Combo , Vague Scenario LLC Year : 2020 Platform : Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows
The prologue of Murder House features a young child named Justin, getting ready to take a photo with a mall version of the Easter Bunny. Later, Justin finds himself locked in the mall after hours, now tasked with finding a way out. However, Justin is eventually captured by a mysterious figure wearing the same Easter Bunny costume from earlier.
Three years later, the game follows a news crew that travels to the seemingly abandoned house of Anthony Smith, the supposed serial killer known as the Easter Ripper. The player takes control of Emma, an intern at her local news station, in charge of finding a way into the house, and eventually, must find a way to escape the hidden killer.
The game’s use of switching from a single fixed camera angle to multiple camera angles when being pursued by an enemy makes the chilling experience all the more effective.
4 Bloodwash
Developer : Black Eyed Priest , Henry Hoare Year : 2021 Platform : Windows
Bloodwash is an eerie first-person horror game that follows the young Sara on her seemingly mundane night routine. Sara needs a fresh pair of clothes for her job interview but to her dismay, the washers at her apartment complex are out of order.
Sara then ventures out at night (against the wishes of those she encounters, concerned about her safety) to travel to the closest laundromat to get her clothes nice and clean for the next day. However, as the night progresses, Sara learns about the horrific urban legend of the Womb Ripper, a serial killer that specifically targets pregnant women. It’s up to the player to help Sara survive the night and get to the bottom of the mystery of the Womb Ripper’s tale.
3 Nun Massacre/Night Of The Nun
Developer : Puppet Combo Year : 2018 Platform : Android, iOS
Nun Massacre, also named Night Of The Nun in case Youtube had an issue with players uploading playthroughs with the word “massacre” in the title, is yet another game by Puppet Combo. This game is played in first-person and even has the choice of playing with retro filters on or off; to either preserve the full old-school horror game experience/immersion or to appreciate the game in a modern way.
The player takes the role of Mrs. McDonnell, a woman in search of her sick daughter at a seemingly abandoned boarding school. After the lonesome walk up the mountain, Mrs. McDonnell finally reaches the school, where she finds various notes written by her daughter that indicate that she was abused and mistreated during her stay at the school. The player must make their way through the school in search of their missing daughter while being pursued by a terrifying killer nun.
2 Anatomy
Developer : Kitty Horrorshow Year : 2016 Platform : Windows, macOS, Linux
Anatomy is a psychological horror; a deep and thought-provoking narrative about the human body and its similarities to an everyday household, all in the medium of a video game. While Anatomy isn’t the typical horror game many fans may have in mind, it still manages to deliver a terrifying and immersive experience.
Following a nameless protagonist exploring a desolate house finding new cassette tapes in each new location, the player begins to understand that with each new recording, their surroundings begin to change and become less welcoming with each step of progress.
The low-resolution aesthetic of the game fits perfectly with the muffled audio of each cassette recording and adds to the simplicity of the game and its overall narrative.
1 Power Drill Massacre
Developer : Puppet Combo Year : 2015 Platform : Windows, macOS
Right from Power Drill Massacre’s opening sequence, it was clear that this game was made to trigger that sense of nostalgia for the generation of PS1 games. Power Drill Massacre is an updated remake of Puppet Combo’s 2012 game, Minotaur, that never left its alpha stage in development.
The player takes control of a woman named Megan who finds herself stranded on the side of the road after a car accident. In search of help, Megan heads off, away from the wreckage in hopes of finding aid for her injured friend, Jeff. However, on her desperate search, Megan finds herself in the company of a horrifying murderer that the player must evade. It may be a very simple premise, but the game does a fantastic job of keeping the atmosphere eerie yet nostalgic.
More: Free Horror Games That Are Just As Terrifying As Resident Evil
