Electronic Arts’ Dead Space is the most important and contributing game in reviving the genre of survival horror. There are many games like Dead Space, maybe over 50 or so. How does one know which are the best and which are not? What are some of the best games like Dead Space that have survival horror elements? In this blog, we will discuss some of the best games like Dead Space which has survival horror elements in detail. Dead Space is a media franchise of science fiction and survival horror element. The game incorporates a third-person shooter perspective. Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey are the creators of this franchise.
Dead Space is the first game in the franchise released in 2008. Upon its release, Dead Space was a critical and commercial success. It is also considered one of the best games in the world. Dead Space has two sequels, with the latest being 2013’s Dead Space 3. In 2021, Electronic Arts announced a new remake of the original game, with a release window in early 2023. The franchise has other media as well, like comics, novels, animated movies, etc. All three games are critically successful.
Best Games Like Dead Space With Survival Horror Elements
Below are some of the best games like Dead Space which the players (and fans) must, at least, try for once. There is a short synopsis for every game, which may attract the players and let them know what they are getting into.
8. Cold Fear
Ubisoft’s Cold Fear is a game that directly competed with another survival horror game, Resident Evil 4. Unfortunately, it was heavily compared and criticized with that game. But, Cold Fear is a must-try game that brings a terrifying atmosphere experience to the players. Both fans and critics liked the graphics and sound of the game, and it was during the PlayStation 2 era. Darkworks, the developers, developed a new program, which made the ship react realistically to the sea waves. Darkworks took many innovative ideas with Cold Fear, like over 100 character animations and movement.
Cold Fear’s plot revolves around Tom Hansen, a member of the United States Coast Guard. He goes to a Russian Whaler ship and discovers that all the crew has turned into zombie-type creatures due to an alien Parasite. Tom later learns involvement of the Russian Mafia and the CIA. He then sets out to stop parasitic zombies from reaching the land.
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7. Alan Wake
Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake is another game that everyone should try. The developers made a game that tested the players on how well they could interact and use the environment to their advantage. The episodic approach of Alan Wake allowed the developers to convey the narrative creatively. As said above, the environment is one of the best things in the game. The best part of the game is you will never feel safe, where anything can turn bloody and scary. Critics pointed out in their reviews that playing this game will always keep the players on their seats’ edge.
Alan Wake follows the titular character who is a best-seller thriller novelist. At the start of the game, he has writers’ block, for which he goes on a vacation in Bright Falls. Upon reaching Bright Falls, he gets entangled in strange activities. Alan starts looking for his disappeared wife while experiencing events from his latest novel, which he does not remember writing.
6. Dino Crisis
The 90s were the time when Capcom was releasing hit after hit, and Dino Crisis was also released. Capcom released this survival horror game with many innovations. Shinji Mikami took the role of director and producer, which is enough for many to know how the game would be. The most praised factor in the game is the intensity and feeling of survival horror elements. The terror of Dinosaur in the game is terrifying and is a must for Jurassic Park and World fans.
Dino Crisis takes place on a secluded island. The protagonist, Regina, is sent to investigate the research facility along with her teams. When she reaches the place, she and her team find Dinosaurs everywhere. Regina’s objective after witnessing this is to learn the secret of the place and finally escape from the hellhole.
5. The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2, the sequel of the 2014’s game, is better in every aspect than its predecessor. Tango Gameworks listened to the fans and worked and improved on things that worked and removed everything that did not. This survival horror game is not like other linear games. The Evil Within 2 allows the players to have multiple access and progression to other levels. The early sections of the game are also semi-open-world. Sounds, music, and visuals are also better than the last. Though Mikami was a supervisor, his vision is seen in the game.
The Evil Within 2 takes place three years after the original game. Sebastian has PTSD from the first games’ events and left the Krimson City Police Department. He drowns in alcohol to escape his daughter’s death but gets info about her being alive. Sebastian agrees to work with his old partner and rescue her daughter.
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4. Prey
The mind-bending horror experience is what Prey is all about. Arkane Studios likes to experiment with different things with their games. The thing which makes Prey a horrifying experience is its enemy. They are mimicking beings and can mimic anything. The players never know what they are mimicking. Thus a constant fear of a backstab. As said above, the experimentation from the studio includes an open-world survival horror experience. Prey incorporates many other genre elements such as Metroidvania, Role-playing, stealth, etc. The fans of Bioshock and System Shock can also play and enjoy this game.
Prey takes place in an alternate timeline, in which humankind has earlier progress and success in the space orbital stations. The players control Morgan Yu, who is a part of the scientific research team. He and his team found a hostile alien force called Typhon, who can shapeshift and has psychic powers. Upon the escape of Typhons from their confinement, Morgan has to fight and fend off against these hostile forces and ultimately escape the station.
3. Alien: Isolation
Alien Isolation is a classic example of survival horror where all the players have to do is escape the aliens. Alien: Isolation is one of a few games from the Alien franchise that captures the true experience of the franchise. Creative Assembly opted for a first-person perspective to give the players a more intense and jump-from-the-seat type experience. This game does not provide anything to retaliate against the alien, which makes it even more horrifying. Alien: Isolation also has a beautiful visual, and the atmosphere is edgy but in a good way.
The game takes 15 years after the original 1979 Alien movie. Amanda Ripley is the daughter of Ellen Ripley and the protagonist of Alien: Isolation. Amanda goes to a space station called Sevastopol to uncover her mother’s disappearance. Upon reaching there, she finds the station internally damaged and learns that the alien is on the station. Amanda now has to depend on stealth to escape from the alien, all the while bringing closure to her mother’s disappearance.
2. The Last of Us
The Last of Us has to be on the list named best survival horror game. This post-apocalyptic game brings the players the best of everything. The players constantly have to be careful all the time, where there are zombies and hostile NPCs attacking from anywhere. The Last Of Us monsters are just not something to take lightly.
The game takes place in 2013 when a mutant fungus called Cordyceps outbreaks in the United States. This fungus transforms its host into an aggressive cannibal creature called infected. The player takes control of Joel, who loses his daughter during the chaos outbreak. He becomes a smuggler, who gets a mission to smuggle a teenage girl, Ellie. During their travel, Joel learns that Ellie is immune to the fungus.
1. Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is, without a doubt, the best survival horror game to this day. The game helped in modernizing the genre and brought many things for the game industry in general. The over-the-shoulder camera angle was a very different approach for Resident Evil and worked surprisingly well in Resident Evil 4. The atmosphere of Resident Evil 4 is scary and edgy, which constantly instills fears in the players. The enemies brought in this game vary and attack differently. Resident Evil 4 even now inspires developers for their horror elements or ideas.
The game brings Leon S Kennedy, a United States Government Special Agent, as a protagonist. He goes to a rural part of Europe on a mission by the government to find and rescue Ashley Graham, daughter of the US president. Leon learns that a mind-controlling parasite controls most of the populace of the village. Leon now has to fight the hordes of villagers and rescue Ashley.
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