Horror Games to Play if You Like Resident Evil
Love Resident Evil? You’ll like these games
If you’re looking for more games like Resident Evil, look no further.
Resident Evil, a series that’s been running for nearly 25 years, is very hard to beat in the horror genre. While its numerous releases have had their ups and downs, it’s still considered one of the most important horror game series to date. Very few can rival it, but there are plenty of horror games out there that Resident Evil fans will at least like if not love.
If you’re looking for more games that capture the same horror magic of the Resident Evil series, we’ve put together a list. These games like Resident Evil are similar either in feeling, gameplay, setting – or sometimes all three. But one thing’s for sure: if you enjoy Resident Evil, you’ll likely enjoy these games too.
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Tormented Souls
Tormented Souls might be a game released in 2021, but it wants to take players back to the late 90s. Taking inspiration from classics such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill, it features fixed camera angles, tank controls and has a large emphasis on puzzle solving. It has grotesque enemies, too, and you’ll need to question whether it’s worth combating them due to the scarcity of ammo and the lacklustre fighting skills of the game’s protagonist, a woman called Caroline.
While the game’s camera angles can be troublesome at times, Tormented Souls is a must-have for those seeking out games like Resident Evil. It’s one of, if not the best survival horror game of recent years. We just hopes it gets a sequels that builds on its foundations. It’s available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC right now, and is also making its way to PS4, Xbox One and Switch sometime in the future.
Read our review of Tormented Souls
The Evil Within
The Evil Within made it to this list easily, not only because it was directed by Resident Evil’s creator Shinji Mikami, but because it often feels very much like a Resident Evil game at times. It follows Krimson City police detective Sebastian Castellanos as he investigates a gruesome mass murder at Beacon Mental Hospital. While investigating, the team is transported into another world where they’re forced to fight a multitude of horrific entities while trying to escape the mysterious place where they’ve been transported.
Expect a strange story, lots of gore, untrustworthy characters, a weird save system, and more elements like Resident Evil during your playthrough. It’s a must, whether you’re a fan of Resident Evil or the horror genre in general. A sequel is available now, too, that’s every bit as good. They’re both available on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Daymare: 1998
Daymare: 1998 is interesting, because it in fact started out life as an unofficial Resident Evil 2 fan remake. Obviously, it’s become its own thing – but it shares many similarities to the Resident Evil series as a result. Expect zombies, jump scares, dark corridors, an annoying inventory management system and more – yep, it packs in everything you like (and don’t like) about the Resident Evil series.
It’s an indie game, so Daymare: 1998 is perhaps not as polished as an actual Resident Evil game would be. But for fans of the series, it’s certainly worth picking up. Rather than being a Resident Evil-like cash-in, it tries to do its own thing too, playing with the genre in new ways. They don’t always pay off, but it’s a worthwhile play all the same. Pick it up on PS4, Xbox One or PC.
Alan Wake Remastered
In Alan Wake, you take on the titular role; an author struggling with a bout of writer’s block. Alan and his wife Alice take a vacation to Bright Falls in the hope that Alan’s creative juices will soon start flowing, but things quickly take a turn for the seriously weird. Alice goes missing and suddenly Alan starts to find pages from a book with his name on it that he hasn’t written yet. Things get even worse when the horrific scenes from the book start to come true.
Alan Wake’s story is what sets it apart from most other games in the genre, but like Resident Evil, it’s packed with atmosphere and creepy monsters. Together, that makes it one of the most memorable survival horror games of all time. It’s just been remastered, making it look and play better than ever. So, if you’re after games like Resident Evil, pick it up on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, or PC.
Dead Space
In Dead Space, you play as Isaac Clarke, a ship systems engineer sent in to address a distress signal sent out by the USG Ishimura. After a malfunction, Clarke’s ship crashes into the Ishimura and, not long after, the crew members are attacked by grotesque aliens and are forced apart.
With his engineering skills, Isaac must fight off the terrible monsters that have taken over the ship, find out what happened, and get the hell off as fast as he can. Dead Space has an incredibly tense atmosphere and gruesome setting, making it an overall truly horrifying experience, just like Resident Evil. Except set in space. Originally released on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, a remake is currently in the works for next-gen consoles. Until then, it’s still playable on PC, and you can also play it on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S thanks to backwards compatibility.
Dying Light
Dying Light was one of 2015’s best games and five years on, it still holds strong. In it, you play as Kyle Crane, an undercover operative working for the GRE (Government Relief Effort). Crane is sent into the city of Harran, which has been quarantined due to a breakout of a zombie plague, and he’s tasked with securing document that could ruin the GRE’s reputation should it leak. Not long after his arrival in Harran, Crane realises that the GRE may not have the city’s best interest in mind and has to choose between his job and helping the Harran survivors.
Dying Light feels like a mash-up of three games: it’s like Resident Evil, Far Cry and Mirror’s Edge all rolled into one thanks to its open world, horror, and parkour elements respectively. That’s obviously a winning formula. A sequel is on the way, so that’s something to look forward to. And a Platinum Edition has just been released on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC that bundles the base game along with its expansions and some other pieces of DLC.
Read our review of Dying Light
Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition is a classic choice for some, simply for its cheesy voice acting and terrible dialogue. It tells the story of FBI Agent Francis York Morgan as he investigates a small town murder involving an 18-year-old woman. While the story is quirky, confusing and weird, its horror elements are done well and are sure to give you the heebie jeebies.
Fans of Resident Evil will love the creepy aspects and are likely to enjoy its memorable characters. You’ll be eating your own “Sinner’s Sandwich” by the end of it, and telling your friends all about it, I guarantee. Originally released on PS3 and Xbox 360, it’s now also available on PC and Switch, making it easier to pick up and play.
The Last of Us
Arguably one of the best survival horror games of all time, The Last of Us puts you in the shoes of Joel and Ellie, survivors of a mutant virus outbreak that has all but destroyed the world. The infected have spread their disease throughout the United States until most of civilisation is practically destroyed.
It’s Joel’s job to protect the young Ellie and travel with her to a facility in Salt Lake City in order to find a cure for the virus. The Last of Us is a heart-wrenching tale of survival with hardcore action elements as well as stealth elements for those that like to sneak around and take things slow. It’s not quite as pure horror as the Resident Evil series – but it has more than a handful of similarities. Originally released on PS3, The Last of Us has been remastered for PS4 and there’s also a sequel available on that format. Make sure you play them both.
Silent Hill
It may seem like a pretty obvious choice, but not including Silent Hill in this list would be something of a crime. Each Silent Hill game (with the exception of Shattered Memories and Silent Hill 4) is based in the eerie town of Silent Hill. The protagonists of each game experience the “Otherworld” — an alternate reality version of the town filled with hallucinations of a sort that take the form of gruesome monsters.
The Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises are two of the most iconic horror series of all time. For anyone who loves the first three Resident Evil games but hasn’t given Silent Hill a try, go do the thing. Now. Go on, we’ll wait. Having only been released on the original PlayStation, however, it’s not so easy to play now. A PlayStation Vita and a digital copy of the game is perhaps your best bet.
ObsCure
ObsCure, to the untrained eye, is a near carbon copy of the original Resident Evil. Set in a high school in America, it follows a group of teenagers looking for their missing friend. The game is set in a overly complex building with hidden secret rooms, it has an annoying inventory system and the characters are straight out of a B-movie. ObsCure plays with a similar fixed angle perspective, it makes you go through silly puzzles to unlock doors and it has a horrible secret for you to uncover. You couldn’t get a game more like Resident Evil if you tried.
What ObsCure does differently, though, is equally appetising for us horror fans. Firstly, it’s fully co-op, allowing you to explore the dangerous secrets that await with a friend in tow. Each character has a unique skill, and any one of them can die, leaving nothing but a trace of their existence as you carry on playing with the remaining party members. ObScure is not simply a love-letter to the survival horror genre — it is a forgotten classic in its own right. Just don’t play the underwhelming sequel. Released way back in 2004, the easiest way to play it is via Steam on PC, unless you have a PS2 or Xbox handy.
