August, dump and humid days are continuing, is the perfect time for horror titles. Currently, some horror titles, including “Higurashi When They Cry” and “Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories” (season 9) are being broadcast, but the number of works is small, and probably some viewers could say, “I want to watch more horror titles!”.
What I would like to suggest is “Horror Games”. There are many people who prefer to enjoy horror games in anime, and I’m one of them. But sometimes playing those games and thinking, “This one too scary to receive an anime adaptation”, I know that such games will never receive the anime adaptations . This is why I would like to introduce you 4 horror games that “Too scary to become anime.” For people who are looking for first-class fear.
◆ Why is there a gal game? “Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!”
The first thing I would like to introduce is the visual novel game “Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!”. At first glance, it looks like a gal game with cute beautiful girls, but there are many underlying stories that will surprise you. I don’t want to spoil it by saying too much, but it can be called a perfect work for those who like “Higurashi When They Cry”.
“Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!” is based on the “Doki Doki Literature Club!” with new illustrations and additional storylines. It is available now on Steam for PC. The release for Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5 will be on October 7.
◆ Masterpiece Japanese-style action horror “Zero” series where you shoot ghosts with a camera to eliminate them
In a Japanese-style horror-action “Zero” series, you use a camera “Shaeiki” to shoot the existence of another world to exterminate ghosts who are attacking the main character. By using the camera, you are forced to look directly at the ghost through the lens, and there is also a dilemma that the longer you look at it, the more powerful the camera becomes, so the level of fear is also rising.
More than the surprising side, it has a strong so-called Japanese horror aspect, so I think it can be recommended for those who like this type of works. In addition, the characters, including the main character, are all in good shape, and you can enjoy a little sex appeal. It’s a combination of horror, sex appeal, and promise.
The latest remastered version of the series, “Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water”, will be released on October 28 on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and Steam. The Wii U version is still on sale and distributed, so if you are interested, why not play the original before the remastered version will be released?
◆ “No matter what you do, there is only despair.” The “SIREN” series with unique gimmick to boost fear
There are 3 games in the series: “SIREN”, “SIREN2”, and “Siren: Blood Curse (New Translation)”. The first generation is set in Hanyu-jamura, a rural village surrounded by mountains, and “SIREN2” is set in an isolated island, Yamijima (“Siren: Blood Curse (New Translation)” is the first “new translation” version). Players aim to escape while avoiding the pursuit of shibito and yamibito who attack people. It is the game series that has shining gimmicks unique to it, such as “sightjack” that shares the sight of the corpse, a zapping system in which the character’s actions affect the scenarios of other characters, and an archive prepared of 100 episodes. Not only is it scary, but it is also popular for its stories with depth and mystery that cannot be solved simply by clearing it.
By the way, the TV commercial of the first “SIREN” is known for gossip that it was canceled earlier than planned because it was “too scary”. The characters are modeled based on real actors, and the main character of “SIREN2” is now played by the famous actor Saitou Takumi.
Even now, nearly 20 years after the first release, when it comes to “August 3”, which is the turning point of the first generation, this series will be a hot topic mainly on SNS. But since modern platforms don’t support it anymore, it maybe a little difficult to play it today.
You can play the 3rd game of the series “Siren: Blood Curse (New Translation)” on PS3, and you can also play it through the cloud gaming service “PlayStation Now” for PS4 and PS5, so this would be the easiest to play. For the first generation, you need to prepare PS2 or purchase / DL the one distributed in the PS3 game archives and play.
◆ You will be afraid to walk on the road at night… The “Yomawari” series
Lastly, I would like to introduce the “Yomawari” series, which is set in the nostalgic atmosphere of the Showa era. Two works, “Yomawari” and “Midnight”, are on sale. Players will rely on the light of a flashlight to navigate a dark map with various shapes of “ghosts”. Of course, if ghost spots you, the game is over. In moments where you hide in the shadows and pass through the ghosts, you can enjoy a lot of excitement, such as the sound of the character’s heartbeat.
Although the visuals of both “Yomawari” and “Midnight” are very cute, the main character is a helpless little girl, so walking on the night road is quite scary. The execution is pretty tough, and sometimes you may think, “Terrible, isn’t this too much?”. Even in real life, people may be afraid of their way home from school or work after playing it.
Currently, the Nintendo Switch software “Yomawari and Midnight”, which is a set of the first work “Yomawari” and the sequel “Midnight”, is on sale, and can also be played on DMM GAMES and smartphones.
