The 2000s, especially the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox generations, were undoubtedly the golden age of horror games. Many of the greatest horror games of all time came out during this period, with the three big horror franchises of the time, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Fatal Frame, reaching their peak in quality.
The start of the seventh generation also took a hit with classic horror games starting their own franchises. For a game to count, it must be a general horror game or one with horror-adjacent elements. Games like Castlevania, for example, would count.
10 2000: Resident Evil – Code: Veronica
Resident Evil like you've never seen it before
Unlike 1999 and 2001, 2000 was barren for horror game releases. The biggest and best of the few titles was Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. A great Dreamcast exclusive then, Code Veronica was the first mainline RE game to use real-time 3D environments instead of pre-rendered backgrounds. It's the only major tank-controlled RE title to do this, making it stand out even more.
Code Veronica is a little longer and a little tougher than your usual classic RE fair, and while it's one of the weaker mainline RE titles, the characters remain funny as hell. Alyson Court once again kills while Claire and Code Veronica mark the return of Albert Wesker. The series' most famous villain is an absolute joy whenever he appears on screen and has the best scenes in the game.
9 2001: Silent Hill 2
One of the greatest video game stories ever told
Is there any doubt that Silent Hill 2 wouldn't be the best horror game of the year? Its campaign is nearly flawless in storytelling, pacing, foreshadowing, and, of course, scare factor. The sound design is so good that you are constantly on edge and the title has great replay value.
Not only are there multiple, unlockable endings, but you can spot all the foreshadowing and hidden details that you overlooked before and it gives you more appreciation for this game. The combat doesn't hold up well, but all the other elements are more than sufficient.
8 2002: Resident Evil remake
A masterpiece of survival horror
Video game remakes were very different in the past than they are today. Back then you saw a lot of improvements and total overhauls compared to total fidelity, and this can be seen in 2002's Resident Evil Remake. The Spencer Mansion is a different beast in this remake, with a different layout, more rooms, more strategy required in terms of path and new enemies.
Once you kill a zombie, they're almost dead. They will return as Crimson Head after some time to ruin your day. The return of pre-rendered backgrounds was a risky move, but it paid off because they still look good today. You'll be hard-pressed to find a diehard RE fan who doesn't place 2002's RE Remake in the top three of the franchise.
7 2003: Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly
The best fatal frame game
2003 had two real contenders for best horror game of the year. Silent Hill 3, probably the best game in the series, or Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly. Top pick goes to Fatal Frame 2 because it was better than the original in every way.
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The best horror games for beginners
If you're new to the horror gaming scene and aren't sure where to get into this somewhat intimidating genre, look no further.
Taking place in a village instead of a house was a great way to make this game stand out from most survival horror fare of the time, and the atmosphere is still chilling today. The scares are better, the pacing is better, the camera combat is better, and the story is also much more effective thanks to the dynamic of the twin sisters. Unfortunately, the price of physical copies is increasing, but frankly this game is worth the money.
6 2004: Silent Hill 4: The Room
An imperfect masterpiece
Like 2000, 2004 didn't have much to offer, but the clear winner for best horror game was Silent Hill 4: The Room. For a long time, this game was considered the black sheep of the franchise due to the various gameplay changes it offered. Nowadays, the title has gotten more praise because, on its own, it's incredible.
Keep in mind that this is gameplay itself, as SH4 still feels like Silent Hill, especially story-wise. The story, like all previous SH games, is amazing, with perhaps the best villain ever, Walter Sullivan. The title remains scary, but has some flaws, such as bad pacing in some places and rather mediocre sound design. Regardless, Silent Hill 4 is another must-play SH game like all the ones before it.
5 2005: Resident Evil 4
Don't compete with this
There were many great horror games in 2005, such as Fear, Fatal Frame 3 and Haunting Ground, but unfortunately Resident Evil 4 also came out. The Michael Jordan of horror games that you just can't compete with.
It's one of the most important games ever created, evolving the third-person shooter as you know it today, with a campaign that's still just as great, well-paced and brilliant as it was in 2005. The combat is still strong to this day. , blowing heads and kicking your enemies. Besides the on-the-fly weapon switching, it's the most perfect game you can get.
4 2006: Deaths on the rise
Even Capcom says it looks fresh today
One of the biggest Xbox 360 exclusives had to be Dead Rising. It's another Capcom masterpiece that blends horror and immersive simulation elements. In the normal 72-hour campaign, you have about six hours of real time to do whatever you want in the mall. You can go through the main story, side missions, or just kill zombies and have fun until the helicopter comes to pick you up.
This freedom is what made Dead Rising so special. Not to mention the graphics were cutting edge for 2006 and the story is surprisingly good too. The characters are also highly memorable, especially the boss fights. The game has been ported and remastered countless times, so there's no excuse not to play it.
3 2007: Bioshock
The next evolution of the system shock
BioShock 1 covers several genres, including FPS and adventure games, but is horror-adjacent, with many horror elements present throughout. After all, BioShock is the spiritual successor to the sci-fi horror series System Shock. BioShock's story is iconic and incredibly influential. The actual plot on paper is nothing to write home about, but it's the way the story is told that makes it good.
With audio logs, minimal use of cutscenes, and organic, fluid world-building, it all made the BioShock story and universe feel so much bigger. The gunplay is also great, but there are some flaws, such as some pacing issues and an incomplete karma system. However, for the most part, BioShock remains a certified classic of this era.
2 2008: Dead Space
The best new horror IP of the seventh generation
When Dead Space released in 2008, you knew that this IP was going to be the next big thing in the horror genre, right along with Resident Evil. The title had a clear creative spark, taking the look and feel of classic sci-fi horror films like Alien, Event Horizon and John Carpenter's The Thing, as well as throwing in an improved battle system similar to Resident Evil 4 to create something truly special. .
Yes, there were previous sci-fi space horror games, like System Shock 2, but nothing had this level of high-end graphics and '80s horror art design. The combat is also a lot of fun with cool weapons, and the game remains scary as hell. Dead Space 1 is an absolute classic and, frankly, a great horror game of all time.
1 2009: Left 4 Dead 2
The zombie game that won't die
Many zombie games today come and go without any real impact, but Left 4 Dead 2 is still going strong despite being released in 2009. Similar to Doom, there are plenty of stellar mods and community-created campaigns that keep the game fresh. It's not hard to see why support is still strong after all these years, as the base game is a masterpiece, plain and simple.
Valve has perfected the cooperative gameplay with the perfect combination of special types of infected, a diverse arsenal of weapons, dynamic use of items and, of course, the randomization of everything. Like Doom 2, the structure here is ripe for mods and replayability, and that's why Left 4 Dead 2 is a great horror game of all time.
