At their best, horror games force us to confront our worst fears. They immerse us interrifying nightmareworlds and challenge us to survive. From being hunted by unstoppable monsters, haunted by ghostly apparitions, or stalked by a psychotic killer, few genres illicit emotion like horror games can.
Horror video games will also often tackle serious issues, from childhood trauma, to addiction, mental health, or grief. Some of the most effective games dealing with these issues are set during wartime. These games show us the worst parts of human history while asking us to survive the monsters that lurk in the shadows. While only a few horror games have been set during a war, these memorable titles leave a lasting impression. From the hellscape of World War One to the trauma of World War Two, these are games with depth, tension, and terrifying monsters.
6Trenches
Follow A Soldier’s Struggle To Escape
This first-personindie survival horror gametakes players into the dark and atmospheric setting of the trenches of World War 1. The game follows a soldier who has become lost across enemy lines and struggles to make his way back home. The game takes on a surreal nature as the soldier’s sanity is tested during one of the most horrific times in human history.
While the game received mixed reviews on release, this cult indie horror game will appeal to genre fans and has a mostly positive rating on Steam. Players must even stay quiet in the game, as the enemies react to the real-life player’s sound through their mics.Trenchesblends tense survival mechanics, a haunting atmosphere, and disturbing imagery, creating a short yet memorable horror experience.
In this first-person survival horror game, players control a German soldier struggling to deal with his experiences during the First World War. In the game,players must also solvepuzzles to progress and escape the various monsters manifested from the soldier’s trauma.
Ad Infinitumdelves into the mind of someone who survived the horrors of trench warfare, with his experiences having a lasting effect on the rest of his life. The main character, Paul von Schmidt, relives his experiences through memory, with the monsters depicted representing different aspects of his experiences, such as hunger or pain. While the game received mixed reviews on release, with many critics commenting that the horror elements could have been done better, the game was praised for its unique setting and compelling story.
TheDark Pictures Anthologyseries has long been a staple in narrative-driven horror games. Each game is presented more like an interactive movie than a game. Players control the various characters and arepresented with different decisionsand quick-time events. Choosing certain options or failing an event can lead to a character dying a gruesome death.
InHouse of Ashes, players take control of five different characters. Each featured protagonist is involved in the armed forces during the 2003 Iraq conflict; four from the US and one from the Iraqi Republican Guard. The story revolves around the group becoming lost in an underground temple complex and being hunted by vicious vampire-like creatures. While the series has received mixed reviews,House of Asheswas considered the best of the Anthology on release and received praise for its balanced depiction of the two sides in the conflict.House of Ashesis a fun addition to the series and is great to play with friends, with the multiplayer allowing people to control the different characters.
Martha is Deadis a first-person horror game that leans heavily into psychological aspects, as there are no enemies to defeat. Set in German-occupied Italy in 1944, the game revolves around Giulia and hermurdered twin sister Martha. In the game, Giulia’s father is a general in the German army, with the Italian resistance becoming a constant threat to their lives. The game depicts complex relationships that can only happen during times of war. This narrative-driven horror game deals with themes of family, guilt, and mental health during wartime.
The game received mixed reviews on release, with some calling it nothing more than a walking simulator. However, this dark, atmospheric game offers an engaging narrative with elements of superstition and folklore, set within one of Europe’s darkest times. Fans of narrative horror games will love this tragic and immersive horror game.
2Amnesia: The Bunker
A Tense and Claustrophobic Horror Experience
When discussing horror in video games, Swedish developer, Frictional is often cited as one of the best in the industry. Their landmark titles,Amnesia: Dark DescentandSomaset a benchmark for survival horror, with tense atmospheres and engaging narratives.Amnesia: The Bunkeris the latest in the long-running series and was a significant change in style from previous entries, incorporating a semi-open world for more freedom.
The Bunkeris set within the trenches of the First World War. It follows a soldier waking up alone in a large bunker complex and finding everyone has disappeared. Players soon discover they are beinghunted by a creaturethat reacts to their movement and sound. The Bunker brings all the tension and atmosphere theAmnesiaseries is known for, but this time it does not include a sanity meter. The game was released to positive reviews, with critics praising its urgency and design.
Blending elements of stealth, action, and horror,A Plague Tale: Innocenceis a disturbingadventure into the terrifying realityof war and pestilence. Players take control of Amicia de Rune, who must escape her home with her younger brother after her family is killed. As players travel across the war-ravaged land, destroyed by conflict and plague, they encounter various puzzles and obstacles to overcome. These include swarms of killer rats that have grown numerous and hungry, and hostile soldiers searching for the two siblings.
The game was well-received on release and would go on to win several awards. Its blend of storytelling, puzzle-solving, and immersive survival horror made it a hit with fans. A sequel,A Plague Tale: Requiem, was released in 2022 and continued the story of the De Rune family.
