During the recent Not-E3 summer events, several upcoming horror games, such as the H. R. Giger-inspired survival horror Scorn and the David Lynch-inspired RPG Maker horror Decarnation, featured "body horror" as a prominent part of the gameplay experience. "Body horror" is a horror sub-genre that focuses on distortions of human or animal bodies through uncontrollable transformation, mutation, or disease.
Since the '90s, body horror has been a significant reoccurring element in most horror games. But, certain titles like Inside especially stand out for their grotesque imagery.
KEYCHAIN (2019)
Co-created by Ivan Zanotti, who also developed the meta-horror games IMSCARED and Mirror Layers, and fran43 for the 2019 GMTK Game Jam, KEYCHAIN is a short free indie game on Itch.io where the protagonist is a human keychain. As they explore the strange run-down building, they find keys and attach them to the keychain on their head.
The player must figure out which key goes to which door while also being chased by mutated creatures that resemble the protagonist. If the player uses the wrong key on a door, then the key breaks and the protagonist takes damage, and they transform into one of the monsters if they run out of keys. Along with having unique gameplay mechanics, players will also find themselves intrigued by the underlying symbolic narrative.
CHONDRIATIC (2021)
Created for the ScreamMortality game jam, CHONDRIATIC is a 2021 short free in-browser game and one of the many great RPG Maker games on Itch.io. The main character, El, is a hypochondriac, which means that she's constantly worried that she has or is about to develop a serious illness.
One day, the skin on El's palm begins itching constantly, but doctors don't see anything wrong with the hand. As she is trying to sleep in her room, she notices that strange purple glowing fungus-like things have now appeared on her hand. Despite being a short experience, the game accurately portrays what it feels like to deal with this form of anxiety.
Growing My Grandpa! (2022)
Developed by Yames, who has created several other well-received body horror games such as Discover My Body and The Well, Growing My Grandpa! is a 2022 horror game that primarily follows a young introverted girl named Adrienne who is mentally struggling because her parents are constantly arguing. During one of their fights, she is forced to stay in the basement, which used to be the location of a strange scientific experiment.
After making a wish that her dead grandfather would return, she meets a creature that she refers to as "Grandpa." In order to achieve her happiness, she must help him grow by feeding "Grandpa" and teaching him words, but she could easily meet her doom instead if she's not careful. Beneath the horror elements, this game is an emotionally impactful story about dealing with loneliness and loss.
Garage: Bad Dream Adventure (1999)
One of the strangest games from the '90s is Garage: Bad Dream Adventure, which is a 1999 PC horror adventure game designed by Japanese surrealist Tomomi Yuki Sakuba. According to Hardcoregaming101, this game was originally a piece of lost media until a group of 4chan users found it, and now there's an official English version that released in 2021 and is available for mobile devices. As a strange biomechanical creature, the player wakes up in the world of "Garage" and must find a way out.
To escape this dark industrial world, the protagonist must find their "shadow" by talking to other characters, upgrading their own body parts, and fishing for resources. Along with the uniquely uncanny art style, players will wonder what the true meaning is behind this metaphorical story.
ANATOMY (2016)
Over the years, indie developer Kitty Horrorshow has made multiple surreal body horror-esque games such as Chyrza, but her most popular and critically acclaimed work is still the 2016 psychological adventure game ANATOMY. As the player explores a dark suburban house, they slowly uncover audio logs that explain how a house is similar to a living organism's body.
While uncovering these tapes, the house gradually transforms into glitchy mess with fleshy walls. Similarly to her other games, ANATOMY creates a horrifying atmosphere by using PS1-styled textures and excellent sound design. After the success of this game, many indie developers on Itch.io began incorporating similar design choices in their projects.
Off (2008)
Inspired by Killer7, Final Fantasy, and Myst, Off is a 2008 surreal RPG and one of the most iconic RPG Maker horror games. Developed by Martin Georis, also known as "Mortis Ghost," and Alias Conrad Coldwood, the game centers around the player themself, who is referred to as a separate entity by in-game characters, as they help the humanoid protagonist called "The Batter," who is on a mission to purify the in-game world.
Most of the individuals within the world are "Elsens." When they're in their "Burnt" form, their appearance drastically mutates into horrifying creatures made of some dark liquid. At the end of the game, the player might also witness The Batter transform into a strange creature. These body horror elements are so impactful that fan artists have created many pieces based on their designs.
Parasite Eve (1998)
Created as a sequel to Japanese novelist Hideaki Sena's award-winning novel of the same name, Parasite Eve is a 1998 PS1 action JRPG that was filled with plenty of excellently grotesque body horror imagery. When opera singer Melissa Pearse meets NYPD officer Aya Brea, Melissa's dormant mitochondria awaken and she's taken over by Mitochondrial Eve. She begins using her powers to help other mitochondria rebel against their hosts, which can lead to spontaneous combustion or horrific mutations.
To stop Eve, Aya must use her own powers to fight against her and the mutated creatures appearing throughout the city. Even years later, Parasite Eve is known for having grotesque enemy designs. Although the game's success led to two sequels, Parasite Eve II and The Third Birthday, both games sadly use much less body horror in comparison.
System Shock 2 (1999)
Released in 1999, System Shock 2 is a science fiction survival horror FPS action RPG and one of the most historically significant games ever made. Taking place multiple decades after the first game, this sequel follows an amnesiac soldier who awakens on the starship Von Braun, which is on its first-ever voyage. Shortly after waking up, another crewmember, Dr. Janice Polito, tells the soldier that the ship has been infected by alien parasitic worms that integrate creatures into a hive mind known as "the Many."
Despite being controlled by the worms, some of the infected humans, known as Hybrids, are still conscious, and they will beg the player to end their suffering as their body continues to attack them. Along with the fact that the Many are a large mass of bio-organic tissue, these enemies and their lack of control truly encapsulate the horrors of this genre.
Inside (2016)
Created as a spiritual successor to the 2010 game Limbo, Inside is a 2016 award-winning 2.5D puzzle platformer where players control a boy within a dystopian society. While solving puzzles, navigating obstacles, and avoiding dangerous individuals and creatures, the player slowly discovers that the game centers around an organization that's using parasitic worms to enslave humans.
After traveling through the organization's facilities, the boy arrives at a spherical prison for the Huddle, which is a blob-like creature made of human limbs. Once the boy frees the creature, he becomes one with the blob and the player then controls the bio-organic mass to help free it from the oppressive organization. Even while controlling the creature, players feel a sense of unease from the implications of playing as a terrifying sentient blob of people.
Resident Evil Series (1996-present)
Part of the reason body horror is such a prevalent genre in games can probably be attributed to the popular Resident Evil franchise. Beginning with the 1996 PS1 game Resident Evil, these games all follow various individuals as they try to survive against zombies and other mutated monsters.
Though the games utilize different bioweapons throughout the series that include various viruses and parasites, they all still typically feature people transforming into nightmarish creatures. These uncontrollable mutations are truly horrifying to watch, and the monsters are so iconic that many people compare body horror in other games to the body horror seen in the Resident Evil series.