Whether it's a survival horror title like the Resident Evil series or an FPS like the BioShock series, almost all horror games feature at least some puzzle gameplay elements. But, some horror titles, like the recent monochromatic underwater horror game Silt, primarily focus on puzzle-solving.
Instead of having puzzles as a supplementary part of the overall gameplay experience, players experience these games for their challenging puzzles along with the horror aspects. Even though it may be hard to imagine these games as scary, titles like We Were Here prove that puzzle games can be effective horror experiences.
Pit of Babel (2020)
Co-created by Maceo bob Mair, Pit of Babel is a short 2020 surreal indie game that's based on the biblical story of the Tower of Babel. Within a dark world of sand that resembles human limbs, players must protect and feed little red creatures known as Rotters so that they can be thrown into a strangely pulsating meat grinder. This reshapes the creatures into Tetris blocks that the player must use to build a tower.
As the tower is built, the player achieves short written story excerpts about two travelers meeting each other as they try to reach the location where the Tower of Babel once stood. Overall, this game provides a distinctly creepy experience that explores themes such as individuality and whether the sacrifice of the self for a unified structure is worth the cost.
Irisu Syndrome! (2008)
Years before popular meta-horror games such as Doki Doki Literature Club, the 2008 freeware game Irisu Syndrome! had already introduced the concept of a horror game seeming normal at first and messing with computer files. Shapes of different colors fall from the top of the screen, and players must shoot white squares to knock shapes with the same color together before they reach the bottom of the screen.
As the player progresses through this simple but difficult game, they slowly uncover the story of a university student named Kyouko Irisu and her three friends through files that appear on the player's computer. Depending on how well the game is played, the characters will either live or die while on a camping trip. Though the experience is not as elaborate as modern examples, it's still an effective and historically significant game.
House (2020)
House is a 2020 indie horror game and a remake of the original 2016 game of the same name, which was one of the many unique Flash games. As a young girl named Tabby, the player is stuck in a time loop within a house that wants to kill her and her family. To save the family, Tabby races against time to find various things that can be used in puzzles around the deadly house.
Through the game's multiple gruesome deaths and endings, the player slowly learns how to solve the puzzles and the backstory behind the cursed building. Earlier this year, the game received a major update that includes a new campaign where the player controls Tabby's sister Melody instead. With an uncanny pixelated art style and unnerving music, House perfectly combines environmental puzzles and a horrifying narrative.
Tamashii (2019)
Inspired by obscure Japanese games from the '90s, Tamashii is a 2019 platformer where the player explores a glitch-filled world as a being known as the "Unnamed Soul," who was created by an ancient god called the "Patriarch." Since an evil force, known as the witch Feucirl, is corrupting the Patriarch's sacred temple, the player must defeat the witch and ensure the god's legacy.
As the player navigates the temple, they'll have to solve puzzle rooms and win boss fights by creating clones of themself to activate various types of switches. The creepy retro aesthetic and the challenging platforming puzzles make this game a worthwhile experience for both horror and puzzle fans.
We Were Here Series (2017-present)
Beginning with the free 2017 game of the same name, We Were Here is a series of co-op puzzle games with horror elements. Although there's an overarching story, each game can be played on its own and in any order. In each installment, the two players are trapped in an abandoned medieval castle known as Castle Rock in Antarctica. To progress through the castle, they must work together to solve puzzles.
Since the players are separated and each has only half of the puzzles, they must communicate with one another by using walkie-talkies. Because of this, part of the challenge comes from players having to convey what they see along with solving the puzzles. The award-winning combination of creepy castle environments and co-op escape room gameplay has led to the series having three sequels so far, which includes the 2022 title We Were Here Forever.
A Rose in the Twilight (2017)
Developed by Nippon Ichi Software, A Rose in the Twilight is a 2017 scary puzzle platformer for the PS Vita and PC. The game follows a young princess named Rose who wakes up in the castle to find that the Curse of Thorns, which takes away the time and color from things, has affected the entire castle including herself.
Rose discovers that she can use her own vibrantly red blood to restore color and time to objects. With the help of a friendly giant, Rose must solve puzzles to uncover what happened to the castle and escape the dangers that lurk within. In contrast with the beautiful and cute art style, the game is not afraid to show Rose dying in gruesomely horrifying ways.
Cube Escape/ Rusty Lake Series (2015-Present)
Beginning as a Flash series in 2015, the Cube Escape/ Rusty Lake franchise is an ongoing series of point-and-click adventure games that are inspired by Twin Peaks and other surreal horror masterpieces. Although each of the games features different settings and characters, they all center around a detective named Dale Vandermeer who is investigating the death of Laura Vanderboom, which seems to be tied to magical cubes and a mysterious hotel known as "Rusty Lake."
This non-linear puzzle series currently consists of 15 mainline titles, which all contribute to the complex narrative. There's also a short official film, Paradox - A Rusty Lake Film. A 16th installment titled The Past Within is scheduled to release this year.
Catherine (2011)
Taking place within the same multiverse as the Megami Tensei franchise, Catherine is a 2011 surreal puzzle game that centers around a washed-up journalist named Vincent Brooks. While being afraid to commit to his long-time girlfriend Katherine, he starts having an affair with another woman named Catherine. At the same time, he begins having supernatural nightmares where he and other men must climb a crumbling tower while being chased by demons.
To reach the top, Vincent must rearrange the blocks before the tower falls beneath him, which will kill him in real life. Both this game and the expanded rerelease titled Catherine: Full Body, which includes a new love interest named Qatherine, have beautifully vibrant aesthetics, and they explore mature themes that most games don't.
Year Walk (2013)
Based on an ancient Swedish divination ritual known as "Årsgång," Year Walk is a 2013 adventure game about a man named Daniel Svensson who decides to use this ritual to see the future of his lover, Stina, after learning that she has been proposed to. But, this ritual is incredibly dangerous, and he will have to solve various puzzles while encountering creatures from Swedish folklore.
While all of that is happening in the 19th century, a modern folklorist named Theodor Almsten learns about these events and tries to save Daniel from the consequences of his actions. With a gorgeous storybook-like art style, Year Walk is a beautifully terrifying mystery that players will want to solve.
INSIDE (2016)
To this day, one of the best puzzle platformers is still the 2016 game Inside, which is a spiritual successor to Limbo. The game follows a young boy who lives in a dystopian society where an organization controls the minds of some humans using parasitic worms.
As he explores the organization's facilities, he must solve environmental puzzles, avoid hazards, and run from enemies. The game's somber visuals help convey the horrifying realities of this world.