With games such s The Quarry introducing a new generation of players to horror gaming, some will look for a good entry point into the genre that isn't too difficult to master. While survival horror games have a reputation for being punishingly difficult, certain titles are easier to pick up and play.
From chilling classics such as Silent Hill 2 to episodic games such as Until Dawn, the survival horror genre isn't just for the most hardcore of gamers. Though there have been a slew of easier survival horror games, only the best feature strong gameplay and a heaping helping of scary moments.
Penumbra: Overture (2007)
While a lot of games emphasize action and combat, the survival horror genre thrives when it puts its emphasis on stealth and exploration. Penumbra: Overture follows a scientist named Phillip who goes on a soul-searching trip to northern Greenland where he becomes trapped in an abandoned mine inhabited by a host of hostile people and creatures.
The mechanics of the game are simple to understand, and combat is limited to melee attacks but is meant to be avoided using stealth. Even though the playthrough is relatively easy, the game is still nightmarishly atmospheric, and the strange creatures are enough to give players nightmares.
Silent Hill 2 (2001)
Generally recognized as a great game for players who don't get scared easily, Silent Hill 2 is a classic of the genre that still packs a punch today. In the game, protagonist James Sunderland travels to the mysterious town of Silent Hill after receiving a cryptic letter from his dead wife.
Atmospheric to the nth degree, the game is an absolute chiller from start to finish and continuously finds new ways to scare. It is an easy game to pick up and play, but it becomes increasingly challenging as the game progresses. The controls and inventory system are perfect for new players, and few games are more qualified to be a gamer's first introduction to survival horror.
Corpse Party (2008)
The original game in the Corpse Party series is an underrated classic, and its 2008 remake improved on its predecessor in many ways. The game follows a group of high school friends who conduct a friendship ritual at their school that mysteriously transports them to a haunted elementary school.
Incorporating elements of Japanese urban legends into the gameplay, Corpse Party utilizes a top-down view similar to RPG games. Done in an anime style, the game is creepy but also rather harmless compared to other survival horror games. It is extremely easy to pick up and play, and it is a far cry from the ultra-intense games that usually make up the genre.
Knock-Knock (2013)
Most of the best survival horror games are AAA titles, but Knock-Knock proved that indie games could be just as powerful. The user takes control of the Lodger, a mysterious man who must go from room to room keeping the lights on in order to stop a deadly force from overtaking the house.
Utilizing a pseudo-3D side-scrolling style, the game has very simple mechanics that are easily mastered by any level of gamer. It isn't overtly scary, but it relies heavily on atmosphere and an overwhelming sense of dread to ratchet up the tension. Time doesn't move linearly in the game, which only helps to add to the surreal tone of the experience.
Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019)
The debate surrounding the Luigi's Mansion series will rage on forever, and gamers will never fully agree on whether it belongs in the survival horror category. The third installment sees the green overall-wearing plumber arrive at a hotel that is overrun by ghosts that he must vanquish.
Though it may be cute and fun, Luigi's Mansion 3 shares enough elements with other survival horror games to be considered part of the lot. As with most Nintendo premiere titles, the game is easy to learn and is never so hard that it discourages new players from getting in on the action. While it may not be scary per se, it is still a fun experience that will get gamers ready for sterner stuff in the future.
Until Dawn (2015)
Playing more like a film than the traditional survival horror experience, Until Dawn added an element of cinema to the gaming landscape. The plot centers around a group of people who return to the site of a friend's disappearance and are stalked by mysterious forces in the woods.
Instead of relying on action, Until Dawn tells its story while requiring the player to interact with a series of quick-time events. Players must make incredibly important choices, and each decision affects the story in innumerable ways. Because it is a more passive gaming experience, nearly anyone can master it immediately, and the game doesn't punish the user for mistakes, but merely allows the story to progress differently as a result of choices.
Five Nights At Freddy's (2014)
In the world of horror, simplicity is often the key to success and few games exemplified that like Five Nights at Freddy's. The game casts the user as a security guard who is hired to patrol a children's pizza restaurant at night. Soon it becomes clear that the animatronic characters come to life and are out for blood.
As silly as the concept was, FNAF's intuitive point-and-click gameplay made it an instant success with all manner of gamer. The user must monitor various areas of the restaurant without being noticed, and the game is actually pretty effective with its atmosphere and jump scares. It isn't too difficult to get the hang of, but beating the game is another story entirely.
Outlast (2013)
Generally recognized as one of the best stealth horror games of all time, Outlast pushed the boundaries of horror in video games to its absolute limit. The player takes control of a freelance journalist who investigates a seemingly abandoned mental health facility, but soon finds more than he bargained for.
Creeping around the terrifying halls of the hospital is enough to give the player goosebumps, and the addition of freaky doctors and patients only elevates the terror. The gameplay is easy to master, but the game itself isn't easy to win. Like most survival horror games, resource management is key, and the player can easily find themselves trapped in darkness if they don't take care of their battery supply.
Soma (2015)
Soma excelled best at its psychological aspects and put less of an emphasis on being over-the-top with its scares. The game follows a man who finds himself in an underwater research facility and must discover why he is there and what happened to the machinery onboard.
The game was noted for its challenge when it was first released which led the developers to add a "safe mode" which eliminates the possibility of being killed by monsters. The game prioritizes stealth, and puzzle solving is how the player advances in the story. The "safe mode" makes it a perfect jumping-in point for new horror gamers, and it allows them to focus on the other gameplay aspects without distraction.
Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs (2013)
Though just as scary as its predecessor, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, A Machine for Pigs was a bit more straightforward in its narrative structure. The game centers on a wealthy industrialist who must stop the evil Engineer from unleashing his Machine upon the world, as well as his strange army of pig men.
The game follows traditional survival horror rules and makes the protagonist defenseless against the brutal enemies he encounters. Because of this, stealth is the most important part of the game as opposed to fighting. Unflinching in its terror, the game is quite easy to master for newer players, and can be experienced at differing levels of difficulty as well.