The Haunted PS1 Demo Disc, an anthology of 17 game demos inspired by the era of the original PlayStation, is available to download for free on Windows devices. The games take inspiration from a broad swath of classic PS1 game styles, and each one offers a unique take on the much-explored horror genre.
The PS1 enjoyed a strong collection of classic horror titles, including household names like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, which have gone on to become two of the most popular horror franchises in the video game industry. These franchises, like most of the video game industry, clearly recognize the power of nostalgia, and Resident Evil in particular had success with a recent remake of Resident Evil 2, which also saw its first release on the PlayStation. A similar remake of Resident Evil 3 has been announced as well, to be released in April.
As admired as these remakes are, the updated graphics make them almost unrecognizable from their original PS1 iterations. The makers of the games on the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc have a much different idea for how to channel the nostalgia of the days of the original PlayStation. The Demo Disc is a collection of 17 demos, each using a graphical style that would look right at home on a PS1 device. Despite the name, the Demo Disc isn't a physical disc, and it also does not play on the PS1; it is a piece of software that can be downloaded for free by anybody with a Windows computer. Each game is presented by a small, independent developer, in many cases by only one person.
These games vary wildly in tone and atmosphere. Neko Yume, for instance, is a surreal atmospheric exploration game which sets the player in a cat-filled dreamscape taking heavy inspiration from the likes of LSD Dream Emulator, while Killer Bees is a dark, gory first-person shooter stylized to look like a found-footage VHS tape. Not every demo presented in the "disc" is particularly substantial, but some do seem to offer something promising. Dread Delusion offers a tantalizing taste of an open-world RPG set in a unique clockwork-powered dark fantasy world. The demo ends before the player can experience too much of the meat of the game, but the world alone is very enticing. There have been quality short horror games in the past, and the good news here is that if a demo leaves a player unsatisfied there are sixteen other hand-crafted experiences to try out.
Some truly amazing experiences have come out of the indie game industry, and iconic classics like Shovel Knight and Cuphead prove handily that gamers aren't just interested in AAA titles from big name developers. The games in the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc may not have nearly as much clout as titles like those, but they do a great job of showcasing the high levels of creativity that can be found in the indie game development scene. Any fan of the horror genre would do well to give the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc a try. Since it's a free collection, all they have to lose is time.
Source: Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2020