Summary
Horror games were right at home on the PlayStation 1, as the analog nature of the console contributed to the eerie, surreal visuals and has inspired a host of indie developers in contemporary times. But for all of its outstanding horror releases, likeResident EvilandSilent Hill, there are some trulyoutstanding and spooky PS1 titlesthat never made it to America.
Some of them were chasing trends, clearly taking off from the survival horror craze started byResident Evil, while others were focused on doing something truly unique with Sony’s impressive next-generation hardware. Some of the PS1’s most fascinating horror games sadly never made it to America, as these games were keenly focused on a remarkable atmosphere and a sense of unique terror that other titles in the genre became known for.
5Echo Night 2: The Lord Of Nightmares
A FromSoftware PS1 Game That Features A Harrowing First-Person Horror Experience
The firstEcho Nightgame came to the US a year after the Japanese release, but the sequel was sadly never localized. Developed by FromSoftware,Echo Night 2: The Lord of Nightmaresis a first-person survival horror game that feels like a mix ofFrom’s ownKing’s FieldandResident Evil.
Set in a haunting gothic mansion,Echo Night 2is centered around ghostly apparitions and puzzle solving. Like many of FromSoftware’s previous efforts, it relies on environmental storytelling and obtuse design to bolster its world, as well as enhance the game’s bleak atmosphere.
4Chaos Break
An Arcade-Style Survival Horror Game That Is One Of The PS1’s Best
Released in the year 2000, at the end of the console’s life,Chaos Breakis a survival horror game that almost feels like an arcade game. It’s fitting, considering that it is a sequel to a light gun shooter calledChaos Heat, which was released in arcades in 1998.
Chaos Breakfeatures full 3D environments, taking advantage of the PS1’s hardware, and also makes use of some outstanding character models. It has some spectacular art direction, featuring some wonderfully grotesque monsters to fight and a collection of mutated human scientists.Chaos Breakwoulddo well in today’s horror landscape, and it’s unique blend of different combat systems is due for a second chance.
3Dark Messiah
A First-Person Horror Adventure And One Of Atlus' Most Intriguing Games
Launching in Japan asDark MessiahandHellnightin PAL regions, this horror game is published by Atlus and is still one of the console’s most overlooked hidden gems. In many ways, it feels like a proper Atlus game, featuringa first-person perspective and a dark, surreal vibethat is still a part of their DNA today.
Dark Messiahshowcases tight, densely packed corridors and harrowing encounters in subterranean sewers and maze-like hallways. It is truly one of the PS1’s most fascinating, genuinely terrifying horror experiences. Despite a strong cult following,Dark Messiahhas never made it to America and continues to be one of Atlus' most requested localizations.
2Dark Tales: From The Lost Soul
A Unique And Off-Beat Horror Game That Features Three Stories
Akin to horror anthology franchises likeTales From The CryptorThe Twilight Zone,Dark Tales: From the Lost Soulis a bizarre, off-beat experience that never made it out of Japan. It is one of the strangest games on the PS1, but is absolutely worth playing for its avant-garde exploration of murder and the human psyche.
Featuring three episodes with unique stories,From the Lost Soulalmost feels likea mix of Suda51’sKiller7and the off-kilter worlds of Remedy Entertainment. Meshing together live-action elements with unique gameplay systems, it is an altogether outlandish experience that dives into the darkest, most compelling aspects of humanity and the true horror that lies in the recesses of consciousness.
1Mizzurna Falls
A Small Town Horror Story Inspired By Twin Peaks
If there’s any PS1 horror game that feels like it would have been a hit with American audiences, it’sMizurna Falls, a title that had a clearimpact on contemporaries likeDeadly Premonition. Taking inspiration from the likes ofTwin Peaks,Mizzurna Fallsis a kooky examination of America, where the hunt for a missing teenager uncovers the dark secrets of an unassuming little town in Colorado.
Imposing a seven-day limit on the player,Mizzurna Fallsfeatures three total endings and makes seeing all of them difficult without multiple playthroughs. It is built on a cast of unusual, oddly fascinating characters and the ongoing mystery surrounding the town. It was released exclusively in Japan in 1998, which is a shame as its surreal story and gameplay systems would be a perfect fit for a remaster of some kind.
