Just a few days ago Capcom added another chapter to the iconic narrative of the critically-acclaimed Resident Evil series that spans out through several generations. With the release of Resident Evil Village, it is evident that the studio continues to reshape and modernize the formula of successful survival horror for the global audience, to cater to even the pickiest needs of gamers. RE Village proved to be a gorgeous horror experience that leaves you astonished by its thought-provoking narrative. It seems that Capcom decided to take a deeper dive narrative-wise than with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and add ample to the lore of the series. But don’t worry, we won’t spoil anything.

While the effects of Resident Evil 8 Village still linger, we advise diving into more survival horror games that compare to the newest Resident Evil game. The scene of horror is vast, offering countless experiences to pump your blood and get the adrenaline raging in your veins, and definitely satisfy your need for scares. The charm of survival horror games lies in the psychological tension one experiences in attempting to survive some abominations or other freaky entities that seemingly stepped out of a childhood nightmare. Here are 5 top survival horror games like Resident Evil Village to make your neck hair prickle.

Silent Hill 2

If we are speaking about survival horror with a memorable narrative – Silent Hill 2 is perhaps the greatest recommendation we can think of. Konami’s Silent Hill 2 was released back in 2001, 20 years ago. In spite of its age, the game remains one of the most high-praised survival horror releases that finds its way to the top recommendations of timed classics, and in this case, one of the games like Resident Evil Village. This existential horror and personal mystery title has been inspired by Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment novel and uses a handful of references from history and entertainment. As you join the protagonist James Sunderland in his search for his deceased wife in Silent Hill, you will delve into one of the greatest stories in perhaps all of gaming history.

Silent Hill 2 is a single-player survival horror game and although gameplay mechanics don’t hold a candle to next-gen level gaming, it offers a grand horror experience that encompasses a complex plot. Here are some thought-provoking narrative facts:

  • The world of Silent Hill 2 is based on an old religious theory that Hell is man-forged to deal with the guilt over their mortal sins.
  • The Silent Hill town is a location that is not entirely physical: for the most part, it’s a manifestation of the conscious mind of James Sunderland and it exploits the guilt the protagonist suffers due to the loss of his wife.
  • The most iconic villain of the Silent Hill series – Pyramid Head – is the ultimate manifestation of James’ guilt and subconscious desire for physical punishment to achieve remorse.

The plot of the Silent Hill 2 is ambiguous to the point of being dazzling, adding an extra dimension to the narrative and the experiences of the player in this horror-come-to-life town. If you believe you have enough guts, prepare for outstanding gameplay.

The Evil Within 2

If you’re looking for a single-player horror game with resemblance to the Resident Evil series but presents its own unique story – seek no more. Bethesda’s The Evil Within 2, the sequel to the successful The Evil Within game, is perhaps one of the starkest horror experiences a gamer with a taste for a fine narrative can enjoy. This game has shown that for an effective horror experience, the developers must construct a directed experience with a multidimensional plot, and that is The Evil Within 2. Psychological games are essential for the satisfying survival horror gameplay, thus we witness the disintegration of Detective Sebastian Castellanos’ mind as we try to survive the monsters in a warped reality along his side.

The ordinary world? Forget it. Now, three years have passed since the events that took place in Beacon Medical Hospital, suddenly Sebastian is approached by a mysterious man and told that his daughter Lily is, in fact, alive. The game contains similar gameplay mechanics to its predecessor:

  • Three difficulty levels: Casual, Survival, and Nightmare, the latter created for those that like self-torture.
  • Unlike in the first game, The Evil Within 2 contains big, open locations to explore and navigate through.
  • A bigger game world means more activities: plentiful of side-quests and tasks to perform, from resource drops to side-plots.

Those are just several major changes that made The Evil Within 2 remarkably better than its predecessor and worth being recommended as one of the games like Resident Evil Village. If you want to experience perhaps the most in-depth psychological disintegration amidst the hectic chase of the deadly creatures, The Evil Within 2 is a superb choice.

Dying Light

If the fact that in The Evil Within 2 game you can explore open locations intrigued you, then you can’t miss out on Dying Light. Techland’s action survival horror game has taken immersion to a whole different level, dropping its players into an open-world (and vast!) brimming with zombies. The zombie apocalypse is quite an exhausted trope in popular entertainment, however, creators from Techland managed to craft a game that utilizes this trope to provide the best action-packed horror survival experience a gamer may desire. If you enjoyed the thrill of being chased in games like Resident Evil 8, then Dying Light will be of utmost satisfaction cause here zombies don’t sit idle. The apocalypse makes people do the unthinkable things, and that’s what Dying Light offers its players: to go crazy to their heart’s content.

In this game, you take on the role of the undercover GRE agent Kyle Crane who is airdropped in the city of Harran, overrun by hyper-aggressive zombies, the number of survivors diminishing dramatically. The narrative involves scientists, the fall of human values in the light of catastrophe, friendship, betrayal, among other things, but we don’t want to spoil much. Here are some interesting facts about Dying Light:

  • Dynamic day and night cycle: a crucial gameplay mechanic. During the day players deal with a significantly smaller number of zombies while the night unleashes a true terror.
  • The game utilizes parkour elements similarly to Assassin Creed games, meaning that you can jump over rooftops, buildings, cars, climb walls, and all that acrobatic jazz.
  • Although Dying Light is action-oriented and not much emphasis is placed on issues of morality, the game contains thought-provoking moments during zombie vs. human encounters that call on the player’s moral compass.

Dying Light takes survival horror on a different plane and gratifyingly evolves into a mesmerizing piece of art since the very first moment of gameplay.

Alien: Isolation

What about survival horror in space? The thought alone is terrifying, isn’t it? Sega’s Alien: Isolation takes place 15 years after the events of the sci-fi horror film Alien (1979) and it’s here to test your mental stamina. The single-player horror releases places focus on stealth mechanics, as the protagonist Amanda Ripley is attempting to outsmart the extraterrestrial enemies in the Sevastopol, the decommissioned trade space station. For a long time, the monster was out of sight, however, its heavy, omnipresent essence felt throughout the space station, especially bearing in mind that every noise is heard by that thing from any spot. What thing? Oh, you will see. The first-person exploration is an integral part of Alien: Isolation, but the real challenge is interacting with the environment without making much noise.

The constant dread of being painfully aware of your every move and the mortal danger lurking in the shadows is achieved through a perfect enemy archetype: a ruthless alien that cannot be negotiated with and will not hesitate for a split second to kill you. Of course, Alien: Isolation has some nifty quirks:

  • The interactivity of the in-game environment is not limited to pressing things and finding items. You also have to craft the needed supplies/tools and hack the station systems.
  • The Alien is the free-roaming AI creation, and its performing mechanism is top-notch since the creature can strike you at any given moment regardless of your activity.
  • The Alien is not the only antagonist in the game as you will also encounter hostile humans and androids. Be careful though, using guns or explosives in the fight against them will attract the worst evil of the station.

Among games like Resident Evil Village, Alien: Isolation deviates the most from the former with its premise and gameplay mechanics, but the gripping psychological tension resembles closely the RE 8 game, if not surpassing it.

Outlast 2

For whom the bell tolls? For thee who picks up the Outlast 2 game. After the global success of Outlast, Red Barrels studio released a ground-breaking sequel to the first-person survival horror title. In this iteration, you embody a journalist named Blake Langermann who sets out to the Arizona desert with his wife but they get separated and he must find her. Saturated with distorted religious themes and offering a wild psychological terror experience, Outlast 2 is one of the top choices for those seeking games like RE 8. The whole village and the local cult will be out to get you, so you won’t even have a moment of breath, so to speak. Constant adrenaline rush guaranteed.

The major idea of the Outlast 2 game is to deliver the authentic view on what consequences distorted Christian religion can deliver if let be. While dealing with fanatics, you must not only survive but also look for clues, deal with the increasing psychological terror, and face the most horrifying manifestations of corruption. You’re gonna have fun in Outlast 2:

  • The Arizona desert you are bound to wander is a disorienting maze with little light, and thanks to the play with the camera depth and angle, your vision makes it all the more difficult to orientate yourself.
  • Just like you can use stealth, your enemies can ambush you as well, so you must keep your guard up at all times
  • The music score in the game is a real eargasm at times, and for this reason, Outlast 2 feels like an elevated audio horror experience that works perfectly in tune with the visuals and ongoing gameplay.

Outlast 2 leaves a lasting impression, aside from all the terror and jumpscares you’re going to experience along the way. If you want a horror game that may very well be considered a piece of art, then this is one of the top games like Resident Evil 8 Village that is made for you.