However, much like with horror films, there are a plethora of incredible horror games with exceptionally compelling premises that lure me in. I love the idea of many of the most popular horror games, but I’ve yet to muster the courage to truly tackle one and see it through. Fortunately, a brand new horror game has just been announced, and I feel it may be a sign to finally start my journey into this increasingly popular genre in earnest. The game is Alien Deathstorm, and it is tapping into both my primal fear of isolation and my undying love of horror sci-fi. What’s not to love?
Alien Deathstorm Looks Like A Perfect Blend Of Horror And Action
Image Courtesy of Rebellion
I had never been particularly bothered about horror games, the entire genre taking up little headspace for the majority of my life. I was aware of the classics, but had no interest in playing any of them, partially due to my aversion to being frightened, and partially because few had gripped my interest. Then, I saw the trailer for one of the greatest Resident Evil games ever made, Resident Evil 7, and suddenly, a new fear was unlocked. This time, it wasn’t a fear of the game itself, but a fear that I actually wanted to play it. Sure, the game was terrifying, but it was how compelled I was by its viscerally horrific narrative and visuals that scared me the most. Since then, I’ve been eager to delve deep into the nightmarish worlds of horror games, if only to satisfy this curiosity, but too scared to take the plunge.
The closest I got was with Alien: Isolation, a game that both appeals to my love of the series and desire to immerse myself in a nightmare-inducing first-person horror experience. I managed a few hours, killed a few Working Joes, faced the titular xenomorph once or twice, and hid in my fair share of lockers before eventually giving up. Since then, I’ve been looking for the next best Alien game, or at least an approximation of it, that still offers that twinge of horror, but with perhaps a tad more action to balance things out. Fortunately, Alien Deathstorm, the next game by Rebellion (the same folks who made Sniper Elite and Atomfall), seemingly has the answer to all my problems.
Alien Deathstorm looks more like Dead Space than it does Resident Evil 7, which is to say you have a greater level of agency in the terrifying world it plops you into. You’re equipped with an assortment of weapons that should, in theory, make one feel powerful in a video game, but you are also up against a deadly force with a penchant for jumping out of nowhere to give you a little fright. Essentially, it’s my idea of a perfect horror game. Considering it’s from Rebellion, who have a little experience in the horror scene, thanks to its frankly excellent Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army series, I feel like we’re in for a very good experience.
Alien Deathstorm Is Exactly The Kind Of Sci-Fi Horror We Need
Image Courtesy of Rebellion
Of course, we have no idea whether or not Alien Deathstorm will be any good. Sure, Rebellion has a pretty great track record, and its innovation and willingness to explore different genres and styles of gameplay are incredibly admirable. Nevertheless, there’s every chance it will flop. That being said, Alien Deathstorm, success or not, represents the kind of horror I wish we’d see more of. We’ve seemingly veered further and further away from the action horror genre, with only a handful of mainstream titles truly embracing it, despite the genre gaining considerable popularity in the movie industry.
We did get Resident Evil 8, which toed the line between its immediate predecessor’s intense first-person survival horror and Resident Evil 4’s more action-packed shenanigans, and Resident Evil 9’s Leon-focused segments do fulfill the series’ action quota. However, it feels to me, at the very least, that we’ve seemingly long since left behind the likes of Bioshock and Metro. I am, as per my earlier admission, clearly not as entrenched in the horror genre as most, and thus could very well have forgotten or simply be unaware of the sea of action horror games releasing daily. Still, as I understand it, the gaming industry at large doesn’t seem as invested in it as I would hope.
Action horror titles feel like a more accessible entry point for people like myself who are averse to the intense horror that has seemingly become the dominant choice of the genre. I have actually played and completed Bioshock, Left 4 Dead 2, Metro Exodus, Dead Island, and Dying Light. Those games fulfill the power fantasy associated with action titles in such a way that, eventually, you can overcome the horror aspects in a way that the mostly unrelentingly bleak horror games of today fail to do. I’m not advocating, of course, for the removal of these extreme horror games, as I feel like, ultimately, they should be the driving force of the genre and what all newcomers should aspire to beat.
Additionally, not every genre should be for everyone, and there’s absolutely a valid argument in making horror games exclusively for those who could stomach them. However, I think there is also value in the action horror genre, in the interesting dichotomy it creates and the fun that is garnered from it. So, it would be nice to get a few more games like Alien Deathstorm that are peppered with plenty of scares, but ultimately let you blast the foes freaking you out, if only to allow those easily frightened, like myself, to have a good time.
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