Resident Evil Village, the latest game in the massive horror franchise, released in May 2021. The Resident Evil series is probably one of the most famous in horror gaming history, spanning almost three decades and 28 titles. There hasn't been more than a few years since 1996 in which a new Resident Evil wasn't released.
However, while Resident Evil has remained consistent, some horror series have not been as lucky. There are a few classic horror titles that are due a comeback, and with the resurgent popularity of the genre now might be the best time.
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Gone, but not forgotten, may be the best way to describe the Fatal Frame horror series. It's been seven years since the last true Fatal Frame title, though spin-offs, remakes, and even a pachinko machine are helping to keep the brand alive.
The strength of Fatal Frame, and the reason the series deserves a comeback, is its unique gameplay mechanics. Players are sent into a world filled with all kinds of hostile and passive spirits, and must protect themselves with just a camera. Damaging, capturing, and pacifying ghosts by taking pictures is Fatal Frame's unique selling point, and provides a fun alternative to traditional survival-horror combat.
Another classic Japanese horror series in need of a comeback is Clock Tower. First released in 1995, the series combines classic point-and-click gameplay with survival horror elements.
Clock Tower's heroine is relentlessly pursued by monstrous enemies that she can't take on in a fight. Instead, players must run and hide to stay alive, a theme shared by modern horror hits like Amnesia and Outlast. Beyond this, Clock Tower's gameplay revolves around solving puzzles to advance the plot, not unlike the small puzzles that can be found in games like Resident Evil.
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Unlike the other games on this list, System Shock is theoretically about to make its comeback. A third game for the classic sci-fi horror series was announced in 2015, although information on its development remains thin. In May 2020 it was reported Tencent had taken control of the franchise, and would be "taking it forward."
System Shock is a first-person cyberpunk horror series set at the end of the 21st century, in which players battle the malevolent AI SHODAN. Unlike a lot of horror titles, System Shock embraces its RPG side, with a variety of weapons and upgrades for players to enhance their character. It was this aspect of the game that directly inspired Bioshock, which moved away from the horror roots into more of an adventure title.
Not to be confused with ghost hunting game Phasmaphobia, Phantasmagoria is an FMV horror from 1995. With its real actors, sexual content, and sometimes brutal violence, Phantasmagoria caused quite a stir when it first released.
The game combined a point-and-click system with FMV and cinematic footage to tell the story of Adrienne Delaney, a mystery writer threatened by unnatural forces. Although FMV still hasn't hit the mainstream, the recent success of indie titles like Contradiction and The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker indicate that the time may finally be right for Phantasmagoria to make a comeback.