Whoever said that video games were meant to induce a sense of calm clearly didn’t know what they were talking about. After all, gaming is one of the most frustrating experiences a person can go through. Or maybe that just applies to these particular ten, given how their gameplay, narratives and sickening desire to punish players constantly inches us further towards a collective mental breakdown. Either way, don’t go in expecting to relax when these games pop up on your screen.
Fair warning, there are SPOILERS AHEAD!
#10: “Amnesia: The Dark Descent†(2010)
You are literally being hunted by an invisible monster, and even the tiniest amount of darkness causes your sanity to dwindle.
#9: “Thumper†(2016)
It may not be scary, but the fact you have mere nanoseconds to ensure your avatar manages to navigate increasingly difficult gauntlets at ludicrous speeds will have you so fixated that you probably will forget to blink.
#8: “Don’t Starve†(2013)
Seems like a simple objective, at least until you realise that the environment in this game will do everything to ensure you succumb to hunger or get eaten by the local wildlife.
#7: “XCOM 2†(2016)
Nobody said fighting against alien overlords would be easy, but with the safety of your precious soldiers in the balance, every turn becomes a matter of life and death, one that you cannot afford to lose.
#6: “Five Nights at Freddy’s†(2014)
Unable to move. Hunted down by killer animatronics. Power dwindling with every passing second. Honestly, why did we keep coming back to this job?!
#5: “Outlast†(2014)
Just when it seems like we’re getting use to the murderous atmosphere of Mount Massive Asylum, along comes Chris Walker and Dr Trager to tear off our limbs and put a fresh dose of fear in us.
#4: “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask†(2000)
It’s a little hard to focus on saving the world when every time you look up you see the face of a demonic looking moon that’s about to fall on top of everyone. Talk about pressure!
#3: “Papers, Please†(2013)
Do you give poor souls a chance at a new life? Or do you shun them away just so your own family can scrape by financial? Life as an immigration officer is not for the faint of heart.
#2: “Bloodborne†(2015)
Even when armed to the teeth, nothing can prepare you for when you find yourself stepping into battle against bosses this big and this grotesque.
#1: “Alien: Isolation†(2014)
You may be trapped on sprawling space-station, but don’t think for a second that you are safe. The alien is only just a step behind you…
