Hey guys and gals, I'm writing this because as a game developer I'm trying to research a new genre for me - psychological horror. My first three games are all light-hearted and comedic and I want to challenge myself and go out of my comfort zone. However, I’m not sure I fully understand the “rules” or the lines you can or shouldn’t cross when making this type of game.

The project (Steam link) is inspired by a psychology book I read some time ago called Obedience To Authority. The book discusses the results of a real world experiment that is pretty disturbing - basically people were asked to inflict pain on another person (an actor) to see how far they would go if an authority figure was ordering them to do it. Now, the "victim" was an actor, but as far as the subjects knew, they were harming another person and most went pretty far and even all the way.

My idea is that the player is somehow kidnapped by mysterious forces and commanded by an unseen voice trough intercoms (and watched via CCTV). The player will be presented with different situations in which they have to make a choice. In some cases, they might be ordered to torture someone for information; in others, they’ll have to choose who lives or dies between two strangers. The player will have access to the victims’ backstories: private emails, chats, medical records — to judge their character and decide whether they deserve to die. I also want to give the player the option to do nothing. I don’t want to force them, just order them and see what they choose.

Is all of this too dark and disturbing for a horror game? In my research I found this highly praised horror called VISAGE which starts with the player executing his wife and two children (all in camera). The game has 7000+ positive reviews on Steam and has sold about half a million copies.

Here is an example of a typical scenario I have planned: On Day 2 of testing you are put in a room and told that after ten minutes two people that are currently tied in the other room will go free. But you are ordered to murder one of them. You can choose a painless method - sleeping gas or a cruel method - burning them alive. Looking through their personal files, you discover that one has a history of abusing children but was never prosecuted, and the other is a rich “nepo baby” who killed a family in a drunk driving accident, but got off with house arrest thanks to his father’s influence.

You can let them both go free, allowing them to continue their evil ways, but keeping your own conscience clean or take out one of them to reduce harm in society (at the cost of becoming a killer yourself).

What I want to know is: is this going too far? Or is it the kind of disturbing choice that psychological horror should explore?

Over the course of the game, you’ll gradually uncover who’s making you do this and why, which will give the player more context for these events.

I want to play some psychological horror games that just make me feel uneasy and afraid and nothing runs after me. I don't have much exerience with these types of games and google is not helping me find the game i want. I would like horror similar to Doki doki literature club or Martha is dead

I don't want to have to worry about being chased, because I honestly don't think I can do both at the same time. I just want to be scared and not have to worry about anything other than being scared. Preferably no games that rely on only cheap jump scares, although the occasional well placed jump scare is more than fine.

An example of a game I would NOT be interested in, is something like Outlast series. Can't stay focused on playing game while being scared.

something related to the mental state, nightmares, reason and hallucinations of the protagonist. I discovered Spec Ops a year ago, I was satisfied. But maybe there are some other good things? I've also played SOMA, Evil Within, Outlast, Observer, Amnesia, Doki-Doki but that's not exactly what I'm looking for.

I need something special, games like The Suffering 1-2, Manhunt (especially 2), Hellblade, Cryostasis, Condemned, Cry of fear, Shellshock, Call of Cthulhu (both), Eternal Darkness, Silent Hill 2, maybe some like dead Space, Layers of fear, The Darkness 2, Max Payne 1-2, Alan Wake, Alice Madness. Thx for any for any help.

My all-time favorite game is Silent Hill 2, and ever since then, I've been looking for similar experiences that rely much more on the psychological aspect and are able to tell a profound, thought-provoking story. Any suggestions from the past five years or so that would meet that criteria? Layers of Fear and SOMA are good examples of this. Games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent are not a good fit because while the horror is well done, it's lacking a certain depth and poignancy in its story. Until Dawn isn't exactly what I'm looking for, either, because while it has certain elements I like (mainly the psychological probing), I didn't really care for the slasher flick tropes it relies on and the fact that it was basically Saw: The Video Game. In other words, I don't want it to feel like the game is forcing a reaction out of me; I want it to be more than just shocking and scary...I want it to be more about the depths and complexities of the human psyche.

I'm searching for indie short but kinda recent video games like September 7th, [SUBJECT], Visage, and so on...

Any suggestions?

I'm not interested in jumpscare horror like Resident Evil or Outlast, or stuff like Dead Space. I'm looking for games that scare you by being deeply disturbing due to the themes and how they're told. It can be any type of psychological horror but I'm primarily interested in ones that focus on mental health.

It doesn't have to be horror, it could be something that is just disturbing in a less horror-adjacent way.

I've been playing the Silent Hill games, so that's the sort of stuff I'd be more interested in. Pretty low on jumpscares but they disturb you by putting you in a really uncomfortable headspace, so stuff like that.

Thanks :)

Hello, can you recommend me some psychological, puzzle, riddle games for ps5/ps4? Finished Silent Hill 2. It doesn't have to be a horror game, but it's welcome as well.

https://preview.redd.it/8h7hb8qnhzue1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=769761b1c00ac8c77dec4cea0d2085f63c23b4d2

Hi everyone!

One of the most intense experiences I’ve had with a visual novel was Umineko When They Cry, which I read over a decade ago. The emotional twists and meta layers absolutely floored me and stuck with me ever since.

A year ago, I tried to channel that inspiration into a horror VN of my own, set in a bleak modern-day city rather than an island. It revolves around a psychologist whose clients begin dying in strange and ironic ways, and I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a good murder mystery in the VN format.

Here's the game: Psycholog

I’d love feedback from this community.