Remedy Entertainment’s “Alan Wake” is an essential horror video game that everyone should play, one that mixes atmospheric mystery with supernatural terror. The game dropped on the Xbox 360 to positive reviews from both gamers and critics back in 2010, and remastered versions have since been released on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. A sequel in which the titular novelist finds himself in his own horror story came out in 2023 and scored even better reviews, cementing the franchise’s place in the pantheon of horror video games.
The “Alan Wake” games are backed by a strong cast and a dark sense of humor, and they deliver cinematic-level thrills. When it comes to haunted protagonists stuck in unsettling environments, few modern video games match up, but there are a handful of titles that “Alan Wake” fans are bound to love. We’re highlighting games that similarly revolve around troubled protagonists caught in the midst of supernatural terror. The following games derive their suspense and overt scares from a disquieting environment, relying more on atmosphere than constantly bombarding players with visceral frights.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
An open-world twist on modern horror games, “The Vanishing of Ethan Carter” is an overlooked gem from independent Polish video game developer The Astronauts. Released in 2014 but set in the 1970s, the game has players control private investigator Paul Prospero as he looks into what happened to the Carter family in the remote Wisconsin mining town of Red Creek Valley. Exploring the surrounding region, Paul discovers young Ethan Carter unleashed a malevolent spirit by piecing together clues left by Ethan.
As he delves deeper into the mystery, Paul realizes that his presence is linked to the truth about what happened to Ethan and his family. The game is played out from a first-person perspective, so it offers a more immersive take on the horror genre. The appeal here comes from the game’s emphasis on story and puzzle-solving as well as the evocative environments. The underlying element of Paul learning about what’s going on through Ethan’s stories and clues also helps strengthen this impressive indie title’s connection to “Alan Wake.”
The Evil Within
Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks
After creating the “Resident Evil” franchise for Capcom, Shinji Mikami founded his own studio named Tango Gameworks, with its inaugural project being 2014’s “The Evil Within.” Directed by Mikami himself, the game centers on detective Sebastian Castellanos as he and his colleagues are transported to a sinister reality. Sebastian learns more about this deadly world while trying to escape with his peers. The game ventures into much more graphic and intense territory than Mikami had with his prior series, albeit still with occasional moments of dark humor.
Like “Alan Wake,” “The Evil Within” uses an over-the-shoulder third-person view. Mikami used this same view for “Resident Evil 4,” but the gameplay in “The Evil Within” has a greater emphasis on stealth over overt action, which will appeal to “Alan Wake” fans. Mikami also moved away from the cool factor that Leon Kennedy oozes in “Resident Evil 4,” creating a much more unbalanced protagonist in the Alan-like Sebastian. Without a doubt one of the creepiest games from the last decade, “The Evil Within” proved that Mikami is still a master in the realm of horror games.
Control
The most action-packed title on this list, “Control” comes from the same developer that brought you “Alan Wake.” It’s a different genre, but “Alan Wake” fans are bound to fall in love with it. “Control” follows government operative Jesse Faden, who has a host of telekinetic powers. She’s the director of the Federal Bureau of Control in New York City, which has been compromised by an extradimensional entity known as the Hiss. Using her abilities, Jesse moves to contain the threat while venturing deeper into the facility to learn what happened to her missing brother.
The fact that “Control” and “Alan Wake” may share the same universe is a major factor in the 2019 game’s inclusion here, but there’s more to it than that: There’s the third-person shooter element, and “Control” also has a distinctly creepy vibe to it thanks to its brutalist architecture and extradimensional elements. A sequel called “Control Resonant” is on the way for the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S (as well as Windows and macOS), which has a different protagonist and will be an action role-playing game as opposed to a third-person shooter. If you’re an “Alan Wake” fan, the original “Control” is what you should be playing.
Layers of Fear (2023)
Polish developer Bloober Team is known for its horror games, having made the likes of “Observer,” “The Medium, and “Cronos: The New Dawn.” Bloober’s breakout hit was 2016’s “Layers of Fear,” a psychological horror adventure game that got a sequel in 2019. The two games were collectively remade by Bloober for modern platforms in 2023, adding new narrative elements that explicitly connected both titles: A writer follows the terrifying experiences of the prior two protagonists, delving into the terror they endured.
2023’s “Layers of Fear” adds new depths of madness to the story from the preceding games. Thanks to superior hardware, the remake is able to really dial up the frightening environments that the prior titles introduced. Similarly, the addition of a linking narrative is a welcome factor, subverting savvy players’ expectations as they revisit a familiar tale. The definitive “Layers of Fear” release to date, the 2023 remake is a comprehensive tour of unsettling vignettes from Bloober’s masterpiece and “Alan Wake” fans will definitely enjoy it.
Silent Hill 2 (2024)
Konami’s “Silent Hill” franchise has endured a rise and fall arc over the years, but it finally made its way back to the top in 2024 with a remake of “Silent Hill 2.” The game retells the story of protagonist James Sunderland visiting the abandoned titular town after receiving a letter from his wife directing him there. As James explores Silent Hill, he finds that it has changed into a twisted version of itself and is populated by monsters. James meets other troubled individuals visiting the town as he comes to realize its true nature and what happened to his wife.
The original “Silent Hill 2” was a masterpiece on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and its remake is one of the best PlayStation 5 games so far. The game’s thematic exploration of grief and guilt and how they inform James’ journey are beautifully updated for modern platforms. It places a greater emphasis on combat, but it’s not stylized, instead coming across like a real (and unrelentingly brutal) struggle for survival. An excellent update with the ultimate haunted horror game protagonist, “Silent Hill 2” breathes new life into a classic story.
