Having the ability to elicit concern with merely a sprinkling of pixels and a well-timed soundtrack is an artwork kind.
Horror video games are available all sizes and shapes, with various ranges of gore, ghouls, and grisly particulars. Whereas the Swap is residence to some extremely real looking horror, essentially the most influential scary video games on the console are arguably these made in RPG Maker.
Originating in Japan, RPG Maker refers to a sequence of easy but highly effective RPG improvement instruments. Iterations like RPG Maker 2003 (and related instruments, like Wolf RPG Editor) have been extremely praised over time for making story-driven recreation improvement extra accessible and simpler to crack.
These instruments make up an essential a part of gaming historical past, giving folks an opportunity to share their tales without having to spend money on immensely costly gear or spend years coaching. They don’t seem to be overly simplistic to make use of, however they do take away plenty of the standard limitations related to entering into recreation creation.
RPG Maker video games are often narrative-focused with a heavy emphasis on puzzles and dialogue. Their aesthetic is commonly easy, giving the overarching story an opportunity to shine. Whereas they’re not completely horror video games, the instrument has discovered a comfy residence within the horror group, particularly with survival horror and scary visible novels.
Listed here are 5 RPG Maker horror classics obtainable on Swap and one other three that we’d like to see ported to the platform.
Please notice that a number of of those video games cowl distressing matters and have graphic imagery. It’s price testing content material warnings earlier than taking part in.
For those who’ve by no means performed an RPG Maker horror, begin with the remake of Ib. Created by kouri and initially launched in 2012, this unsettling expertise manages to conjure up actual dread with restricted assets.
The story follows a younger lady named Ib as she visits an artwork gallery along with her dad and mom, earlier than ending up out of the blue alone. From there, she should untangle a complicated and nightmarish alternate actuality, coping with summary foes and fixing puzzles to remain alive.
Ib is darkish and foreboding, with a mess of endings that encourage you to get misplaced within the gallery over and over.
The very best factor about The Witch’s Home is its story, intently adopted by its puzzles. This can be a Swap port of a recreation that originally got here out in 2012 – a 12 months that many followers of the RPG Maker subgenre reward because the ‘golden age’ of the medium.
The story follows Viola, who wakes up alone within the forest. The one place forward of her is a creepy mansion – and as quickly as she enters on the lookout for assist, the doorway vanishes. As she explores the halls, she learns extra in regards to the manor, its secrets and techniques, and who’s ready for her inside.
With myriad tough puzzles, disturbing deaths, and a number of endings to unlock, this gem has loads of replay worth.
For those who have been a fan of watching horror Let’s Play movies on YouTube a decade in the past or so, likelihood is that you just’ve seen Ao Oni in motion. With an totally iconic monster that’s frighteningly quick, developer noprops created a legacy when it launched the unique again in 2008.
It’s a traditional premise. A gaggle of youngsters head to an deserted manor that’s supposedly haunted, with some being believers and others being sceptics. Typical monster-based horror shenanigans ensue, with loads of chase scenes and puzzles to sink your enamel into.
It’s one of the crucial well-known RPG Maker horror titles, with a memorable story that’s garnered a cult following over time, and the remake feels comfy on the Swap.
Whereas Mad Father is commonly lumped in with RPG Maker video games (because it’s being lumped in right here), you will need to notice that it’s technically a Wolf RPG Editor title. That being mentioned, it’s a stellar instance of this area of interest flavour of horror and it’s price together with nonetheless. It blends survival and horror completely, with memorable characters, an eerie setting, and a skin-crawling premise. It’s arguably essentially the most disturbing recreation on this listing.
The story centres round a lady named Aya. Her mom died at a younger age, so she lives along with her scientist father and their maid Maria. Aya finally ends up getting much more than she bargained for when making an attempt to look into her father’s secret experiments within the basement.
With vengeful spirits, tough puzzles, and an unsettling story, the remake of Mad Father on Swap is a masterclass in upsetting horror. The preliminary recreation got here out in 2012, with the remake kicking off in 2020, and it nonetheless feels extremely contemporary to at the present time.
Primarily based on a webcomic and growing a cult following over time, OMORI is among the most fascinating RPG Maker titles on the Swap. It’s one of many more moderen entries on this listing, being created by Omocat in 2020.
Omori is a psychological horror with a singular aesthetic and a narrative that explores quite a lot of darkish matters. It follows a boy named Sunny and his alter-ego dream self named Omori, hopping between two completely different worlds and uncovering secrets and techniques. There are a number of endings to find, alongside some punchy turn-based battles.
Whereas Omori might be criticised for feeling somewhat clunky in locations, it is well-written and it will keep on with you. It doesn’t observe the standard RPG components and it’ll hook your consideration proper till the finale.
That is 5 of the perfect RPG Maker horror video games already obtainable on Swap, however this is a trio of non-Swap titles — all of which can be found on PC — that we would dearly like to see come to Nintendo’s console…
Yume Nikki
Yume Nikki – Dream Diary – is on Swap, however the unique 2004 title is extra impactful. Out of all of the RPG Maker horror titles that haven’t gotten a Swap port but, that is in all probability essentially the most noticeable absence.
Yume Nikki is an odd expertise with some heavy themes. Not like most RPG Maker horrors, it doesn’t have a set story or particular duties to finish. It follows a lady named Madotsuki, trapped inside her condo with simply her dream diary for firm. The target is to discover and uncover 24 distinctive Results, which have an effect on Madotsuki, the sport world, and different characters.
It’s a main instance of a ‘strolling simulator’, however don’t let that put you off. Yume Nikki is a majorly influential horror title and a port of the traditional recreation would really feel proper at residence on Swap.
The Crooked Man
The truth that The Crooked Man isn’t on Swap is unbelievable. Very similar to Mad Father, this recreation is definitely a Wolf RPG Editor title, but this listing would really feel wholly incomplete with out it. It’s a part of the golden age of pixel horror video games and nonetheless comprises loads of frights for contemporary gamers — it’s one of the crucial full and chilling RPG Maker-esque horror titles on the market, initially promising “hardcore expressions of violence.”
The Crooked Man follows the story of David, a depressed man who has simply moved into a brand new condo. He finally ends up coming throughout a string of notes, taking him via a wide range of eerie places and leaving him with extra questions than solutions.
OFF
Calling OFF a horror recreation may be considerably of a stretch, nevertheless it’s an unsettling and off-putting expertise. This title was launched initially in 2008 and to at the present time followers nonetheless can’t determine on what the story means.
With an odd overworld, mysterious puzzles, and a divisively speedy battle system, OFF performs into some RPG tropes whereas nimbly dodging others. It follows the Batter, an odd humanoid that has got down to “purify” the sport world. There are a number of Zones all through OFF’s world, full of memorable characters and difficult puzzles, and the whole recreation is extensively left open to interpretation.
RPG Maker horror could look dated to some, however these video games will go away an enduring imprint on you if you happen to give them an opportunity. Horror is the style the place ‘much less is extra’ applies completely – generally not displaying the monster is the scariest factor a recreation can do.
Tell us beneath which of the above you’ve got performed (or which you would possibly play sooner or later), in addition to different RPG Maker video games — horror or in any other case — that you have performed and beloved.