The Resident Evil franchise took the survival horror genre to new heights. Since 1996, this franchise has been offering up detailed and gory games, full of creepy monsters, interesting characters, and iconic (if a little cheesy) stories.
If you’re a Resident Evil fan, you’ll know that this franchise offers a great mix of gritty action, genuine horror, and some intriguing puzzles as well. The games include many iconic elements such as fixed camera angles and tricky resource management systems, too.
These elements aren’t just exclusive to Resident Evil, though. In fact, there’s a whole host of games out there that Resident Evil fans are sure to love.
Here are 12 survival horror games like Resident Evil to try out today.
Tormented Souls
Available on Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.
To start off, Tormented Souls is a fantastic survival horror game with a lot of elements that Resident Evil fans will find familiar. It even has the fixed camera positions.
You play as Caroline Walker and have to investigate an asylum while looking for missing twins. The game evolves from there, throwing difficult puzzles and horrifying monsters at you while you try to get a handle on the story.
In terms of storytelling, the game will not disappoint you as the game offers multiple endings. It’s a game with great replay value, and it’s worth playing through it again to explore the different twists that the story can take you through.
Overall, Tormented Souls is an excellent horror game to check out if you’re in the mood for one. Fans of games like Resident Evil will get a kick out of it.
Darkwood
Available on Windows, Linux, MacOS, Stadia, Steam, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Darkwood is an example of how to nail the survival horror genre. It’s a deeply unsettling game with a top-down perspective, and it comes with a fantastic soundtrack and unique visual style. It stands out especially in the Switch horror game category, as there aren’t many others like it.
This game focuses on survival heavily, as players will need to scavenge for supplies and monitor their surroundings. The enemies in this game are tricky to take down in a battle (sometimes, almost to the point of being annoying) and the storage management system is reminiscent of the Resident Evil franchise.
Having to manage your items and keep yourself in good condition is an important element of this game, and the limited resources add to the horror experience. You can craft some interesting items in the game, including some that expand your storage.
All in all, Darkwood is an excellent pick for Resident Evil fans who want to try something new. It’s incredibly well made and can be genuinely frightening in places.
Fear the Dark Unknown
Available on Windows and Steam.
Fear the Dark Unknown took inspiration from lots of classic horror games, specifically the first Resident Evil game. It is an indie survival horror game that will have even the most seasoned horror fans jumping out of their seats.
You play as either James or Chloe as they look for clues about the murder of their wife and mother respectively. The two interconnecting storylines work very well together, and the combination of horror with tricky puzzles and fixed camera angles means this game has a very obvious Resident Evil feel to it.
You can fight the creatures that dwell in the dark as you journey throughout the game. There are both firearms and melee weapons that you can pick up in various zones.
Fighting isn’t always the answer though, and it’s good to pick your battles as you explore the world of Fear the Dark Unknown. It’s a game that requires good situational awareness as enemies can sometimes appear out of the blue.
All in all, Fear the Dark Unknown is a game that will take you back from the classic era of horror games. It gives some very clear nods to the original Resident Evil games and it’s worth checking out.
Simulacrum Chapter One
Available on Windows and Steam.
Simulacrum Chapter One is another game that takes lots of inspiration from classic horror games, and fans of games like Resident Evil are sure to fall in love with it. It’s got an eerie soundtrack and some decent voice acting which helps to bring it to life.
You play as Abigail, who ends up inside a painting from her house for unknown reasons. You will need to escape this terrifying world and learn more about both the world around you and your character.
There’s less of a focus on fighting enemies in this game than Resident Evil games typically have, but Simulacrum Chapter One gives the RE series a run for its money in terms of puzzles. The puzzles often take the form of a riddle which you can solve by exploring.
Overall, Simulacrum Chapter One is an excellent pick if you enjoy solving puzzles and exploring dark, foreboding worlds.
Ebola 2
Available on Windows and Steam.
Ebola 2 is a game that offers a good mix of elements from both new and old RE titles. It’s an FPS horror hybrid game that looks fantastic and has a disarmingly eerie soundtrack.
It will feel incredibly familiar for Resident Evil lovers, right down to the main character and the storyline. You play as Leo who gets a call for a job while taking a day off in a city that has been infested with menacing, infectious beings.
Gameplay-wise, fans of games like Resident Evil 7 will feel right at home here. The game has a first-person perspective and gives players limited firearms and resources. There’s also no auto-save feature, to add extra challenge.
There are a few puzzles and challenges to overcome in Ebola 2 as well, including some codes to break and some lost keys to find. There’s also a lock-picking segment which clearly took a lot of inspiration from the RE series.
In general, Ebola 2 is a logical pick for Resident Evil players, no matter whether they’re fans of the old games or the new ones. This is a dark and challenging game, with plenty of gore and scary monsters to keep your adrenaline levels high.
Dead Rising HD
Available on Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Wii.
Capcom’s over-the-top Dead Rising HD deserves a spot on this list. This particular title is a new version of the original Dead Rising, and it is well worth your time. It combines survival elements with action elements flawlessly, and there’s plenty of bloodthirsty zombies to boot.
The story follows photojournalist Frank West as he covers the story of a shopping mall full of zombies and dangerous shop owners. You get to investigate both sides of the story, looking at the disturbing things that the apocalypse has brought on.
One of the best things about Dead Rising is that you can use weapons in the environment to attack enemies, including shovels and bicycles.
You can also use your camera to take pictures of NPCs and environments. This will reward you with Prestige Points, which you can use to purchase skills. The skill system in this game is surprisingly intricate, with cases rewarding you with experience points.
Speaking of cases, you’ll also need to watch the in-game time as every mission and event in your case file can expire.
This is a game that looks silly and extreme at first, but it has a nice amount of depth to it with the camera feature and skill system. If you want an experience like Resident Evil that focuses on both the dangers of zombies and post-apocalypse humans, this is the game for you.
Manhunt
Available on Windows and PS4.
This game originates from the PS2 glory days, and it’s a must-play for both fans of Resident Evil games and fans of titles from the team at Rockstar Games. It’s ultra-violent, and combines survival horror with gritty action sequences.
You play as James Earl Cash, a death-row inmate that has been given a second chance in life to star on a gory reality TV show. On this show, you have to execute and hunt down enemies that have been sent to you purely for the entertainment of others.
It’s a nasty concept.
Manhunt matches the horror and mature themes that Resident Evil games offer. The gameplay in Manhunt is somewhat similar too, although it’s a little faster in pace and requires more stealth than RE games typically do.
There are plenty of weapons to pick from, ranging from baseball bats to knives. There are also finisher moves which you can pull off when attacking enemies. It’s an essential game to add to your survival horror and action library on Steam today.
Prey
Available on Windows, PS4, and Xbox One.
Prey is the game for you if your favorite RE game is Resident Evil 7. It takes the gritty survival horror aspects of RE7 and puts an interesting sci-fi spin on it.
This game is a first-person sci-fi thriller that incorporates survival elements with genuinely frightening horror. The story occurs in an alternate timeline where an alien race called Typhon has invaded a space station. You play as a character called Morgan Yu, and you’ll need to survive the dangers onboard the space station.
The gameplay loop encourages you to explore, and you can scavenge for items and weapons to help you combat your enemies more effectively. You can also build new weapons, as there is a robust crafting system.
There are intriguing puzzles to solve in Prey, and plenty of clues and secret doors to uncover as well. If you want a game that’s set in space but offers the same puzzles, challenges, and scares that Resident Evil games offer, Prey is the one for you.
Dead Space 2
Available on Windows, PS3, and Xbox 360.
Following on from the previous suggestion, Dead Space 2 is another survival horror and sci-fi hybrid game that’s worth taking a look at if you want to find more titles similar to Resident Evil. It’s a third-person game with plenty of creepy monsters and difficult fights.
This is a sequel that follows the events of the first Dead Space game, but it’s not necessary to play the first one to enjoy this one. You play as Isaac Clarke, and go to a space station on the destroyed moon of Saturn. This space station happens to be full of Necromorphs.
The gameplay in Dead Space 2 is engaging and will often shock you. You’ll need to have good situational awareness as enemies can often pop up out of nowhere, and they can be quite a challenge to take down.
Much like Resident Evil, you’ll need to keep an eye on what weapons you have and what resources are at your disposal while playing Dead Space 2. Resources like power nodes are scarce but essential, so you will need to keep tabs on what you have.
Dead Space 2 is a delight to play through and worth adding to your library today.
The Evil Within 2
Available on Windows, PS4, and Xbox One.
The Evil Within 2 is an excellent alternative to Resident Evil if you’re looking for a third-person survival horror game. This game has a splash of action that makes battling mobs even more enjoyable, and there’s a great storyline too.
This is a sequel to the first Evil Within game, but you don’t really need to play the first one in order to enjoy the second one. The narrative may make slightly less sense, but it’s not essential. However, if you have time then play both.
In this game, you play as Sebastian and have to deal with the horrors that follow discovering his presumed-dead daughter is still alive. There’s a horrific plot to uncover that involves his daughter, and the game focuses mainly on survival horror, stealth, and resource management.
Resources are scarce in The Evil Within 2, which really adds to the terror. Stealth attacks are a great way to conserve bullets in this game.
You’ll need to have strong situational awareness and a decent sense of direction to beat this game. There’s no mini-map, and the layouts can be quite confusing. That being said, the game looks great, in a macabre way, and the designers clearly put a lot of thought into it.
Fans of the RE franchise will love the challenges and puzzles this game throws at them.
The Last of Us
Available on PS4.
While The Last of Us may not initially seem like an alternative to Resident Evil games, it does actually have quite a few similarities. It’s an excellent survival horror game with a focus on narrative and building a convincing atmosphere.
The story starts with the world getting destroyed by a virus that turns humans into infectious creatures called Clickers. You play as Joel and accompany a character called Ellie, who plays host to a cure that can stop the virus spreading.
You’ll need to keep alert and pick your battles, as some fights do not favor you in The Last of Us. There’s a unique listening mode that can help you identify where enemies are, which adds a new level of depth to the world.
Similar to Resident Evil, there are not many items and resources in this game. You’ll need to keep an eye on your inventory and health, all while monitoring where your enemies are and where the closest exit is.
This is only part one of The Last of Us, too. If you enjoy this game and want even more survival horror and Clickers to keep you going, check out the next part.
Silent Hill 2
Available on Windows, PS3, and Xbox 360.
To finish off this list, here’s a nightmare-inducing classic. Silent Hill 2 is a legendary survival horror game that you’ve probably already heard of if you’re a Resident Evil fan. It’s difficult, terrifying, and an absolute delight to play.
The story focuses on the town of Silent Hill, a place full of dark, twisted secrets and horrifying monsters. You play as James Sullivan, who receives a letter from his presumed-dead wife that informs him she is still alive and in Silent Hill.
Silent Hill 2 uses a fixed camera perspective that will feel familiar for fans of games like Resident Evil. The gameplay is genuinely frightening and demanding, with plenty of scary zones for players to explore and learn more about.
This is a game where you’re often weaker than the monsters and enemies, so pay attention to any radios you find as they’ll warn you about future dangers. It is possible to avoid fights, too, so make sure to back off and run away if you don’t have a weapon.
Silent Hill 2 is an essential game for any survival horror fan. It’s had a huge influence on the gaming world (as has Resident Evil) and it’s worth experiencing for yourself.
