With the ability to elicit worry with merely a sprinkling of pixels and a well-timed soundtrack is an artwork kind.
Horror video games are available in all sizes and shapes, with various ranges of gore, ghouls, and grisly particulars. Whereas the Swap is house to some extremely life like horror, probably 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 straightforward but highly effective RPG improvement instruments. Iterations like RPG Maker 2003 (and comparable instruments, like Wolf RPG Editor) have been extremely praised over time for making story-driven sport improvement extra accessible and simpler to crack.
These instruments make up an necessary a part of gaming historical past, giving individuals an opportunity to share their tales while not having to spend money on immensely costly gear or spend years coaching. They are not overly simplistic to make use of, however they do take away quite a lot of the everyday limitations related to entering into sport creation.
RPG Maker video games are normally 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 solely horror video games, the software has discovered a comfy house within the horror group, particularly with survival horror and scary visible novels.
Listed below are 5 RPG Maker horror classics out there on Swap and one other three that we’d like to see ported to the platform.
Please word that a number of of those video games cowl distressing subjects and have graphic imagery. It’s price testing content material warnings earlier than enjoying.
Writer: PLAYISM
Should you’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 sources.
The story follows a younger woman named Ib as she visits an artwork gallery along with her mother and father, 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 large number of endings that encourage you to get misplaced within the gallery over and over.
Writer: DANGEN Leisure
The perfect factor about The Witch’s Home is its story, intently adopted by its puzzles. It is a Swap port of a sport 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 searching 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.
Writer: GameStudio
Should you had been a fan of watching horror Let’s Play movies on YouTube a decade in the past or so, chances are high that you simply’ve seen Ao Oni in motion. With an completely 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 bunch of children 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 tooth into.
It’s one of the 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.
Writer: PLAYISM
Whereas Mad Father is commonly lumped in with RPG Maker video games (because it’s being lumped in right here), it is very important word that it’s technically a Wolf RPG Editor title. That being stated, 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 probably the most disturbing sport on this checklist.
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 attempting 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 sport got here out in 2012, with the remake kicking off in 2020, and it nonetheless feels extremely recent to at the present time.
Writer: OMOCAT / Developer: OMOCAT
Based mostly on a webcomic and growing a cult following over time, OMORI is without doubt one of the most attention-grabbing RPG Maker titles on the Swap. It’s one of many more moderen entries on this checklist, being created by Omocat in 2020.
Omori is a psychological horror with a singular aesthetic and a narrative that explores plenty of darkish subjects. 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 a bit clunky in locations, it is well-written and it will follow you. It doesn’t comply with the everyday RPG components and it’ll hook your consideration proper till the finale.
That is 5 of the most effective RPG Maker horror video games already out there on Swap, however this is a trio of non-Swap titles — all of which can be found on PC — that we might dearly like to see come to Nintendo’s console…
Yume Nikki
Yume Nikki – Dream Diary – is on Swap, however the authentic 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 probably the most noticeable absence.
Yume Nikki is an odd expertise with some heavy themes. In contrast to 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 first-rate 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 sport would really feel proper at house on Swap.
The Crooked Man
The truth that The Crooked Man isn’t on Swap is unbelievable. Very similar to Mad Father, this sport is definitely a Wolf RPG Editor title, but this checklist would really feel wholly incomplete with out it. It’s a part of the golden age of pixel horror video games and nonetheless accommodates loads of frights for contemporary gamers — it’s one of the 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 by way of a wide range of eerie areas and leaving him with extra questions than solutions.
OFF
Calling OFF a horror sport may be considerably of a stretch, but it surely’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 your entire sport is broadly left open to interpretation.
RPG Maker horror might look dated to some, however these video games will depart an enduring imprint on you in case you give them an opportunity. Horror is the style the place ‘much less is extra’ applies completely – generally not exhibiting the monster is the scariest factor a sport can do.
Tell us under 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 cherished.
