Most people expect horror games to have oppressive atmospheres and spine-chilling scares in each and every corner. While this might hold true for modern horror games, the older titles in this genre had far more leeway to develop games that could still be scary while remaining within the limitations set by previous console generations. As a result, horror sometimes had to take a backseat for cheesier moments.
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From egregious voice acting to predictable jump scares,some horror games end up being way sillier and cheesythan they should. However, there’s no denying that these games still have a level of charm that is hard to top nowadays. Here are some of the best and most charming horror games that are fun to play despite being slightly cheesy at times.
8Resident Evil
It would be impossible to talk about cheesy yet charming horror games without mentioning the firstResident Evil. This landmark title featuredits fair share of scares and tense moments… but players couldn’t help but laugh at the silly voice acting of this game.
Some lines from the series (such as the iconic Jill Sandwich quote) have become popular for totally unintentional reasons. As long as players get used to the tank controls, they can enjoy a game that kickstarted theResident Evilseries.
7Until Dawn
Supermassive Games intentionally channeled the vibe of a teen horror film when they decided to developUntil Dawnfor the PS4.This tense horror gamehas its fair share of horrifying moments and some truly cheesy ones early on when the teenagers desperately try and convey that they’re having fun.
Until Dawnisn’t a monumental title by any means but is still a great horror-adventure title to play for fans of games likeThe Walking DeadandHeavy Rain. The amazing graphics and a cast of recognizable characters elevate this title to a whole new level.
6Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonitionis a cult classic title that bombed upon launch but became a decent success over time after word of mouth started to spread about this title. Sales were strong enough for a second title to be greenlit and launched, which was a source of great joy for fans of this rather odd title.
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The horror part ofDeadly Premonitionmight be effective at times, but there’s always a sense of weirdness about the world and the gameplay that makes it such an oddly charming experience. Players who want to check outa survival horror game that is unlike anything they’ve probably played beforeshould look no further than this title, although the janky nature of the gameplay can take some getting used to.
5The Typing Of The Dead
The House of the Deadis an arcade shooter that combined cheesy humor with zombie-killing action to make for a fun, if slightly mindless, action horror title. However, no one expected Sega to turn this arcade title into a typing game with the same story and visuals.
Typing out phrases to shoot zombies is one of the most hilarious ways to take out any enemy in a horror game.The Typing of the Deadis a gem of a title that fans of weird horror games should definitely check out.
4Michigan: Report From Hell
There’s no denying thatMichigan: Report from Hellis one of the worse games on this list. The gameplay loop is pretty barebones, which is the worst offense made by this title, but most people won’t mind if they’re just here for a laugh.
It helps thatMichigan: Report from Hellhas truly hilarious voice acting and some weird moments that make it charming enough for fans who want such a vibe from their games to begin with.The sheer odd nature of this gamehas made it an internet darling of sorts and a perfect candidate for this list.
3Night Trap
Night Trapis notorious for being a game that, along withMortal Kombat,was controversial enough to give rise to the rating system. Given how poorly the game has aged, it’s easy for players to wonder what was so questionable about this title in the first place.
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It also didn’t help thatNight Trapwas devilishly hard, with just a few mistakes being enough to lead to a game over. While this FMV game has a charm of its own, players should just read a guide from the get-go to avoid any frustrations while experiencing this ancient title.
2Lifeline
For its time,Lifelinewas easily one of the most ambitious games on the PS2. The player controlled the main protagonist solely through voice commands, which ended up either being really intuitive or totally broken, with no in-between.
Nowadays,Lifelineis a fun title to check out and understand how the game tried to incorporate a gameplay loop that only used voice commands. It helps that the game is short enough that it ends before the gameplay becomes too frustrating.
1Phasmophobia
It’s only a given thata multiplayer horror gameis going to be pretty charming in its own right. This is precisely the case withPhasmophobia, which uses the age-old concept of ghost hunters to great effect.
The concept might sound cheesy, but it’s the execution of this setting that makesPhasmophobiaso great. The game has the potential to make players both laugh and scream, which is a huge achievement in itself.
