8 Horror Games Set In Forest Towns

Horror video games are full of creepy locations. These can range from the urban to the rural, from alien ships to supernatural realms. One such realm is the forest, which can be both enchanting and elusive. Many creatures and mysteries exist among these trees.

Horror games often visit locations shrouded in this wilderness. They seem innocent enough on the surface, but like the foliage that surrounds them, they conceal secrets of their own. These can range from murderers to extraterrestrial activity, and maybe a sentient car or two. Here are some great horror titles that take gamers into the woods.

8 Gleaner Heights

Digging More Than Just Crops

Gleaner Heights is what would happen if Stardew Valley took place in Twin Peaks. The small town is nestled within a pristine forest, with places to mine and forage for food. It seems quiet enough, with a diner, a general store, a nice hotel, and residents who go about their daily routines.

Things aren’t as innocent as they seem, though. Everyone in Gleaner Heights has something to hide. Something supernatural is happening in town as well, including bright lights appearing in the water, and what might be a sinister cult. Also, a dilapidated house sits across from the farm, which holds its own secrets.

7 Silver Falls: Episode Prelude

Strange Things Happen In Silver Falls

The Silver Falls franchise may be a bit more underground, but its games can be almost as spooky as any triple-A horror offering. It features a long line of titles that have appeared on the Switch, 3DS, and Wii U (yes, that Wii U), and even on retro handhelds.

Each game in the franchise takes place within the town of Silver Falls in Washington State. It has seen its fair share of strange lights and Eldritch monster sightings. Silver Falls: Episode Prelude features a brief skirmish with a few of these creepy creatures, when a meal delivery to a remote house turns into a bizarre mystery. In Silver Falls, it’s best if you don’t go outside alone.

6 Pacific Drive

Lost In The Woods

Systems

Released

February 22, 2024

Developer(s)

Ironwood Studios

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Entertainment is populated with its share of sentient cars, from Herbie the Love Bug to Optimus Prime. One such vehicle is the sentient car that a lone driver takes through the Government-quarantined Olympic Anomaly Zone in Pacific Drive.

Related

Pacific Drive: Best Upgrades, Ranked

Choosing the right upgrades is essential to success in Pacific Drive. Here are the best ones players can pick.

The woods of the zone are constantly shifting thanks to a physics-altering anomaly. The strange vehicle must be continually maintained via a deep crafting system, utilizing materials gathered at random locations while players are out exploring the zone and unraveling the mystery of the ARDA Corporation. The Zone sounds like something straight out of an X-Files episode, and that’s not an inaccurate comparison to make here.

5 The Evil Within

Evil? EEEEEEVIIIIIIIILLLL!!!!!

The Evil Within is the sibling of Resident Evil 4. It was directed by Shinji Mikami, who co-directed Resident Evil 4, and it has an over-the-shoulder perspective with gameplay similar to that of its sibling. The story sees Detective Sebastian Castellanos investigate a mass murder at a mental hospital, only to be attacked by the teleporting murderer, as well as chased by a chainsaw-wielding maniac.

He eventually stumbles into a forest and eventually makes his way to Elk River village. Zombies (or “Haunted”) are shambling around, looking for their next meal, and Sebastian finds mirrors that warp him into the room of a hospital, making him question where reality ends and the nightmares begin.

4 Deadly Premonition

Dark Forces And Damn Fine Coffee

Any fan of David Lynch’s cult classic series Twin Peaks owes it to themselves to check out Deadly Premonition. Following the exploits of FBI psychic detective Francis York Morgan and his imaginary friend Zach, aspiring sleuths face the paranormal and question case suspects. He also gets visions from staring into his coffee.

Gamers first find Detective York in the Pacific Northwest Town of Greenvale, Washington, surrounded by pine trees on all sides. Here, in the nearby woods, a ritualistic murder has taken place. This is tied to sinister forces, as red vines trap York in buildings and shambling zombies crop up to attack him. He is also stalked by the Raincoat Killer, an urban legend that seems to have it out for York.

3 Silent Hill 2

The Town That Gets Inside Visitors’ Heads

Survival Horror

Horror

Adventure

Action

Systems

Released

October 8, 2024

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Nestled along Toluca Lake in Maine is the town of Silent Hill. The weather is foggy most of the year, with little sunshine in sight, and much of the settlement has become run-down and neglected. This town has drawn many visitors throughout the Silent Hill franchise’s extensive history.

One such visitor is James Sunderland, who receives a letter from his wife, who has been dead for three years. In his journey through the town in Silent Hill 2, he will fight his way through dangerous monsters, including the ones in his head.

2 Alan Wake

Peaceful Town By Day, Supernatural Terrors By Night

The Alan Wake games are a part of Remedy Entertainment’s interconnected gaming universe, brimming with supernatural activity and mind-bending worlds. While Alan Wake was not Remedy’s most financially successful title, fans have waded through the darkness for over a decade, until finally, Alan Wake 2 came out last year to massive acclaim.

Related

7 Games For Writers

Writers will appreciate the following video games that have a deep focus on worldbuilding, plot, and characters.

Much of the franchise is focused around the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, home of the annual Deer Fest which kicks off the local deer hunting season. This peaceful town is populated by many quirky characters, including writer Alan Wake’s number-one fan at the Oh Deer Diner, the Viking metal band Old Gods of Asgard, and a sketchy psychologist. In this town, Cauldron Lake is home to a malevolent force that attempts to use Wake to free itself from its watery prison. It also possesses hordes of local folk to stop Alan from foiling its plans.

1 Resident Evil 4

¡Gloria Las Plagas!

Capcom’s Resident Evil may not have invented the survival horror formula, but it launched a beloved franchise, full of zombies, mutants, and cheesy voice-acting. The series has reinvented itself several times and still brings the scares, along with a few laughs for good measure.

The first big reboot for the original franchise was Resident Evil 4, which switched from a fixed camera perspective to an over-the-shoulder angle, and beautifully blended both action and horror. RE4 takes Resident Evil 2 protagonist Leon S. Kennedy to a remote wooded area in Spain to find the President’s daughter. There, he stumbles into a rural village, whose residents have been controlled by the murderous Las Plagas parasites, making them smarter than the average zombie.

More

19 Horror Games That Use Players’ Microphones

Using the player’s microphone in gameplay is an excellent way to increase immersion and tension in horror games. Here’s which titles did it the best.