The GameCube was a bit of an oddity. It was one of the best examples of Nintendo’s experimental tendencies, yet it wasn’t the biggest commercial success.
Regardless, those who persisted with the console could find some amazing games for it, many of which were surprisingly horror games.
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The bloodier the better!
From the outright horror of series like Resident Evil, to FPS and action-adventure, and even some wild vampire blood-soaked mayhem, this is a list of several creepy, unsettling, and oftentimes horrific games.
All of which are worth checking out on this quirky console or in remastered forms.
10Luigi’s Mansion
The Cowardly Brother
Luigi’s Mansion
I know, we don’t usually associateLuigi’s Mansionwith an actual horror experience. But have you considered the game from Luigi’s perspective?
If you’re terrified of everything, then wandering around a haunted mansion full of specters is sure to be a truly nightmarish experience.
WhileLuigi’s Mansionmight not be a bloodcurdling horror experience, there are plenty of jump scares, aided by incredibly atmospheric visuals and spooky sounds.
Clearly, the game did something right, since it managed to spawn a couple of sequels on Nintendo systems, including the most recently releasedLuigi’s Mansion 3. Here’s hoping that’s not the end of Luigi’s adventures in haunted locales.
Ghost Versus Host
Shooter, Action Adventure
Release Date
August 15th, 2005
While Geist isn’t an over-the-top, dedicated horror experience, it has a premise just spooky enough to make the cut.
You’re a man separated from your own body, and malevolent forces have possessed your best friend. While that might seem like game over for most, it’s just the start of this unique shooter adventure game.
You’re tasked with jumping from host body to host body in your quest to reunite with your flesh, and each host serves as an anchor to keep your ghostly form tethered to the corporeal world.
Along the way, you’ll face off against demonic threats, and eventually learn the dark truth of the Volks Corporation.
Although it’s fun to jump into different hosts and utilize their weaponry and expertise, ultimately, Geist doesn’t do much to satisfy the genre. But fret not, since there are many other contenders on this list that do a much more robust job of scaring us senseless.
Multiple Personality Mayhem
It’s hard to believe that without Killer7,Suda51might not have taken off like he did. Even though the game garnered a mixed reception for the control scheme, the premise was big and bold enough to satisfy fans and critics alike.
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Unfortunately, not all horror games can be masterpieces (or scary, for that matter).
On the surface,Killer7might look like another action/adventure from Suda. But it’s really a twisted tale about humans turned into monsters called Heaven Smiles, who have a tendency to explode if they get too close. As for the “hero”, it’s a little complicated.
Harman Smith has multiple personality disorder, which allows him to physically transform into his disparate selves. And wouldn’t you know it, they’re all very talented killers! A weird and twisted tale that’s just spooky enough to be interesting.
7Second Sight
Psychic Amnesia
Action-Adventure, Stealth
February 18th, 2005
Psychic powers are a longstanding fascination for our species. With so much untapped potential in our brains, it just makes a weird sort of sense that perhaps we’re capable of more. However, for John Vattic, psychic powers are much more than he bargained for in Second Sight.
The game has him waking up without any idea who he is, and discovering he’s capable of amazing psychic feats.
In this world, parapsychology is more than a concept; it’s a stark reality. And whoever controls it is armed with the means of reshaping the power structures of the world.
Most of the terror in the game comes from what Vattic is capable of, rather than jump scares or terrifying monsters. Regardless, it’s definitely horror-adjacent, with plenty of stealth and startling revelations.
6BloodRayne
Nazis and Vampires
Bloodrayne
Even though you don’t have to be bloody to be a horror game, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Throw in a dhampir named Rayne, Nazis obsessed with the occult and monstrous creatures, and you have a heady horror mix.
BloodRayneis set in a third-person style and features fast-paced, violent combat, with Rayne leaping about, dodging bullets and taking deep drinks from the throats of her foes.
BloodRaynemight be more than a little campy at times, but it’s still a bloody good time for fans of the action and horror genres.
5Blood Omen 2
An Alternate Nosgoth
Blood Omen 2
Whether you first experienced Kain in the original Blood Omen orLegacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, there’s one common thread - Kain is a vampiric bastard. But in Blood Omen 2, he’s fighting his way back to the top in a world not his own.
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Who’s up for lasting psychological damage?
This alternate realityis one where the Sarafan Order outmatches Kain, and most vampires have been eradicated. As such, you’ll need to mix in smart use of stealth as well as violence. Otherwise, you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed and slaughtered.
Even though you’re playing the game as Kain, it can be downright horrifying watching him rip apart his foes, especially as he gains back some of his lost strength.
4Resident Evil 4
Almost President Evil
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4was one of the best examples of Capcom experimenting successfully with the traditional horror formula.
Sure, zombies and bioweapons are scary, but the Ganados were something else. Smart, working in unison and armed with weapons ranging from vicious claws to chainsaws.
What was especially horrific in the game was how Leon and Ashley, the president’s daughter, got infected with Las Plagas. Not only does Leon have to contend with vicious hordes of monsters, but he has to prevent a madman from taking control of the White House.
Resident Evil 4is plenty scary but not quite as horror-filled as our next contender…
3The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Dark Delights Await
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
It’s understandable you might not associateMajora’s Maskwith a horror game. But I’d wager that’s only because you hadn’t played much of this very unconventionalThe Legend of Zeldaadventure. After all, almost every little aspect of the game was saturated with nightmares.
First off, racing against the clock to stop a grimacing demon moon from ending all life, as you know, is pretty scary. But there’s also just a miasma of horror everywhere you look.
As a great example, the Music Box House scenario, where you’re fighting against the mummified cousins of ReDead was spooky. But when you finally managed it and got inside, you had to deal with Pamela’s transfigured father.
Or consider the big battle against Majora’s Mask, which fights you with numerous forms full of tentacles and other fun surprises. Sure, The Legend of Zelda isn’t a traditional horror experience, but it’s full of deep, dark secrets waiting to be uncovered.
2Resident Evil Remake
Back to the Mansion
Resident Evil
When Resident Evil was first released, we were all captivated by this new entry in the survival horror genre. But let’s just be honest, it was a bit messy and primitive.
And though the game fondly referred to as Resident Evil Remake could have been a simple HD upgrade, Capcom went above and beyond to reinvent the horror adventure from the bottom up.
It’s fair to say that no other GameCube game was quite as breathtakingly animated as Resident Evil Remake. It featured rich textures, which is all the better for conveying the horror of new foes like Crimson Heads to the unrelenting abomination that is Lisa Trevor.
The game not only looked the part, but it featured updated controls that were more responsive while still feeling faithful to the original game.
Mix in fantastic environments and a disturbing plot revealed piece by piece, and you have one of the best-ever examples of what Resident Evil is capable of.
1Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Evil Unleashed
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
In many ways, the GameCube was a flawed experiment by Nintendo. But it managed one moment of pure excellence, and that was thanks toEternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.
A game that probably shouldn’t have existed on that console, but which made its mark on myself and everyone that played the game.
It tells the twisted tale of the Roivas family, and alternates through time, with you taking control of various characters. It throws in eldritch Anicents, a demented Roman centurion turned undead champion named Pious, and all sorts of delightfully evil twists and turns.
Perhaps the best part of Eternal Darkness was how it embraced horror and used Sanity Effects whenever your resistance was down.
This repeatedly terrified me as I traversed ancient ruins, dark corners of the Roivas mansion, and beyond. An incredible horror adventure, and one that deserved to be more than a one-off.
