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What makes a horror game scary?
Is it the jumpscares? The music? The undead running after you?
Not in these particular horror games–except maybe Mad Father, as far as the undead are concerned.
RPG Maker horror games are the perfect example of how atmosphere, music and story can deliver spine-tingling scares that don’t necessarily rely on jumpscares to make your adrenaline pump–even when everything is rendered in pixel cuteness.
Whether they introduced us to unforgettable worlds like Guertena’s gallery or how horrible humans can be (spoiler alert!), these free horror games dish out scares on levels that would make the Grudge lady proud–and we’ve gathered the most quotable quotes from our list of top RPG Maker games to give you a taste of what they have to offer.
1. Ib
A little girl named Ib (pronounced ‘Eve’ ) goes to her very first art gallery with her parents.
While looking at the bizarre yet intriguing works of artist Weiss Guertena, she finds herself lost deep within a dark, eerie version of the gallery she’d just been exploring.
Unfortunately, you and Ib will discover that art can be very dangerous when it gets a bit too lifelike.
2. The Witch’s House / Majo no Ie
A cute girl with blonde braids named Viola is lost in the forest, and to find a way to leave through a solid wall of roses blocking the only way out, she enters the house of a witch.
It’s a normal-looking house with rich carpets, bright torches, flowers in vases, and furniture that moves mysteriously on its own.
There’s also all the blood on walls and stone floors.
3. Mad Father
A young girl named Aya Drevis makes it her mission to find her father, a dedicated scientist who was ‘unfortunately’ held prisoner by what seems to be a malevolent spirit.
She wakes up to find her spacious house filled with undead victims of her father’s extensive ‘work’, and now she have to make her way through levels of tormented souls and creepy dolls to save her father from whatever is keeping him captive.
4. Akemi Tan
Set in rural Japan, a young girl named Shimoda makes an offering of fruit to the Ou (translated as King) on behalf of her family.
Because Shimoda is unsupervised, hungry, modern, and therefore not in any real position to fear punishment from breaking the strict rules of tradition–she takes one of the fruits.
5. Alice Mare
A young, amnesiac orphan boy named Allen finds himself delving into surreal dream worlds that reveal the fairy tale-like stories of his fellow children.
While he makes his way around, he’s guided by the droll, yet polite White Rabbit and the perpetually grinning enigma that is the Chesire Cat.
The two don’t seem to get along, but that’s the least of your problems.
Find all these horror games and more here!
Did we mention? All these games are free to download! Check out our list of where to get each of these games, along with screenshots and walkthroughs!
Of course, we also have RPG Maker keybies available in our online store for your cute collecting needs:
Ib keybies here!
Mad Father keybies here!
