Indie Horror Showcase's Scariest Games Highlighted

The second annual Indie Horror Showcase took place on October 24. The event was presented by indie publisher DreadXP and hosted by content creator John Wolfe. This year, 60 bone-chilling trailers were shown off, featuring both previously released and upcoming titles.

With the event is said and done, there remains an important question. Which games were some of the scariest of them all? Well, the titles featured in this article are some of the best choices for the subjective answer. Here are three of the scariest games highlighted during this year's Indie Horror Showcase.

Karma: The Dark World

First up on this list is Karma: The Dark World. It's a game made by Pollard Studio that takes place in a dystopian version of East Germany in 1984. In this game, an organization called the Leviathan Corporation holds a harsh rule over the land. According to the game's Steam description, it controls citizens through mass surveillance, social class rule, and mind-altering drugs. Of course, the promise of a perfect utopia for those who fall in line helps a bit too.

Players will take on the role of Daniel McGovern, an agent within Leviathan's Thought Bureau. McGovern is tasked with investigating crime scenes and interviewing suspects to give information to his corporation. As seen during the Indie Horror Showcase, these investigations won't go smoothly into the night.

To complete his mission, McGovern must dive into the depths of twisted minds and view the horrors that lurk within people's minds. His sanity will be put to the test as reality, and these disturbing mental images begin to blend together. Although no set release date has been announced, a free demo for the game is currently available.

Among Ashes

Photo byKamil SwitalskionUnsplash

Among Ashes is an experience that involves a gamer's nightmare that has come true. The game, developed by Spain-based indie studio Rat Cliff Games, spins the tale of a haunted video game. After a bit of encouragement from a friend, the main character of this story dives into a horror game called Night Call.

Players will get to explore this retro-style labyrinth that's filled with puzzles and scary monsters to fight off. Based on glimpses from the trailer shown during the Indie Horror Showcase, the game within a game seems like it could truly exist as its own entity.

However, this fun exploration doesn't translate to the in-game real world. As players dive deeper into Night Call, strange things will begin to brew. Dark entities are attached to the very source code of the fictional horror adventure. The only option to survive is to just keep going and hope that the mystery behind Night Call and its creator can be solved. Among Ashes is slated for a December 2024 release. For those who can't wait to try it out, a free demo is available on Steam as well.

darkwebSTREAMER

The final game on the list is one that takes the worst fears related to the dark depths of the Internet and makes them a unique experience. The game, aptly named darkwebSTREAMER, comes from the minds of those with We Have Always Lived In The Forest. According to the game's Steam page, the player character is an occult streamer.

This means they go through the darkest and deadliest dealings to please their audience. While taking on the task, a new type of demise will always be around the corner with procedurally generated events and outcomes that help make the game feel alive.

This unique project blends classic life simulator mechanics like skills, social stats, money management, and more with a twisted horror element. There's even a bit of crafting in the game, even if it's usually due to some kind of dark ritual. Each playthrough will be its own story full of randomized encounters, events, characters, and histories.

Even what the viewers within the game say is set to be different each and every time. While there is no set release date yet, those interested can take the time to explore the immersive website made for this twisted project.

Final Thoughts

Among the 60 trailers shown during the Indie Horror Showcase, there was one that could tickle just about any horror lover's fancy. Thankfully, the stream was uploaded directly after it wrapped up. Fans of indie horror games can still scrub through it to find a gem that's perfect for them.

Remember, horror is subjective, and there were certainly more than three games shown off that can cause thrilling chills. That's all the more reason to look back at the broadcast and find the perfect game for the Halloween season and beyond.

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Article was originally written by Kirstin Baum