When people imagine horror games, it is likely to make them picture gritty and dismal realistic settings, sickening monstrosities, and adult storylines. Within recent years, however, there has been an increase in popularity for the ‘cute horror’ genre. While cute horror may contain some or all of the above, solidly establishing themselves as horror games, they tend to make significant changes to the horror aesthetic.
Whether this is achieved through a cute visual style, an exploration ofchild-centric horror, or a combination of these methods, players are gravitating towards this unique take on horror. For those who want to delve into this specific genre of horror, these are some of the best horror games that are also downright adorable.
TheAliceseries, particularly popular forAlice: Madness Returns, is what players get when Lewis Carroll’sAlice in Wonderlandis transformed into a horror game. The whimsical and psychedelic world of Carroll’s creation ensures a cute fantasy setting and premise, for a game that is otherwise very twisted and psychologically disturbing.
Undoubtedly a horror game, the familiar and traditionally cute setting allows theAliceseries to lean into the cuter side of the genre.Alice: Madness Returnsis a great game for those who like their horror a little more fantastical and somewhat on the cute scale.
9Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion
Commonly referred to asSpooky’s, this game is sometimes used to trick unsuspecting friends into playing a horror game. There’s a very good reason for this. Namely,Spooky’sbegins as a very cute and casual experience. The titular ghost, Spooky, seems like a sweet little girl, relatively harmless, and the mansion has a far more cute feelthan any horror mansionhas a right to be.
A player’s primary scares, initially, are wooden cut-outs that pop up at the player as they explore. But this sweet, casual experience masks the fact that the later levels of this mansion are filled with SCP-worthy abominations and some truly unnerving environments.
Corpse Partyis a survival horror that stands out from classics likeResident EvilandSilent Hillfor its cute cast of characters and childish setting. Those who delve into the world ofCorpse Party, however, will quickly find that the childish world does nothing to lessen the horror, instead amplifying the effect of the truly terrifying experiences.
Most of the characters inCorpse Partyare children in a Chibi sort of art style, and the game primarily takes place in an alternate dimension school. But there is no denying that the game deals with very mature content, and severe gore, and is overall quite traumatic. Now is also a great time to dive intoCorpse Party, given that a sequel calledDarkness Distortionhas recently been announced for 2024.
Mascot horror has become its own hugely popular subgenre of horror, partly thanks to the popularity ofFive Nights at Freddy’s, and many others have sprung up following its success. Of these,Bendy and the Ink Machineis a particularly artistic and cute game.
The game is inspired by theBioshockseries, but hints of old-school Disney can be seen in its gorgeous art style and narrative of an old animator. While the game is a creepy survival horror, there is something about its art style, particularly regarding the creatures that pursue Henry, that makes itas charming as it is scary.
Among the Sleepis about as child-centric as a game can get since the player character is a toddler. Don’t let this deceive potential players, though.Among The Sleepis a genuinely scary experience, with a very dark subject matter at the heart of its terror.
Seeing a horror game from a baby’s point of view is certainly a unique take, and one well worth experiencing, but it is cute for more reasons than just its protagonist. The settings are often visually appealing in spite of their whimsical horror, and there is a teddy bear companion to keep you company throughout the journey (although some find him to be the scariest part of the whole game).
As with the previous entry,Spooky’s,Doki Dokiis a game that people often use to trick others into playing a horror game. At first glance, it seems like an entirely different genre.Doki Dokiinitially establishes itself as a cute visual novel and dating simulator set in a school literature club.
While this format is continued throughout the gameplay,the narrative becomes increasingly disturbing, often touching on some highly distressing and mature themes. Despite its deceptive appearance,Doki Dokiis not for the faint of heart.
4Fran Bow
Another entry with a very unique visual and gameplay style, Fran Bow is an adorable point-and-click adventure game, that quickly shows its sinister side. Fran Bow is a young girl admitted to an asylum due to her trauma having witnessed the murder of her parents. At the asylum, Fran Bow is given medication that turns the environment into a nightmarish hellscape.
Players must flick between the pill-induced world and the normal world in order to solve puzzles and navigate this bizarre plot. The narrative is really rewarding, though, and, unlike most entries, the game actually seems to get lighter and more fantastical the more players push through the horror. For a similar feel, it is also worth checking out its spiritual successor, Little Misfortune.
The top three entries follow a similar premise, all executed beautifully, butInsidewas one of the first games to establish the style.Insideis a side-scrollingpuzzle platformerthat follows a young boy attempting to survive in a dystopian and cruel world. It is wonderfully simple in its premise and execution.
The art style seems to perfectly balance the bleak and macabre with the cute, andInsidetells a really compelling narrative without a word being spoken. Its beauty can’t detract from how horrific it is, though, as the poor boy can die in any number of gruesome manners. It is the spiritual successor toLimbo, which also fits the style perfectly.
From a quite old game to a brand new one,Brambleis an indie game that gained a lot of love thanks to its beautiful story and visuals, and the many gory deaths faced by its protagonist. Based on Swedish folklore, it follows a boy called Olle as he attempts to rescue his older sister, Lillemor, from the woods.
Itsdark fantasy horrorbrings to mind stories like theGrimms' Fairy Tales, but it is steeped in Swedish culture. The game is undeniably adorable, with even some of the enemies being strikingly designed, but its destruction of childish innocence and brutal deaths plants it firmly in the cute horror genre.
TheLittle Nightmaresseries fits the cute horror genre to a tee. Despite its adorable protagonists, bothLittle Nightmaresgames offer terrifying experiences. The series aims to immerse players in the nightmares of children, and it does so with chilling success. Itplays with perspectivea lot, doing a great job at making the players feel absolutely tiny as they explore this vast and unforgiving world.
As withInsideandLimbo, it manages to tell an incredibly intricate story without a single word and is certainly a masterpiece of the cute horror genre. If players haven’t experienced this series before, now is the perfect time to give it a go, as the third game in the series is scheduled for release in 2024.
