“Before 2024 Closes Its Doors: Celebrating Two Overlooked Horror Gems!”

If it succeeded for horror games like Alisa and Crow Country, perhaps it’ll succeed here as well. Here we are, mere days away from the conclusion of 2024. In the realm of gaming, it’s been a tumultuous year. Of course, we received numerous, many fantastic and impactful titles. However, many skilled developers have lost their jobs — some who are still struggling to recover. It’s heartbreaking to lose a job you cherish despite its imperfections (something I myself am familiar with).

In light of everything, now more than ever, it’s essential to shine as much light on “smaller” developers as possible. This is why we continue to advocate for the Slow Game Club. And why we will persist in doing so well into 2025 and beyond. Today, I want to discuss two horror titles that haven’t received nearly enough attention for my taste. Let’s start with: Don’t Nod’s Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden.

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Don’t Nod has faced such an unfortunate 2024, filled with layoffs and various controversies. It’s a real shame because Banishers is undoubtedly one of the studio’s finest and most ambitious projects. It’s an action RPG that, even if it provided nothing else, features a fluid, profoundly engaging combat system that keeps you alert. Especially as your skill tree expands, there’s nothing that compares to the moment-to-moment joy of a sudden ghostly confrontation (with added layers I don’t want to reveal — you have to experience it for yourself).

these horror games deserved so much better

However, Banishers elevated it further by integrating that Don’t Nod storytelling depth. The narrative is extraordinary. Truly heartfelt, profoundly tragic, and beautifully voiced and animated. With considerable player agency to boot! Yes, it may not fall under the “traditionally terrifying” horror games (though there are some frightening segments). Yet, players who consistently plead for games to explore different and inventive avenues, entirely overlooking Banishers, did themselves a significant disservice. While it might be too late to boost the game for the benefit of the Don’t Nod staff who lost their employment, their remarkable work here merits recognition.

Now, let’s shift our focus to another horror game that profoundly affected me in ways I never anticipated in 2024. Vampire Therapist. A companion of mine allowed me to experience the game alongside them. At various moments, I found myself so emotionally engaged that I nearly forgot the characters weren’t real. Vampire Therapist could simply be categorized as a “Visual Novel,” indeed. However, it also uniquely functions as a Therapy Simulator.

You begin with the expectation of a cool game centered around vampires. Nonetheless, you conclude with a deeper understanding of yourself and the interactions you share with others. The development team, Little Bat Games (haha), went to great lengths to seamlessly combine style and substance. When we usually consider the ultimate aim of horror games, we tend to reduce it to “If this game didn’t spook me, it failed.” However, Vampire Therapist provides more than transient thrills. It grants you the opportunity to enhance your connections with those you cherish. Among the numerous advantages of gaming as a medium, fostering empathy and understanding must rank among the most valuable tools available.