Horror games don’t always come in a creepy package. Sometimes, they’re disguised as something downright cute, with characters or aesthetics that lull you into a false sense of security. That’s why we’re here today to shine a spotlight on these contradictory experiences with a list of seven horror games that are deceptively adorable.
Gregory Horror Show: Soul Collector
While it may not be the best-known horror game out there, Gregory Horror Show: Soul Collector is an early progenitor of the cutesy horror aesthetic.
Released on the PS2 way back in 2003, the game was based on a CGI anime of the same name. The game appears cute enough at first glance, with cubic character models that lend every character the feel of an adorable early 2000s digital mascot.
Dig even an inch deeper into the setting and plot of the game though, and there’s more than enough to evoke terror. Characters have been trapped in the house the game takes place in for eternity, not able to escape even in death. The player character is tasked with freeing trapped souls from the warped inhabitants as the central gameplay mechanic, and the main antagonist is an eerie rat that feeds on the spirits of the departed.
It’s all sorts of strange and unnerving, and yet still manages to lure you in thanks to its softer appearance. As such, it’s little surprise the game retains a cult following even today, even when the game has sunken into obscurity.
