At the start of each year, our Editor sits down to work out the games that should be on everybody’s radar, but this time around, he is doing something different. This year, he is reducing his choices to three games for each genre. These might not be the most anticipated titles or the best releases, but they are games that have huge potential and a chance of doing something exciting or new within their genre. Welcome to “Games to Watch – 2026 Edition.” Turn the lights off and hide behind the couch because now it is time to look at what this year brings in terms of horror.
Games to Watch in 2026 - Horror
Resident Evil: Requiem
Let’s face it, Resident Evil is now the king of video game horror. There can be little doubt as to the impact this franchise has had on the genre over the years, and the way it keeps reinventing itself, each entry is nothing short of amazing. Well, this year we are getting Resident Evil 9, titled Requiem, and it is changing the rules once again.
This entry features two playable characters with distinct gameplay styles. The ever-reliable Leon Kennedy is back and is ready for the more action-focused parts of the game, while newcomer Grace Ashcroft gets to have the pants scared off her every time she turns a corner. The game will also offer the choice between first and third-person perspectives, so it really seems like this is trying to be everything for every Resident Evil fan out there. Will it succeed? We will know for sure on the 27th of February.
Reanimal
The team behind the first two Little Nightmares games (you know, the good ones) is back with another small-scale, big scares horror title called Reanimal. Much like their previous games, Reanimal uses the perspective of children to bring the scares from some truly freaky creature designs.
This time around, the game will have a co-op focus, which can be a challenge in horror, but from the looks of things, the team have the right vibe in place to scare the crap out of both players at the same time. The monsters are creepy, the atmosphere is forboding, and the gameplay looks tight. Reanimal is shaping up to be a cracking game, one we can all play on the 14th of February
Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game
When you see the words “A Dark Pictures Game”, you pretty much know what to expect. A cinematic, choose-your-own-adventure featuring a few familiar faces and a fun, if cheesy, horror story. Since Until Dawn, Supermassive have a lock on this whole style of game and has amassed a huge fan base in the process. Directive 8020 is continuing that tradition, this time wandering into Event Horizon and Alien territory by setting the game on a space station.
Captain Marvel and James Bond’s Lashana Lynch is the lead character in the game, bringing some serious star power to proceedings. The whole tone of the game feels like a darker, more horror-focused tone, as opposed to the teen-horror of The Quarry or Until Dawn. Of course, the best way to play these games is with a group of friends and a few drinks in a dark room, and I can’t wait to do that once again, this time in space, later in the year.
