Upcoming Survival Horror Video Games for 2010-2011

Survival horror video games continue to grow and evolve in the quest to both challenge and scare players. As a fan of the genre, I'm always on the hunt for the next truly terrifying gaming experience. These upcoming horror video games are some of the most promising of this year and next.

Silent Hill 8 (PS3, Xbox 360)
The Silent Hill survivor horror franchise hasn't been up to par with the last few titles. The latest game, releasing 2011, promises a return to its horror beginnings. The story starts when a prison transport bus runs off the road. A single prisoner is left to explore the town of Silent Hill. Many of the elements from the early games are in the new trailer. Terrifying monsters, weird dream like sequences, and dark, dilapidated buildings are seen. Puzzles are also expected to play a big role in the game and there will be side quests that change based on how the main story is played.

Saw II Flesh and Blood (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
David Tapp's son is the main character in Saw II. He travels through various locations including sewers and hotels in search of the horror movies' Jigsaw killer. He's also looking for clues about his father's death. Many of the elements return from the first Saw video game. Puzzles from the original return but with different ways to solve them. Lock picking returns with a new mini-game. Quicktime traps are back with players needing to time their button pushing just right. Players can collect puppet dolls in order to unlock rewards. Multiple endings now require the game to be entirely replayed. Saw II will be released in time for Halloween and will be rated M.

F.E.A.R. 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
This survival horror FPS picks up 9 months after F.E.A.R. 2. Alma's horrifying psychic abilities have began to manifest in the real world. Rips in reality let paranormal monsters enter and terrorize the city. The new co-op mode lets players be Point Man and his dead, psychotic brother Paxton Fettel. Point Man's abilities are the same from the first game. He can shoot enemies and slow down time. Paxton's ghost has possession and other paranormal abilities. They both are trying to reach Alma for very different reasons, as F.E.A.R. fans know. The video game will be released on October 20, 2010 and will be rated M.

Dead Space 2 (PS3, PC, Xbox 360)
Releasing on January 25, 2011 is the highly anticipated sequel to the survival horror hit. Isaac Clarke is the lone survivor on the space station Sprawl. Besides battling the alien infestation, Isaac is also suffering from dementia. In the sequel, Isaac has new abilities and weapons. His abilities include Kinesis, which let players impale enemies by using a dead foe's arm or leg. There is also a Javelin gun with the same feature. Besides the Necromorphs of the first game, Pukers and The Pack also hunt Isaac. The Pack is a swarm of mutated children. Pukers stun Isaac so other enemies can attack.

These four video games should scare and entertain survival horror fans. They are all based on popular franchises that have scared gamers before. While they have release dates, they can be changed or delayed at any time.

Sources:

http://www.konami.com/games/saw2/

Dead Space 2 on ign.com

Silent Hill on ign.com

F.E.A.R. 3 on gametrailers.com