10 Scary Games with Real Locations

Last Updated: December 1, 2024

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Scary games with real locations

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit the places found in scary games? In fact the line between reality and horror blurs when game developers draw from real-life locations with dark, dreadful histories. From ghost towns to haunted asylums, these places add more fear to our favorite horror games.

In this post, we’ll dive into ten spine-chilling horror games inspired by real-life locations. Read on to discover the unsettling stories behind these terrifying virtual worlds, and prepare for a journey that will haunt your nightmares. If you like this list, check out others like it.

1. Silent Hill Series

Inspiration: Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA

In-Game: As a fog-laden town, Silent Hill encroaches with decrepit buildings, eerie streets, and an overwhelming dread. Due to of the ever-present mist, horrors hide, waiting to ambush you. Consequently, the town’s shifting reality keeps you on edge, making it one of many great scary games.

 

Image Credit by JohnDS at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Real-Life: Silent Hill, at least the movie. takes heavy inspiration from Centralia, Pennsylvania. However, the original Japanese games do not (resetera). In fact, Centralia is almost like a real ghost town with its cracked roads and few residents. Silent Hill does mirror the eerie atmosphere of a town frozen in time, though. 

By using the concept of a small U.S town, the developers captured the essence of a haunting reality that fell upon a once-thriving community turned into an abandoned area. As someone who lives in the Midwest, I can assure the portrayal is accurate in some areas.

As a result, this small U.S. town connection amplifies Silent Hill’s fear factor, pulling you into a chilling landscape where the line between reality and nightmare blurs.

2. Kholat

Inspiration: Dyatlov Pass, Ural Mountains, Russia

In-Game: Kholat invites you to explore a vast, snowy landscape, where ominous winds howl and shadows seem to move on their own not unlike other scary games. Moreover, the game’s environment is a desolate, snow-covered wilderness that feels both beautiful and deadly, immersing you in a mystery waiting to be unraveled.

 

Image Credit by AnonymousUnknown author / Soviet investigators, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Real-Life: Kholat is inspired by the mysterious Dyatlov Pass incident, where nine hikers met a mysterious fate in 1959. Because of this, the game seamlessly blends the harsh realities of the Ural Mountains with supernatural horror, transporting you to a world where real history and chilling fiction intertwine.

So with journal entries and photos, Kholat roots its narrative in authentic details and gives you a firsthand experience of the fear and uncertainty that plagued those ill-fated hikers.

3. Fatal Frame Series

Inspiration: Himuro Mansion, Tokyo, Japan

In-Game: Fatal Frame places you inside a haunted mansion where every room tells a story of sorrow and terror. However, shadows lurk in corners, ghostly apparitions wander the halls, and the air is thick with tension. The mansion is a labyrinth of mystery, filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered, making it one of the ps2 horror games among scary games.

 

Image Credit by Urashimataro, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Note: not the Himuro Mansion but it probably looked like this.

Real-Life: Fatal Frame’s haunted mansion takes inspiration from Himuro Mansion, an alleged location in Japan where brutal murders and ghostly sightings happened. This game taps into Japanese folklore and urban legends, crafting a chilling narrative that’s as rich in culture as it is in horror.

By pulling from these dark legends, Fatal Frame creates an atmosphere that feels authentic and unnervingly real like some other Japanese horror games.

4. Outlast

Inspiration: Mount Massive Asylum, inspired by real asylums

In-Game: Set in the fictional Mount Massive Asylum, Outlast thrusts you into a dark, twisted institution filled with terror at every turn. Long-abandoned hallways echo with the cries of the past, and the asylum’s bleak rooms and cold corridors create an atmosphere of dread that never lets up.

 

Image Credit by Shinerunner at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Real-Life: Outlast draws inspiration from two areas. The first is Mount Massive, a real mountain region in the state of Colorado of the U.S. Next, the game pulls from real-world psychiatric hospitals, infamous for their inhumane practices. Eerily enough, the Mount Massive Asylum building was modeled after the above image, which used to be a mental asylum.

The game’s setting captures the eerie aura and grim history of such institutions, using them to craft a horror experience that’s disturbingly realistic.

By exploring themes of insanity and unethical treatment, Outlast delivers a nightmarish journey into the heart of human darkness.

5. The Town of Light

Inspiration: Volterra Psychiatric Hospital, Tuscany, Italy

In-Game: The Town of Light takes place in an abandoned asylum where you explore the haunting remnants of its past. Furthermore, the game’s environment is steeped in history, with crumbling walls and forgotten rooms telling stories of pain and suffering. So it’s a haunting yet poignant setting that invites exploration.

 

Image Credit by Etienne (Li), CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Real-Life: The Town of Light is set within the real Volterra Psychiatric Hospital, a place known for its inhumane conditions. This game offers a realistic portrayal of early 20th-century psychiatric treatment, blending horror with historical accuracy to shed light on the dark truths of mental health care.

Through its chilling and educational narrative, The Town of Light invites you to reflect on the injustices of the past.

6. Chernobylite

Inspiration: Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine

In-Game: Chernobylite transports you to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Moreover, this is a meticulously recreated open-world environment that captures the haunting aftermath of the nuclear disaster. So, the zone is filled with eerie silence, abandoned structures, and a sense of foreboding that makes every step feel dangerous.

 

Image Credit by Wendelin Jacober from Luzern, Schweiz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Real-Life: Chernobylite’s narrative builds on the real-world catastrophe of Chernobyl. Since it uses Chernobyl, it offers an immersive experience that mixes science fiction with historical events. Also, by incorporating elements of the Exclusion Zone’s, the game explores themes of loss, memory, and survival in a world shaped by human error.

It’s a gripping journey through a land scarred by tragedy and time.

7. Blair Witch

Inspiration: Black Hills Forest, Maryland, USA

In-Game: The Blair Witch game sets you loose in the Black Hills Forest, a dense woodland filled with supernatural occurrences and psychological horror. Moreover, the forest’s twisting paths and looming trees create an atmosphere of claustrophobia and paranoia, turning every step into a potential nightmare.

 

Image Credit by Preservation Maryland, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Note: this is the farm near the forest, which is in Frederick County

Real-Life: While the Black Hills Forest is a fictional creation, it draws inspiration from the folklore and legends that surround unnerving woods. Similarly, Blair Witch extends the mythos of the Blair Witch Project, building on the tension and fear that the film captured.

The game immerses you in a chilling environment where every rustle and shadow threatens the boundary between reality and legend.

8. Granny

Inspiration: Real Urban Legends and Crime Stories

In-Game: Granny traps you in a sprawling, puzzle-filled house where danger lurks behind every corner. Also the game’s environment is a twisted maze of rooms and secrets, challenging you to outwit your relentless pursuer in a claustrophobic nightmare.

 

Image Credit by Gergő Gulyás, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Real-Life: Granny draws from urban legends and true crime stories about deranged individuals, creating an experience that feels both familiar and terrifying. Additionally, the game taps into primal fears of being hunted and trapped, using the setting of an ordinary house turned deadly to amplify its suspense.

So by weaving together real-world fears and horror tropes, Granny keeps you on edge from start to finish.

9. Man of Medan (The Dark Pictures Anthology)

Inspiration: SS Ourang Medan Maritime Legend

In-Game: Set aboard a ghostly ship adrift at sea, Man of Medan plunges you into a world of maritime mystery and supernatural threats. Undoubtedly, the ship’s dark corridors and echoing halls drips with a chilling atmosphere that heightens every moment of suspense.

 

Image Credit by Twitter/Haunted History BC

Real-Life: Man of Medan is inspired by the legend of the SS Ourang Medan. Particularly, a ghost ship said to have been found with its crew mysteriously dead. Due to this eerie claim, the game explores this maritime enigma through interactive horror, creating a story that blurs the lines between legend and reality.

Since it has isolated setting and an unnerving atmosphere, Man of Medan challenges you to uncover the truth behind a tale as old as the sea.

10. 9 Childs Street

Inspiration: The Real Story of Anatoly Moskvin, Russia

In-Game: 9 Childs Street immerses you in an abandoned house filled with lifelike dolls and a deeply unsettling atmosphere. So this makes the house a place of dark secrets and haunting echoes, where every room hides a piece of a terrifying puzzle.

 

Image Credit by Алексей Белобородов, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Note: this is not the actual apartment, but it might have similar structure

Real-Life: Loosely and allegedly based on the chilling true story of Anatoly Moskvin. For instance, he transformed corpses into dolls, 9 Childs Street delves into a world of obsession and the macabre. Hence, by exploring the grotesque details of Moskvin’s actions, the game crafts an atmosphere that’s both disturbing and compelling. among scary games.

It’s a journey into the darkest corners of human fascination, brought to life through a chilling narrative and unsettling setting.

Closing Thoughts

These games merge real-world inspirations with horror, drawing you into terrifying experiences that connect them to the unsettling realities behind each story.

The connection between real-world locations and horror games goes beyond mere inspiration—it taps into our deepest fears. Additionally, these eerie sites make our favorite games even scarier with their sinister histories. Nonetheless, the next time you play, remember that these virtual nightmares connect to real stories and places.

Whether you’re a horror game veteran or a newcomer, these games offer a thrilling dive into the unknown. But, the next time you pick up the controller, remember, the nightmare might just be real. So, which of these places would you visit? Are there any real-life locations not mentioned in this list that you know of? Share and comment below.resetera

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