Survival horror

Survival horror makes you feel less in control than in other action games: ammunition, health, speed or vision are limited, and you search dark, maze-like places for the items that open new areas, under the threat of sudden attacks.

Where the name comes from

The name was first used for the original Japanese release of Capcom’s Resident Evil in 1996, which Capcom marketed as survival horror; Guinness World Records credits Resident Evil with coining it. The games it describes are older, from Sweet Home (1989) to Alone in the Dark (1992).

Where the edges are

Which game was the first survival horror is argued, with Haunted House (1981), 3D Monster Maze (1982) and Alone in the Dark among the candidates; Retro Gamer suggests the phrase could have described 3D Monster Maze. Critics also ask whether the big series have drifted into “action horror”. The 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2 is credited with starting a revival.

Key survival horror games

Each game links to its article; the last column links to the source that puts it in the genre.

Related genres: Immersive sim, Survival crafting.

At a glance

Parent genre

Action-adventure

Name first used

1996, Resident Evil (Capcom)

Earlier games

Sweet Home (1989), Alone in the Dark (1992)

Sources

Checked November 3, 2026.

1. Survival horror — Wikipedia
2. First survival-horror videogame — Guinness World Records
3. The History Of Survival Horror — TheGamer