Finally, there’s a genuinely scary horror game for the iOS platform. Dead Space has brought something completely new to Apple handsets: a fear factor comparable to watching Saw II and The Ring back-to-back in an empty house in the middle of a blackout.
Playing Dead Space on iOS, especially the HD version on the iPad, is a genuinely terrifying experience. Its combination of stunning 3D graphics, horrific sound effects, rumbling cinematic soundtrack, and tense storyline that always has you on edge, give Dead Space the feel of a classic console horror title like Resident Evil or Silent Hill (or indeed, the original Dead Space). As you can read in my full review the only thing that lets Dead Space down slightly is its rather choppy controls. It’s still well worth the money though.
I’ve yet to encounter anything for iOS that gives you the heebie-jeebies like Dead Space does. There are a few I can think of that have their moments, but nothing that has you crying out for mummy throughout the whole game. Here are the scariest I can think of to-date, but feel free to let me know if I’ve missed any out.
Soul
Artistically beautiful, Soul sees you attempt to deliver a dead guy’s soul to heaven though a series of sinister mazes. Although the accelerometer-based controls are a bit clumsy, there are a few moments where you’ll jump out of your skin – watch out for the picture of the girl… Price: 99 cents
Aftermath
The closest thing you’ll find to Left 4 Dead on the iPhone, Aftermath is a stylish zombie game that looks great and plays out like a beautiful nightmare. The atmosphere generated by the artistic graphics and 3D audio is very impressive, as you patrol the streets after dark, with only your flashlight to guide the way. Price: 99 cents
Mystique 2
Ghostly children, abandoned hospitals and mutilated bodies always combine well if you’re looking to scare someone. At so it proves, in Mystique 2, Chapter 2: The Child. Although the graphics aren’t a patch on Dead Space, the mood created by the game is chilling enough to make you keep the lights on when playing. Price: 99 cents
Resident Evil 4
The king of scary games comes to iPhone in the shape of this lavish mobile recreation of the fourth console version of Resident Evil. There’s lots of tension as you walk around wondering when and where you will get attacked next, and the range of ghastly monsters in the game is very impressive. Price: $4.99
Fallen EP-1
Dubbed the “first 2.5D Survival Horror game” for iOS when it came out, Fallen EP-1 is still one of the most spine-tingling games on the platform. Your mission is to escape from a haunted prison, as you creep your way through a series of dark, bloody environments, picking up clues that could lead to your escape from this living hell. Price: Free
Rage
One of the most graphically elaborate games you’ll see on iPhone/iPad/iPod, Rage pits you against hoards of flesh eating beasts in a sick and twisted reality TV show gone wrong. Although it’s spectacularly scary, Rage doesn’t quite match up to Dead Space in terms of gameplay, which is let down by its rail-based approach. Price: 99 cents
