Buzz
While horror games often spark debate, these ten titles went beyond the norm, crossing lines that led to their global bans or removals. From drug-fueled dystopian nightmares to psychologically intense survival challenges, these games didn’t just terrify players—they alarmed societies with their extreme content.
From the unsettling midnight phone calls in Hotel 626 to the raw, graphic brutality of Manhunt, each game stands as a stark testament to the extremes gaming can reach.
10. Hotel 626
Kicking off the list is Hotel 626, a now-vanished web-based horror game that left a lasting impression. Launched on October 31st, 2008, by the unlikely creator Doritos, this game proved that even a snack brand could deliver spine-chilling horror.
Their goal was to bring back two discontinued flavors: Black Pepper Jack and Jack and Smokin’ Cheddar BBQ. However, this wasn’t a game about a vengeful Cheddar Cheetah hunting you for munching on Cheetos. Instead, it revolved around waking up in a hotel you quickly realized was a nightmare. The game was only playable between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. (though some players reportedly altered their system clocks to access it), ensuring a chilling atmosphere of darkness during gameplay.
The game stood out with its unsettling, unique aesthetic, using real-life videos and photos instead of 3D models. Your sole objective was to escape while being pursued by ghosts, demonic babies, and a deranged hotel maid. Sounds simple, right? But it was notoriously difficult, especially due to its puzzles, like one where you’re trapped with a man driven to insanity by starvation, who eventually breaks free to devour you.
What ultimately doomed the game was its handling of personal data. It employed tactics to unsettle players, such as requesting your phone number at the start to deliver pre-recorded calls during the night, reminding you that you were still trapped in the hotel. A truly… delightful feature, right?
The second issue arose during gameplay. One segment required you to flee from a chainsaw-wielding killer by locating a photo of your own face captured via webcam (or a default image if your webcam was off). As you searched for your face, you encountered dozens of others—real people’s reactions to the same terrifying scenario, captured without their consent. The problem? Doritos never sought permission to use players’ webcam images. Double yikes.
This sparked legal concerns within Doritos, with critics and privacy advocates highlighting the risks of potential hacking. To avoid lawsuits, Doritos removed the game from the internet. While it wasn’t officially banned, it was likely headed that way, prompting them to shut it down preemptively.
9. We Happy Few
We Happy Few immerses players in an alternate version of 1960s England, where the streets are pristine, the colors vibrant, and everyone appears perpetually joyful—or so it seems. The society is sustained by “Joy,” a pill that ensures citizens remain blissfully ignorant, erasing painful memories and stripping away individuality. Those who reject Joy are branded “Downers,” hunted by the cheerful authorities for so-called rehabilitation. The game’s exploration of happiness under a drug-fueled dystopia raises a disturbing question: What is the cost of happiness when it’s artificially created? The answer, it turns out, is far from pleasant.
The narrative follows Arthur Hastings, one of three playable characters, who stumbles upon an old newspaper clipping that triggers memories of life before Joy. This revelation prompts him to abandon the drug, revealing the stark reality of Wellington Wells. While the town appears idyllic on the surface, those not under Joy’s influence see it for what it truly is: a society in decay. Citizens live in a state of enforced euphoria, with the ever-smiling “Bobbies” brutally punishing anyone who dares to show discontent. Having recently watched Smile 2, I can vividly imagine this dystopia, and it’s deeply unsettling.
However, We Happy Few proved to be too dark for some. The game faced a temporary ban in Australia, where officials argued that its depiction of Joy could promote substance abuse, mirroring real-world fears about drug normalization. This controversy underscored the fine line the game walked between satire and shock, with critics claiming its portrayal of forced happiness hit too close to home. Defenders, however, argued that the game wasn’t endorsing drug use but serving as a warning about the perils of a society that prioritizes artificial positivity over authenticity.
The ban was eventually overturned in 2019, as anticipated. The game’s depiction of a society addicted to manufactured happiness reflects modern pressures to “just be happy.” By forcing players to choose between conformity and reality, it raises a chilling question: Can happiness truly exist without freedom? Even more hauntingly, it asks whether we’re already consuming our own version of Joy in the real world.
It’s probably clear that I’m a huge fan of this game’s concept.
8. Phantasmagoria
Picture starting up your computer and diving into the bizarre, unsettling universe of Phantasmagoria. Designed to haunt your thoughts long after you stop playing—or even invade your dreams—the game is set in a sprawling, eerie mansion on a misty coastline. You step into the shoes of Adrienne Delaney, a writer seeking solitude with her husband, only to discover that the mansion offers far more than she anticipated.
Gradually, Adrienne unravels the dark past of the mansion’s previous owner, a magician who experimented with forbidden arts, leaving behind a legacy of curses and chaos. So much for a peaceful retreat! A standout feature of the game was its use of full-motion video (FMV), with real actors portraying each character, injecting a layer of raw realism that amplified the horror. Just what you needed, right?
As Adrienne’s husband succumbs to the mansion’s malevolent influence, he morphs from a caring partner into a deranged and dangerous figure. Love, it seems, can indeed drive you to madness. The live-action footage added a chilling authenticity that drew horror enthusiasts in droves. Each scene grew more horrifying than the last, blurring the line between virtual fear and real-world dread. This innovative approach also laid the groundwork for Hotel 626 a decade later, and for that, I owe it a debt of gratitude for elevating horror gaming.
Upon its release in 1995,
The notorious “head-in-the-blender” scene alone pushed the boundaries of horror in gaming, with fans obsessively revisiting it while critics questioned if they’d stumbled onto a horror movie set. Australia, true to form, was unimpressed, banning the game for being “too dark.”
Evidently, they weren’t fans of the murder, possession, or the infamous “head-in-the-blender” moment—a scene that truly blurs the line between genres. Yet, despite (or perhaps because of) the ban, Phantasmagoria remains a cherished cult classic, celebrated for bringing horror out of the shadows and into players’ laps—often more literally than anyone anticipated.
7. Rule of Rose
Behind its seemingly innocent orphanage setting, Rule of Rose is far from child-friendly. Jennifer, the protagonist, soon discovers she’s the newest pawn in a sinister hierarchy controlled by a group of children known as the Red Crayon Aristocrats. This isn’t your typical playground fun—unless you consider ritual sacrifices and bizarre ceremonies part of the game. Jennifer becomes an unwilling participant in these macabre activities, leaving players to wonder if the kids from Lord of the Flies were more likable.
Rule of Rose crafts its horror by relying on the power of suggestion, leaving much of the terror to the player’s imagination. It masterfully conveys a sense of cult-like control and a distorted social hierarchy. Unlike games that rely on zombies or monsters, the true horror here stems from the children themselves, who subject Jennifer to unsettling tasks involving cages, mutilated dolls, and animal sacrifices.
Each ritual pulls Jennifer further into their macabre “games.” As she endures one harrowing task after another, she gradually uncovers the dark truths about the children and confronts her own traumatic past. This is psychological horror at its most intense—or disturbing, depending on your tolerance for repressed memories surfacing through eerie lullabies. While the game leans more toward violence than sexuality, some journalists argued it contained violent erotic undertones involving underage girls. This sparked even greater outrage among critics, drawing the attention of the mayor of Rome and the EU.
This time, it was Italy, not Australia, that took the strongest stance against the game. Italian officials debated banning it, claiming “every frame oozes perversion.” Politicians in the UK fueled the controversy based on rumors and speculation, despite not having seen the content. The game was eventually released in limited quantities, making it a rare and costly collector’s item today. Its unsettling mix of eerie children, cult rituals, and symbolic violence ensured it remained banned in several regions.
6. Manhunt
Manhunt is the result of someone deciding that a horror game can never be too grim or too savage. You step into the shoes of James Earl Cash, a death row inmate offered a second chance—though “second chance” is a stretch when you’re thrust into a live-action snuff film. Cash’s mysterious director orchestrates every gruesome detail for his own twisted project. From the moment Cash exits the prison van, his sole objective is to survive the night by creatively eliminating a series of gangs, each more deranged and colorful than the last.
The game’s “murder with style” mechanic quickly drew attention, grading each kill on a spectrum from “efficient” to “gruesomely intricate.” Manhunt doesn’t just allow you to eliminate foes; it demands creativity. Weapons like plastic bags and nail guns add unique flair to your executions. The Director incentivizes the most brutal kills, rewarding Cash with higher scores for his macabre artistry as he stealthily navigates and brutally dispatches each gang. Who knew art school could get this dark?
The game was swiftly banned in New Zealand, deemed “grossly offensive,” a polite way of saying it should never exist. Australia revoked its rating almost immediately, and the UK temporarily removed it from shelves after a real-life murder was mistakenly linked to the game—a claim later debunked. The controversy was so intense that critics questioned whether Manhunt was even a game or just an interactive horror experience.
5. Hatred
Hatred is, in one word, relentless. The protagonist (unnamed) wakes up, gazes into the mirror, and instead of starting his day positively, decides it’s time to unleash chaos. You control “The Antagonist,” a nihilistic figure in a leather trench coat, reminiscent of Bleach’s Yhwach. His sole mission? Total annihilation of everyone in his path.
This game doesn’t hold back. In Hatred, there’s no redemption or noble quest—just pure destruction. It’s a sandbox where the objective is to wreak as much havoc as possible. While most games encourage saving the world, Hatred hands you an assault rifle and a grenade launcher, turning every level into a bloodbath. The town might as well have a sign saying, “Welcome to Your Demise.” In-game scores reward escalating chaos, transforming quiet streets into scenes of utter devastation.
The backlash was swift and fierce. The game was temporarily removed from Steam Greenlight following complaints that it “encouraged senseless violence,” a claim the developers openly acknowledged with a blunt “Yes, exactly.” While Grand Theft Auto often faces criticism for “romanticizing crime,” Hatred embraced its dark premise without apology, declaring, “Forget subtlety, let’s dive headfirst into chaos.”
The developers claimed the game’s purpose was to strip away the “pretentious philosophical justifications” often used to rationalize violence in games. The outcome? A brutally honest, chaotic experience steeped in raw, primal aggression. The game faced bans in multiple countries, including Germany and New Zealand, and was widely condemned as irredeemably violent.
4. Mariam
Originally created in Saudi Arabia, Mariam sparked controversy almost immediately after its release. The game centers on a young girl named Mariam who claims to be “lost” and seeks the player’s help to find her way home. What begins as a seemingly harmless interaction quickly takes a dark turn. As players guide Mariam, they’re bombarded with increasingly intrusive and personal questions, starting with her claiming to read your mind through trending news stories and culminating in a chilling “Where do you live?”
The game intensifies with these strange, unsettling inquiries, leaving players questioning whether Mariam is a lost child or something far more sinister. As the story unfolds, the focus shifts from helping Mariam to surviving her increasingly disturbing behavior, creating an experience akin to an unplanned horror-themed therapy session.
What truly heightened the discomfort was the game’s request for location access, fueling rumors of potential surveillance and data harvesting. Speculation spread that Mariam might be tracking players, with each eerie message suggesting a ghostly GPS system overseen by Big Brother. While the game wasn’t actually collecting data, its unsettling tone and invasive questions raised privacy alarms among players and parents alike. Soon, the app felt less like a game and more like an interactive urban legend, where players assisted a lost girl while inadvertently sharing far too much personal information.
In Saudi Arabia, Mariam ignited a firestorm of controversy, with worried parents accusing the game of negatively influencing children. Some even alleged it encouraged self-harm, though no evidence supported these claims. Responding to the uproar, authorities quickly banned the app and issued warnings about its “psychological effects” on young users. It seemed the horror game had succeeded a little too well, blurring the line between thrilling gameplay and unsettling digital intrusion.
Mariam remains a fascinating oddity, its unsettling mechanics and mysterious premise attracting those drawn to the enigmatic. More than just a horror game, it’s a digital campfire tale that invites you to play—and then leaves you questioning whether you should have. Ultimately, Mariam became as much an urban legend as an app, proving that sometimes the most terrifying realization is knowing you’ve willingly shared your location with a fictional, eerie child.
3. Euphoria
Euphoria, the most disturbing entry on this list, is an 18+ interactive visual novel that straddles the line between psychological horror and provocative content. Players are thrust into a deeply unsettling narrative that grows increasingly grim as they progress. The story unfolds in a stark, isolated white room, where protagonist Keisuke Takatou and six women—five classmates and one teacher—awaken with no recollection of how they ended up there.
An unknown voice delivers a chilling ultimatum: survival and escape hinge on completing a series of depraved and degrading “games.” Each “game” unlocks a door, forcing players to confront how far Keisuke—and they themselves—are willing to go to break free from this nightmare. It’s a psychological horror that erodes the characters’ sanity and, in turn, the player’s own sense of morality.
Rather than relying on jump scares, Euphoria delves into psychological agony, vividly portraying the characters’ physical and mental anguish. Keisuke is instructed to sexually assault and torment the girls, most of whom are underage, as a means to escape. As the game progresses, it becomes evident that each scenario ties into a larger mystery involving Keisuke’s own dark desires, as he wrestles with the temptation to cross irreversible boundaries. The narrative gradually unveils each character’s backstory, offering multiple endings that range from bleak to (somewhat) hopeful, depending on the player’s decisions.
While Euphoria is categorized as an X-rated adult game, its inclusion of underage characters, particularly in Japan, amplifies its unsettling nature. The game’s extreme content has drawn criticism for its disturbing blend of eroticism and graphic violence. Many critics argue that it crosses ethical boundaries no game should ever approach. Some players describe Euphoria as akin to witnessing a car crash: horrifying, grotesque, yet impossible to turn away from.
2. Demonophobia
This RPG-visual novel hybrid plunges you into a nightmarish world designed to push your mental limits (and possibly your sanity). You assume the role of Sakuri Kunikai, a 14-year-old girl who awakens in an unfamiliar place. Sakuri soon discovers that her surroundings are meticulously crafted to inflict maximum suffering, with every element conspiring to make her experience as torturous as possible.
Demonophobia distinguishes itself by not allowing players to simply navigate through the horror; it insists they witness every gruesome moment in meticulous, pixelated detail. The absence of a soundtrack amplifies the eerie atmosphere, and every error results in a uniquely horrifying death scene. Each monster presents Sakuri with its own brutal twist, ranging from beheadings to being consumed by slime—a fate even more horrifying than it sounds.
The game’s design forces players to endure each death scene with an almost obsessive attention to detail, reflecting the developer’s fascination with Ryona-style violence and gore. Demonophobia doesn’t just aim to be played; it seeks to make players share in its suffering.
By Stage 4, the game takes a turn for the bizarre. Sakuri confronts monstrous bosses like Asmodeus, and each level introduces increasingly twisted elements. Despite being only 14, Sakuri endures humiliating and disturbing scenarios, including losing her clothing or encountering slimy creatures. These moments, coupled with the game’s controversial content, sparked international outrage, especially given Japan’s lower age of consent.
The game faced outright bans in numerous countries, not only due to its explicit and inappropriate scenes involving a minor but also because of its gratuitous gore and shock-driven narrative. Critics debated whether it was a legitimate game or merely a series of grotesque animations masquerading as one. Despite this, Demonophobia retains a dedicated fanbase, particularly in Japan, drawn to its sadistic gameplay and the adrenaline rush of surviving each level. For those who complete it, the sentiment isn’t about winning but enduring.
1. Postal 2
Postal 2 feels like a feverish hallucination inspired by binge-watching action movies on fast-forward. Players step into the shoes of “The POSTAL Dude,” a character attempting to navigate a week of seemingly ordinary tasks, such as buying milk, depositing a paycheck, and returning a library book. While these errands sound mundane, the game offers a twist: you can choose to complete them peacefully or unleash absolute mayhem. The latter option includes wielding flamethrowers, a razor-sharp shovel, and creating widespread destruction.
Set in a desert town, Postal 2 doesn’t just tolerate violence—it actively encourages it. NPCs are quick to hurl insults if you so much as glance at them, and the town is teeming with hostile groups like rioters and extremists. What might seem like a simple trip to the bank turns into a chaotic battle for survival. The game’s absurdity peaks when it introduces catnip as a health pack, which also serves as a silencer when paired with a cat attached to your rifle. Postal 2 thrives on its over-the-top, unpredictable nature.
The reaction to Postal 2 was nothing short of explosive. New Zealand banned it, calling it “grossly offensive”—a term they seem fond of. Australia followed, citing excessive violence and cruelty to animals. Even in the U.S., the game faced legal scrutiny, with critics claiming it encouraged harmful behavior among young players. The developers, however, embraced the controversy, proudly advertising the game as a gateway to unleashing the darker corners of your imagination.
