Summary
Cryptids are monsters that have been claimed to exist but, as of yet, have not been definitively proven to be. They differ from mythical or fictional beings because of their alleged basis in reality, which is often circulated by folklore and creepypastas. Such creatures have gradually clawed their way into popular culture to feature in literature, films, and games alike.
Games likeRed Dead Redemption 2andGrand Theft Auto: San Andreasfeature cryptids as mere easter eggs, but some developers have committed to giving them a more prominent role. From co-op cryptid hunts to sinister adventures cut short by hostile beasts, thesehorror games about cryptidsput the beasts in the spotlight.
9RAKE
A Basic But Enjoyable Cryptid Hunting Game
InRAKE,the player follows scientist and explorer, Gordon Davis, devoted to investigating legends. This time he is in search of the Rake: a tall, slender, unnaturally fast humanoid cryptid that thrives off of blood and meat. Unfortunately, this includes humans, and the player must face the Rake’s hostile advances throughout the game via acombination of gunplay, trap setting, and camera monitoring.
RAKEhas admittedly received some slack for inconsistent AI and essentially ineffective mechanics, but what the game does offer is a classic fun little horror experience. A grotesque creature lunging at you out of the darkness is a trope that evidently never gets old.
8The Goatman
Save A Village Terrorized By The Goatman
The Goatman is a part-human, part-goat southern American cryptid with a penchant for killing dogs (and occasionally humans), according to alleged sightings. Its game counterpartThe Goatmanis a co-op cryptid hunting game.
The player, with up to two others, responds toa call for help at Greenfield village. As one of three different soldiers of a military research squad (each with their own skills), they must venture out to catch this demonic biped. With plenty of land to explore and a range of equipment - traps, drones, explosives -The Goatmanis equal parts engaging and horrifying.
7Seeking Evil: The Wendigo
End The Wendigo’s Curse And Free The Forest
The legend of the Wendigo has its origins in North America, where this towering antlered beast is believed to possess humans and drive them to cannibalism. Unfortunately, the Wendigo is never satisfied and perpetually seeks new victims.
InSeeking Evil: The Wendigo,the player is thrust into a forest, surrounded by the remains of the cryptid’s latest victims. To escape, they must find totems and burn them to break the curse that grips the land. However, the beast gets more malevolent the closer the player gets to victory, and speed is not always the best course of action.
6Fear The Moon
A PS1 Style Horror Game Set Under A Full Moon
Fear the Moonis a story-based survival horror set in the Midwest. When a group of old friends decide to go camping, it becomes apparent that one of the members had his own motive when choosing the location. When the sun goes down, the trip turns into a fight for survival.
Playing as Jane, the player must solve puzzles and piece together the secrets of the Wolfman. While it doesn’t offer a new formula of gameplay, the story and atmosphere do a good job of makingFear the Moona fun horror experience. The sound design andPS1 graphicsmake for some genuinely creepy moments.
5Folklore Hunter
Make A Career Out Of Hunting Cryptids
Folklore Hunteris a hunting-based co-op horror game, set in a world where supernatural monsters are all too real. Taking on contracts, the player must gather and use resources to take down beasts such as the Wendigo and the Strigoi.
While hunting is the main drive of this game, there are also some story elements to uncover that build the world even more. The eerie silence of the woods interrupted by inhuman screams makes the experience all the more terrifying, especially when night falls. For fans ofMonster HunterorThe Witcherlooking for a scarier experience,Folklore Hunteris a great place to start.
4Do You Copy?
One Room, A Radio, Multiple Terrifying Outcomes
Do You Copy?is a short free-to-play interactive story. When the player, a park ranger stationed in a watchtower, receives a call from someone claiming to be lost and chased, they must guide them through the woods using the map, floodlight, and radio.
Fora game set exclusively in a single room,Do You Copy?does well to build a sense of paranoia. Surrounded by a vast expanse of dark forest all alone, the fear in this game comes from the isolation, and the pair of glowing eyes that always seem to be watching. Depending on the player’s actions and choices, there are six possible endings, not all of them good.
Bigfoot, also known as the Sasquatch, is perhaps the most widely known cryptid of all. A huge ape-like creature with reported sightings all across America, and the subject of numerous hoaxes, it is no wonder that Bigfoot has garnered attention from the gaming world.
InBIGFOOT,the player takes on the role of a Bigfoot hunter, endeavoring to prove that the creature does exist. The multiple locations based on real US national parks in Unreal Engine make the tracking and strategic gameplay extremely immersive. Players can relieve some of the tension by playing in co-op mode, or even play as the Sasquatch itself tobeat the others at their own game.
Whether werewolves are cryptids or not is largely debated, as most sightings and experiences have been either debunked or rationalized. Nevertheless, these hairy beasts are regularly bundled into the cryptid class because of the lack of definitive proof (or disproof).
The Quarryis one of manygames that explore the werewolf mythos. Stranded at Hackett’s Quarry summer camp, seven counselors discover that monsters lurk in the woods, contaminating their victims with lycanthropy. The player, alternating between the characters, must find a way to stop the curse and escape. But they must tread carefully as each decision can have dire consequences.
Until Dawnis another game by Supermassive that centralizes cryptids, this time with the Wendigo. When eight young adults reunite at a lodge where, a year prior, twins Beth and Hannah went missing, they are met with answers much darker than they could have imagined.
When prospectors mined into the sacred Blackwood Mountain, the Wendigo curse was unleashed. Players must navigate both human and supernatural threats to escape the mountain alive. What earnsUntil Dawnthe top spot on this list is the cryptid design; their superhuman strength, pale skin, and sheer size make them a formidable enemy. The atmospheric settings and interweaving of narratives make it one of the best cryptid horror games to date.
