Here is a concise and accurate response to the question, drawing from the given search results: The best horrific video games today feature a range of disturbing and unsettling content, from graphic violence and gore to themes of grief, loss, and terminal illness. Some standout examples include:
MADiSON (2022) - This first-person psychological horror game has been scientifically proven to be the scariest game ever, with players experiencing an average heart rate of 97 BPM and a highest spike of 131 BPM.
Players take on the role of a 16-year-old boy who must escape a demonic ritual using a camera that belonged to a serial killer.
Outlast (2013) and its Whistleblower DLC - These games are renowned for their "surprisingly obscene imagery" and "brutal" content, making them extremely stressful and disturbing to play.
Players must survive in a psychiatric hospital overrun by violent patients. Condemned: Criminal Origins (2005) - This first-person crime investigation game blends horror and violence, forcing players to confront gruesome crime scenes and fight off deranged attackers in a dark, unsettling atmosphere.
Manhunt (2003) - A controversial "murder simulator" from Rockstar Games, Manhunt puts players in the role of a killer making "snuff films" and choosing between violent or excessively gruesome executions of enemies.
While not all horrific games focus on graphic violence, many explore macabre themes like grief, loss, and terminal illness in an unsettling way, such as What Remains of Edith Finch and That Dragon, Cancer.
Overall, the best horrific games today push the boundaries of disturbing content to deliver truly terrifying experiences for players.