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The spooky games released in the GameCube’s generation were thrilling for the time, and these titles are definitely responsible for a few scares and shrieks in the early 2000s. These games are fully loaded with ghosts, demons, and all sorts of undead ghouls. In many of these games, the player does have the option to fight back, if they are brave enough.
10 Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Nemesis is a threatening individual, to say the least. Of all the beasts in the Resident Evil universe, Nemesis may be the most menacing, and unfortunately for the player, he’s all over this game. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is filled with survival horror stress, which makes the ever present stress of being chased by Nemesis even worse.
The game also presents choices that create different outcomes, so it’s encouraged to replay Resident Evil 3: Nemesis multiple times for the full experience. The game is on the shorter side, so this is a nice addition, though players might be hesitant to jump back into Nemesis’s playground.
9 Killer7
Killer7 has an insane narrative and mixes puzzles with FPS action and RPG elements. There are several characters to play as, including a speedy blind man and an invisible assassin. The enemies in the game are called “Heaven Smiles” and they announce their presence by laughing, and are unseen at first.
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These days, Killer7 has a cult following, as it’s a classic from No More Heroes director Goichi Suda. The game received several nominations for its thought-provoking narrative, despite critics not agreeing with its combat systems.
8 Resident Evil Zero
Resident Evil Zero is a prequel to the first Resident Evil, and splits its gameplay between the two protagonists, Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen. Chambers is an officer while Coen is a convicted criminal, and the two are tasked with exploring an abandoned Umbrella training facility.
For the most part, Resident Evil Zero is more classic RE fun, with a good combination of undead terror and puzzle work. This game is a key title for fans of the series, and is full of lore that impacts the overarching narrative.
7 Hunter The Reckoning
Monsters and vampires are seeking the destruction of the human race, and it’s up to four different hunters to put them down and bring an end to the madness. There are 23 levels of mayhem, all taking place in Ashcroft, a prison town in the World of Darkness.
After the penitentiary is overrun by the beasts, inmates begin rising back from the dead as vampires, only feeding the fire more. Plays can wield many ranged and melee weapons, as well as cast spells called “edges.” The combat is a blast and the art style is dark and macabre, so anyone with a GameCube should absolutely give Hunter The Reckoning a try.
6 Resident Evil
The first Resident Evil is an icon at this point. In 2022, almost no series of horror games has been able to stand the test of time as well as Resident Evil has, and it all began in that mansion. The game lets the player choose between playing as either Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, but of course beautiful Barry Burton is here as well.
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Resident Evil’s release on GameCube allowed a whole new generation of fans to fall in the love with the franchise. The game is a staple of the horror game genre, and a pioneer of zombie games in general. With the game continuously being ported through generations of consoles, it’s still making players feel claustrophobic and horrified to this day.
5 The Legacy Of Kain: Blood Omen 2
The Legacy Of Kain: Blood Omen 2 was incredibly ahead of its time, and definitely deserves credit for its combat and innovative narrative. The player controls Kain, now one of the last vampires in the world, and seeks revenge against the vampire hunters who are bringing an end to his kind.
The game has a weapon system like Breath of the Wild, with the player picking up and using weapons until they break, rather than having permanent weapons throughout. This game should absolutely be on the radar of anyone that owns a GameCube and loves vampires.
4 BloodRayne
BloodRayne puts the player in the shoes of a half vampire destined to rid the world of any kind of beast imaginable. BloodRayne can wield all types of firearms and can even rip machine gun turrets out of the ground, though the blades attached to her arms are just as good at ripping through monsters.
This game is another vampire hack and slash, though the abilities this half vampire protagonist can acquire later in the game make for great grizzly fun. BloodRayne is a fantastic game and deserves the attention of any gamer with a thirst for blood.
3 Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is the top Resident Evil game on GameCube, and some fans of the franchise praise this title as the peak of the series. It’s easy to see why, Resident Evil 4 is makes the player feel uneasy from start to finish, despite Leon having a fair amount of firepower.
RELATED: Horror Games With The Best Sanity Meters There are so many great moments in this game, from Leon emotionally bonding with a dog to running away in terror from a chainsaw wielding maniac. Resident Evil 4 is due for a remake soon, but fans will always remember popping this disc into their GameCube, and being met with the finest terrifying zombie action video games had to offer at the time.
2 Luigi’s Mansion
Listen, Luigi’s Mansion got everyone at least once. There’s a whole cast of ghosts in this landmark launch title, and Nintendo found just about every way to pack them in places players wouldn’t see coming. Ghosts jump scare Luigi from the ceiling and all sorts of furniture, and false doors are spread throughout to trick Luigi and damage his health.
While it’s unlikely that Luigi’s Mansion will scare any player the second time through, that first run was a harrowing experience for any child in 2001. Not to mention that Luigi’s constant groans and shrieks are often more unsettling than the ghosts themselves.
1 Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Many players first experienced psychological horror with this masterpiece. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem allowed for more horror titles on the GameCube due to its success, and it’s easy to see why. The game is constantly changing depending on the protagonist’s sanity meter, allowing for some terrifying hallucinations.
The game definitely wasn’t targeted to the traditional Nintendo fan, as it lacks in round colorful characters and focuses more on horrific existential terror. Fans of fourth wall breaking and unreliable characters will love Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, as it is one of the most compelling horror games ever made.
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