7) P.T.
Having crept unassumingly onto the PlayStation Store off the back of Gamescom, many players didn’t know what to expect of P.T.. At the very least, we knew by the teaser trailer that the PlayStation-exclusive title was a horror experience of some kind, but it was only when people booted up Hideo Kojima’s clandestine masterclass and ventured down that by-now infamous corridor for the first time that it slowly became apparent.
It was, essentially, a playable teaser. A most unusual (and wholly brilliant) marketing campaign to reveal Kojima and Guillermo del Toro’s new-fangled Silent Hills. It was an Easter Egg that took some time to figure, given that players had to dance to a very specific beat in the closing stages, but when the secret got out, P.T. was lauded with praise. And while it’s easy to dismiss Kojima’s experimental horror game as a mere stepping stone for Silent Hills, the power, atmosphere and indeed quality of P.T. can’t be overstated.
One of the core tenets of any good horror experience regardless of medium is pacing, and it’s here that P.T. really flexes its distorted muscles. For the uninitiated, the teaser has you explore the same corridor over and over in an endless loop; like the Penrose steps, only much more terrifying. With each passing journey, players discover a new clue that helps progress the surprisingly engaging story of one man’s decent into insanity. And that’s exactly where this game excels.
Stalked by the vengeful spirit of Lisa, the halls soon become distorted passages in the mind of your silent protagonist, with blood splatters and a mutilated sink baby hinting at the unspeakable tragedy that unfolded prior to your visit. As a playable teaser, it establishes the tone and production values of what’s to come rather wonderfully, but as a standalone experience, P.T. is one of the best horror titles of the year.