Anatomy is without a doubt, the most terrifying game I've ever played. On the surface, the game is incredibly simple, taking place entirely within a nearly pitch-black house, and sees the player walking around finding audio tapes to listen to, which discuss the similarities between the layout of a house, and the anatomy of a human body.

The entire game feels reminiscent of being a child, turning off the lights and sprinting up the stairs out of fear of something lurking in the dark. It is a masterclass in building tension, never wanting to give you the satisfaction of a jumpscare as a release, instead just building and building upon it until you are paralyzed into inaction. The writing is also phenomenal, posing questions about the function of a house, and the ways in which our understanding of the concept can be subverted, making the familiar seem unfamiliar.

At its core, Anatomy is a game where safety is nonexistent, where every waking moment is filled with unending dread and sheer terror at the thought of having to take even one more step forward.

The most recent (and best) Haunted Cities collection by Kitty Horrorshow. Exclusion Zone isn't exactly scary, but it is strange and overwhelmingly dark in both look and tone. Grandmother's Garden is some sort of spiritual successor of, or alternate take on the first game from the first Haunted Cities volume, titled Grandmother. it's quite foreboding in its tone, never shaking the feeling that something bad is going to happen. Tenement is incredible, the overall look and sound of it is beautiful, and the writing imagines a really interesting dream-like world, with a bunch of inhabitants to talk to, though there is a lot more to it that what first meets the eye.

Lethargy Hill is one of the best games of the Haunted Cities collections. It involves walking around this dark red forest environment with a house threateningly looming over you in the distance, all the while a story appears to you on screen telling the story of the "woman" that lives there. It's really sad, painful, and scary to behold.

The third Haunted Cities collection by Kitty Horrorshow. Basements is incredibly anxiety-inducing with its incessantly scratchy and pounding sound design, as well as the distorted flashing visuals. Castle Wormclot is a stark change of pace, being a relaxing little game of wandering around lighting candles. Although I appreciate its place, it does admittedly overstay its welcome. And then Ghost Lake manages to somehow be cool and fun, while never losing an ominous, threatening tone.

The last game, Seven Days, is outstanding is every capacity, from the atmosphere, to the writing. It involves walking around your house reading what seem to be diary entries scattered around. Depending on what day of the week you're playing the game on, the entire look and sound of the house, as well as the diary entries, will change accordingly. The game is a darkly beautiful and personal account of dealing with depression and anxiety.

A collection of four games by Kitty Horrorshow, but only two are really "horror." Gloompuke is not scary at all, but it is a very warm, comforting little experience, involving wandering around a strange world and talking to its fun inhabitants. Roads is another very calming one, where you walk around a small world of towers and floating roads, reading a short story about two lovers.

As for the horror games, Monastery is at times obtuse and difficult to progress, but the gradual escalation of the grim and tense atmosphere more than makes up for that. Scarlet Bough seems blatantly inspired by Silent Hill (I mean even the names sound alike), and it's pretty good.