Most horror games end up terrifying players with sad endings, where they have to make tough decisions, kill countless enemies, lose bonds, and sometimes even lose the main character.
However, there have been times when gamers got lucky—lucky enough to experience a happy ending in a horror game. Although it happens rarely, we’ve gathered a list of the best horror games that have happy endings.
Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve, released nearly thirty years ago, was one of the best survival horror games of its time. While it’s hard to say that the original ending of the game was happy, the title has a hidden ending that could only be experienced by gamers who played it from the New Game Pass.
The hidden ending shows that Aya Brea, a New York City police officer and the protagonist of the game, has her body return to normal. This ending has nothing to do with the rest of the series, as Aya loses all her powers to gain a sense of closure about her sister’s death.
Nevertheless, Aya returns with all her powers in the following games, suggesting that the Game Pass ending was not tied to the storyline. But it was still a fun and happy ending for players after all the rough times in the game.
Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is another thrilling horror survival game, released over a decade ago. Among all the games in the Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation stood out and remains the best.
As the Xenomorph kills everyone on the spaceship and the game doesn’t allow players to kill it, Ellen Ripley, the protagonist, has no option but to sacrifice herself for humanity.
In her ultimate sacrifice, Ellen takes the infection with her to the atmosphere to protect humanity. While it sounds like a sad ending, a searchlight team finds Ellen before her ship burns and rescues her safely.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is, without a doubt, one of the most horrifying survival horror games and a personal favorite on this list.
The game starts with the protagonist, Daniel, waking up in an abandoned castle. His memory has been lost, and he can’t remember anything about his past or why he ended up in the castle.
While the game is captivating throughout, the ending is surprisingly positive. Daniel sacrifices part of himself to likely be saved from eternal darkness. Although the game has multiple endings, most of them are happy and positive.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home is another iconic survival horror video game, published by Capcom over thirty years ago. While the graphics are primitive, the intriguing story won the hearts of many players.
The game starts with five documentarians going to an abandoned mansion to uncover the painting of a famous artist. However, as soon as they enter, they realize they are in a fight against the wife of the famous artist.
Although players spend significant time saving the protagonist and the other documentarians, they also end up appeasing the soul of Lady Mamiya, the artist’s wife, just moments before the protagonist and his team are rescued from the crumbling mansion.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Last but not least, Resident Evil 2 Remake remains one of the best in the franchise, offering a surprisingly happy ending.
While the remake is not significantly different from the original, we picked it for its lighthearted dialogue. However, players must complete the game twice to see the ending, where Claire and Leon walk alongside Sherry, celebrating the fact that they’re still alive.
That wraps up our list! If you’re a genre fan, it’s time to try these games if you haven’t already.
Which of these games caught your attention? Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!
