Finding Thrills Beyond the Unknown: Top 5 Alternative Games to 'GTFO'

In the world of horror survival video gaming, 'GTFO' has earned resounding success from gaming loyalists and critics alike. Thanks to its compelling cooperative play, immersive environment, and high-stakes battle against terrifying creatures. However, the gaming arena is ripe with more titles that offer similar, if not superior, intrigues comparable to 'GTFO.' This article aims to shed light on our top 5 'GTFO' alternative games to enhance your horror survival gaming experience.

1. Dead by Daylight

Intro and Game Play

Acting as a unique spin on the common cooperative survival game, Dead by Daylight (released by Behavior Interactive in 2016) is a multiplayer horror game where one player takes on the role of a brutal killer, and the other four players are survivors trying to escape the killer and avoid being caught, tortured, and killed.

Story and Setting

The game doesn't follow a cohesive story but is based on a strong premise wherein a supernatural being, 'The Entity,' feeds on the hope of the survivors being chased by killers. The action is set mostly in darkly atmospheric rural realms, each with its unique look and feel, all serving as the horrifying backdrop for this deadly game of cat and mouse.

2. Alien: Isolation

Intro and Gameplay

A true feast for the fans of the Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation (developed by Creative Assembly in 2014) is a survival horror game where players find themselves being stalked by a single Alien creature over the course of the game. The Alien cannot be killed, thus making evasion and stealth the key to survival.

Story and Setting

The game's narrative follows Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley (from the original Alien series), as she embarks on a mission to find the whereabouts of her mother. The setting is a decommissioned trading station in the far-flung space known as Sevastopol, adding an extra layer of desolation and dread to the thrilling gameplay.

3. Outlast

Intro and Gameplay

Launched by Red Barrels in 2013, Outlast is a first-person survival horror game that relies on stealth and strategy, over combat or weapons. Players have to navigate through environments while avoiding enemies. It incorporates the use of a camcorder to see in the dark, adding to the already intense atmosphere.

Story and Setting

The player takes on the role of investigative journalist Miles Upshur, who decides to investigate a remote psychiatric hospital in Colorado, Mount Massive Asylum. The narrative unravels as you delve deeper into the horrific experiments and atrocities performed within its walls.

4. The Forest

Intro and Gameplay

From Endnight Games, The Forest is a first-person survival horror game with a focus on open world exploration and survival on a lonely forested island. The gameplay includes basic survival activities like built shelter, create fire, and scavenge for food. It also features a day-night cycle which impacts the game's horror elements.

Story and Setting

The game kicks off with the player in the shoes of a father whose plane crash-lands on a mysteriously isolated island. The storyline follows his quest to find his lost son, all the while battling off grotesque cannibalistic creatures that lurk within the eerie woodland.

5. Resident Evil: Biohazard

Intro and Gameplay

Adding a twist to the survival horror genre, Resident Evil: Biohazard (developed by Capcom in 2017) puts a stronger emphasis on exploration and horror. Instead of the traditional third-person perspective, the game opts for a more immersive first-person point of view. The central element is survival, with the player having limited ammunition and healing items.

Story and Setting

The game unfolds with the protagonist Ethan Winters searching for his wife in a derelict plantation filled with the horror-stricken Baker family. The chilling encounters, chilling horrors, and the eerie house itself offers a captivating yet daunting gaming experience.

While nothing can replicate the exact thrill 'GTFO' offers, these games surely come close, with their unique elements of horror. Each game offers an experience that challenges your nerves, wits, and survival instincts, setting a fiercely competitive benchmark within the survival horror genre. Happy gaming!