The Nintendo GameCube definitely doesn’t have the biggest selection of survival games. In fact, its competitors, the Xbox and PlayStation 2, had much better survival titles. However, the Gamecube still had some very notable games. For instance, there were several Resident Evil games released on Gamecube.
The GameCube also received the first rated-M game that was published by Nintendo, which happened to be in the horror genre. Since survival games are a bit limited, we will also look at some games that cross over between horror and survival. Plus, some games even target younger audiences that fit the survival genre.
#1: Resident Evil 4
- Advanced AI makes enemies smarter than ever and use their cunning in deadly attacks
- Use the Action button for better player control
- New 'Aim and Shoot' targeting for zeroing in on enemies with your weapons
- Behind the camera view for intuitive movement
- Conversations and monologues can be heard in real time
Resident Evil 4 is one of the best games of the series and is still available on modern consoles. What’s more, it still remains one of the best survival/ horror games ever made. The game’s art and cutscenes were very impressive for the time, and they still hold up well today.
Resident Evil 4‘s gameplay and the story still hold up equally well today, too. Horror games are certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but Resident Evil 4 has brought many gamers to the genre despite its gruesome nature.
Another aspect of its lasting staying power is that you don’t necessarily have to play the previous games in the series to jump in and understand the story. The gameplay is also very fun, but be prepared because there are some scenes that will probably make you leap from your seat.
Resident Evil 4 also packs in a ton of detail, and the combat system is very complex, leading to multiple ways to take down enemies. Everything in the game happens very fast, with little time to rest between action scenes.
#2: Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
- Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GameCube)
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is the first M-rated game to be published by Nintendo. It proved that Nintendo didn’t just make games for kids and families but could leave grown adults with nightmares for days. The title certainly wasn’t the most popular GameCube game, but it was a solid, mid-tier survival/ horror game.
The game uses a “sanity” meter which decreases once you start getting noticed by ghosts. Once you deplete the meter, things start to get much more intense. The intensity of the game also comes from its fast-paced nature, which gets very extreme and quite gruesome as you make your way through the story.
As the game progresses, it also gets more challenging and darker, with the intensity growing. A dramatic difference from similar games of the era is that combat areas and rooms are fairly large. Even though Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is not claustrophobic, it is also not big enough to get lost on the map.
#3: Resident Evil
- A secluded mountain community called Raccoon City has been plagued by strange and violent attacks, by mutant beast and flesh-eating zombies. You are an agent of STARS, a special unit that must take...
- Solve hair-raising mysteries and uncover terrifying secrets
- Battle against putrid rotting corpses and dogs that look like demons as you struggle to survive and save the people of Raccoon City
- Tread the darkest corners and the creepiest graveyards as you battle against an unthinkable evil!
Resident Evil on the GameCube was a remake of the original game that started it all. The first Resident Evil debuted on the PlayStation 1 about eight years prior, but it was really showing its age. Resident Evil is the second title in the series to make this list specifically because it did a great job bringing the franchise back to life with all-new graphics.
Most notably, the character animations are much better and more realistic. It has a cinematic quality to it but still retains the fixed camera as the original, which is a bit disappointing.
The game also received many other improvements, and it has a lot more hidden items and all-new areas that were not in the original. The original Resident Evil lets you play as one of two characters that each have their own story beats and endings.
The game is set in a mansion where you explore and fight off various zombies. You can also find different weapons, but your storage is limited. This is a unique aspect of the game since you will have to go back to a stash in order to pick up or drop off items you’ve obtained.
#4: BloodRayne
- Play as half-vampire BloodRayne
- Find and destroy the vampire Jurgen Wolf before he uses powerful occult relics to terrorize the world
- Learn new supernatural powers and master weaponry to defeat enemies
- Travel from Louisiana swamps to the docks of Germany
- Camera FX feature allows you to see more of the action from multiple angles
BloodRayne is the original in a series of video games and other media, such as comic books. It is a bit different than some other games on the list. That’s because you play as a half-vampire who goes around slaughtering and drinking the blood of the infected supernatural creatures.
But to make things a little weirder, there are also Nazis to defeat, too. BloodRayne‘s story is a bit all over the place compared to big-name titles like Resident Evil. However, it has actually gained a cult following, and its gameplay is pretty good.
Throughout the game, you can also level up and receive new powers. BloodRayne also features a female protagonist, which is a bit unique in the survival/ horror genre. The story itself takes a back seat to the action, but it does exist.
Most of the gameplay takes place inside medieval castles and other rather dreary settings, which is pretty appropriate. The action also requires fast movement to stay away from enemies. You can also capture enemies with a hook or even sneak up behind victims to suck their blood.
#5: Blood Omen 2
- In this sequel to Blood Omen, you assume the role of Kain, the vampiric tyrant defeated in the previous game
- Haunt the landscape of Nosgoth, draining mortals to build your powers
- Complete important tasks and use your stealth and infiltration skills to further your quest for vengeance
- The dynamic new fighting system gives you unstoppable new attacks & combos
- Intuitive AI controls the behavioral responses of peasants and enemies -- watch them flee, fight, and more
Blood Omen 2 is the direct sequel to the first game. However, this one takes place several centuries later. The game centers around a cabal that resurrects the protagonist, Kain, from the first game. Just like BloodRayne, this game also involves sucking the blood from victims, although it is much more visually grotesque in Blood Omen 2.
The gameplay is fun, but there are a lot of cutscenes that cannot be skipped. While this doesn’t sound like a major problem, they frequently occur right after checkpoints, so you must watch them again after respawning.
Jumping is also a little challenging as there are parts of the game that feel like a platformer. Fortunately, your jumping abilities quickly improve with power-ups. Combat in Blood Omen is much more laid back than some of the faster-paced games we’ve already covered.
While the battles do not feel overly difficult, they are also not childishly easy. The game takes place in medieval times that involves going through castles and villages. However, Kain cannot go enter the water, which is far too prevalent throughout the game.
#6: Monster House
- Experience key moments of the movie and explore deeper and darker sections of the house
- Play as the three main characters from the movie, each with their own actions and abilities
- Explore a living, breathing house full of traps and mystery
- Use water blasters to battle creatures created from a combination of different household objects
- Spooky surprises and unexpected random events keep players constantly on their guard
Now, this isn’t what you probably expected to encounter on a list of survival games for the GameCube. However, Monster House still fits the survival game premise, except it isn’t quite as gruesome as most of the other games on the list. In it, you are battling a house and its content to survive, rather than traditional zombies or monsters.
Keep in mind that Monster House targets a younger audience, so the house is much lighter and doesn’t take on very dark tones. Still, this is a pretty good game if you aren’t into the jump scares of the much more intense R-rated games. Likewise, this is a good choice if you want a basic survival game that the whole family can play.
The game’s story follows the movie of the same name pretty loosely. You play primarily as DJ, but there are parts where you are Jenny and Chowder, too.
The main weapon in the game is a water gun which is fairly effective as a child-friendly weapon. Overall, the game will be underwhelming for those used to the likes of Resident Evil, but it was a decent attempt to get younger audiences into the survival genre.
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