Fear & Hunger is one of the scariest and most unnerving RPG games, ever played. Developed in 2018 by Miro Haveninen, the game got a huge resurgence in popularity in 2023 and has been on our minds ever since.
This survival horror roleplay game is set in the dark and hopeless dungeons of Fear & Hunger. The game follows four unfortunate adventurers who find themselves trapped in an ancient fortress infested with monsters, demons, and cultists. Fear & Hunger is known for being an extremely tough, unforgiving, horrific dungeon crawler that fills you and the characters you play with an almost endless sense of dread and terror. So here are some books like Fear & Hunger for those of us who like getting that feeling from books.
The Vorrh (The Vorrh Trilogy) by Brian Catling
Enter this dark world of the Vorrh. This legendary forest, adjacent to the colonial town of Essenwald, is inhabited by angels, demons, warriors, and priests. With the ability to manipulate time and erase memories, the Vorrh is said to hold the Garden of Eden at its core. A renegade English soldier embarks on a perilous expedition to traverse the forest, armed only with a mysterious bow.
However, his mission sparks fear and resistance, as a native marksman is chosen to stop him. Amidst this backdrop, an eclectic cast of characters, including a Cyclops raised by robots, a curious young girl, and historical figures like writer Raymond Roussel and heiress Sarah Winchester, drift in and out of the narrative.
Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Uzumaki by Junji Ito takes readers to Kurouzu-cho, a fog-shrouded town in Japan, that is plagued by a sinister curse. Shuichi Saito, the boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, reveals that their town is not haunted by a conventional ghost or creature, but instead by a pervasive pattern: the spiral, known as Uzumaki.
This hypnotic shape seems to possess an eerie power over the town, slowly turning its inhabitants into monstrous beings, and terrorizing others.
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
Between Two Fires transports you to the year 1348, amid the devastating Black Death. Thomas, a disgraced knight, encounters a young girl in a deserted Norman village. Orphaned and seemingly untouched by the plague, she confides in Thomas that the outbreak is merely a part of a larger calamity—a war between fallen angels and heaven.
Despite his scepticism, he is drawn into her world of delusions and faith. With her guidance, Thomas embarks on a perilous journey to Avignon, where the girl believes she can confront the evil ravaging the world and redeem Thomas’s lost hope. As the forces of hell unleash their fury and the true nature of the girl is revealed, Thomas becomes embroiled in a grotesque battle between angels, demons, saints, and the undead. Ultimately, he finds himself entangled in a desperate struggle for the salvation of mankind’s soul.
House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is a mind-bending, dread-filled novel about a mysterious and ever-changing house that defies the laws of space and logic. The story begins with a young man named Johnny Truant who discovers a trunk of papers in the home of a blind man named Zampano after he dies. The trunk is filled with journals, academic papers, footnotes and images. When put together it tells the horrific story of The Navidson Records, a documentary about a young family who moves into a seemingly ordinary home, only to discover an endless labyrinth of unexplored chambers and hallways within.
As they delve deeper, both physically and mentally, the story unravels through various perspectives and forms, including footnotes, diary entries, and academic analysis.
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
Venture into Area X, a mysterious and secluded region that has been cut off from the rest of the world for many years, in Annihilation. Previous expeditions have met tragic fates, with some succumbing to suicide or violence, and others dying from inexplicable illnesses.
Joining the twelfth expedition is a group of four women—including an anthropologist, a surveyor, a psychologist, and a biologist—and their mission is to map the area, document their observations, and avoid being influenced by the strange forces within Area X. As they encounter unexpected surprises and face secrets kept by their own team members, the expedition takes a transformative turn, changing everything they thought they knew.
No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill
In No One Gets Out Alive, Stephanie Booth, struggling financially and living in shared accommodation, believes her luck has changed when she finds an affordable room at 82 Edgware Road. However, she soon realizes that the house is much more than meets the eye. It’s not just the eerie atmosphere and her unsettling landlord, Knacker McGuire, that trouble her, but also the unsettling whispers, mysterious scratching sounds, and sobbing women in neighbouring rooms.
When Knacker’s cousin Fergal arrives, the danger escalates, plunging Stephanie into a world of unimaginable horrors. Trapped in a house where her screams go unheard, Stephanie must fight to escape with her life intact.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Blood Meridian has been considered one of the darkest novels ever written. A dark and compelling novel that exposes the brutal and savage nature of America’s westward expansion. Set on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s, the story follows the journey of the Kid, a young teenager from Tennessee, as he unwittingly becomes entangled in a world of violence and horror.
As he witnesses the relentless murder of Native Americans and the flourishing trade in their scalps, the novel challenges the traditional Western genre and exposes the dark underbelly of the Wild West, highlighting the depravity and ruthlessness that accompanied the quest for land and power.
The Eleventh Cycle by Kian N. Ardalan
In The Eleventh Cycle by Kian N. Ardalan, a thousand years have passed since the last Seed fulfilled their duty. As the mists close in on the land, signalling impending doom, a new Seed is born, but time seems to be running out. Mortals face the decaying effects of the rot while praying not to be forgotten.
Meanwhile, four individuals – a farmer girl, a refugee warrior, a highborn caught between realms, and a woman fleeing from home – hold significant roles in Minethria’s future. As the cycle begins anew, the question remains: will it finally be completed, or will the mists consume everything once again?
The Nameless by Ramsey Campbell
The Nameless follows Barbara Waugh, whose daughter Angela was kidnapped at the age of four. When a disfigured body is discovered, Barbara believes it to be the end. Grieving, she becomes a literary agent. However, years later, Barbara receives a phone call from Angela, prompting her to embark on a relentless search for her daughter.
As her investigations take her across London, New York, and Scotland, Barbara begins to question whether a brainwashing cult was behind the abduction. The more she uncovers, the less she can trust even those closest to her, and she becomes entangled in a sinister force so deadly that its origins may not be human.
The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers
Our final entry is The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, a renowned Victorian-gothic horror collection consisting of ten interconnected stories. Each tale delves into the depths of despair and madness experienced by characters who have encountered the forbidden play known as The King in Yellow.
As the characters explore the contents of this ominous play, they are consumed by its sinister influence, driving them to the brink of insanity. With a haunting atmosphere and exploration of forbidden knowledge, the stories within this collection paint a macabre portrait of the human psyche when confronted with the mysteries of The King in Yellow.
There we have it! Ten books that will give you the creepy, helpless, nihilistic, dreadful feeling that you get while playing Fear & Hunger. Have you played Fear & Hunger? Have you read any of these dread-filled books? Do you have your own to recommend? Comment below and let us know!