Video games can evoke every emotion under the sun depending on the genre. The best FPS games can inspire your competitive nature, while the best platformers might cause unbridled joy. Horror games, on the other hand, have a very specific goal: to deliver a feeling of unease that someone or something is on your tail — with sinister plans to take you out. Games have only become more frightening as technology has evolved, and with so many excellent horror games, it’s time to put a spotlight on the scariest games we’ve ever played.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of titles designed to send you into a heart-racing and adrenaline-pumping frenzy, and we’ve highlighted a few of our favorites below. Some of them lean into action, while others are more focused on survival, with a few options in between. The one thing they all share is that they’re designed to make you feel like anything could be lurking around the next corner.
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Speaking of something being around the corner, there are plenty of horror titles on the way in our list of upcoming video games to be excited about.
Resident Evil 7 biohazard
84%
4.5/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Capcom
Publisher
Capcom
Release
January 24, 2017
Kicking things off is one of the most terrifying video games to date — Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. This game managed to keep the essence of what makes Resident Evil great but turned it on its head by presenting it in first-person. At first glance, it might not seem like a Resident Evil game at all, but after about an hour or so, everything starts to fall into place — especially in the horror department. The main villains are mutated humans, which come across as even more horrifying than traditional zombies because they’re much more believable. There’s a section around the 30-minute mark (you know the one), in which you’re sitting at the dinner table with the Baker family, and it’s one of the most memorable moments of the generation. We won’t spoil it, but it truly sets the tone for the most refreshing Resident Evil game to date. And while you’re at it, we highly recommend you play it in its entirety in PSVR. With it being a first-person game, the scares are that much more pronounced in PSVR, so give it a try if you’re brave enough. But either way, whether you’re playing the regular version or in PSVR, do not skip this one.
Silent Hill 2
91%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Puzzle, Adventure
Developer
Bloober Team
Publisher
Konami
Release
October 08, 2024
We didn’t think we would ever replace Silent Hill 2 on this list, let alone with a remake from Bloober Team. However, we can’t deny that this new version is at least on par with the original, if not superior in many ways. We once again follow James Sunderland’s odyssey into the nightmarish town of Silent Hill looking for his wife, only this time with some of the best graphics you can get on modern hardware. This remake also moves the camera to a third-person perspective, which doesn’t detract from the tension at all thanks to the choking fog and darkness. It stays true to the original in all the important aspects while modernizing and smoothing over the parts that haven’t aged as well. The end result is a game that is even more terrifying today than the original.
Dead Space
83%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Motive Studios
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Release
January 27, 2023
While we’re on the subject of amazing remakes that essentially invalidate the original, we can’t forget about Dead Space. Not only are the controls and visuals updated to modern standards, but the design and horror are in a league of their own. The same mechanic from the original of focusing on dismemberment rather than headshots is a genius way to create tension and panic in the player when facing any of the disturbing necromorphs. Exploring the spaceship itself through narrow corridors and various departments is always unpredictable and unfolds the story in a natural way through audio logs and transmissions. Even if you know the twist, there are enough surprises in this remake to be worth a replay.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
70%
Platforms
Windows Mixed Reality, SteamVR, PlayStation VR, Meta Quest, Meta Rift, Meta Quest 2
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Strategy, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Skydance Interactive
Publisher
Skydance Interactive
Release
January 23, 2020
Virtual reality can offer a feeling of immersion simply impossible via traditional video games, and The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is a shining example of this. The first-person VR game is heavily story-focused, with players impacting the outcome based on their choices, and it features both ranged weapons and melee in combat. Set in New Orleans, it’s a different take on the series than the television shows or comics, and it has plenty of side content for completionists. In any zombie game worth its salt, the human survivors are just as deadly as the undead, and this is certainly the case with Saints and Sinners. No one can be trusted, and with numerous options for most situations, it’s up to players to decide how to best approach danger.
Resident Evil 2
88%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Capcom
Publisher
Capcom
Release
January 25, 2019
A remake of one of the most beloved horror games of all time, the deck was stacked against 2019’s Resident Evil 2 being able to truly impress longtime fans. Despite the legacy of the original, however, that is exactly what it did. Featuring blood-curdling audio and going to an over-the-shoulder perspective similar to Resident Evil 4, Capcom made the action scarier and feel more modern. With plenty of great weapons to discover and use against zombies to Mr. X himself. No longer did actually playing Resident Evil 2 get in the way of experiencing its chilling story. And what a story it remains in 2019. Shifting from the mansion of the first game to the infested streets and buildings of Raccoon City, Resident Evil 2 raises the stakes considerably with a conspiracy-filled journey that throws Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield into the middle of a terrifying disaster. The humans they encounter are often just as dangerous as the infected, and it gives newer players an idea of what to expect from so-called allies in the remainder of the series. No one can be trusted.
Metro Exodus
83%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
4A Games
Publisher
Deep Silver
Release
February 15, 2019
Equal parts “survival” and “horror,” the Metro series is one of the most chilling depictions of post-apocalyptic life ever seen in video games or any other medium. Following a nuclear war that left most of humanity dead, protagonist Artyom and his comrades search for a new home away from violence and sorrow – and are immediately greeted by both. The third game, Metro Exodus, is particularly terrifying with its depiction of mutants, cannibals, and irradiated areas that can kill men in mere seconds. Much of Metro Exodus’ scares come from the fear of running out of ammo when dealing with monsters. Ammunition is scarce, as are the filters you need for your gas mask, and the enemies you encounter go far beyond the subway system itself. Metro Exodus remains a hopeful game despite the horrors you encounter, and it’s one backed by impeccable storytelling. Characters don’t feel like cardboard cutouts, so when one of them makes a threat or attacks, it feels real.
Bloodborne
91%
4/5
Platforms
PlayStation 4
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
FromSoftware
Publisher
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. (SCEI)
Release
March 24, 2015
It’s an action-role-playing game, too, but there is no denying that From Software’s Bloodborne is firmly rooted in horror. Inspired by gothic and Victorian architecture and featuring Lovecraftian enemies to battle, the world of Yharnam is nothing short of terrifying. Blood gushes out of enemies with every slash, and the bosses range from enormous spiders to electrified behemoths with skulls faces. The game’s cryptic story is even framed as a nightmare from which you cannot wake. From Software kept its knack for clever enemy placement intact for Bloodborne, which only makes it scarier. You’ll rarely go more than an hour without having an enemy leap out unannounced, delivering a small cardiac episode as you slash and dodge your way out of danger. Oftentimes, however, you won’t be able to do so, and the horror of having to find your lost Blood Echoes and eliminate hordes of enemies again becomes as scary as the world itself.
Outlast II
69%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Adventure, Indie
Developer
Red Barrels
Publisher
Red Barrels
Release
April 25, 2017
Outclassing its predecessor, Outlast 2 is perhaps the hardest game to stomach on this list. The grotesque and vile manifestations you encounter throughout the game are bound to turn some players off — even those who really enjoy the genre. At the outset, Journalist Blake Langermann and his wife head off to a remote location in Arizona where a pregnant woman’s body was mysteriously found on the side of the road. The cause of death was unknown and it doesn’t make sense that she died there. What begins as an investigation quickly turns into a fight for survival. Blake and Lynn garner the attention of a sex-crazed local cult and a vicious backwoods group. Just like Outlast, you can’t defend yourself. Besides sparse quick-time events, you must simply run and hide. And you have to do both of these well unless you want Blake to suffer a brutal, torturous death. Without going into the details, let’s just say that Outlast 2 isn’t for squeamish players. Outlast 2 does both survival horror and psychological horror incredibly well, tells a gripping narrative, and will keep your heart beating a mile a minute as you navigate through its extremely terrifying setting populated with even more terrifying people.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
79%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Puzzle, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Frictional Games
Publisher
Frictional Games
Release
September 08, 2010
From Frictional Games, the team behind the Penumbra series, 2010 indie darling Amnesia: The Dark Descent expanded on the company’s unique brand of first-person horror adventures and created something of a phenomenon among horror game developers and indie game fans. Set in 1839, a young Londoner named Daniel awakens in Prussia’s Brennenburg Castle. He’s confused, not knowing anything but his name and that he is desperately on the run from something that is hunting him. His lack of memories, according to a note he wrote himself, was self-imposed for his own good. So begins the winding adventure that twists and turns with every room Daniel visits in the sprawling castle. Along the way, Daniel runs into utterly menacing creatures called gatherers, who, like many horror game oddities, were previously human. Daniel can only run or hide from these nefarious beings. There’s danger lurking everywhere, but Amnesia tends to save its most startling scares for when you think you’re safe. Unraveling the mystery of Daniel’s past and the castle itself is a journey that will keep you up late at night — and perhaps even after you’ve exited the game. The sequel, made by a different developer, was unfortunately unable to capture what made this game so horrifying.
Five Nights at Freddy's
65%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Point-and-click, Simulator, Strategy, Indie
Developer
Scottgames
Publisher
Scottgames
Release
August 08, 2014
Like it or not, Five Nights at Freddy’s has been just as influential on modern horror as Amnesia, if not more so. The original indie game wasn’t the first to strip the player of any means to fight back, but it kept the game engaging by giving the player multiple systems to manage in order to survive. Players need to constantly monitor all the deadly animatronics via the camera system and determine when it is worth it to spend power to close the doors. It all built up to a jump scare, but one that the player had full agency to prevent if skilled enough. It has since spawned an entire horror franchise with tons of sequels, books, and even feature films.
SOMA
83%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Adventure, Indie
Developer
Frictional Games
Publisher
Frictional Games
Release
September 22, 2015
Frictional Games has gotten so good at drawing screams out of players that it holds two slots on our list. In the 2015 sci-fi chiller SOMA, you control a man named Simon Jarrett, who has suffered a traumatic brain injury from a car crash. As a result, he agrees to be a part of Mr. Munshi’s experimental research in reversing brain damage. However, during his brain scan, Simon seemingly loses consciousness and awakens in a desolate research center located deep in the Atlantic Ocean. To make matters even more confusing, the year is 2104, nearly 80 years since his brain scan. And even worse, all human life was eradicated by a comet the year prior. The PATHOS-II — where he wakes up — was the last place where human life was deemed safe. But he appears to be alone. What happened? SOMA follows Frictional Games’ tradition of using an unknowing narrator to tease a grand and frightening mystery. More than Amnesia, SOMA emphasizes psychological horror, with each shadowy creature representing some form of emotional trauma. The game heavily relies on its atmosphere, which is further intensified by voice recordings, written notes, and its murky underwater environment. A bit more scenic in terms of its terrors, it succeeds in bringing you into its world and making you feel as if you are living Simon’s deep internal struggle. It achieves a different type of horror experience, one that latches onto your mind and doesn’t let go.
Alien: Isolation
85%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Adventure
Developer
The Creative Assembly
Publisher
Sega, Feral Interactive, Sega Europe
Release
October 07, 2014
A lot of players have a very intense love/hate relationship with the final game on our list. Alien: Isolation is a methodical, slow-moving sci-fi horror game that takes its premise of focusing on a single alien creature throughout its lengthy adventure to an extreme that, for us, raises the art of making the player feel incredibly vulnerable and isolated at all times to new heights. Set 15 years after the original 1979 film, Amanda Ripley (Ellen Ripley’s daughter) is told that the flight recorder from the famed Nostromo is on a remote space station. Amanda decides to seek out the recorder in hopes of hearing her mother’s last words before she died. Over the course of the nearly 20-hour adventure, Amanda will kill enemy humans and robots, but here’s the thing — Alien: Isolation really revolves around one alien who you cannot kill no matter how badly you want to. That alien is terrifying. Sure, you can run and hide from the alien, but rest assured, it will find you. No matter how many times you get devoured by the alien, you never really get used to having its jaws descending on you. Add to that a foreboding setting that would make Ridley Scott proud, and Alien: Isolation is an excellent addition to franchise lore.
Alan Wake II
87%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Remedy Entertainment
Publisher
Epic Games Publishing
Release
October 27, 2023
The first Alan Wake was scary, no doubt, but it wasn’t a pure horror experience. The sequel, Alan Wake 2, still has its moments of exploration and interaction with the offbeat cast but leans a lot harder into the horror angle. Split between two protagonists, this is less of a game and more of a multimedia experience that breaks every narrative wall you can think of. The exploration and combat are familiar survival horror fare, but set in such unique spaces that don’t follow the normal rules of gaming that it keeps you off balance at all times. This is a horror game unlike anything else you will play and is all the more effective for it.
The Evil Within 2
82%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Tango Gameworks
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Release
October 13, 2017
The Evil Within 2 is one of the best open-world horror games we’ve ever played. Far superior to the original in every respect, it was one of the surprise hits of 2017. Once again you step into the shoes of Sebastian Castellanos, a detective who has seemingly lost everything. When he learns that his daughter may still be alive, he heads back into STEM, the portal to a lifelike dream world filled with surprises and terrors. This time around, The Evil Within 2 dives deep into Sebastian’s psyche, and the result is one of the most unsettling psychological thrillers around. In STEM, there are also external threats, from grotesque beings to twisted bosses such as a maniacal photographer who wants to show you all of his grisly creations. Without spoiling anything, The Evil Within 2 has one of the most surprising reveals in recent memory, one that is both terrifying and depressing. Make no mistake, The Evil Within 2 isn’t a happy game, but it is compelling. Rounded out by great gunplay, an emphasis on survival, and a dreary open world filled with secrets and frights, The Evil Within 2 is well worth playing even if you haven’t spent time with the original.
Until Dawn
80%
Platforms
PlayStation 4
Genre
Adventure
Developer
Supermassive Games
Publisher
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. (SCEI)
Release
August 25, 2015
Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn is probably the least scary game on this list, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great horror movie. Designed as an homage to slasher films starring hapless teenagers, Until Dawn charmingly plays like an interactive movie. Set on Blackwood Mountain, eight teenagers head up the snowy slopes for a vacation. One year ago, two sisters of one of the friends disappeared on that very mountain. Naturally, things go sideways quickly, and the group finds themselves in a desperate situation with a crazed, bloodthirsty man hunting them down. Until Dawn switches perspectives throughout each of its chapters. Much of the gameplay is just walking, but the player has to make critical choices that alter the course of the story. This rippling effect, dubbed in the game as the “butterfly effect,” has consequences both small and large. Filled with jump scares, cheesy dialogue, and great performances, Until Dawn is the sort of horror experience that demands to be played alongside a group of friends.
Little Nightmares
81%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia
Genre
Platform, Puzzle, Adventure
Developer
Tarsier Studios
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
April 28, 2017
Little Nightmares makes a very simple gameplay loop utterly captivating. It’s essentially a terrifying game of hide-and-seek starring Six, a young girl who finds herself in the nightmarish world of Maw. Throughout a five-hour adventure, you guide Six across a series of rooms in the Maw filled with dastardly individuals that will murder the little girl if given the chance. Six simply wants something to eat, but this leads to many problems with the Maw dwellers. Much of the terror induced by Little Nightmares comes from the fear of being discovered. You must remain unseen, but even when you think you are safe, there’s always the debilitating dread of getting caught looming overhead. Little Nightmares has a series of excellent puzzles, all of which contribute to the ever-evolving story of this hellscape. It’s astonishing that Little Nightmares remains so frightening even when you almost always know where the danger lurks. This is accomplished through great visual and sound design, and a series of well-placed clues of what will happen to Six if she gets caught. While Little Nightmares doesn’t have the scale of some of the other games on this list, it does pack an emotional punch at the end.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
85%
Platforms
PlayStation 2
Genre
Adventure
Developer
Tecmo
Publisher
Tecmo
Release
November 27, 2003
Among those who played Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly, it is easily among the scariest games ever made. Sadly, it wasn’t as widely available in the West as it deserved and has become somewhat of a cult hit. That doesn’t take away from how effective it is as a horror game, however. The core concept of the series is that you are exploring a haunted location armed with the Camera Obscura which has the ability to defeat spirits. To do so, you will need to pull it up and stare down the terrifying ghosts until you can line up the perfect shot, which is about the last thing you will want to do. This game completely invalidates the strategy of trying to avoid looking at the horrors and just running and hiding we so often rely on. Even with its dated graphics, the atmosphere and design make it nerve-wracking to play.
P.T.
86%
Platforms
PlayStation 4
Genre
Puzzle, Adventure
Developer
Kojima Productions
Publisher
Konami
Release
August 12, 2014
P.T. (Playable Teaser) is one of the most fascinating games in existence. In fact, as the name suggests, it’s not really a full game, but rather a demo for what was revealed to be Silent Hills. It was to be directed by Metal Gear’s Hideo Kojima and popular horror filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, but you didn’t know that until the end of the demo. Ultimately, it never came to be due to a dispute between Konami and Kojima, who later went on to form Kojima Productions. Let’s set the stage for how P.T. rolled out and what it could have been. P.T. was originally a free download on PS4 because a no-name developer called 7780s Studio had created it. The entire game takes place in a house, and the gameplay consists of you looping around throughout its hallways, with subtle differences that appear with every lap. It’s presented in first-person and includes super obscure puzzles, including one that you had to speak into a microphone to solve. Everyone was talking about this game, and there was even an online community for sharing game tips. The entire time, a creepy ghost named Lisa is on your tail, waiting to pop out and scare you. Solving the game’s extensive puzzles rewards you with a nice payoff: the reveal that P.T. is really a disguised Silent Hill game. Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead, who also starred in Kojima’s Death Stranding, stars in this game, directed by Kojima and Guillermo del Toro. P.T.’s unique design has made history, thanks to one of the most viral and creative marketing campaigns ever created. An organic buzz about the challenging game spread through word of mouth so quickly that the company didn’t have to spend any money on advertising. You can’t download P.T. from the PlayStation store anymore since the company delisted it. You can find fan-made recreations online, but unless you downloaded the game in 2014, there’s no way to get the official version. The lack of access adds a layer of mystery to the game’s intriguing story. However, if you want to see what it’s like, you can find playthrough videos online.
Phasmophobia
71%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Puzzle, Tactical, Indie
Developer
Kinetic Games
Publisher
Kinetic Games
Release
September 18, 2020
The Twitch hit of 2020, Phasmophobia puts you and your friends in the role of ghost hunters as you investigate haunted locations and attempt to cleanse them of the dangerous spirits that reside there. While most horror games stray away from cooperative play, and for good reason, this game is only more terrifying when you play with friends. While it isn’t close to being the most graphically impressive game, it was made by just one person after all, it is in the mechanics that this game truly terrifies. Not only can you play the game in VR, but the ghosts and spirits in the game will actually react dynamically to your voice as you play. There’s nothing quite like saying a ghost’s name and seeing it respond in-game. Collecting clues using the various ghost-hunting tools at your disposal will help you and your team figure out how to trap the ghost as it haunts you. Until you and your squad can figure out what you have to do, running and hiding are your only real means of defense. There’s no big story being presented here. Instead, Phasmophobia lets you create your own stories that usually end up being far more horrifying than any scripted event could ever be.
