Horror games deliver a unique experience that other games might not. The adrenaline jolt from a jump scare, imaginative yet nightmarish realms, and heart-pumping fearsome anticipation come in all shapes, forms, and sizes within the horror genre.
Horror games put skillfulness and grit to the test under strenuous and uncertain conditions. It’s time to encounter spine-chilling characters and situations with unfavorably stacked odds. So wait for sundown, turn off the lights, and queue up some cute puppy videos to feel better later, and let’s explore some of the most intriguingly terrifying RPGs ever made.
10 Silent Hill Series
Hopefully, any horror game list without a mention of Silent Hill has a good reason! With the original coming out more than two decades ago, this collection is considered widely influential with a lasting impact on the genre. Prequels, sequels, and spin-offs have all been released in the years since the first game’s release, usually following a determined character with more questions than answers in a haunting inescapable atmosphere. With highly distressing settings, frightening characters, and eerie surrealness, these games definitely deliver horror.
9 Alien: Isolation
Based on the astronomical and classic Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation is a single-player, first-person game that puts the player in the life of Amanda Riley, daughter of all-around badass Ellen Ripley. Amanda will have to navigate and survive through Sevastopol, a space station in orbit.
With limited gear and support, Amanda encounters an alien that has decimated the old-school futuristic technology on board and will have to figure out what happened while the creature is perpetually stalking her. There are also DLC packs available, a couple that even allow the player to experience scenes from the first movie, Alien.
8 Amnesia Series
The only thing that is more fun than playing Amnesia is watching YouTube videos of other people playing. The lack of defensive materials adds to the terror and adrenaline of playing any one of the games in the series.
The first game, The Dark Descent, follows the protagonist in a fugue state, finding their way through an eerie castle to regain lost memories. Players must solve puzzles, read documents, and strategically hide from monsters to survive. This one can be played with all the lights on during the day and still deliver immersive fright.
7 Layers Of Fear
Layers of Fear feels similar to Amnesia in some ways. Both are first person, filled to the brim with creepiness, and have the player wandering a confusing and disorientating mansion. You play as a disheveled artist who will need to solve puzzles and uncover dark memories. The real challenge is deciphering what is real and what is representing the deteriorating painter’s mind as the environments and surroundings change around you. You learn more about the story through notes, letters, illusions, and visions. If you are looking for a memorable psychological horror game, this is a great one to settle into.
6 Outlast Series
All iterations of the Outlast games contain horrifying characters, jump scares, and wicked scary locations. In some parts of the first game, the only way to see in the disarrayed mental asylum is by using a battery-powered handheld video camera in night vision mode.
The second game has the player outdoors more than the first, taking on (or maybe hiding from) an unsettling cult. One DLC has been released, Outlast: Whistleblower, and another has been announced, The Outlast Trials, both of which are sure to leave a haunting impression on you.
5 Dead Space Series
As if there were not enough creepy things about outer space already, Dead Space adds a whole other level of scare. You play as Isaac Clarke, an engineer trapped on a mining ship who has to face off against a grotesque and disturbing alien race known as Necromorphs. The dark, tight quarters through which the player has to maneuver ramps up the intensity and viscera. Solving puzzles and calculated dismemberment are the keys to making it through the first game, while the second and third expand weaponry, mechanics, environments, and customization for added thrills and chills.
4 Resident Evil Series
Another can’t-miss in the horror genre is the iconic Resident Evil franchise. In the first game, you’ll head into the ominous Spencer mansion and encounter truly disgusting creatures. After exploring the zombie-filled corridors, you’ll eventually discover the malicious plot behind the outbreak that was set into motion by the Umbrella Corporation, a pharmaceutical company. Since its initial entry, numerous remakes and new additions have been added to the collection, expanding on gameplay combat, camera mechanics, and more intense action.
3 Evil Within 1 And 2
Directed by the same person who created the Resident Evil series, Evil Within 1 and 2 do not shy away from obscene monsters and intense combat. Detective Sebastian Castellanos is investigating a number of murders when he is derailed by being catapulted into a dreadfully mysterious alternate universe, STEM. After facing his rather-be-forgotten past in the first game, the second sticks with the detective as he is now tasked with rescuing his daughter from STEM. Prepare for nightmarish fiends and intense storytelling!
2 The Park
Released nearly ten years ago, The Park still delivers an immersive environment and chilling unknowns to this day. Take up the perspective of Lorraine, a troubled mother desperately trying to find her missing son, Callum. Throughout the dark of night, she’ll find her way through a decommissioned amusement park, confronting the upsetting history of both the park and herself. Though missing the combat element, this game makes up for it with an introspective narrative and haunting atmosphere. The Park may stray in a different direction than others on this list, but it’s an experience horror fans shouldn’t miss.
1 Until Dawn
Picture this: on a dramatic snow-covered mountain, with a veil of unknown unease, sits a remote cabin where a group of teenagers is spending the weekend, parent-free. In this interactive narrative, choices and reflexes will determine critical points of the game; from relationships to who makes it out of the heinous tribulation alive. A single button missed or seemingly minor judgments and decisions could result in more significant storyline alterations, drawing the player in while constantly building suspense. In this iconic horror game, you’re sure to enjoy the stellar cast while uncovering the mountain’s dreadful secret, as you fight to make it until dawn!