Fans love horror games for their ability to elicit fear, uneasiness, and excitement. As technology progresses, horror games have become even more intense and terrifying. People worldwide enjoy playing horror games as they give them an adrenaline rush.
Horror games are an exciting way to get a rush of adrenaline and feel fear through intense gameplay. This genre may be intimidating, but it can also be an enjoyable experience with dedication. A broad range of horror games vary from action-packed, survival-based, and story-driven titles.
With that in mind, here is a sneak peek of the top 10 horror games you can have in your gaming setup and enjoy the in-game experience.
Table of contents
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Let’s start with one of the best and most well-known horror games, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
The playable character of this game is Ethan Winters, who is searching for his missing wife. Ethan has a few combat skills but is armed with several weapons to fight humanoid creatures and enemies. The player also can block attacks to reduce damage.
Unlike other games in the Resident Evil series, this Game emphasizes horror exploration more than action. There are also multiple puzzles to complete during missions. In-game objectives can unlock items to progress through the missions. The gameplay, innovation, graphics, use of virtual reality, and the story of this game are commendable.
- Developed by: Capcom
- Published by: Capcom
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Luna.
You can download this game from Steam.
Resident Evil 2 (2019)
This is the second Game of the Resident Evil series on this list that cannot be ignored. We can say that Capcom has mastered the Survival horror genre when it comes to PC games. The story of this Zombie survival horror game is set in Raccoon City.
The playable characters are Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. They attempt to escape from Virus-affected Racoon City, filled with zombie-like creatures. The survival and gameplay depend entirely on the difficulty.
The player can upgrade the weapons by completing objectives and adding attachments. The player choices can twist this linear storyline. As it is a remake of Resident Evil 2(1998), the gamers praise the faithfulness towards the original, presentation, gameplay, and graphics.
- Developed by: Capcom
- Published by: Capcom
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
You can download this Game from Steam.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
If you are looking for a decent survival horror adventure game, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the one for you. The Game features a playable character named Daniel exploring Brennenburg, a dark, forbidding castle, and trying to escape from the monsters and unavoidable circumstances. The player has to avoid dangers during fixing machinery and solving puzzles.
The game difficulty can be adjusted according to the player’s choices. The Game’s main objective is to manage Daniel’s sanity level unless it will cause hallucinations and attract monsters. Daniel cannot fight monsters, so he has to avoid them and survive. The Game has received many positive reviews from critics and deserves to be on this list.
- Developed by: Frictional Games
- Published by: Frictional Games
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
You can download this Game from Steam.
Until Dawn
How can someone forget, Until Dawn? This interactive drama horror game has been popular among console game lovers. The Game is set in Blackwood Mountain. Until Dawn offers to control eight playable characters that must survive in life-threatening circumstances until rescue. The player has to collect items and clues to advance survival.
The characters’ choices can significantly impact the Game’s story. The choice can influence the survival and death of the eight individuals, and when one character dies, it cannot be undone.
The Game is divided into ten chapters. The branching nature of the story narrative, characters, butterfly effects, and other details are praised by horror game fans.
- Developed by: Supermassive Games
- Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platform(s): PlayStation
To play Until Dawn, you can purchase it from Amazon Store.
Layers of Fear
Bloober Team’s Layers of Fear is the gem in horror genre games. This first-person psychedelic horror game has a decent narrative story and exploration. The Game is set in A Victorian Mansion. The Game’s protagonist is a painter who is not in his sanity. He is disturbed by hallucinations and a devastating past.
With these psychological conditions, he put layers to his painting after completing each chapter. The fear comes from the hallucinations and constantly changing gaming environments. With no fierce combat, the Game seems to be a walking simulator with an in-depth story.
The player can interact with objects to solve puzzles and explore the mansion to know more about the tragic past and advance the chapters. The Layers of Fear is one of the best horror games with a mysterious journey with several surprises.
- Developed by: Bloober Team
- Published by: Bloober Team
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation, Xbox
You can download this Game from Steam.
Phasmophobia
Ghost hunting is a cult hobby of veteran horror genre lovers. Phasmophobia, the investigative horror survival game, is based on ghost hunting. This FPP game allows solo up to three more players to investigate and detect the ghosts.
Players can communicate with each other to complete missions and unlock new difficulties and maps.
The players can create or join lobbies to prepare for the contracts and purchase equipment for ghost hunting. With the availability of several types of equipment, various ghost types, and exciting gameplay, the Game is a must-have for horror gamers. The Game supports the VR system. The Game has gained massive popularity among streamers.
- Developed by: Kinetic Games
- Published by: Kinetic Games
- Platform(s): PC
You can download this Game from Steam.
Dead Space
Dead Space is a survival horror masterpiece of EA Redwood Shores. It is the debut game of the Dead Space series. This science fiction horror survival occurs in a mining spaceship where the protagonist Isaac Clark navigates different spacecraft sections and completes missions to survive.
The players have to solve puzzles and fight with the undead creatures named Necromorphs. During the exploration and completing objectives, the player has to collect ammunition and health boxes to survive in the spaceship.
There are different types of Necromorphs with different abilities. The player needs skills with tactical execution for survival. The atmosphere, sound design, and overall mind-boggling gameplay of Dead Space are praised by critics.
On 27 Jan 2023, Electronic Arts released Dead Space (2023). Though it is early to say about its success, it receives positive reviews from the audiences.
- Developed by: EA Redwood Shores
- Published by: Electronic Arts
- Platform(s): PlayStation, PC, Xbox
Alan Wake
Alan Wake is one of the best action-adventure games in the horror genre. Unlike other scary games, the Game does not deal with crawling jump scares.
The story follows that the Thriller Novelist Alan Wake wants to uncover the truth behind his wife’s disappearance while experiencing the plot of his latest novel ‘Departure.’ However, Mr. Wake doesn’t remember writing ‘Departure.’
The Game is set in Bright Falls city, where the playable character combats the ‘Taken,’ various animals, objects, and humans devoured by the darkness. Besides Taken, the player has to fight possessed ravens and spirits with light. Light is the primary source of weapons to fight them.
With its story-based gameplay, the Game also offers optional exploration and collection of the manuscript pages of Departure. The Game’s primary asset is the sounds, story narrative, visuals, atmosphere, and pacing.
- Developed by: Remedy Entertainment
- Published by: Microsoft Game Studios Remedy Entertainment, Epic Games Publishing
- Platform(s): Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
You can download this Game from Steam.
Little Nightmares
Have you tried any puzzle-platform survival horror adventure games? If not, you must try Little Nightmares. The Game occurs in a 2.5D Mysterious world where a helpless girl in a yellow raincoat, Six, has to escape an iron vessel inhabited by monstrous, scary things.
The player has to go through multiple difficulties to go forward. In-game puzzles also need to be solved to proceed in the Game. Without combat abilities and weapons, the player must rely on hiding in the environment and stealth to survive.
On a few occasions, the play can use tools to fight back. The Game has received good reviews from the players for its visual, sound design, and atmosphere.
- Developed by: Tarsier Studios
- Published by: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Phone
You can download this Game from Steam.
Doom
Horror game with first Person Shooter combo has aged well with the fans of the Doom Series. The player is a Doom Slayer and has to battle against the demons from hell unleashed by the Union Aerospace Corporation.
In the single-player mode, the player has to fight the demons. The Game features flashy movements and momentums.
This Game also offers many weapons to combat and fight against various types of demons. Few levels have multiple areas and pathways that help the player explore and use collectibles in progress.
The Game also offers multiple modes with several variations, including Deathmatch, warpath, Freeze Tag, etc. You can customize existing maps with structures according to your choice with SnapMap. The single-player campaign of this Game has become popular among gamers due to its graphics, gameplay, and soundtrack.
- Developed by: id Software
- Published by: Bethesda Softworks
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
You can download this Game from Steam.
Conclusion
From the classic Resident Evil series to the modern Five Nights at Freddy’s, horror games have come a long way in graphics, storytelling, and immersion.
These games bring a unique experience to players unmatched by any other genre, and they will continue to provide hours of horror-filled entertainment in the years to come. Whether you’re a classic or contemporary horror game fan, there will surely be a game out there that will capture your imagination and keep you on the edge of your seat.
As a vast range of horror games didn’t make it into this top 10 list of all-time best horror games, a few of them deserve special mentions, such as Alien: Isolation, Silent Hill 2, Outlast, The Evil Within 2, P.T., and Soma.
You need a set of good headphones to experience the horror lurking under your sanity and freeze your brain with fear. To enjoy the evil fun behind horror games, you can purchase SteelSeries Arctis Pro from here.
FAQs
Q: What is the #1 most scary game?
A: There’s no shortage of horror games nowadays, with the Resident Evil Series, Alan Wake, Doom, and Phasmophobia topping the list of what many consider the scariest games ever made.
Q: Is the Resident Evil game scary?
A: Resident Evil is one of the scariest games for PC.
Q: Is Phasmophobia for free?
A: No. The Game is not free to play.
Q: What age rating is amnesia?
A: Amnesia is strictly meant for adults, as indicated by its rating of “M.” This should be considered before you play it.
Q: Is Doom 2016 offline?
A: The Campaign in Doom 2016 can be enjoyed offline, although some gaming platforms may require you to log in before playing.
