Key Takeaways
The Horror style is extra standard than ever, with titles to swimsuit any viewers. Not each horror sport must be packed stuffed with bounce scares, and lots of the greatest titles do not resort to low-cost thrills. Even in the event you’re frightened, I do know I can discover just a few video games you will get pleasure from.
With this in thoughts, listed here are our picks for the very best Horror Video games for scaredy cats.
10 Content material Warning
Make A Viral Video
Franchise Content material Warning
Launched April 1, 2024
Developer Skog, Zorro, Wilnyl, Philip, thePetHen
Writer(s) Landfall Publishing
Multiplayer On-line Co-Op
Engine Unity
ESRB t
Variety of Gamers 1-4
Develop
Content material Warning is a unbelievable sport the place you and your folks attempt to make viral YouTube movies. A realm stuffed with scary monsters is close by, and you should enterprise inside to catch that golden footage.
The premise of Content material Warning is ridiculous, however there’s by no means a boring second, and there is nothing else fairly prefer it. The sport even makes spotlight reels out of your footage, which you’ll obtain as precise movies.
There is a satisfying gameplay loop as you earn cash to purchase higher recording tools, and the scares are good as your group tries to outdo one another.
You should be with a eager bunch to get probably the most out of Content material Warning, nevertheless it’s an authentic premise and provides laughs and horror in equal measure.
9 Phasmophobia
It is Much less Scary With Buddies
Launched September 18, 2020
Multiplayer On-line Co-Op
Engine Unity
How Lengthy To Beat 36.5 hours (solo) / 28 hours (co-op) / 33 hours (vs.)
Variety of Gamers 4
Steam Person Ranking 96%
Steam Deck Compatibility Verified
How Lengthy To Beat (Completionist Runs) m
Develop
I’ll catch some flack for this one, however Phasmophobia is a stellar horror sport for cowards, supplied you are enjoying with buddies.
You play as a mystical investigator tasked with figuring out the entity haunting every map. Phasmophobia is relentlessly scary at instances, however you’ll be able to actually run on group braveness when your buddies are egging you on. The sport even listens to your microphone, which makes the entire expertise extra immersive.
There’s some top-tier paranormal horror in Phasmophobia, so I solely advocate this one with an honest group of buddies. If you happen to’ve obtained that, Phasmophobia provides a few of the most memorable moments within the style.
8 F.E.A.R.
An Outdated-College Horror Shooter
F.E.A.R. is an outstanding first-person shooter with a modest quantity of scares and psychological horror components.
You play as a member of the First Encounter Assault Recon crew tasked with coping with paranormal threats. There are just a few bounce scares, however F.E.A.R. actually shines at constructing rigidity.
F.E.A.R. has held up surprisingly effectively for a sport from 2005. Shooter mechanics are tight and responsive, the story is first rate, and with an 8-hour runtime, the title does not overstay its welcome.
The sequence does get progressively worse, however in the event you get pleasure from F.E.A.R., the remainder of the trilogy remains to be value enjoying.
7 Resident Evil 4
One Of The Most interesting Resident Evil Video games
The Resident Evil sequence is legendary for its distinctive model of scares and iconic characters. Resident Evil 4 dramatically modified the formulation with a a lot better emphasis on motion. It was a daring transfer, however it’s arguably the very best in the whole sequence.
There are nonetheless just a few hair-raising moments in Resident Evil 4, nevertheless it feels extra like a horror “themed” motion sport in observe. A lot of the sport is ready throughout the daytime, and there is a distinct lack of jump-scares. There are many dramatic set items that make Resident Evil 4 arguably the scariest sport on the record. Nonetheless, there is a tongue-in-cheek tone to many exchanges, and Leon Kennedy cannot resist reeling off some ridiculous one-liners.
I can not consider a greater sport to introduce the Resident Evil franchise, and the 2023 Remake is an exceptional place to start out.
6 Left 4 Useless 2
Worry The Witch
Franchise Left 4 Useless
Launched November 17, 2009
Engine Supply
ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
Metascore 89
Cut up Display screen Orientation Vertical Or Horizontal
Variety of Gamers 2 (Native Co-Op), 4 (On-line Co-Op)
Steam Deck Compatibility Verified
Develop
Left 4 Useless 2 is a legendary first-person shooter by Valve with an iconic choice of monsters, together with the fabled Witch.
In Left 4 Useless 2, you and a bunch of survivors should full targets throughout the map earlier than extracting to security. On the best way, you should cope with hordes of the undead as you frantically attempt to keep alive.
That is one other title that shines with just a few buddies, because it’s infinitely extra enjoyable in a bunch. Monsters are scary, however a bunch setting normally turns tense conditions into one thing everybody can snigger at.
The one exception is the Witch, who quietly sobs to herself at nighttime. She is going to rip you to shreds in the event you get shut, and even the bravest souls tense up after they hear her cries. Left 4 Useless 2 is stuffed with unforgettable moments, and it is so enjoyable you will neglect you are even enjoying a horror sport.
Associated
Followers of Silent Hill are usually hungry for extra horrifying video games comparable in model — perhaps with the fog not included.
5 Doki Doki Literature Membership
You’ve got By no means Performed A Horror Recreation Fairly Like This
Launched September 22, 2017
Developer Crew Salvato
Writer Crew Salvato
Engine Ren’Py
ESRB e
How Lengthy To Beat 4 Hours
Develop
Doki Doki Literature Membership provides a unbelievable mix of visible novel and psychological horror. It is a mixture that works extremely effectively, contemplating the whole story is advised via static photos.
The sport begins innocently sufficient, and most of it’s set in a schoolroom. The strain comes from the truth that you recognize one thing goes to occur finally, however you do not know how, what, or when. I am being purposely imprecise, as I’d be doing any readers a large disservice in any other case. If you happen to’re a horror novice, Doki Doki Literature Membership is ideal due to the pacing and the dearth of low-cost scares.
Doki Doki Literature Membership is a beloved title that is held an Overwhelmingly Constructive rating on Steam for years. That mentioned, it is nonetheless a visible novel, and in the event you detest all these video games, Doki Doki is unlikely to alter your thoughts about them.
4 Till Daybreak
Excessive Funds Horror
Launched August 25, 2015
Writer(s) Sony
Engine Decima
ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Robust Language
How Lengthy To Beat 8 Hours
PS Plus Availability Further & Premium
OpenCritic Ranking Robust
Develop
Till Daybreak is a wonderful, high-budget horror sport the place your actions have penalties and might flip the script the wrong way up.
You comply with a bunch of youngsters on a retreat up a snowy mountain in the midst of nowhere. Naturally, the whole lot goes improper, and your choices resolve who survives the ordeal.
Till Daybreak has a scary premise, nevertheless it not often seems like a horror sport as you play extra of an overseeing function. You are like a horror film director, and whereas there are some grizzly scenes, they by no means straight occur to you.
Till Daybreak is so good, it is even value enjoying if you cannot stand horror video games, and it is even free on PS Plus.
3 Fran Bow
A Journey Into Madness
Fran Bow is a weird point-and-click journey sport with disturbing visuals and a wholesome dose of psychological horror.
You play as Fran as she tries to flee a juvenile psychological asylum. The premise is fairly darkish and will get even worse as you enter vivid scenes in Fran’s thoughts. These scenes vary from fanciful enchanted meadows to demonic hellscapes.
Whereas the imagery is genuinely horrifying at instances, Fran Bow remains to be only a point-and-click journey with little urgency. You are by no means being chased, and there are zero bounce scares.
Puzzle fixing is the secret, and it takes the reins over low-cost horror thrills.
2 Bioshock
Would You Kindly?
Bioshock is an distinctive first-person shooter, and whereas horror is not the primary focus, there are many tense and scary moments.
Rapture units the scene for Bioshock as a phenomenal however chaotic metropolis beneath the ocean. The inhabitants are deranged addicts, and also you by no means know what or who you will run into subsequent.
We won’t discuss Bioshock with out mentioning the Huge Daddies. Hulking metallic monstrosities that you simply hear stamping round lengthy earlier than you see them.
Bioshock is not particularly a horror sport, however there are many scary sections, particularly in the event you take the time to immerse your self on this planet.
Huge Daddies could also be monstrous, however you’ll be able to even play as one in Bioshock 2!
1 Useless by Daylight
A Multiplayer Horror Masterpiece
Useless by Daylight is a outstanding title that transcends genres and provides a multiplayer expertise that numerous titles have tried and didn’t emulate.
In Useless by Daylight, you play as both a survivor or a killer. The target is easy. The survivors should attempt to escape, and the killer tries to cease them. Naturally, it is a little bit extra difficult than that. Every Killer has distinctive abilities, and there are even iconic additions to the roster, like Ghost Face from Scream.
Useless by Daylight is performed as a 4v1 and is greatest loved with buddies or gamers of an identical ability stage. The Killer is horrifying because it’s player-controlled and unpredictable, and it is enjoyable to be taught the function your self.
There’s a fairly steep studying curve in the event you’re heading on-line for PVP with randoms, however it’s unforgettable with the appropriate individuals.
Subsequent
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