The constant improvements in console hardware and game engines have gone hand in hand with the rise in prominence of the horror genre, as the more immersive and realistic a horror game is, the more terrifying and ultimately captivating it can be. Titles like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Outlast 2, and Amnesia exemplify this, with their meticulous designs that have unsettled millions of players.
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Open-world games are often thought of in terms of RPGs, but these horror games make excellent use of the open-world format.
The increase in horror games' realism has proven to be too much for some people, who find some of the latest releases too scary to enjoy, despite their interest in the horror genre. Thankfully for such gamers, numerous excellent games have plenty of horror elements but don't try to terrify their audience too much. What is and what isn't scary is, of course, subjective, but for most people, these games will provide an experience that is intense but never too frightening.
Updated on January 30, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Horror gaming has turned its reputation around after a period when jump scares used to be pretty common in most mainstream horror games. Now, players have realized that it's way more important for games to set a vibe and unnerve players instead of unleashing wave after wave of poorly-paced scares with little to no buildup. The fact that some of the best horror games aren't outright scary is proof enough of this.
16 Inscryption
A Roguelike Card Game That Unnerves Players With Its Story-Driven Approach
Daniel Mullins is a name held in high regard in the indie community, and most people were more than intrigued by Inscryption's amazing presentation. The game's dark and brooding aesthetic makes it clear from the get-go that there's something sinister lurking in the background.
It would be a crime to talk more about Inscryption and what it strives to achieve since players should go in completely blind to enjoy this experience. The game takes players on a wild ride and is pretty unnerving without resorting to cheap scares.
15 Omori
A Psychological-Horror RPG That Embraces Hope And Acceptance By The End Of An Emotional Journey
OMORI
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- December 25, 2020
- Developer
- Omocat
Omori is one of the most emotional video games players can try if they love games like Earthbound and Undertale. The title's charming aesthetic hides a deep, dark secret that rears itself in the form of chilling psychological horror.
While there are moments when Omori delves into a route of true and utter horror, most of these instances are present in the Hikikomori route. Most new players will go through the normal route, which delivers an exceptional story about grief, trauma, and acceptance.
14 FEAR 3
A Worthy Entry In The Fear Series With Fun Combat That Makes It Harder To Get Scared
For anyone who has played either of the first two FEAR games, it may be a surprise to see one of the franchise's entries on this list. FEAR and FEAR: Project Origin were both among the scariest games of their respective years, with the series' iconic antagonist Alma being the main source of panic-inducing jump scares.
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Sometimes in a game, just surviving to the end is the goal. These are the best survival horror games of all time.
FEAR 3, however, made the divisive decision to give the series' staple horror a backseat, in favor of a heavier focus on FPS gameplay; this shift was common at the time, with Capcom taking a similar direction with Resident Evil 6.
13 Prey
An Immersive Sim Set In A Desolate Spaceship That Gets Less Scarier Over Time
Shortly after Human Head Studios' Prey was released in 2006, reports and rumors started circulating about a sequel. This sequel would go on to become one of gaming's most prominent examples of a title entering "development hell" before it was eventually canceled in 2014.
Most people assumed that this was the end of the Prey franchise, though Bethesda and Arkane Studios teamed up to announce a new Prey game. Arkane Studios' Prey was released in 2017 and implemented an entirely new narrative, rather than continuing the original story as the canceled Prey 2 had planned. Although some loyal fans were disappointed with the change in direction, the general perception of Prey (2017) was very positive.
12 Soma
A Sci-Fi Horror Game With A Riveting Story That Tones Down The Scares To Make It More Accessible
Soma had a huge weight of expectations on its shoulders in 2015, as the game was developed by Frictional Games, who quickly became one of the horror genre's most esteemed developers after they released the groundbreaking Amnesia: The Dark Descent in 2010.
Frictional Games took a complete change in direction from their Amnesia series with Soma, as the game offers a story-driven adventure centered around the potential dangers of technological advancements that wouldn't feel out of place in the Black Mirror TV series. Although the game's implications are dauntingly thought-provoking, the game itself isn't too scary, and it even offers a "safe mode."
11 Darkest Dungeon
A Tough-As-Nails RPG With A Lovecraftian Edge That's Pretty Tense Without Being Outright Scary
Darkest Dungeon, as the name suggests, is a dungeon-crawling RPG that has become infamous for its brutal and unforgiving difficulty level. The game puts players in control of a roster of heroes, who explore a series of dungeons that lie beneath a gothic mansion.
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There are plenty of mods out there to liven up Darkest Dungeon – some just for aesthetics, and others to make a hard game just a tad easier.
Darkest Dungeon firmly falls into the category of "you either love it or hate it," as its difficulty makes it an excruciating experience for some and an addictive challenge for others. Not only does the game have perma-death, but players also have to keep an eye on each hero's Stress Level, which increases as they explore dungeons and can seriously harm them if it gets too high.
10 Little Nightmares
Players Explore Nightmarish Locations That Use Horror Tastefully Instead Of Relying On Cheap Scares
Tarsier Studios' Little Nightmares turned heads when its initial trailers dropped, with its unique horror art style intriguing yet unsettling many people. The art style isn't all that is unique about Little Nightmares, however, as the game also provides two genres that very rarely interconnect: puzzle platforming and horror.
The combination of genres may sound like a hot mess on paper, though it offers a surprisingly well-balanced and well-designed experience that overall provides a solid 3-4 hour adventure. Little Nightmares may not be too scary, though it is thoroughly disturbing.
9 Left 4 Dead 2
An Excellent Sequel To A Beloved Action-Focused Co-op Game Where Players Fight Wave Of Heinous Zombies
Valve's sequel to Left 4 Dead was released in 2009 and offered one of the most enjoyable online multiplayer experiences of the decade. The game received an impressive Metascore of 89, with praise being directed towards the game's enemy variety and fast-paced action.
For numerous years, Left 4 Dead 2 was one of the many Valve titles that had players desperate for a third entry; Left 4 Dead 3 still seems to be more of a dream than a reality, but there has been confirmation of a spiritual successor, Back 4 Blood.
8 Alan Wake
A Unique Narrative-Focused Action-Horror Game Where Players Have A Lot Of Means To Defend Themselves
Alan Wake
- Platform(s)
- Xbox 360 , PS4 , PS5 , PC , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- February 16, 2012
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter , Survival Horror
Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake was released exclusively on the Xbox 360 in 2010 before coming to PC in 2012. The gameplay took clear inspiration from Capcom's iconic Resident Evil 4 while adding an interesting offensive mechanic that lets players startle enemies with the use of a light source.
Alan Wake's combat isn't what made the game stand out though, it was its incredible narrative. Inspired by American novelist Stephen King, the game's story is a supernatural mystery that will have players scratching their heads from chapter to chapter. In terms of the game's fear factor, Alan Wake is fairly vanilla in its entirety, though there is a jumpscare towards the end of the game that easily frightened players should prepare for.
It's a great time to give Remedy Entertainment's oft-underappreciated gem a try, as Alan Wake Remastered was released on October 5th, 2021 and its sequel blew everyone's minds. Along with a fresh coat of paint that gave the once dreary visuals a new lease of life, the remastered game also includes both DLC episodes, which are vital for understanding the full Alan Wake story. Like the original, anyone wondering "Is Alan Wake scary?" can rest assured that the game never gets too frightening.
7 DOOM 3
A Darker Take On Doom's World And Combat, With An Updated Release Making The Torch A Permanent Fixture
DOOM 3
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS1 , Switch , Xbox (Original)
- Released
- August 3, 2004
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Along with 007 GoldenEye, the original DOOM is one of the most influential first-person shooters in the genre's history. Truth be told, any DOOM game could have been featured on this list, but DOOM 3 takes the cake as it is debatable whether the other titles can even be classed as horror.
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Great survival horror games don't have to rely on jump scares to succeed. However, they do them better than most and these are at the top.
Despite having the most horror elements, DOOM 3 still isn't a particularly scary game due to how powerful the protagonist is, and how easily he can mow down hordes of enemies. In a sense, the DOOM franchise is more of a horror game for the enemies than it is for the protagonist.
6 Bioshock
Exploring Rapture's Atmospheric Environments Makes For A Great Time Without Scaring Players Out Of Their Wits
Unlike DOOM which has its fear factor reduced due to how powerful the playable character is, BioShock's horror primarily comes from how powerful and intimidating the iconic Big Daddy enemies are.
Furthermore, it's easy to forget just how unsettling it is when the player descends into rapture and realizes that they're going to be fighting for their lives as they watch a splicer kill a man right in front of them at the start of the game. Although these two factors are undoubtedly intense, the game shouldn't be too worrisome for those concerned about the game being overly scary.
5 The Last Of Us
A Tale Of Survival Where Humans End Up Being The Biggest Threat In A World Full Of Fungal Zombies
It's easy to forget now, but many people were dismissive of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us before it had even been released. The reason why people were so skeptical was that there had been a huge influx of zombie/infected films, video games, and books released around the time, and people were becoming sick of them. So when the trailer for The Last of Us dropped, there were many moans and groans from people who assumed that the game would just be an Uncharted clone looking to cash in on the zombie hype.
This view sounds comical in hindsight, as the game did of course go on to be one of the most beloved of its generation. The Last of Us has its fair share of intense moments, but the game never gets too scary. Truth be told, the game's true horror comes from the way that the characters are affected by the post-apocalyptic world, rather than the post-apocalyptic world itself.
4 The Walking Dead
An Emotional Game With A Few Scares That Focuses On The Relationship Between Lee And Clementine
The first episode of Telltale Games' The Walking Dead was released in April 2012 and, much like the comic book series that it is based on, gripped audiences with its powerful and emotional storytelling. The game won numerous awards for its narrative, including Outstanding Achievement in Story from the D.I.C.E. Awards.
Much like The Last of Us, The Walking Dead has a nightmarish post-apocalyptic setting, but it never gets too scary due to the game's primary focus being on the human impact of the outbreak. Moreover, the game features a comic-like aesthetic, which not only looks fantastic but also makes the zombies look less frightening.
3 Silent Hill 2
One Of The Greatest Psychological-Horror Games That Succeeds In Unnerving The Player With Little To No Jumpscares
The highly anticipated sequel to Silent Hill was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2001 and set a new standard for storytelling in horror games. The game features six different endings, each of which is just about as ambiguous as the other. It's not just the game's overarching narrative that earns Silent Hill 2 a spot among gaming's best story-driven games though, it's also the way that many of the game's encounters and enemies are symbolic of the protagonist's interpersonal feelings.
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Some people like to get horror games over with quickly, but some love the fear. These are the horror games with the longest completion times!
Silent Hill 2 does become increasingly unsettling as it progresses, but much of the game's horror has been lessened as years have passed due to the game showing its age.
2 Dead Space 2
A Sequel To A Legendary Horror Game That Places More Focus On The Action Side Of Things
Dead Space 2 is the third game on this list that is heavily inspired by the iconic Resident Evil series, along with Silent Hill 2 and Alan Wake. The game's primary similarities to Capcom's classic are the similar camera perspective, as well as the impressive enemy variety, with each having certain strengths and weaknesses that players need to exploit to survive.
Dead Space 2 is certainly an intense game, especially due to how tough some of the enemies can be; but the protagonist is just about strong enough to never make the game feel too overwhelmingly frightening. Moreover, like many games on this list, Dead Space 2 utilizes a third-person perspective, which is inherently less scary than first-person.
1 Resident Evil 4
Marked A Shift In Focus For The Resident Evil 4, Leaning More Towards Action As Opposed To Horror
The original Resident Evil was released back in 1996 and has since become recognized as one of the most influential survival horror games of all time. Following numerous successful releases that followed the winning formula of the first game, the series began to become stale with the fifth main series release: Resident Evil - Code: Veronica. Capcom took the criticisms of Code: Veronica to heart, as they drastically changed the direction of their iconic series with the sixth main series Resident Evil title, Resident Evil 4.
The game made two key changes to the series, namely the camera perspective and heavier focus on action. The decision was a wise one, as Resident Evil 4 is today recognized as one of the greatest games of all time. The heavier focus on action makes the game inherently less frightening than its predecessor's, with the first time the player encounters a Regenerator being one of the game's few unsettling moments.
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