In 2022, Sony revamped PlayStation Plus, starting a new era for the service. Nowadays, players can pick from three tiers: Essential, Extra, or Premium. If someone wants to play online, they will need to subscribe to, at least, PS Plus Essential to access most games' multiplayer modes. This tier also provides a few freebies per month. However, people craving PS Plus horror games will probably need to take a look at the second and third tiers.
The Extra tier provides access to hundreds of PS5 and PS4 titles, and that library is expanded each month with roughly 15 games. The Premium level includes all of Extra's games, along with hundreds of classic PS3, PS2, PS1, and PSP projects. Unsurprisingly, Sony's service has most of its genre fundamentals covered, ensuring there should be a few dozen games that suit most people's needs. This statement includes horror, and the scariest PS Plus games rank among the genre's greatest offerings.
Updated June 1, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Towards the end of May, Sony announced a few additions to PS Plus Extra and Premium. The latter took center stage due to the pending arrival of a few PS VR2 titles (including The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners), but Extra subscribers also got access to a unique horror game. Click this link to jump directly to this game's discussion.
In case someone prefers physical copies, links to the games' Amazon pages are provided. Each game's PlayStation Metascore will also be included, with the rating of the most modern console version being picked if multiple generations are on PS Plus.
Alien: Isolation
Metascore: 79
It is only fitting that one of the scariest movies of the 1970s would go on to inspire one of the scariest games of the 2010s. Alien: Isolation acts as a follow-up to Ridley Scott's Alien, delivering a story that revolves around Ellen Ripley's daughter. Amanda is searching for her mother, a journey that leads her to a space station that proves to be anything but hospitable or safe. Focusing heavily on stealth, Isolation does a brilliant job of making the xenomorph feel like a genuine threat, which is not something every game in the Alien franchise has sought to do.
Played from a first-person perspective, the game generally forces players to step into the role of the prey since they are defenseless for long stretches of the lengthy campaign. The setting fits the license well, and the xenomorph's AI is still impressive all these years later. Challenging, atmospheric, and a love letter to a genre classic, Alien: Isolation is a prime contender for the best horror game on PS Plus Extra.
Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare
Metascore: 77
Alone in the Dark has a peculiar legacy. Undeniably one of the most influential horror games ever, the 1992 original was groundbreaking at the time of its release, and it spawned a couple of quick sequels. Although the first entry is worth playing just from a historical standpoint, the franchise's 90s titles have not aged particularly well and can be difficult to appreciate in this day and age. After the turn of the century, the license would come and go, occasionally dropping a divisive project. 2008's Alone in the Dark's good ideas are let down by inconsistent execution, and the same can be said for 2024's reboot. Alone in the Dark: Illumination is plainly terrible.
That leaves 2001's The New Nightmare, a well-received entry that has arguably blossomed into the franchise's best title. Even though it is nowhere near as important as 1992's Alone in the Dark, The New Nightmare has stood the test of time better, providing the person playing it is fond of fixed-camera survival horror games from the PS1 era. Essentially creating a soft reboot, Darkworks opted to combine the previous titles' unsettling tone and puzzles with gameplay similar to Resident Evil. Despite taking clear inspiration from the latter, this title does not struggle to carve a unique identity, largely thanks to its solid writing, well-designed island setting, and diverse monster designs.
The Evil Within 2
Metascore: 76
Both of Tango Gameworks' The Evil Within games are on PS Plus Extra, and they are must-plays for anyone remotely interested in survival horror. They are inspired by Resident Evil, although they do change enough elements to stand on their own two feet. Even if it can be frustrating in places, the original 2014 game is the best entry point into the series for newcomers, and it is arguably more intense than its successor. The Evil Within introduces Sebastian Castellanos, a detective who gets dragged into a strange nightmare while investigating a murder case. The story predominantly takes place in a hospital, albeit one laced with surreal and terrifying imagery.
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The Evil Within 2 expands on its predecessor's ideas, all the while implementing a sandbox that grants players more freedom. This time, Sebastian enters a simulated town that is home to his supposedly deceased daughter. Union takes a fairly conventional setting and twists it, creating a feeling that something terrible could be lurking around every other corner. While the frights do not come around as frequently as in the first game, the gameplay is generally superior in the sequel.
Dredge
Metascore: 81
OK, Dredge is a special case since it is not scary, nor does it try to be. Still, if someone is craving a unique spin on cosmic terror, there are not many better PS Plus horror games than Black Salt's twisted take on fishing. Set in Greater Marrow, players step into the shoes of a new fisherman who has just arrived in one of the few towns in this area. Saddled with a small debt that can be quickly paid off, the protagonist spends his days traveling the archipelago's waters in search of fish to catch and wooden logs to haul (among other things). Putting aside the somewhat creepy folk who live in this area, this life seems pretty chill; however, that changes when darkness sets in. If players get caught out late or decide to do some nighttime fishing, they might find themselves staring at unfathomable creatures ripped right out of HP Lovecraft's nightmares.
Rather than jump scares or gory displays, Dredge's horror comes entirely from the atmosphere it creates, along with a constant sense of dread that permeates this universe. Every NPC seems like they have seen things they cannot explain, and they act like they are trapped without any hope of escape. The game uses a Panic meter that sets in whenever the fisherman is caught out at sea during the night, a situation that will gradually become commonplace as the story unfolds. Beyond just the terrors from the deep, Dredge also builds a sense of mystery through its pretty decent story and quest system.
F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon
Metascore: 72
Despite losing steam relatively quickly, F.E.A.R. had a really strong debut that instantly established the horror property as a franchise to keep an eye on. Although solid in their own right, the sequels failed to fully capture the magic of the original game, and some of that can be credited to their transition to full-blown shooters at the expense of their horror elements. As an FPS, F.E.A.R. was and still is decent, even if its gunplay nowadays shows its age; however, the campaign expertly weaves in creepy, nightmarish flashes, and these moments set the project apart from its contemporaries.
Even nearly two decades later, there are not many games that try to blend these two genres, and even fewer that are as successful as F.E.A.R. Along with haunting imagery courtesy of the terrifying but iconic Alma, the title also tells an effective story that holds quite a few surprises. As dated as some aspects of this project might be, F.E.A.R. is still one of the best PS Plus horror games.
Bloodborne
Metascore: 92
Since the release of Demon’s Souls in 2009, FromSoftware has developed a reputation for creating games with brutal difficulty spikes and addictive action mechanics. While that combination can often serve up scary times in most of its titles, Bloodborne represents the studio’s most overt attempt at creating something within the horror genre. Even though its gameplay will entice many players, horror fans in particular with PS Plus Extra won’t want to miss out either.
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Inspired heavily by gothic literature, exploring the streets of Bloodborne's Yharnam is an atmospheric experience all in itself. The fact that the city’s alleyways are home to monsters and entities that H.P. Lovecraft would have been proud to have created, makes Bloodborne all the more terrifying.
Bloodborne is more horror-inspired or themed rather than a full-blown entry in the genre, but it has more than enough terrifying imagery to qualify.
Inscryption
Metascore: 87
Deck-builders do not exactly scream "horror," but Inscryption loves to defy expectations. A game of many hats, a huge part of the experience's appeal hinges on its willingness to take risks, most of which not only pay off but also instill players with an irresistible desire to see what comes next. As it would be a disservice to reveal the campaign's mysteries, let's focus on Inscryption's basics instead.
Players find themselves sitting opposite a strange being, who they will need to defeat in a grueling but well-done card game. The latter's mechanics are fairly typical for the genre, but its fundamentals are sound and there are enough twists to give it a bit of flavor. The horror elements primarily come from everything that transpires around the table, and players are encouraged to step away from the cards in between matches. Inscryption is also a roguelike, so defeat does reset a run to an extent; however, the game is not too difficult by the genre's standards.
Dead By Daylight
Metascore: 64
Since its debut back in 2016, Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight has steadily grown into something of a horror game phenomenon. Throughout that time it should be noted that its key gameplay principles have remained largely intact. Four teammates are still forced to desperately fight for survival against another solo player, who’s able to control a supernatural entity. The setup for the game is simple yet effective, to the point that it’s easy to imagine it receiving a player-base boost via its recent arrival on PS Plus Extra.
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Something that has helped Dead by Daylight to stand out from other multiplayer horror contemporaries, and has become its biggest selling point, is its ever-growing list of crossovers. Thanks to a steady stream of downloadable content drops over the last few years, the title now features an extensive roster of playable horror movie and game icons. Between tie-ins with the Halloween series, Stranger Things, and Silent Hill, players can enjoy a multiplayer horror experience that’s arguably one of the best horror games on PS Plus Premium and Extra.
Observation
Metascore: 75
Created by Scottish indie studio No Code and published by Devolver Digital, Observation is a scary experience that’s unlike anything else that subscribers can access on PlayStation Plus right now. Stylized as a sci-fi-themed thriller, the adventure game revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a space station’s crew. In a similar vein to the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise, players interact with their environment and uncover a suspenseful mystery via a series of cameras.
If that mechanical setup wasn’t intriguing enough on its own though, Observation has several other quirks up its metaphorical sleeves. One of which is the fact that, in a break from genre tradition, players play as a sentient artificial intelligence known as SAM. That design decision opens the door for several other surprises and twists, that PS Plus subscribers won’t want to miss out on.
Observer: System Redux
Metascore: 77
Bloober Team's Observer debuted in 2017, but the System Redux version is the one to play. Along with improving the visuals and performance, this iteration expands the gameplay to offer more variety and less frustration, all the while enhancing the atmospheric intensity that defined the vanilla release.
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Observer: System Redux envisions a dystopian sci-fi future where technology allows the minds of people to be infiltrated, a procedure used extensively by the detective protagonist. Set within a single building, this horror game gradually builds tension as the central character investigates a murder, and the title prioritizes its story and tone above anything else. Permitting someone is not searching for an action-leaning experience, Observer is one of the best horror games on PS Plus Premium and Extra.
Until Dawn
Metascore: 79
With PS Plus Extra and Premium, players have the option to download and play games directly from their console's internal storage. This benefits several horror experiences that can be found on the subscription service, which would otherwise suffer from lag induced by slow internet connection speeds. Supermassive Games' Until Dawn is perhaps the biggest benefactor of this, due to the rapid twitch gameplay players will often find themselves experiencing while they're desperately fighting to see the sun again.
Until Dawn calls back to the horror genre's classic use of jump-scares, as it follows the story of a group of friends who are being haunted by their past. Crucially the narrative carries on whenever a character is killed by the player's actions, creating a sense of dreadful permanence. Because of this, Supermassive's cinematic story is an excellent depiction of interactive choose-your-own-adventure gameplay and is arguably still the studio's best work to this day.
The Last Of Us Remastered
Metascore: 95
Thanks to Naughty Dog's trademark cinematic pedigree, it's sometimes easy to forget that The Last of Us is actually a horror game. A testament to the engaging characters found at its core, the zombies that haunt the game's streets sometimes take a back seat when fans talk about the franchise. That's not to say that the hordes of the transformed are to be taken for granted though, as throughout the experience they'll provide more than enough scares.
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The Last of Us hits a sweet spot when it comes to horror in this way. At times, the game offers palpable physical nightmares like any strong piece of zombie media, whilst also never forgetting to embody the psychological element of the genre at every other opportunity. The world that Naughty Dog has built is packed with such attention to detail that it ensures the presence and threat of the infected is a constant thought in the mind of the player, whether they're on-screen or not.
The Dark Pictures Anthology
Metascore: 69 (Man of Medan); 71 (Little Hope); 72 (House Of Ashes)
The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium Extra & Premium Extra & Premium Platform(s) Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Switch, PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox One Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Switch, PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox One PS5 Released 2019-08-30 2020-10-30 2021-10-22 Developer(s) Supermassive Games Supermassive Games Supermassive Games Genre(s) Survival Horror Survival Horror Survival Horror How Long To Beat 5 Hours 5 Hours 6 Hours
Another Supermassive production, The Dark Pictures Anthology is a strange beast since, on the one hand, the overall project is probably the studio's most ambitious to date; however, the individual games are not quite as fulfilling as Until Dawn or The Quarry. As its name suggests, The Dark Pictures Anthology revolves around standalone stories loosely connected through a framing device, although they are largely designed to be played in isolation. PS Plus Extra has the franchise's first three games: Man of Medan, Little Hope, and House of Ashes, all of which only require roughly 5–6 hours to complete.
Each title has different characters and settings, although they generally feature the same style of mechanics and scares. While neither entry is a masterpiece on its own, The Dark Pictures Anthology is nevertheless a great recommendation for horror fans, particularly ones who are looking for co-op experiences. The latter feature defines this series, and both online and couch co-op are well executed.
Siren: Blood Curse
Metascore: 78
PS Plus Premium has the PS2's Siren and its 2008 reimagining, Siren: Blood Curse. Even though neither is an all-time classic, they are both above-average survival horror games with interesting ideas; however, Blood Curse is a bit easier to revisit in this day and age. Split into episodes and featuring a rotating cast of controllable characters, Blood Curse follows a TV crew as they investigate the rural Hanuda Japanese village. Naturally, they quickly find that this desolate town is home to some rather dangerous entities.
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Siren: Blood Curse incorporates stealth into its gameplay loop since the characters are largely defenseless. To facilitate this element, players have the power to temporarily view the world from the perspective of an enemy, which allows them to plan their actions accordingly. This concept sets Siren apart from other horror franchises and is arguably at its best in Blood Curse.
Resident Evil 2 (2019)
Metascore: 91
Although hardly exclusive to PlayStation ecosystems, Resident Evil will always be associated with the brand thanks to the original PS1 trilogy. Those three games arguably defined survival horror, even if they were not the genre's first representatives. While not containing these influential titles in their original forms, PS Plus nevertheless shows a lot of love for Capcom's franchise, particularly the Premium tier. Subscribers can play through masterpieces like Resident Evil Director's Cut and Resident Evil 4 (not remake), co-op goodies like Resident Evil 5, and acquired tastes like Resident Evil 6 and Operation Raccoon City.
Concerning PS Plus Extra, the 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake is available to download, and it is fantastic. With Resident Evil 7, Capcom took the license in a new direction by switching to a first-person angle, a change that was generally a positive one. However, the publisher also wanted to cater to long-time fans who yearned for something a bit closer to the classic releases – Resident Evil 2 was that game. A proper survival horror experience, the remake is a visual treat that retains the original's intensity and stellar level design. RE2 would go on to spawn two more remakes, and while both of those projects are must-plays in their own right, the original is arguably still the best of the bunch.
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