Despite most of us possessing a strong self-preservation instinct, people seem to love being terrified. For centuries,horrorstories have been a form of entertainment, whether it be ghost stories shared around a camp fire passed down through oral tradition or penned in classic literature, there is something greatly enjoyable about being scared.
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As technology advances, more mediums for experiencing horror have become available and there are plenty of video games that showcase it as a viable way to experience horror. There are so many great horror games it is impossible to list them all, but below we have compiled our consensus of the ten best horror games.
We gathered our results by polling the Hardcore Gamer editorial staff to come up with our picks, using an in-house voting system!
10Signalis
A Cosmic Nightmare
Nightmarish is a common adjective used in describing works of horror, and this descriptor takes on a more literal meaning inSignalis. Most entries in this list take place in some version of the real world. Signalis is a reality born from dreams. As the player progresses through Signalis, the laws of physics by which the rules of reality are bound seem to become more relaxed.
As Elster ends up in more seemingly impossible environments, it is difficult not to question the nature of her reality. As things become more bizarre, it seems like her reality has turned into a nightmare. It’s an interesting take on how dreams can shape reality, and an indie game worth checking out.
9Little Nightmares
Small Child, Scary World
Little Nightmares
Little Nightmares is a puzzle platformer that places a nine-year-old named Six in a massive underwater vessel known as Maw. As a young child, Six possesses no combat abilities as she tries to navigate her way through Maw, relying on stealth and puzzle solving for survival.
The gameplay has been criticized for being a bit rough around the edges, but the constant suspense and sense of dread more than make up for any mechanical shortcomings. Few scenarios are as terrifying as a helpless child trapped in an environment with grotesque horrors, which helps Little Nightmares earn its place among the top horror games.
8Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Lovecraftian Horror Has Corrupted Your Save Data
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is considered one of the greatest horror games for an unusual reason. In addition to having one of the more compelling stories in psychological horror, it is famous for its unique feature known as Sanity Effects. Most horror games enjoy toying with the mind of the character, but Eternal Darkness toys with the player’s mind.
Many of the Sanity Effects mimic game malfunctions, such as spontaneous character death or rooms not loading properly. One of the more terrifying examples is a prompt asking the player to erase their game data. The gameplay, atmosphere and story of Eternal Darkness are enough to make it a great horror game, but the Sanity Effects help elevate it above many other titles.
7Lethal Company
Scaring While Scrapping
Lethal Company
Lethal Company is a game that understands horror is better with friends. This is a cooperative game for up to four players. Players are part of a crew that travels to various moons to collect scrap, which is much more dangerous than it sounds. Each player is limited in how much they carry at a time, and some of the more valuable pieces of scrap will keep the player’s hands full and prevent them from doing other important actions.
The crew ship is scheduled to leave at midnight, and failure to get back on time means they will be left behind on the moon. Each moon is filled with traps and hostile monsters, so communication among the team is crucial for both profit and survival. Most survival horror games focus on the single player experience, but this is a great option for players that want to be scared but also be social.
6Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
That Camera Really Captures the Spirit
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterly
Legend has it that the original Fatal Frame was so scary most players never finished it out of sheer terror. This posed an interesting challenge in crafting the sequel, as they wanted people to complete the game but didn’t want to lose any of the horror elements. Fatal Frame II has twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura exploring the abandoned village Minakami. This village is where the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual occurred, and is now occupied by the tortured souls of the dead.
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The weapon against these spirits is the Camera Obscura, an enchanted camera that can repel these harmful spirits. Fighting ghosts with a camera might not sound all that scary without context, to which we encourage skeptics to experience Fatal Frame II for themselves. Many have said this is the scariest game ever made.
A Horrifying Remake Done Right
Dead Space (2023)
Originally released in 2008 and remade in 2023,Dead Spaceproves that the cold vacuum of space is a terrifying place. Even with no other variables, crash landing a spacecraft is a major setback in any mission. Doing so in a location that puts the crew at odds with a cult along with reanimated mutated corpses known as Necromorphs is nothing short of a living nightmare.
The original is regarded as one of the best survival horror games, and the remake is one of those rare cases where it remains faithful to the original while streamlining it for modern sensibilities. Between its puzzles, combat and unnerving soundtrack, Dead Space is a must-play horror game.
4Alan Wake 2
A Novel Approach to Horror
Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2was one of the most anticipated sequels, and it did not disappoint. The sequel deprioritized action in favor of the survival horror elements, almost playing out like a horror visual novel. As the protagonist is an author, it feels strangely appropriate, and like many novels, Alan Wake 2 may get off to a slow start but delivers an incredible payoff for those who stick around to digest the story.
On top of containing one of the great horror stories wrapped, the dreadful atmosphere is complemented by some of the best looking graphics in any game to date. Story and atmosphere are some of the most important elements of horror, and few do these better than Alan Wake 2.
3Resident Evil 7 Biohazard
‘Til Death Do Us Unite
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil is one of the first things most people think of when someone says horror gaming. With eight mainline games and several spin-offs, Resident Evil is one of the biggest names in horror.Resident Evil 7 Biohazardstands out as one of the stronger entries in the franchise. Protagonist Ethan Winters follows a lead on the location of his wife, who has been missing for three years.
What should be a happy reunion ends up unfolding into unimaginable horrors, as Ethan now has to figure out how to escape the Baker mansion alive. Resident Evil 7 is terrifying enough in its own right, but one of the things that puts it above other Resident Evil games is playing it in VR, where the player is surrounded by the unfolding horror.
2Alien Isolation
In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream
Alien: Isolation
The 1979 film Alien is one of the most iconic sci-fi horror films, so it is only fitting a game set in that universe made it to our list.Alien Isolationtakes place in the year 2137, 15 years after the original film. The player controls Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, who is searching for her missing mother. After finding the flight recorder of the Nostromo, Ripley is placed on the salvage team in hopes of finding closure for her lost mother.
Instead of closure, they find a Xenomorph, and while Ripley isn’t unarmed or helpless, it’s best to use stealth to avoid and outsmart the much more powerful aliens. Alien Isolation is one of the few games that recreates the atmosphere from the film, where trying to survive in space against these monsters would fill even the most hardened space marine with dread.
1Silent Hill 2
In My Restless Dreams I See That Town
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 topping our horror game list shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. It has been considered the gold standard of the genre since its 2001 release. Certain game mechanics might show their age, but few games are capable of crafting such a dreadful atmosphere, which makes Silent Hill 2 just as delightfully dreadful today as it was at the time of its original launch.
The town of Silent Hill is covered in a dense fog, and only a scant few people remain amidst the horrific monsters that now infest it. James Sunderland arrived in response to a letter he received from his wife Mary, who had died three years prior. As James navigates Silent Hill, he needs to solve puzzles while avoiding monsters that resemble twisted versions of people.
As things progress, the player is left wondering what is real in Silent Hill, and how much of the events are a manifestation of James’s deteriorating psyche. One of the more enduring aspects of Silent Hill 2 are the multiple endings, which can be interrupted as different stages of James’s grief, such as denial, acceptance and bargaining. The debate is ongoing on which outcome is truly canon, though most will say it’s the Dog ending.
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