Horror as a genre has always been able to scratch a tantalizing itch in the form of literature or filmmaking, yet the genre arguably is at its absolute best in the playable medium that only video games can provide. Something about having the player actively in danger of the horrors presented, fighting for survival to continue with the story, raises the tension considerably, as there are genuine stakes that result in top-notch scares. While not perfect right out of the gate, horror gaming has evolved considerably over the years to the point where the best horror games are celebrated as some of the greatest horror experiences in any medium.
From prominent entries in long-running horror franchises to legendary one-off titles, horror gaming taps into a distinct energy and feeling that no other video game, or even other horror media, can match. Playing out and having control in a horror space rife with limitless creativity and potential for scares and worldbuilding has made these games some of the most impactful and memorable experiences horror has to offer.
10
‘Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly’ (2003)
While not as immediately recognizable as some of the other icons of early horror franchises, Fatal Frame has carved out a niche for itself thanks to the implementation of its core gameplay elements in relation to Japanese mythos and paranormal nightmares. The clear highlight of the franchise proves to be Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, which amplifies and evolves the proof-of-concept strengths of the original game to create a terrifying mixture of heart-pounding gameplay and engrossing narrative.
This essential horror game proved to be massively influential for the entire genre at large, with the mixture of third-person and first-person perspectives adding to the angst and tension of the game as a whole and making its scares hit that much harder. However, the narrative is the real major element that makes this game the best in the franchise, as the dynamic of its twin sister main characters and the tragedy of the ghosts haunting them makes for a powerful experience.
9
‘Until Dawn’ (2015)
Once video games were able to reach a level of graphical fidelity that was able to rival the likes of blockbuster filmmaking, it was only a matter of time before individual games took a much more cinematic approach to their storytelling and gameplay. In terms of a game doing all that it can to recreate the feeling of a mystery horror film, Until Dawn‘s mixture of branching storylines and exceptional performances made it an instant icon in the PS4 library.
While its major draw is that of a story-based game with exceptionally well-written characters and a multitude of branching elements to its story, the fundamental horror elements of its storytelling and gameplay are also exceptional. Most notably are the sequences that utilize the gyro controls in the DualShock controller and ask the player to stay as still as possible so as not to alert the bloodthirsty Wendigo. The game is now considered one of the faces of cinematic horror in video games, to the point where it even got its own film adaptation just last year.
8
‘Amnesia: The Dark Descent’ (2010)
One specific style of horror game that saw massive popularity in the early 2010s was that of the first-person indie game that overwhelmingly focused on jump scares as its central aspect of horror. Jump scares as a whole prove to be that much more effective in the medium of games, when the player is intently focused on survival and a scare is both a shocking surprise and a sign of death. No singular game in this era symbolized the strengths of this era of horror like Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
The horror game masterpiece was certainly made popular by its iconic jump scares, but its continued brilliance and legacy come at the hand of all of the great horror surrounding these jumps, as opposed to other games of this era that relied entirely on jump scares. The game features an effective mystery narrative that pushes the player forward, as well as dark corridors and overwhelming dread in its level design that sets the stage perfectly for its scares to have maximum impact.
7
‘Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’ (2017)
While Resident Evil was once one of the most celebrated names in horror video games, the series underwent a shift into action horror that eventually lost sight of what made the franchise so engaging in the first place. However, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard proved to be not just a return to form for the franchise, but an evolution of its classic horror elements while combining them with the trends and possibilities of a modern AAA horror game. It succeeds in pure horror better than any other game in the franchise, constantly keeping the player on their toes with constant scares and tension.
The game largely stands on its own, separate from the storylines and characters from previous games, but still has a lot of the classic elements and monstrous horror that made the original games iconic in the first place. It’s also worth noting that the game was a major leap forward in terms of VR horror gaming, with it still being considered by many the best horror experience that VR has to offer.
6
‘P.T.’ (2014)
P.T. (also known as Playable Teaser) is one of the most famous games of the 21st century, being a literal demo that was still so terrifying and precise in its execution that it became celebrated as one of the greatest horror games of all time. The perfect PS4 game tactically utilized repetition and the subtle changes in its environment to unnerve players and keep them uncomfortable before absolutely shocking them with a perfect scare.
If it were a fully complete video game, it could easily be considered the greatest horror game ever made, yet this striking creative vision for the Silent Hill franchise from Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro never saw the light of day. While the pain of the full game’s cancellation still lingers in the hearts of horror fans worldwide, the fear that P.T. struck into the hearts of gamers will never be forgotten, to the point where PS4 consoles that still had the game downloaded before it was taken down saw a massive spike in resale value.
5
‘Alien: Isolation’ (2014)
Considering just how much Ridley Scott‘s Alien has stood as an icon of sci-fi horror for generations, it would only make sense that a video game attempt to recapture the same sense of dread and intergalactic terror of the original film. However, many of the adaptations of the franchise largely took after the action sci-fi tone of Aliens, with the major exception being the fan favorite Alien: Isolation. No other Alien game comes close to recapturing the claustrophobia and terror of having to hide away from the universe’s greatest killing machine.
So much of what makes Alien: Isolation such a striking and well-crafted horror experience is the central A.I. behind the Xenomorph itself. It’s one of the most intelligent and well-crafted horror enemies in gaming history, learning from the player and constantly keeping them on their toes so that the same tricks that worked before will fail to work as the game goes on. Its horror is so effective that many have touted the game as one of the greatest video games based on a licensed property ever made.
4
‘Silent Hill 3’ (2003)
Silent Hill is undeniably one of the biggest and most celebrated franchises in the horror gaming space, with its mixture of layered psychological horror narratives and overwhelming dread making the franchise one of the very best of its era. While the franchise has largely dwindled and faltered in quality in recent years, Silent Hill 3 saw the franchise at the height of its prowess and is absolutely timeless in its execution.
While not as large in scope and scale as the previous games in the series, the immaculate autumnal vibes and emotional narrative at the center of the game quickly made it a fan favorite among gamers. Heather Mason is still considered one of the very best protagonists in the franchise’s history, with the strange journey of monsters and otherworldly nightmares that she experiences being frighteningly memorable. While the game was originally seen as a disappointment that wasn’t pushing the franchise forward, time has been incredibly kind to this legendary PS2 game.
3
‘Dead Space’ (2008)
The definitive face of original sci-fi horror in the realm of video games, Dead Space combines the terror of a mutagenic zombification virus with a hard sci-fi setting to create one of the most nightmarish experiences that video games have to offer. The quest that Isaac Clarke embarks on to survive this ordeal is filled with nightmare creatures around every corner, as well as the vast emptiness of space. Dead Space is a masterclass of tension and worldbuilding, as even when there aren’t monsters to fight, the game keeps the player on edge and in a state of dread.
While subsequent entries in the series would continue to lean more into the sci-fi action and the combat of sci-fi weaponry, it’s the sense of building dread, claustrophobia, and the unknown factor of the original game that makes it so engaging to play nearly 20 years after its release. Whether someone is playing the original release or the recent massive-scale remake, Dead Space is constantly delivering glorious sci-fi horror greatness.
2
‘Resident Evil 2’ (2019)
After Resident Evil‘s massive return to form with Resident Evil 7, it seemed like it was finally the perfect time to revisit the long-requested remakes of the original games that fans had wanted for so long, continuing right where they left off with a massive AAA reimagining of the PS1’s Resident Evil 2. This legendary remake takes what was already one of the best PS1 games and elevates the horror to new levels, ironing out some of the aged issues of the original game while still maintaining what made it a classic of the era.
It creates an experience that cannot be considered anything less than one of the greatest video game remakes of all time, elevating what was already an all-time classic and becoming one of the new highest points in the entire franchise. It’s absolutely terrifying from start to finish, with many of the segments featuring Mr. X, especially, making him a newfound icon of horror gaming decades after his debut.
1
‘Silent Hill 2’ (2001)
When the very concept of amazing horror video games comes up in conversation, it’s all but inevitable that the psychological survival horror masterpiece Silent Hill 2 will be brought up at some point. The game acts as a timeless and powerful work of art that has the writing and depth of a masterclass horror novel or film while also having the fear and tension of having to play through the nightmare itself. It’s a glorious work of art that makes the absolute most of psychological horror in the realm of video games, being massively influential to the entire genre in the process.
While the original Silent Hill is still an amazing game that established the concept and set the tone for the series, Silent Hill 2 perfects this formula and dives deeper into the essence and psychological terror that only Silent Hill can provide. It’s a game that shakes gamers to their core, not necessarily through over-the-top scares, but through a lingering dread and a powerful narrative that sticks with the audience long after the credits end and they put the controller down.
