The 10 Scariest Horror Games of All Time

Welcome to the dark side, gamers!

Halloween or not, horror games give us that perfect blend of adrenaline, fear, and sometimes sheer terror. So, if you’re ready to have your heart rate up and your scared-sh*t-o-meter maxed out, here’s our list of the top 10 horror games ever made.

There are rules to this though!

Only the scariest game from each franchise gets the spotlight here—because we love ’em all, but let’s give everyone a chance to shine, or, more accurately, to freak us out.

 

Let’s Revisit the Scariest Horror Games of All Time!

 

10. Phasmophobia

Franchise: Phasmophobia

 

Phasmophobia came out of nowhere and turned ghost-hunting into a funderfully beautiful nightmare where spirits react to your voice, hunting you down in creepy, haunted locations. Each hunt is uniquely terrifying, with only a flashlight and a set of paranormal equipment to help.

The immersive design makes it feel like you’re part of a horror movie, and multiplayer only adds to the panic – because who doesn’t want to watch their friends run screaming from a revenant after accidently forgetting to tell them that you found a cursed item?

I may have talked about Phasmo a lot lately but it inspired a whole genre of some of my favorite ghost hunting games including Obsideo, Ghost Exile, and The Demonologist so… tis the season, right?

Check Out Phasmophobia on Steam

 

9. The Evil Within

Franchise: The Evil Within

 

From Shinji Mikami, the mind behind Resident Evil, The Evil Within is a nightmarish journey through psychological horror. Players follow Detective Sebastian Castellanos through distorted worlds that shift from grisly hospitals to deadly mazes.

Although The Evil Within II was undoubtedly another banger, I think the first iteration was simply amazing: grotesque creatures, blood-soaked visuals, and limited resources make every encounter harrowing. It’s like stepping into a survival horror fever dream.

Check Out The Evil Within on Steam

 

8. Alien: Isolation

Franchise: Alien

 

Xenomorphs.

Xenomorphs.

Xenomorphs.

Alien: Isolation nails the terror of being hunted by the Xenomorph with a meticulous AI that learns and adapts to your every move. Playing as Ellen Ripley’s daughter, you’re trapped on a space station with the ultimate alien hunter.

Limited weapons, strategic use of the environment, and constant fear of detection make every breath count. Isolation has never felt this real or this terrifying.

Check Out Alien: Isolation on Steam

 

7. Outlast

Franchise: Outlast

 

As if breaking into an insane asylum wasn’t bad enough, finding out it’s overrun by violent patients makes it worse. Outlast puts you in the shoes of investigative reporter Miles Upshur, with just a camera and a dream to light your way.

The asylum’s residents?

Anything but friendly. No weapons here – just the choice to run, hide, or pray to the gaming gods that the nightmares aren’t real. It’s relentlessly intense, making you question your own sanity with every twisted turn.

Check Out Outlast on Steam

 

6. Dead Space

Franchise: Dead Space

 

If space horror is your jam, Dead Space is a masterpiece of eerie alien dread. As engineer Isaac Clarke, you’re aboard the derelict USG Ishimura, surrounded by Necromorphs who don’t go down easily.

The atmosphere is the very definition of claustrophobic, and the game’s lovely dismemberment mechanic makes every encounter feel desperate. Survival is an ever-tightening noose in this dark, cold, and brutal environment.

Check Out Dead Space on Steam

 

5. Five Nights at Freddy’s 4

Franchise: Five Nights at Freddy’s

 

Come on, just look at Bonnie!

I absolutely love the FNaF franchise and the lore surrounding it, so picking out a favorite here was a bit tricky. However, this fourth installment brought the horror straight into a child’s bedroom, swapping the usual security cameras for up-close encounters. FNaF 4 immerses players in the primal fear of what hides in the shadows, with your survival hinging on listening for the faintest sounds of the approaching animatronics.

The game keeps you on the edge of your seat, managing each eerie moment with heart-thumping tension in the best way possible.

Check Out Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 on Steam

4. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly

Franchise: Fatal Frame

 

Armed with just a camera and an unlimited stack of adult diapers, you take on ghosts by literally facing them head-on in Fatal Frame II. Set in a cursed village beset with a history of dark rituals, the game’s story of twins lost in the night brings an absolutely haunting narrative and atmosphere.

Each ghost encounter feels personal, making every shutter click both terrifying and rewarding – and the grim lore sticks with you long after the screen fades to black…hence its well deserved spot on this list after being published waaay back in 2003.

If you are into retro gaming you can still grab yourself a copy of Fatal Frame II on the PS2 (lol) at GameStop.

 

3. Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Franchise: Amnesia

 

Not many horror games leave you feeling completely and utterly helpless, but Amnesia: The Dark Descent takes that unsettling vibe and doubles down. Without any means to fight back at all, you’re forced to hide or run while solving puzzles.

The darkness itself is your enemy, driving you toward insanity while terrifying entities lurk nearby. If Amnesia doesn’t make you dread the dark, nothing will.

Check Out Amnesia: The Dark Descent on Steam

 

2. Silent Hill 2

Franchise: Silent Hill

 

In a gaming landscape dominated by overt monsters and gory visuals, Silent Hill 2 mastered the art of psychological terror. You’re dropped into the fog-covered town, haunted not only by otherworldly creatures but also by James’ own sins and regrets.

Pyramid Head, anyone?

The oppressive atmosphere and symbolism leave you questioning what’s real – and that’s precisely the point. Luckily enough, this game actually did get a remastered version that just came out this month so if you think you’re prepared to venture into the dark and diabolical story of Silent Hill 2…you’re not.

Check Out Silent Hill 2 on Steam

 

1. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Franchise: Resident Evil

 

Biohazard pivoted from the action-horror path back to the roots (heh) that made the original Resident Evil terrifying: claustrophobic spaces, grotesque enemies, and in-your-face frights. In RE7, players navigate a decrepit mansion deep in the Louisiana swamps, faced with the charmingly psychopathic Baker family and a host of fun-filled biohazard horrors that could only come from a Resident Evil game.

Oh, and that first-person perspective? It feels far too real. I played this originally on the PSVR and…just…no.

Check Out Resident Evil 7 on Steam

Honorable Mentions

P.T.

Okay, technically P.T. is just a “playable teaser,” for a never-made Silent Hill game created by the man, the myth, the legend, Hideo Kojima, but just calling it that feels like the understatement of the century.

This haunting, endless loop of a hallway is pure nightmare fuel, leaving players in a constant state of “is it behind me?”.

This game may be short-lived, but the horrors of P.T. live on, keeping fans (and their dreams) haunted to this day.

 

Dead by Daylight

While Dead by Daylight didn’t snag a spot on this list (since I have arbitrarily deemed it more of an amalgamation of other games), it deserves a shoutout as a horror title that’s like a tribute band to all the horror greats.

Bringing iconic killers like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and even Silent Hill’s Pyramid Head into one twisted multiplayer survival game, it’s truly a fan service gem.

While it doesn’t take the crown in originality, it’s still a blast—and a scream—to play with friends.

That Wraps Up Our Best Horror Games List of All Time!

While this list is completely subjective – each of these games will 100% chill you to the bone in its own way, whether you’re facing paranormal threats, hostile alien creatures, or the darkest parts of human nature itself.

Horror gaming has something for everyone – and no matter what you’re into, you’ll find something on this list to keep you up at night.