Jump scares are a contentious topic in horror. Some people love them, others feel that they're cheap. It's an easy way to elicit a fear response, and sometimes, it can feel like a storyteller is leaning on jump scares rather than spending the time cultivating something truly frightening instead. Other times, a jump scare is so damn effective that it outdoes anything a slow-build moment of horror could pull off.
7 Best Horror Games Without Jumpscares
These horror games still manage to scare players and fill them with a creepy dread like no other without a reliance on jumpscares to get the job done.
This goes for movies, TV shows, and, of course, video games. Most horror games make use of a jump scare or two somewhere along the way, although a select few don't use jump scares at all. These next horror games are the opposite; they are all about jump scares. Sometimes that focus is effective, other times it can be a bit too much, but for anyone looking to get repeatedly startled this Halloween, these are the games that will get the job done.
Alan Wake 2
Visions Of Faces
Alan Wake 2
- Released
- October 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The first Alan Wake was a horror game at heart, but more in the vein of Stephen King than Junji Ito. Sure, it was creepy, but it was rarely terrifying. Alan Wake 2 is another beast entirely. Leaning into the survival horror genre, Remedy went all in on resource scarcity, tough and risk-reward focused combat, and a persistent brand of jump scare that, while extremely effective, will drive some players crazy.
While they're not the only scary things about the game (not by a long shot), Alan Wake 2 will consistently flash screaming grayscale faces on the screen with no warning. They're supposed to represent the Dark Presence's efforts to deter Alan and Saga from stopping Scratch and rescuing Alan from The Dark Place, but they're also very jarring. It will work for a lot of players, but it may put others off entirely. That said, these jump scares are just one small part of the horror in Alan Wake 2. Several chapters—including an abandoned coffee-themed amusement park, a not-so-fake hotel murder scene, and a seniors' home medical wing—are extremely unsettling, and playing through them makes the game feel like some of the scariest horror gaming ever made.
The Mortuary Assistant
Some Of The Best Jump Scares In Any Medium
The Mortuary Assistant
- Released
- August 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- DarkStone Digital
- Genre(s)
- Indie Games, Adventure, Simulation
At the other end of the spectrum, we have The Mortuary Assistant, an indie game from 2022 that is equal parts horror and simulator. Players take on the titular role of a mortuary assistant, who helps with embalming corpses under the watchful eye of their boss. The thing is, when their boss locks them in the mortuary, players must instead identify which corpse is possessed by a demon. Then, they must decipher the name of the demon that's doing the possessing, and exorcise it from the body.
No self-respecting demon would make things that easy, though. So naturally, they actively mess with the player, manipulating the world and/or attacking them with the help of three Lesser Spirits. These spirits are the crux of the jump scares in The Mortuary Assistant. These aren't just creatures jumping out of closets. Players will often turn around after doing a mundane task and the spirit will just be there, staring at them. Other times, a spirit will quickly run through the room to the hallway outside, or appear at the window. These scares are so effective because they feel organic; a monster doesn't jump out to scare the player, they simply see something that scares them. It's the kind of thing that will quickly have someone nervously looking over their shoulder, a behavior that will translate to their lives outside the game as well.
MADiSON
Camera Shakes
MADiSON
- Released
- July 8, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- BLOODIOUS GAMES
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle, Indie Games, Adventure, Action, Simulation
Scientifically speaking, MADiSON is the scariest video game of all time, with the most heart rate spikes and the highest overall heart rate among all the games tested (which, granted, was not every horror game). That trend is, in large part, due to the Polaroid camera mechanic, the incredibly intense chase sequences, and the effectiveness of the game's jump scares.
The camera mechanic is a very potent horror tool because, for one, it distracts the player with a mundane task, but more importantly, it draws their eyes in a particular direction. Jump scares that might not be effective in other games work like a charm in MADiSON because players simply aren't looking for them, or at them. These scares are also randomized in some cases, meaning that even seasoned players can still get surprised. MADiSON also has a fantastic introduction, but unlike many horror games, it doesn't slow down after that. Instead, it maintains a solid pace of scares, puzzles, and narrative flow that will have players hooked.
Visage
Calm Before The Storm
Visage
- Released
- October 30, 2020
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- SadSquare Studio
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Visage is not a jump scare fest by any stretch. This is a slow burn of a horror game broken up into four vignettes, each taking place in the game's primary setting: a house where traumatic events have repeatedly taken place. Players are tasked with solving complex puzzles relating to each individual past event, and while they do so, the ghosts that plague the house will torment them.
The atmosphere in Visage is top-tier, which helps keep players on edge no matter what they're doing. The thing is, the scares in this game aren't constant; sometimes, players will go for quite a while without much of anything scary happening. It's easy to imagine how, when a jump scare does occur, it's that much more startling because it comes out of nowhere. Visage is a notoriously scary game, and while players may struggle with its puzzles, there's no denying that the jump scares are both well-designed and also non-intrusive.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
In Your Face Fiesta
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
- Released
- October 30, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Little Hope is the second game in Supermassive Games' narrative horror adventure series, The Dark Pictures Anthology. It follows a group of four college students on a trip with their professor when their bus crashes in the small town of Little Hope. They soon discover that an impenetrable fog has trapped them in the town with a horde of vicious demons who like to impersonate other people, especially those who died in the town.
If there's one game on this list that deserves the descriptor "Features Lots Of Jump Scares," it's Little Hope. The pop-outs and screaming faces roll in at a mile a minute; in fact, it's probably the game's main scare tactic. It certainly won't be for everyone, but for those who like jump scares, they'll get more than their fare share here. It's far from the best entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology, but Little Hope still has all the trappings that make these games successful: split-second narrative decisions, solid writing, casting, and acting, and a twisting narrative that will keep players on their toes.
Outlast
This Asylum Isn't As Abandoned As They Say
Outlast
- Released
- November 4, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Nudity, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
There are arguably two games that started the "walking simulator horror" trend in gaming: Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Outlast. Amnesia is all about physics-based puzzles, maintaining sanity, and solving a mystery. Outlast is all about oppressive, choking darkness. The thing about darkness is, there's probably something lurking within it, waiting to jump out.
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To remedy that, players have access to a camcorder with a night vision mode that allows them to see in the dark, albeit with a stark, unsettlingly green filter over everything. However, camcorders need batteries, and if those run out, players will be stumbling around in the pitch black. There are enemies to contend with too, namely the hulking Chris Walker, who will stalk players through the asylum, forcing them to hide and pray that he moves on before finding them. While many of Outlast's jump scares stem from these Chris Walker hide-and-seek scenarios, there are also more traditional scares mixed in. Bodies that should be dead jolt to life, unexpected loud noises echo through the halls, doors slam shut; it's all here, and it makes the game's haunted house vibe palpable.
The Glass Staircase
An Homage To Classic Zombie Flicks
The Glass Staircase
- Released
- March 30, 2019
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Puppet Combo is a relatively unknown horror developer making low-budget retro game homages. They've consistently been praised for their writing and storytelling, but the game that is consistently placed at the top of their library is The Glass Staircase, a tribute to classic Italian zombie movies and retro horror games like Resident Evil. The game stars four girls who work to maintain the abandoned mansion where they are trapped. They are enticed with promises of freedom, but all the while, an unseen monster is gradually picking them off.
The great thing about the jump scares in The Glass Staircase is that they all feel earned. Each one is equal parts surprising and terrifying, and there are no throwaways; every single jump scare bears some relevance to the plot, which makes them feel more valid than just a one-off fright. The Glass Staircase is an underrated horror gem (as are many of Puppet Combo's creations), and for $6 USD on itch.io, it's an easy, low-risk recommendation.
Five Nights At Freddy's
They're Watching You Watch Them
Five Nights at Freddy's
- Released
- August 8, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Scott Cawthon
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
A security job at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza seems like an easy gig: watch the security cameras, report any break-ins, keep the security office door shut, all pretty standard stuff. Oh, definitely keep an eye out for if any of the animatronics start moving around. They can be a bit... Homicidal.
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Five Nights at Freddy's 2 will arrive in theaters in December 2025, and fans are curious if the anticipated Blumhouse sequel will be terrifying.
Five Nights at Freddy's is a simple concept at its core. Watch the cameras, track the mascots that are moving, and if one of them gets too close, slam the security doors down on them. The nuance comes from how every single action players take is scary in some way. Check a camera and nothing is there? It means the mascots are somewhere else. Check a camera and a mascot is there? It's going to start moving soon. Check the hallway outside the office? That means the cameras are unattended. Focusing on the cameras? Now the hallway is unattended. It's a constant high-stakes juggling act, and if a mascot makes it into the security office, it results in a game-ending jump scare. Every time. It's the final flourish of the entire experience.
Poppy Playtime
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Poppy Playtime
- Released
- October 12, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle, Indie Games, Action, Survival Horror
Horror games often gravitate towards abandoned buildings, but an abandoned toy factory isn't typically the spooky location of choice. That's where Poppy Playtime hosts its horrors, though. Still in the process of releasing its episodic chapters, Poppy Playtime is a puzzle-heavy survival horror game where players explore the abandoned Playtime Co. Factory in an effort to uncover the mystery of what caused the factory's closure, why the entire staff disappeared, and what's making the toys so monstrous.
Each chapter focuses on one major toy threat that has come to life and is trying to kill the player. In Chapter 1, it's a giant statue named Huggy Wuggy, while in Chapter 2, it's a beast named Mommy. Getting killed by these creatures results in a jump scare death animation, but the most effective scares in Poppy Playtime are when these giant killer toys drop in on the player. Not only do these moments startle effectively, but they consistently lead to a chase sequence where players need to drop whatever puzzle they're solving and flee a giant killer toy. The toys are animated so well, and the movement mechanics are so smooth, that these sequences make the jump scares doubly exciting, because players know they're in for one of the most tense "run for your life" moments they've ever experienced.
Best Horror Games That Use Psychology Instead Of Jump Scares, Ranked
For those interested in horror games that eschew cheap jump scares for more psychological experiences, these games are worth checking out.