Summary
- Horror games draw inspiration from real-life events, blurring the line between fiction and reality for a truly unsettling experience.
- Resident Evil Village introduces characters inspired by real-world figures like Elizabeth Bathory, adding depth to the game's narrative.
- Outlast and Outlast 2 are influenced by historical secrets like Project MK Ultra and the Jonestown Massacre, intensifying the horror experience.
Video games are one of the best ways to experience fear, and nothing delivers chills quite like a great horror game. By immersing players in tense, eerie worlds, these games create an atmosphere of suspense as players fight to survive and progress. Horror games have evolved dramatically, cementing their place as a crucial part of the gaming industry.
10 Best Southern Gothic Horror Games
These Southern Gothic horror games delve into the dark side of the American South, mixing post-Civil War decay with occasional supernatural threats.
Over time, the horror genre has expanded into various subgenres, offering diverse experiences for players. While many horror games are set in purely fictional worlds born from imagination, an increasing number draw inspiration from real-life locations, events, and stories. This connection to reality adds a new layer of fear, blurring the line between fiction and truth, making the experience even more unsettling. This list highlights a handful of horror games based on true stories that will leave players truly terrified.
10 Resident Evil Village
The Village Where Terror Awaits At Every Turn
Resident Evil Village
- Released
- May 7, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Resident Evil is a legendary zombie survival horror franchise, but its eighth major installment takes a different approach by blending fiction with real-world stories. Resident Evil Village introduces players to Castle Dimitrescu, home to Lady Dimitrescu—a character inspired by the 16th-century Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Bathory, who is remembered in part for her alleged blood-soaked skincare rituals.
The Blood Countess, infamous for her brutal torture of young women, serves as inspiration for the game's antagonist. Her alleged practices of bathing in blood to maintain her youth and mercilessly tormenting her victims are reflected in the character. However, there is no concrete evidence supporting Elizabeth Bathory’s notorious crimes, with some believing she was a victim of political schemes or that her actions were exaggerated accounts of servant mistreatment. Regardless, these chilling tales influenced the creation of Lady Dimitrescu, carrying on the legacy of the Blood Countess.
9 Outlast
Dark Secrets Lurk Ahead
Outlast
- Released
- November 4, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Nudity, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Taking the role of a journalist on a mission to uncover the reality of inhumane experiments being conducted in a remote psychiatric hospital, Outlast takes players on a first-person survival horror journey which leads to the discovery of some terrible secrets. Adding to the game's chilling atmosphere, Outlast draws inspiration from the real-life story of Mount Massive Asylum, a haunting historical chapter from the early 1900s.
Inspired by Project MK Ultra, one of the most notorious secrets of global powers, Outlast delivers a chilling portrayal of the project's dark reality. Originally presented as a form of treatment, the project was, in truth, a series of unethical experiments conducted in psychiatric asylums and prisons. These so-called treatments often triggered heightened aggression, paranoia, and panic—symptoms reflected throughout the game's harrowing encounters with asylum inhabitants. In Outlast, the sinister Murkoff Corporation continues these inhumane experiments, blurring the line between historical truth and horror fiction.
8 Kholat
Find The Truth
Kholat
- Released
- June 9, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Taking players on a chilling journey in the cold and desolate Ural Mountains of Russia, Kholat narrates the tale of the Dyatlov Pass incident. This open-world exploration-based game tells the story of a group of Russian students who went on a ski trip in the Ural Mountains in 1959, only to go missing. When they were eventually found, their bodies were scattered outside their tents, riddled with fractured skulls and broken bones, yet there were no signs of any struggle.
8 Horror Game Endings That Will Keep You Up At Night
After a nightmarish journey, these horror game endings ensured players wouldn't be going to sleep without one final scare.
The game's title, Kholat, refers to the slope where the students made their final camp. Guided by narrator Sean Bean, players navigate an eerie, atmospheric horror experience as they uncover the tragedy through a supernatural lens. With gameplay akin to a walking simulator, players rely on a compass to explore the map, gathering clues to piece together the fate of the missing group.
7 Masochisia
An Experimental Take On Psychological Horror
|
Platforms |
PC, macOS, Linux |
|---|---|
|
Released |
October 9, 2015 |
|
Developer |
Oldblood |
|
Genre |
Psychological Horror, Point-And-Click |
Casting players in the role of Albert Fish, a renowned American serial killer, rapist, and cannibal, Masochisia tells a horrifying tale based on a true story. The game covers some dark themes as players take the role of an abused child in an abusive family. The experimental horror game plays as a point-and-click adventure while capturing emotions like depression and anxiety through the eyes of the main character.
Masochisia offers multiple ways to alter the fate of Hamilton, the lead character,, allowing players to steer the narrative in different directions. However, certain grim outcomes remain inevitable, leaving players to question whether escaping tragedy is truly possible. The game also employs unique meta techniques, such as placing text files on the player’s desktop that reflect their playstyle, further unsettling them.
Due to its dark and disturbing themes, Masochisia is not for everyone. Few games manage to get under a player’s skin as effectively, and while some may criticize the idea of centering the story around a notorious criminal, the game stands as a bold and unsettling experiment in the horror genre.
6 The Town Of Light
Presenting A Different Kind Of Horror
|
Platforms |
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Amazon Luna |
|---|---|
|
Released |
February 26, 2016 |
|
Developer |
LKA |
|
Genre |
Horror, Adventure |
The Town of Light isn’t a horror game in the traditional sense. Lacking the classic chase sequences, clumsy combat, or the presence of any supernatural elements, the game uses unconventional methods to create a horrifying atmosphere with the help of themes like abuse and cruelty. Players step into the shoes of Renee, a 16-year-old girl, as she goes on a journey to uncover some dark secrets.
The game is based on Volterra Psychiatric Hospital in Volterra, Italy, infamous for its brutal history, and it does a great job at recreating the institution as faithfully as possible. The former psychiatric institution was notorious for its brutal treatments and inhumane practices, creating an unsettling backdrop for players as they step into Renee’s story. Serving as a vessel for the suffering of past patients, Renee’s journey immerses players in the haunting reality of those who endured unimaginable cruelty the facility's its walls.
5 The Cecil: The Journey Begins
A Romantic Getaway Goes Wrong
|
Platforms |
PC |
|---|---|
|
Released |
April 3, 2025 |
|
Developer |
Genie Interactive Games |
|
Genre |
Horror, Action, Adventure |
The Cecil: The Journey Begins is new release as of the time of writing that takes inspiration from the infamous real-life horrors of the notorious Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The story follows the journey of John, who decides to go to the hotel for a romantic getaway at with his wife Sarah, but ends up waking in a dark cell and realizing that his wife is missing.
The Cecil - Official Gameplay Trailer
Take a look at this official gameplay trailer for The Cecil to see some of the game's puzzle-solving and action mechanics.
Taking players on a first-person horror adventure, The Cecil provides a suspenseful and chilling experience for players as John discovers the mysteries of the hotel—where plenty of lives were lost mysteriously in reality—and encounters the creepy monsters roaming the halls while trying to rescue his wife.
4 Forest Ranger Services: Episode 1
Uncover The Secrets Of The Woods
|
Platforms |
PC |
|---|---|
|
Released |
November 29, 2024 |
|
Developer |
GuardHouse |
|
Genre |
Casual, Adventure, Horror |
Forest Ranger Services is a horror game series that investigates missing hikers in the US. Unfolding across multiple episodes, players follow the story of a wannabe reporter working as a ranger to investigate and solve the mysterious disappearances. Based on true events, the gameplay of Forest Ranger Services works in a non-linear fashion, as players piece the clues together to uncover the truth.
As of the time of writing, the game only has one episode released with multiple episode releases coming in the future. Graphics are not the strongest part of the game, but even with its low-poly visuals, it does a decent job of creating an eerie atmosphere. The game, for the most part, plays like a driving simulator, but with the first episode’s short runtime, it never feel boring.
Episode 1 of Forest Ranger Services acts as a prologue for the multi-episode game and while, by the end of the game, players are left with more questions than answers, it only works in the game's favor as it hooks players into the story, making them look forward to future releases.
3 Detention
Exploring A Different Section Of Horror Games
Detention
- Released
- January 12, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Released by Red Candle Games in 2017, Detention is an atmospheric horror game that tells the story of real-world suffering during the White Terror of Taiwan. The game starts off as a cliche side-scrolling horror game set in a creepy school, but as time passes by, it unravels into something different, twisting the expectations of players by inverting classic tropes.
Detention masters storytelling in such a way that it manages to give the players the creeps without relying on jumpscares or overdone horror tropes. The game blends Taiwanese folklore with the cruel reality of a one-in-a-kind experience. Detention keeps a balance between all these elements, which keeps the players engaged. From compelling characters to creative puzzles and effective environmental storytelling, the game does not feel boring at any stage. The illustrated art style does a great job at seamlessly maintaining the mood throughout the game, and while players realize that they might experience heartbreak as they walk towards an unavoidable tragedy, Detention leaves players desperate for the answers.
2 9 Childs Street
Curiosity Comes At A Price
|
Platforms |
PC |
|---|---|
|
Released |
February 16, 2023 |
|
Developer |
N4bA, SsmA |
|
Genre |
Horror |
Loosely inspired by the disturbing story of The Dollmaker, Anatoly Moskvin, a real-life Russian philologist who eventually turned to grave-digging. 9 Childs Street is a first-person indie horror game that takes players on a journey from innocent curiosity to sheer terror. Stepping into the shoes of a 9-year-old boy named Armin, players sneak into a mysterious neighbor’s house to uncover its dark secrets.
10 Best JRPGs For Kids, Ranked
For younger gamers looking to get into JRPGs, these games are excellent beginner JRPGs for newcomers to the genre.
While the game twists some details by adding a paranormal touch to them, it is largely based on the real life of Moskvin, who exhumed and mummified young girls, transforming them into eerie dolls. 9 Childs Street brings this unsettling tale to life, giving the dolls a supernatural presence that heightens the horror. Though brief in length, the game delivers an intense, gripping experience with its chilling atmosphere, compelling narrative, and well-crafted execution. It's a short yet unforgettable horror ride that lingers long after the credits roll.
1 Outlast 2
Escape From The Wicked
Outlast 2
- Released
- April 25, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Nudity, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Like its predecessor, Outlast 2 is also inspired by real events, drawing heavily from the infamous Jonestown Massacre. Players take on the role of Blake Langermann, a journalist searching for his missing wife after a crash landing during an investigation. Unlike the first game, Outlast 2 features a more open environment, allowing for greater exploration and immersion in its nightmarish setting.
The game doesn’t shy away from its inspiration, even using the same cult name as the real-life tragedy. Players must navigate a terrifying world where reason has been abandoned, relying only on stealth and a camcorder for survival. With its masterful use of darkness, unsettling sound design, and grotesque imagery, Outlast 2 delivers an experience drenched in dread. By reimagining the horrors of Jonestown, the game thrusts players into a relentless fight for survival, where the inability to fight back amplifies the sense of helplessness. Its dark themes and disturbing atmosphere ensure a gripping, nerve-wracking descent into madness.
Best Horror Games On Xbox Game Pass (December 2025)
The Xbox Game Pass library is full of exciting titles, but remember to check out the best and most terrifying horror games in this collection.