Summary
- Horror games focusing on fear and tension over loud scares elevate the experience for players.
- Little Nightmares 2's side-scrolling design enhances fear by making players small and defenseless.
- Visage excels in using silence and stillness to build terror, forcing players to survive mental unraveling.
Horror games are often known for their ability to provide a few scares and tense moments for the player to enjoy, but sometimes the focus on fear is overshadowed by loud sounds and sudden cuts that detract from the authentic horror experience that many fans of the genre have come to expect.
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When developers focus on the fear element, the whole experience is elevated to new heights, causing the player to feel emotionally rocked and unsettled throughout their playthrough. The building of tension and a constant sense of unease make certain horror games far more scary to play through and may even induce some new fears in the player if executed well.
8 Little Nightmares 2
Small And Defenseless At All Times
Little Nightmares 2
- Released
- February 10, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Tarsier Studios, Supermassive Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Puzzle, Action
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Little Nightmares 2 creates unease through grotesque imagery and oppressive environments rather than traditional jump scares that can often feel overbearing. Its side-scrolling design doesn't hinder the terror, and instead, it enhances a sense of helplessness. Players are small, fragile, and constantly hunted by twisted creatures in oversized, decaying settings, creating a perfect balance between fear and futility.
The visual design blends childhood fears with surreal horror, making each area feel like a nightmare in motion. It might not have the same immersion as a first-person horror title, but its creeping dread and haunting soundtrack manage to deliver more than enough on the promise of fear.
7 Visage
A Psychological Horror Masterclass
Visage
- Released
- October 30, 2020
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- SadSquare Studio
Inspired by P.T., Visage transforms a haunted house into a labyrinth of trauma and paranoia. The game is light on action but heavy on oppressive atmosphere and cryptic storytelling that forces players to use their surroundings as a guide. It's less about fighting back and more about surviving the mental unraveling that the house seems determined to inflict, which continues to deteriorate the player's sanity.
The game excels in using silence and stillness to build terror. Hallways stretch endlessly, doors slam without warning, and each chapter introduces a unique, often tragic horror, leaving players on edge with no relief until the story concludes.
6 Mortuary Assistant
From Beyond The Grave
The Mortuary Assistant
- Released
- August 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- DarkStone Digital
- Genre(s)
- Indie Games, Adventure, Simulation
- Platform(s)
- Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Mortuary Assistant is an incredibly unique horror title that focuses far more on building tension and fear rather than intense action. The player works in a morgue, preparing bodies through a variety of gruesome methods, all while being watched by demonic forces that seemingly come out of nowhere.
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The real fear comes from the lack of space to maneuver or the ability to avoid the evils. The rooms the player exists in are very small and enclosed, creating a nice sense of entrapment that is perfected, coupled with the oppressive nature of the spirits and the dead that are ready to pounce at any moment.
5 Alien: Isolation
Claustrophobia And Unrelenting Tension
Alien: Isolation
- Released
- October 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
Alien: Isolation is a masterclass in sustained dread. The Xenomorph AI is unpredictable and relentless, reacting to sound and movement with terrifying accuracy, and unlike scripted horror games, danger here is constant and intelligent, making every room a potential death trap.
The space station setting, paired with impeccable audio design, amplifies the claustrophobia. Save points are scarce, and death is punishing, as there’s no comfort and no safety, only the cold breath of something hunting nearby. It’s one of the few games where fear never fades, even after dozens of hours, and the surprises continue to stream in right until the end.
4 Silent Hill 2 (2024)
The Classic Franchise Returns
Silent Hill 2
- Released
- October 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Silent Hill 2 isn’t just scary, it’s emotionally devastating. The town of Silent Hill warps itself around the protagonist’s inner guilt and grief, creating monsters and illusions that reflect his psyche. Each creature design, sound cue, and camera angle serves a narrative purpose rooted in dread, and there are few breaks from the intense moments of terror and fear.
Its horror lies in meaning as much as presentation. Foggy streets and eerie silence cloak deep emotional trauma, and the fear builds not through volume, but through implication, and the result is timeless, resulting in a game that rattles the mind as much as the nerves.
3 Outlast
Nothing To Fight Back With
Outlast
- Released
- November 4, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Red Barrels
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Linux, macOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Outlast strips players of the ability to fight back, placing them in an abandoned asylum full of deranged inmates and unrelenting threats. The only tools are night-vision and hiding spots, both of which heighten the fear by emphasizing vulnerability.
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The game’s pace rarely lets up, with the darkness and frantic chase sequences keeping adrenaline high at all times. Also, the tension is constant, and the sensation of being hunted is almost unbearable, making it the perfect game for players who fear what they cannot confront in a world full of pure nightmare fuel.
2 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
The Horror Of The Unknown
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
- Released
- September 8, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Nudity, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Frictional Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Indie Games, Adventure, Action, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Android, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS
Amnesia redefined survival horror by emphasizing fragility and fear of the unknown. Players explore a decrepit castle with no means of defense, where light becomes a precious commodity, which ties directly into the sanity mechanic, causing hallucinations and auditory distortions if the character spends too long in darkness.
It’s not just what’s in the shadows that terrifies, but it’s the slow realization that the character is losing his grip on reality. Even now, more than a decade later, The Dark Descent remains one of the most psychologically disturbing horror games ever made, and a masterclass in creating fear.
1 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Fear Redefined In A Twisted House
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Resident Evil 7 reinvented the franchise by shifting to first-person and grounding the horror in a grotesque Southern Gothic nightmare. The Baker family estate is claustrophobic, disgusting, and filled with relentless pursuers, and the switch to an immersive POV makes the violence and threats feel dangerously close.
Tension builds from the first moment and rarely lets up, as the game mixes body horror and psychological torment with near-perfect pacing. Whether exploring mold-infested hallways or running from Jack Baker’s chainsaw, the game keeps fear at the forefront, delivering an unforgettable, visceral horror experience that reestablished Resident Evil as the king of fear.
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