Summary
- Horror games set in WW1 and WW2 capitalize on historical context for terrifying narratives.
- Unique games like Conscript focus on the raw horror of war without supernatural elements.
- Amnesia: The Bunker blends survival horror and WW1 through relentless monster encounters.
Part of the horror in horror games is achieved not only by the monsters and ghosts pursuing the player, but also through the settings in which the story takes place. Being two of the most horrific events in human history, games centered around World War 1 and World War 2 are enriched with the bloody realities of the conflicts.
8 Best Games With Horror Based In War
War is brutal, but video games don't always present it as such. These games don't shy away from the horrors of war, embracing them in their narrative.
The wartime settings are bleak enough in any other genre, but horror games, by virtue of their terrifying nature, best utilize WW1 and WW2 as their backdrops. The horror titles compiled below are some of the highlights within the genre, using their historical context as a springboard for all manner of horrors.
1 Ad Infinitum
Trench Psychological Horror
Ad Infinitum
- Released
- September 9, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
While quite rough around the edges, with glitches and some inconsistent pacing, Hekate's Ad Infinitum is a solid horror outing that delves deep into the trenches of a German soldier's mind.
Assuming control of Paul Von Schmidt, said soldier, players bounce between front-line trenches and Paul's family mansion, both of which are warped and infested with twisted creatures. These tangible threats, however, merely serve as extensions of Ad Infinitum's true horror: the destructive effects war has on the mind.
2 Call of Duty: World at War - Zombies
Classic Arcade Zombie Gameplay
Call of Duty: World at War - Zombies
- Released
- November 16, 2009
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
Treyarch's Call of Duty: World at War was the first game in the franchise to introduce players to (what would become) its long-standing Zombie game mode. Many gamers are already intimately familiar with its arcade-style gameplay loop of surviving against endless waves of zombies with the help of the iconic Mystery box and Perk-a-Cola buffs.
Call of Duty Zombies Map Tier List
From World at War to Black Ops 6, Treyarch's Call of Duty Zombies series has seen some titanic ups and downs, with almost 40 maps to choose from.
While World at War lacks the more elaborate Easter egg storylines that would be introduced in future titles, it still deserves its spot on this list as the inception of such a beloved game mode.
3 Zombie Army Trilogy
Sniper Elite Zombies
Zombie Army Trilogy
- Released
- March 3, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rebellion Oxford
- Publisher(s)
- Rebellion Developments
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Similar to Call of Duty: World at War's zombie gamemode, Rebellion translated the gameplay of Sniper Elite V2 into an arcadey zombie spin-off called Zombie Army. This surprise experiment went on to receive two sequels, the third of which, Zombie Army Trilogy, bundled the prior games into one complete package.
Forgoing the measured approach to combat seen in the Sniper Elite series, Zombie Army is pure chaotic Nazi-zombie-killing fun with all the added bonuses one would expect: replayable missions, zombie variants to shake up gameplay, and a nonsensical plot about Hitler raising the dead as a last-ditch effort against the allies.
4 Return to Castle Wolfenstein
FPS Horror
Return To Castle Wolfenstein
- Released
- November 20, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Gray Matter Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2, Xbox (Original), PC
A number of the Wolfenstein games could have made this list, but it's the franchise's 2001 reboot, Return To Castle Wolfenstein, that stands out as the best — at least when it comes to blending action and horror.
Every Wolfenstein Game, Ranked
Wolfenstein is a franchise that has often played second fiddle to others in the gaming industry, but it deserves recognition for some of its games.
Following a set-up familiar to the series, players assume the role of B.J. Blazkowicz as he (like the title suggests) returns to Castle Wolfenstein to put a stop to Hitler's army of scientific abominations and the occult. While the game does show its age now, players returning to the game or discovering it for the first time will still get to enjoy a solid action horror experience that combines the supernatural with a WW2 backdrop.
5 Conscript
Survival Horror Without the Supernatural
Conscript
- Released
- July 23, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Catchweight Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Team17
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Conscript is unique among the entries on this list as it doesn't feature any supernatural elements. The game is concerned only with the awful, objective reality of World War 1, emphasizing its inherent horror without the need for other fictitious threats.
The decision to remain rooted within the realms of reality is made all the more effective when considering the fact that the game is still scary. Its oppressive atmosphere, plethora of tightly confined and dimly lit areas, and constant threat from enemy soldiers is more than enough to keep players on edge. All of these elements of Conscript combine to make it an exhausting experience in all the best ways.
6 Amensia: The Bunker
Immersive Horror Sim Masterpiece
Amnesia: The Bunker
- Released
- May 16, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Frictional Games
- Publisher(s)
- Frictional Games
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Frictional Games made the move into full-blown survival horror with the release of Amnesia: The Bunker. Players assume the role of Henri Clément, a French soldier trapped in a WW1 bunker with a relentless monster stalking him.
While players are capable of protecting themselves with guns and a number of tools (more than they have in past Frictional titles), they work only to fend off the monster for a time. The unkillable creature roaming the bunker easily rubs shoulders with the likes of Nemesis, Mr. X and other stalker horror monsters. Adding to the tension is the constant thunder of battle raging elsewhere, reminding the player that even if they were to escape, they'd be no safer outside.
32 Games Set In World War 2
Call of Duty: Vanguard isn't for everyone. Luckily for history buff gamers, World War 2 is a popular setting for shooters and strategy titles.