Summary
- Horror games tap into a unique feeling of terror that movies cannot replicate, making them immensely popular and mainstream.
- Some survival horror games are not just scary, but also extremely challenging, requiring players to navigate difficult puzzles or combat.
- The article provides a list of the top hardest horror games ever made, ranking them based on their level of difficulty and the challenges they present to players.
It’s been amazing to see the horror genre of video games grow into one of the most popular and mainstream interests. There’s something undeniably powerful about getting terrified and these video games are able to tap into that feeling in a way that movies cannot.
Horror Games With The Most Heart Attack-Inducing Jump Scares, Ranked
Great survival horror games don't have to rely on jump scares to succeed. However, they do them better than most and these are at the top.
It’s paramount that a horror game is actually scary, but this level of terror is sometimes reflected in the game’s difficulty. Some survival horror games are a challenge to not get scared, but others are a feat to even finish. Accordingly, here are the 10 hardest horror games ever made, ranked.
Updated on November 25th 2024, by Mara Cowley: Halloween season may officially be over, but that doesn't mean it has to end for horror enthusiasts, especially with the Halloween Steam sale having not long been over, giving gamers the chance to score themselves some inexpensive scary titles, some of which may be the hardest horror games out there. Though this genre is primarily known for its ability to frighten its players, there are more than a few intent on challenging players with gameplay such as puzzles or combat. This article has been updated to include more scarily difficult horror games for fans who want a challenge with their horror.
16 Outlast
Can't Fight Back
Outlast
- Released
- November 4, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Red Barrels
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Linux, macOS
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Outlast is a series that changed the landscape of horror games, as influential to the genre as the Amnesia series was in popularizing horror games that declaw the players, and leave them defenseless to whatever horrors share the environment with them.
Traveling to Mount Massive Asylum for what might be the biggest scoop of his career, Miles quickly finds out he is in over his head when he encounters several hostile inmates such as the terrifying Chris Walker. Armed with only a video camera, players have no chance to fight back against any enemies, leaving them with only the options to run or hide, and even while cowering under beds or inside lockers, he might not be safe.
15 Visage
Little to No Hints
Visage
Inspired greatly by the Silent Hills Playable Teaser, Visage takes place mostly in an ordinary suburban home, but the twisting trail of the plot will take the player to some interesting and horrific locations. Playing as Dwayne Anderson, it is up to the player to explore the house, avoid the dangerous ghosts, and find a way to escape. As it soon becomes apparent, Dwayne committed suicide after killing his own wife and child, and is now tormented by the weight of his guilt.
As with most psychological horror games, the player has very few means of defending themselves other than avoiding the detection of hostile spirits, and unfortunately, they are given very little direction by the game. The lack of clear objectives and hints leave the player to try and guess where they might need to go next, which can result in futile exploration, which could lead them right into the cold arms of death.
14 Eternal Darkness
The Red Path
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
- Released
- June 24, 2002
- Developer(s)
- Silicon Knights
- Platform(s)
- GameCube
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
Eternal Darkness is notorious for being one of the most ambitious survival horror games on a Nintendo console, exclusively releasing on the GameCube. Eternal Darkness draws inspiration from the works of Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft with a branching narrative that covers many different periods of time through history.
Best Horror Game From Every Year Of The GameCube's Life
The Nintendo GameCube may have had a relatively short lifespan, but the great horror games to experience help further immortalize its status.
Eternal Darkness features three "paths" to play through, with each route being difficult in different ways. The "red" path is the most challenging due to enemy strength, but the fact that all three paths must be played through to fully finish the game is where the labored difficulty comes in to play.
13 Resident Evil 4
Tough Boss Fights
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- March 24, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Franchise
- Resident Evil
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The remake of RE4 brought upon a few changes from the original, altering the characters' personalities and stories, removing and expanding on some content, and overhauling a few of the bosses. These changes were very well received by fans, as none can deny the remake was a huge success.
Every Boss In Resident Evil 4, Ranked From Easiest To Hardest
Resident Evil 4's bosses can be quite the challenge. This is how every boss in the game ranks, according to difficulty.
But one can also not deny that some of the bosses definitely felt a bit tougher than the original, such as Mendez fight, especially on higher difficulties. HarDcore and Professionals game modes offer grueling challenges to even veteran players who are confident in the RE4 game skills, and may be hard to the point of frustration for first-time players of this particular title. Plus, the remake exclusive shooting range offers a plethora of challenges that test the players aiming and timing in exchange for rewards and achievements.
12 Siren
Punishing Gameplay
Siren
- Released
- April 20, 2004
- Developer(s)
- Japan Studio
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Known as Forbidden Siren in Europe, the PlayStation-exclusive survival horror series tries to re-invent the genre in some creepy ways. The Siren series really embraces mob mentality and the idea of an enemy that operates with a terrifying hive mind.
Siren is such a challenge because the game doesn't spoon-feed its audience answers. Additionally, the quests in the game are especially punishing and the enemies are so powerful that it turns stealth gameplay into a necessity, rather than a suggestion. Siren is still harder than the standard survival horror title.
11 F.E.A.R
Precise Play Needed
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R is a creative hybrid of the horror genre & tactical shooters that finds ways to get the best out of both genres. F.E.A.R embraces the aspects of a shooter more than a horror game, even with the inclusion of the terrifying Alma at the heart of the plot, but that balance shifts when playing in the title’s Extreme Mode.
Extreme Mode offers an actual challenge where strategy is essential, otherwise players will get mowed down by the precise enemies. Wasted ammo or careless movements are a death sentence on this difficulty. Extreme Mode is only for the seasoned horror fans that appreciate a less forgiving adventure.
10 Resident Evil Remake
Limited Resources
Resident Evil HD Remaster
Resident Evil Remake takes what’s already a challenging & polished game and pushes it to an even more accomplished level. The Resident Evil games have made things easier for players over the years, but none of that is present in the first game.
Additionally, Resident Evil Remake makes the zombies considerably smarter, makes ammo management more of a struggle, and doesn’t pamper the gamer. The addition of Crimson Head Zombies also turns Resident Evil Remake into one of the more stressful and difficult games in the series.
9 Cry of Fear
Limited Resources to Face the Tough Enemies
Cry of Fear
Originally a Half-Life 2 mod, Cry of Fear became its own standalone game only a year after its original release, available to download on Steam free of charge, which is generous considering the quality of this indie-horror game. It follows the story of Simon Henriksson, who wakes in an alleyway in a deserted town shortly after a car crash. Perhaps he hit his head too hard, as Simon soon witnesses horrors that defy reality.
Monsters and hallucinations visit him during his exploration and search for answers, forcing him to arm and defend himself. Unfortunately for the player, there are very limited resources scattered around to aid them, even less than other survival horror games such as classic Resident Evil. Pair that with the tough enemies, and players will have one hell of a time escaping with their life.
8 Dead Space 2
Limited Saves on Hardcore
Dead Space 2
- Released
- January 25, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Visceral Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Dead Space remains a serious horror contender, especially with the release of the long-awaited remake. The game's approach to enemy dismemberment and claustrophobic space horror leads to excellent and atmospheric horror games.
Horror Games That Are Better Than Their Metascore
Horror is a hugely popular video game genre, with successful franchises like Resident Evil. But we're looking at the most underrated scary games.
Dead Space 2 is hard to begin with, but the games' Hard Core mode is for true masochists. In addition to stronger Necromorphs, players are only allowed to use three saves throughout the entire game. This not only makes death a consequence, it adds a whole new level of strategy to the sequel.
7 Fatal Frame 2
Difficult Missions
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterly
- Released
- December 10, 2003
- Developer(s)
- Tecmo
- Platform(s)
- PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox (Original)
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The Fatal Frame series has not gained the same notoriety as Resident Evil or Silent Hill, but the franchise is more frightening in a lot of ways due to its focus on lost spirits and the first-person camera mechanic. Fatal Frame 2 is the apex of the series and is full of difficult missions and intimidating ghosts.
However, the game's Nightmare Mode turns up the difficulty in some considerable ways, whether it's through new bosses, stronger enemies, or weaker health items. It's the perfect way to make a creepy game even scarier.