Resident Evil has been a horror titan for well over two decades, and in that time, there have been countless exceptional games released, ranging from action-heavy shooters to full-blown horror games. Yet despite being the first game in the series, many consider the original Resident Evil to also be one of the scariest, with more tension, atmosphere, and suspense than a lot of the later entries.
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Even though RE1 remains one of the most terrifying horror games of all time, plenty of other games have been released that are even more frightening. Some come from hugely successful franchises, while others from entirely independent developers, but they all come with the same goal in mind: telling stories that are as unsettling and heart-pounding as possible.
The Mortuary Assistant
A Lone Building Filled With Endless Horrors
The Mortuary Assistant
- Released
- August 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- DarkStone Digital
- Genre(s)
- Indie Games, Adventure, Simulation
The Mortuary Assistant is a horror game that introduces its premise in the title. Players are a newly hired mortuary staffer whose job is to examine and embalm various bodies. However, things quickly take a demonic turn as objects move, lights flicker, and entire sections of the building shift and change, becoming completely different locations.
It combines simple workplace tasks with the constant fear of being watched, as at any moment, the player could turn around and see something lurking out of the corner of their eye. What makes The Mortuary Assistant so scary is the lack of safety and the feeling of being trapped, with no easy ways out or methods to avoid the horrors other than pushing forward and, hopefully, identifying and exorcising the demon in the correct body.
Outlast
Non-Stop Tension From Start To Finish
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
Outlast has remained a mainstay at the top of many people's horror favorite lists ever since it was released, and it is easy to see why. The premise of investigating a rundown psychiatric facility at night is the perfect recipe for terror, but what elevates the scares even further is the night vision that players need to use to navigate the tight corridors and endless, pitch-black rooms full of aggressive patients.
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The game leans away from any kind of combat, forcing players to hide and run at the first sign of danger, with very few moments to breathe outside the action. Everything feels so up-close and personal as the enemies grab and toss the player around, making them feel like they are truly part of the story and not just a spectator watching things happen from afar.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Bringing The Franchise Back To Its Roots
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
Resident Evil 7 is the franchise taking a step back to its origins and focusing all of its energy on creating a chilling environment that players will never want to return to. The Baker House is a nightmare right from the start, and what makes it so unsettling is the slow buildup to the actual horrors within, with players navigating the halls for quite some time before actually encountering any member of the family.
RE7 also subverts a lot of the previous RE games' ideas surrounding action. While players are equipped with weapons to defend themselves, the game is far more about avoiding enemies than running at them head-on. It feels much closer to the classic games in the franchise, where every corridor can lead to answers but also death at the same time.
Alien: Isolation
Horror Movie Royalty Made Real
Alien: Isolation
- Released
- October 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Creative Assembly
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Alien: Isolation takes one of the genre's most iconic creatures and puts players up close with it, pressuring them to learn and adapt to every single situation thrown at them. They had better, because that's what the Zenomorph is doing to them. Every single moment is filled with pure dread, as the Xenomorph is far more intelligent and deadly than many other horror game villains, requiring players to pay attention to its movements and change their approaches to survival before the creature sniffs them out.
The name really says it all: players quickly feel completely isolated from any form of safety or hope of escape from the dangers of the ship. With the limited tools they have to fend off the creature, there is never any certainty about how they can survive an encounter, and with an environment that is as dangerous as the alien itself, even veteran horror fans will want to get out as soon as possible.
Silent Hill f
New Setting, Same Old Fog
Silent Hill f
- Released
- September 25, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Neobards Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Action
Silent Hill f takes one of the biggest names in horror gaming and delivers a whole new world full of never-before-seen terrors for players to uncover. Like any game in the series, the focus is on atmosphere and psychological horror, as players navigate through foggy streets full of twisted creatures and all manner of otherworldly entities.
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The way the world becomes corrupted is both horrifying and beautiful at the same time. The 1960s Japanese setting does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of making the game feel scary at all times, but the fear extends to the combat as well. Players will never feel truly in control of the fights, with their backs being pushed against the wall in pretty much every encounter.
SOMA
Surviving Below The Waves
SOMA
- Released
- September 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Frictional Games
- Genre(s)
- Horror
SOMA comes from Frictional Games, the legendary team behind Amnesia, only this time, rather than a dark and gloomy castle, players explore an underwater facility that is anything but empty. The environment itself is as scary as the enemies within it, but when the twisted creatures do attack, players can only run, hide, and hope that it will all be over soon.
Exploration is the main draw of the game, and progression feels very reminiscent of the early horror days, where players are forced through uncomfortable encounters with little safety to help them out. Even after a full playthrough, players will never feel truly comfortable traversing this terrifying world, which is why it remains near the top of many players' scary game list.
Mouthwashing
A Slow Descent Into Madness
Mouthwashing
- Released
- September 26, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Wrong Organ
- Genre(s)
- Psychological, Horror
Mouthwashing is unexpected, brutal, and deeply chilling from the second it loads up. Players are stranded on a derelict ship at the edge of space with nothing but death to end the suffering. The story follows the ships' crew and their slow descent into madness, as with each passing day, their supplies dwindle further, and their crewmates become progressively more insane.
The uncertainty of what's real and what's hallucinated makes every scene feel more unnerving than the last. Progress towards the subsequent days never feels rushed, but more like an inevitable march toward doom. Players will be left emotionally drained and disturbed by the end, as Mouthwashing has a way of effortlessly creeping into the darkest parts of the mind.
Tormented Souls
Old-School Gameplay With Modern Graphics
Tormented Souls
- Released
- August 27, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mild Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Dual Effect Games
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Tormented Souls is a love letter to classic horror games, bringing back the fixed camera perspective and having players explore a mysterious mansion full of mysteries and terrors. Every aspect of the gameplay, from the setting to the monsters, feels so similar to old-school Resident Evil, but the game always feels more like an homage rather than a carbon copy.
The visuals are equal parts gorgeous and chilling, with the enemy designs and character models sporting a unique art style that keeps them feeling distinct from other games in the genre. For fans of the simpler days of horror gaming, Tormented Souls is the perfect game to jump into and relive a time that has been gone for so long.
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