Summary
- Not all horror games stick to dark color palettes for fear; some add vibrant colors effectively.
- Colorful exteriors can hide dark secrets and scares in popular horror games.
- Unique color schemes provide a contrasting yet effective background for horror elements.
With the aim in mind of offering thrills and chills to the player, horror games often tend to verge on darker color palettes, with locations sticking to shades of gray, black, or even more sepia-like tones. This helps to create ambiance, making the player themselves feel they are exploring somewhere they shouldn't and need to leave immediately.
Best Black And White Games, Ranked
When done right, black-and-white graphics can improve a story. Here are the best games in black and white.
However, not all games are made the same, and certain developers aren't afraid to add a few splashes of color or even create an entirely colorful world for the player to explore, like a phantasmagorical nightmare, without losing any of its fear factor.
8 Dreaming Mary
Pretty Pastels, But Horror Lurks in Hiding
- Platform: PC
- Release Date: April 17th, 2014
- Developer: Accha
- Genres: Horror, Side-Scroller, Adventure
As the name suggests, Dreaming Mary stars the eponymous Mary, a young girl who loves dreaming and is more than happy to spend entire days in her dreams rather than in the waking world. One day, her dreams take her to a new place filled with shades of pink and adorable animals that seem to know who she is, welcome her like they are greeting an old friend, and invite her further down the rabbit hole.
That is when it is revealed that the cute, pastel visuals are merely a way to lull players into a false sense of security before introducing elements of horror that are downright disturbing. As far as horror games go, Dreaming Mary be one of the prettiest, with its pastel pinks making the visuals themselves suitably dream-like.
7 Hello Neighbor
A Cheery Neighborhood Harbors a Dark Secret
Hello Neighbor
- Released
- October 8, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Mild Violence
- Developer(s)
- Dynamic Pixels
- Genre(s)
- Stealth, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Xbox One
Moving houses can truly be a nightmare, as there is so much packing to do. Then, there is the trip to the new house, only to have to unload and unpack everything. It's something that definitely doesn't need to be burdened by additional stress, but the main character of Hello Neighbor has the misfortune of living across from a peculiar neighbor who seems extremely suspicious. Just what is going on in that house of his?
That is exactly what the playable character will endeavor to find out, as they sneak into their house to investigate, all the while without saying hello to their neighbor. Despite the suspicious nature of his house, it isn't without color, as the game has bright visuals and a vibrant color scheme, from the characters to all the decor. That said, the game still manages to remain tense with its cat and mouse style of gameplay.
6 Doki Doki Literature Club!
The Anime Visuals Disguise Horror
Doki Doki Literature Club!
- Released
- September 22, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Salvato
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel, Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
On the outside, Doki Doki just looks like another anime visual novel filled with fluffy cuteness in which the player character will befriend or even romance the girls, bonding over their shared love of literature. And for the first few hours, this does indeed seem to be exactly what the game is, as the player joins the club, meets the members, and writes and reads poetry while getting to know the girls a little better.
Visual Novels With Horror Elements
These visual novels lull players into a false sense of security before revealing the horror elements that inform their stories.
Then, the rug is pulled from under the player's feet with a great tragic twist followed by peculiar and eerie glitches. The game never quite surrenders its colorful palette, however, offering a strange contrast to all the dark dealings of the game, yet the juxtaposition works in its favor rather than against it.
5 Poppy Playtime
Colorful Mascots Make for Nightmarish Monsters
Poppy Playtime
- Released
- October 12, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle, Indie Games, Action, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Mascots have become something of a horror staple in the modern indie horror scene, twisting what should be cheerful and cute characters into full-blown nightmares that are more interested in killing people than delighting them. Five Nights at Freddy's pioneered this genre, paving the way for other games such as Poppy Playtime, which became hugely popular due to the cast of characters.
As these are childhood toys, these characters are creatively designed and overly colorful, while still being terrifying to encounter. Huggy Wuggy, Mommy Long Legs and Catnap all bear colorful and unique palettes, as do most of the locations, but the game still keeps darkness and horror at the forefront.
4 Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game
A Colorful Carnival Filled With Horror
Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game
- Released
- June 4, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Illfonic, Teravision Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Based on the cult-classic 1980s horror comedy movie of the same name, Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game gives three people the chance to play these extraterrestial Klowns, while seven play as the unlucky humans who are set to be their next victims. The Klowns must harvest these humans and enact the Klownpocalypse in order to win, while the humans must gather the necessary items to escape through one of the available exists.
Those familiar with the movie know just how colorful these Klowns are, in terms of personality and color scheme, and this translates over to the game as well. Not only are the Klowns very colorful with their outfits, but the maps can also contain colorful set pieces reminiscent of their ship from the movie.
3 Little Misfortune
One Girl's Whimsical Adventure Becomes a Nightmare
Little Misfortune
- Released
- September 18, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Indie Games, Casual
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows
Living on the outskirts of a fictional city in a troubled household, Misfortune hears the narrator's voice with her own ears declaring that today is the day she will die, but said voice also invites her to play a game in which she could potentially win eternal happiness. She accepts the invitation and leaves home, exploring the city, visiting various different locations, and meeting other characters, such as the anthropomorphic fox she dubs Benjamin.
Most Peaceful Horror Games
These may be horror games, but they are also surprisingly peaceful at the same time.
Despite being a horror adventure game, Little Misfortune has a whimsical feel to it, partially due to some of its comedic content, the antics of the main protagonists, and the cutesy artstyle, which injects some color into the world. The character herself wears a rather colorful outfit, complementing the bright world perfectly and fitting the tone of the game as well.
2 We Happy Few
Joy Gives People a Brighter Outlook on Life
We Happy Few
- Released
- August 10, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
In an alternate timeline in which the Germans occupied Britain for a time following their defeat in WW2, the island town called Wellington Wells managed to banish their occupiers through an action just referred to as "The Very Bad Thing." While this freed the land, it filled the residents with guilt and immense mental anguish, which led to the creation of a drug known as Joy to bury these memories and give them a dose of manufactured euphoria, mandated by the police.
Despite being a dystopian police state close to complete devastation, We Happy Few can still be a colorful game at certain points, as Joy can actually cause the users to see a joyful work full of color. Complemented by its cartoon-esque graphics, We Happy Few wears a cheery mask that barely conceals its dark and dystopian nature.
1 Yuppie Psycho
Flashes of Psychedelic Color Schemes
Yuppie Psycho
- Released
- April 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The first day at any job is a nerve-racking experience, but Brian Pasternack might have a first shift that could rival that of Leon Kennedy's. Arriving at the office building of Sintracorp, one of the world's largest corporations, he learns that the job being asked of him isn't just typing up reports and pushing pencils; his first assignment is to hunt down and kill a witch who infiltrated the company years ago and is corrupting it from within.
Despite being set in a corporate building, which all favor bland and neutral palettes, there are plenty of flashes of color in Yuppie Psycho, which has plenty of trippy visuals as players go about their mission. The title card of the game alone provides a peek into the sort of color schemes that players can expect to witness within.
Best Horror Games For Low-End PCs, Ranked
If you want to play a great horror game, but don't have a beefy PC setup, give these games a try.