Summary
- Horror games blend fun with fear, providing enjoyable gameplay experiences with terrifying elements.
- The Evil Within 2 and Devour offer intense gameplay, challenging players with unique environments and mechanics.
- Multiplayer horror games like Outlast Trials and Dead by Daylight provide collaborative gameplay, adding fun to the fear.
The horror genre has consistently been one of the most loved categories in gaming. For decades, it has delivered plenty of frights to players, with more than a few surprises along the way to keep them guessing. Some offer cooperative playthroughs that allow players to work together, while others focus more on pure psychological fear, using all the tools to create as much fear as possible.
26 Best Horror Games On Steam
Steams offers countless horror games that fans of the genre are sure to love. Here are some of the best ones available on the platform.
But like any genre of video game, at their heart, the titles need to be fun and enjoyable, and there are plenty of games out there that lean more into the fun side of things, whilst still delivering more than enough on the horror side, creating an exciting and terrifying experience throughout. Some of the most fun games in the genre really focus on a gameplay-first approach, prioritizing good mechanics, cooperative action, or a combination of the two to ensure high levels of fun throughout.
8 The Evil Within 2
Psychological Horrors Right From The Start
The Evil Within 2
- Released
- October 13, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Evil Within 2 takes many of the concepts from the original game and expands them even further. Using its unique universe of monsters inside a wild and mysterious world, players are constantly tested both mentally and physically, and for any fans of the survival horror genre, they won't be disappointed with the crisp gunplay and tight combat.
The story itself takes a backseat for the most part, as players will be too busy shooting their way through countless zombies with a range of satisfying weaponry. But the world-building and atmosphere of the game do give it a unique flair, combining grounded elements with the supernatural to create a compelling setting that keeps the player on the edge of their seat.
7 The Outlast Trials
Surviving The Tests Together
The Outlast Trials
- Released
- May 18, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due TO Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Nudity, Drug Reference, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Red Barrels
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
The Outlast Trials moves the Outlast franchise away from single-player campaigns and allows players to jump into a variety of different horrifying scenarios as a group. Players are once again powerless, with nothing but their own two legs to keep them alive as they sprint away from psychotic enemies set on experimenting and mutilating them whenever they get the chance.
Each trial offers a new set of challenges for players to overcome, many of which involve some devious puzzles and traps to avoid, which creates a unique gameplay loop that feels more like a twisted escape room than it does a horror game. The ability to play with others adds a level of fun to the game, as watching a teammate be dragged away with no power to stop it often provides a nice comedic break from the intense action.
6 Devour
The Fear Grows With Every Item Collected
Devour
- Released
- January 28, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
Devour is a simplistic yet incredibly engaging horror game that uses the same gameplay loop for every single one of its maps, where players must enter the area and search for 20 creatures ranging from goats to pigs, all while avoiding the enemies that pursue the player.
As they collect more of the sacrifices, the main boss of the map gets progressively more aggressive, eventually sprinting after the players with nothing but a flashlight to slow them down. The game is very easy to get into and provides a sizable challenge for players who want to amp up the difficulty, allowing players of all kinds to enjoy the game to its fullest.
5 Five Nights At Freddy's 2
The Most Fun In The Series
Five Nights at Freddy's 2
- Released
- November 10, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Scott Cawthon
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
FNAF 2 is easily one of the best games in the series and definitely fills the fun factor to the maximum. The innovative game design of the original is pushed even further with no doors and no ways of keeping the animatronics out, except for a few light sources and a handy head to prevent the player from being killed before the night ends.
7 Best Horror Games That Get Better As You Play, Ranked
The horror genre is well known for its ability to ramp up combat and scares, and these games just continue to get better as they go along.
What makes the game so entertaining is the sheer number of enemies and things to manage all at once. Gone are the days of four main threats as players now need to juggle over 10 different potential enemies all at once, whilst keeping that pesky music box wound the whole time. It really gets the heart racing and keeps players invested and itching for more.
4 Phasmophobia
Ghosthunting Is Better Together
Phasmophobia
- Released
- October 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Kinetic Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Phasmophobia puts players right in the heart of a ghost-hunting squad, entering haunted schools and abandoned cabins in search of the spirits that roam the halls. Players have access to a range of tools to help them identify the ghost in the building, ranging from camera systems to archaic methods like burning sage, all useful in their own way.
What makes the game so fun is the same reason many other co-op horror games are as popular as they are: there's no fighting back. No weapons or ways of killing the ghost, just basic items that can detect and find clues, but never stop the player from dying if they get too close.
3 Dead By Daylight
Become The Killer Yourself
Dead by Daylight
- Released
- June 14, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Horror, Survival
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia, Switch, Mobile
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Dead by Daylight is one of the only asymmetrical multiplayer titles that has stood the test of time and remained popular after all these years. Players enter a map as either a survivor or a killer, and the roles speak for themselves, with one chasing the other endlessly until either everyone is dead or the surviving team manages to escape.
8 Best Horror Games That Are Immediately Fun
While a slow burn is never unwelcome, these horror games drop players into the action from the start, ensuring there is no time for steeled nerves.
There are so many iconic villains for players to play as, from all aspects of the horror world, and with so much skill expression and potential for learning, there are literally 100s of hours worth of content for players to enjoy, made even more enjoyable when playing with others.
2 Resident Evil 4 (2023)
The Best Survival Horror Has To Offer
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- March 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The RE4 remake is the best example of a classic title being given the perfect revival it deserves. The original was already considered to be one of the best games of all time, so replacing all the jankiness with more fluid mechanics and updating the visuals to make the horrors even more grotesque, takes an amazing title and makes it even better.
The RE franchise has evolved a lot over time, shifting between horror and action throughout, but this game finds the perfect balance between exciting action sequences and intense moments of fear, creating a perfect blend that keeps a smile on the player's face right until the end.
1 R.E.P.O
Horror Mixed With Humor Every Time
R.E.P.O.
- Released
- February 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
R.E.P.O. Is an unexpected gem in the horror genre, seeing players enter a randomly generated map full of treasures to be sold, along with a few creatures that are more than happy to feast on anyone without their guard up. The fun comes from the systems the game uses, like proximity chat, to give an added level of hilarity to an already silly gameplay loop.
Even though the more comedic aesthetic may turn some players away, the horrors are very much still there in full force, giving both veterans of the genre and newbies plenty of opportunities to be frightened as they delve deeper into the areas in search of loot beyond their wildest dreams.
Horror Games That Use Players' Microphones
Using the player's microphone in gameplay is an excellent way to increase immersion and tension in horror games. Here's which titles did it the best.