Horror games are scary in the right settings. For example, a lot of players like to turn off the lights, wait until nighttime, and also wear headphones to increase the atmospheric chills. Playing classics like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Silent Hill 2, or Dead Space will assuredly get players to scream a few times in fright.
Can horror games still be frightening when played in a group of friends on the couch or online? Absolutely! It’s the same reason why horror movies in the theaters are still scary with groups of a hundred or more people. The following horror games are still scary when playing with friends, and if anything, it only doubles the fun.
8 Horror Games Best Played On The Hardest Difficulty, Ranked
The highest difficulty settings in these games crank up not only the challenge, but also the scare factor.
Resident Evil 5
Horror In The Daylight
Resident Evil 5
- Released
- March 5, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Co-Op Options: Two Local/Online
Resident Evil 5 was the first mainline game in the franchise to incorporate co-op into the story. Chris Redfield was paired with a new character, Sheva Alomar, who assisted players during the single-player campaign and could be directly controlled in co-op either locally or online. While it may not seem scary, as most of the levels take place during the day, the sheer number of enemies can make certain sequences intense. It’s not the scariest Resident Evil game overall, but it is the scariest co-op entry.
Dead Space 3
A Wintry Hellscape
Dead Space 3
- Released
- February 5, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Horror
- Co-Op Options: Two Online
Dead Space 3 is the first and only numbered sequel in the series to get co-op. Series mainstay Issac Clarke is assisted by John Carver, but only during co-op, which is exclusive to online.
Each game has a central gimmick, and this one puts the pair on an ice planet for a good portion of the campaign, along with some spaceship and zero-gravity sequences. Necromorphs were terrifying before, but seeing them thaw out on an ice planet and scramble toward players made these encounters more intense.
Dying Light: The Beast
These Zombies Aren’t Shuffling Around
Dying Light: The Beast
- Released
- September 19, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Co-Op Options: Four Online
Dying Light: The Beast is the latest entry in the series, and like all others, the zombified mutants are some of the scariest in any horror game. They are fast and can even climb, but not as fast as players if they get used to using parkour.
Best Stealth Horror Games, Ranked
Sometimes it is better to run and hide than fight, and that is especially the case for these stealth horror games.
First-person horror games can often make the frights even worse, since enemies are constantly rushing at the camera. All Dying Light entries are terrifying and worth playing, but it will be easier to hook up with three other players online with this latest entry right now.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House Of Ashes
Even Well-Armed Soldiers Are Doomed
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
- Released
- October 22, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Mild Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Co-Op Options: Five Local/Two Online
The Dark Pictures Anthology is an episodic series of horror games by Supermassive Games. Each chapter is unique, but has similar co-op mechanics. So far, House of Ashes is one of the most horrifying entries as it finds a group of soldiers trapped deep inside a catacomb.
On the couch, five players can pass the controller around and each control a character throughout the campaign in Movie Night Mode. Online, two players can make decisions in the story and get frightened during it.
The Outlast Trials
Don’t Be Just Another Experiment
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
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Co-Op Options: Four Online
The Outlast Trials is unsettling but goofy at the same time, as each scenario’s stalker is more unhinged than the last. Sure, a creepy lady who talks through a puppet would be scary in real life, but in the game, it’s kind of funny in an over-the-top way.
Laughs will be had, but that doesn’t mean the four players cooperating online also won’t have panic attacks as they run away. There are some ways to fight back, but it’s mostly a series of missions wherein players have to hide and escape human experiments.
Sons Of The Forest
Don’t Get Eaten
Sons of the Forest
- Released
- February 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World, Survival Horror
- Co-Op Options: Eight Online
Survival games can be stressful enough as players have to hunt for food and build shelter to stay safe. Sons of the Forest adds horror elements to the mix as savages on the island want to terrorize and eat players, which will make anyone’s skin crawl.
The 86 Best Free-to-Play Horror Games on Steam (2025)
Those looking for the ultimate cheap thrill have come to the right place. Here's a look at some of the very best free-to-play horror games on Steam.
The good news is that up to eight players can decide to survive together. The downside is that the game throws more at players in bigger numbers. As if a forest wasn't already scary at night, this game decided to add cannibals into the mix.
Phasmophobia
Become The Best Ghost Hunter
Phasmophobia
- Released
- October 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Puzzle
- Co-Op Options: Four Online
Phasmophobia can be both scary and drab, but it’s those boring moments that make the scares even greater, as they can catch players off guard. Up to four players can connect online, and so far, the game is only in Early Access.
The premise finds a group of paranormal hunters going to houses to try to get evidence. On each job, they can earn money, which can be used to buy new equipment, from better cameras to radar that can detect ghosts. It’s kind of like an unofficial Ghost Adventures simulator game if the actual hauntings were real.
GTFO
The Better The Graphics, The Bigger The Scares
GTFO
- Released
- December 10, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Co-Op Options: Four Online
GTFO is one of the best-looking horror games on PC right now if players have beefy rigs. Four players can team up online to survive a series of waves against mutants. Players can set traps and make the best of the underground facility as they can, but ultimately it will turn into a gun fight.
Enemies far outnumber players and the visibility is low: two things that make GTFO terrifying. With a proper setup, a good pair of headphones, and a skilled group of friends, this game can turn any Friday night into a treat. However, it can also cause nightmares if players go in underprepared.
Upcoming Horror Games With Chilling Monsters
Halloween is fast approaching, and these upcoming horror games will be perfect to play around the holiday.