The Scariest Horror Games Set In The Great Outdoors

Horror games thrive inside the tight confines of oppressive, claustrophobic spaces, building up tension for each corner and door players encounter, as they cannot see what may lie beyond in wait for them. With a dilapidated, crumbling building serving as a setting, most of the developers' work is done in terms of building up suspense, as these locations are inherently terrifying.

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But, not all games take place indoors, with some worlds of horrors sprawling put into the great outdoors, corrupting nature with terror. Beautiful forests, parks, nature trails, and other such places of nature can hold great horror beneath the lush greenery.

9 In Silence

Silence Is Key For Surviving the Monster

One would think a game played together with friends might not be scary at all, but they would be gravely mistaken. Although some tension can be diffused thanks to the laughs to be had while using the in-game proximity chat, that mechanic can also be the means to their demise.

Set in a dark, sprawling forest, four friends must gather their means of escape strewn across the world map while a fifth friend controls the monster. The monster cannot only join the chat but also hear the survivors. As it is mostly blind, the sound can lead them to their friends and their untimely demise. The sheer size, brutality, and overall design of the monster are effectively terrifying.

8 Year Walk

Encounter The Dangers Of Swedish Folklore

The purpose of the eponymous Year Walk is to survive the dangerous trek through the woods to reach a Church, which is rumored to reveal a fleeting glimpse into the future. After the protagonist's lover's cousin goes on one of these dangerous jaunts and subsequently vanishes, Daniel is not deterred and sets out on his pilgrimage.

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The art style of Year Walk is unique yet somewhat reminiscent of old fairytales, which is fitting as players will encounter frightening monsters during their journey. Knowing what dangers lay out there in the wilds makes every screen transition a haunting experience and one that will stay with the players for much longer than a year.

7 Slender: The Eight Pages

A Horrifying Faceless Entity Stalks the Player Through the Woods

Back in 2012, the original Slender was released to much fanfare and fame, spawning several copycats that all took place in different locales, such as schools or mansions. It was the original game that saw players making their way through woodlands, collecting the eight pages that would randomly spawn throughout the map.

What sounds like an easy and relaxing game quickly devolves into a nightmare. Players are armed only with a feeble flashlight as they brave through the woods at night, collecting pages that have unsettling imagery or words scrawled on them. The more that are gathered, the more the ambiance ramps up, and eventually, they will catch fleeting glimpses of a tall, faceless stalker growing closer and closer.

6 Blair Witch

Fend off a Horror Movie Icon

Based on the movie of the same name, Blair Witch takes place in the woods of legend, featuring an unwitting new protagonist, Ellis Lynch, suffering from PTSD, and his beloved support dog, Bullet. Ellis is on a rescue mission to find Peter, a young boy reported missing in the woods, but finds himself in need of rescue as he discovers the horrifying entity that haunts these woods.

Players will struggle through the dangerously dark woods, stumbling upon new landmarks and the witch in question. Even when there are no apparent dangers present, the woods remain a terrifying location thanks to the oppressive darkness and the intense atmosphere crafted. Blair Witch will have players constantly scanning their surroundings at every rustling leaf and snapping twig.

5 Chasing Static

Uncover Horrifying Mysteries In The Welsh Wilderness

Chasing Static comes from a very recent era in gaming that was obsessed with capturing the retro aesthetics of classic PlayStation horror titles, with the inspiration evident in its visuals. The grainy, pixelated graphics do nothing to deter the terrors of rural Wales, which acts as a tense and frightening setting.

The main character, Chris Selwood, passes out in a cafe after attending his father's funeral, awakening from a terrifying nightmare to see it now devoid of all life. While exploring the outside surrounding area, he finds a device that can help him uncover the answers about the surrounding village, shrouded in supernatural mystery,

4 The Forest

Players' Survival Instincts Will Be Put To The Test

The horror survival game The Forest sees players left stranded on a deserted island after the plane they are onboard crashes, leaving them hapless and hopeless in this remote setting. The immediate kidnapping of the player character's son lets the player know there is more danger on the island than the possibility of falling to exposure or starvation.

As with most survival games, players will need to craft their means of survival, such as shelter, food, and weaponry, to fend off the dangerous, cannibalistic islanders. Though later stages will see players traversing down into the terrifying tunnel system, the majority of The Forest takes place in the vast wilderness, which can be equally frightening thanks to the mutants that call the island home, especially when night falls.

3 Darkwood

Each Night Brings A New Wave Of Terror

The clue is in the name: this survival horror game is set in the dark and dangerous eponymous woods located somewhere in the Soviet Bloc. The woods came into existence one day, engulfing swathes of land and trapping numerous people inside its confines, twisting them into dangerous monsters. The government forces sent to infiltrate also fall victim, which is all the evidence players need to know these woods are not to be taken lightly.

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By  George W.L. Smith

Unfortunately for them, they will assume the role of a doctor who has seemingly abandoned his oath to help and heal and instead wants to escape with his life intact. By day, players will wile away the hours crafting resources to help them survive the dangerous nights when the horror and dangers come literally creeping out of the woodwork.

2 Bramble: The Mountain King

A Journey Through Nordic Horrors

Heavily based around Scandinavian folklore, Bramble: The Mountain King is an exciting adventure set across various sprawling locations such as forests and marshes. While this sounds like a fun and whimsical adventure a la Legend of Zelda, Bramble: The Mountain King still holds plenty of horrifying aspects in the otherwise beautiful wildlands.

Shapeshifters, gnomes, witches, water spirits, and trolls inhabit these lands, acting as obstacles on Olle's journey to rescue his older sister Lillemor. Death and sacrifice are prominent themes as Olle explores the Nordic wilderness to track the troll that took his sister, and players will need to be versed in stealth and speed in order to stop themselves from falling victim to the terrifying monsters.

1 Alan Wake

Masters Tension Artfully

Alan Wake is a masterclass in horror excellence, following the tale of the titular best-selling author who is struggling with a bout of writer's block and takes a vacation with his wife at the advice of his agent. His dreams become plagued by shadowy monsters that attack him, and how exactly to fend them off, but it turns out these nightmares aren't just the imaginings of an over-wrought imagination.

Alan Wake delves heavily into survival horror, with a large section of the game taking place in the national park where the deadly shadows prowl. Thanks to the unsettling monster design that thrives in darkness, playing on a common fear, the game is rife with tension and danger, particularly in the park. Alan Wake still remains a successful game even after over 10 years since its initial release.

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