Exploration is a core part of gameplay in many genres, from open-world titles and soulslikes to action-adventures and even survival horror. It’s no surprise that horror games often feature terrifying exploration, with players typically controlling weak characters unprepared for combat. However, some games from other genres create atmospheric worlds where exploration feels eerie and unsettling, even when you play as capable, combat-ready heroes.
Upcoming Games All About Exploration
Prepare for an exciting journey filled with discovery in these upcoming games.
Developers achieve this through various techniques: making enemies formidable and dangerous, designing specific zones with heightened threats, crafting environments that feel unsafe to navigate, or even changing exploration rules based on the time of day, where nights are often dark and full of unpleasant surprises.
For this list, we’re focusing on scary games with a strong emphasis on exploration. We’ll mostly avoid survival or horror games (with a few exceptions), typical for such criteria, prioritizing titles where optional exploration is rewarding but always feels dangerous, tense, and unsettling.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
The World of the Zone Is Truly Unforgiving
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Released
- November 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Open-World, Post-Apocalyptic, Survival
After one year of updates and tweaks, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl launches on PS5 on November 20, bringing the unique and treacherous open-world of the Zone to the platform. This is a journey worth taking for fans of first-person shooters with a strong focus on exploration, as the world of STALKER 2 is distinctive, breathtaking, and unforgiving.
From roaming bandits and heavily armed mercenaries to creepy mutants of all kinds, dark and terrifying nights, lethal anomalies scattered both outdoors and indoors, and deadly emissions that players can’t survive without finding shelter — exploring the Zone is always a tense, unforgettable experience where one wrong move can end a stalker’s life in an instant.
Hell is Us
In Hadea, Players Can Only Rely on Themselves
Hell Is Us
- Released
- September 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
One of the most overlooked new games of 2025, Hell is Us is somewhat reminiscent of the STALKER series, delivering a unique, devastated world full of intricate mysteries, strange creatures, and deadly anomalies, as well as valuable and powerful relics and treasures to obtain. Strong visuals and sound contribute greatly to the disturbing atmosphere of the game, where players can only rely on their own awareness and memory for exploration and puzzle-solving.
Upcoming Horror Games With Chilling Monsters
Halloween is fast approaching, and these upcoming horror games will be perfect to play around the holiday.
Hell is Us heavily bets on making exploration challenging and demanding, as there are no maps or apparent clues that players may be used to in other modern games. Instead, every step in this harsh world may be the last, especially during the opening hours, when everything feels fresh and uncharted.
Scorn
The Definition of Unsettling Dread
Scorn
- Released
- October 14, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes
- Genre(s)
- Horror
By design, Scorn is a horror game, but one so unique it fully deserves its place here. Set in a haunting universe with unforgettable environmental and creature designs inspired by the art of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński, the world of Scorn is a sight to behold. Its unforgiving exploration only deepens the sense of relentless dread and the feeling of being trapped.
Scorn is a short, relatively linear game, but its exploration aspect remains strong, with plenty of optional areas to discover and intricate puzzles to solve. Like Hell is Us, players shouldn’t expect any help or hints throughout their journey and should be fully prepared to die at any moment.
Bloodborne
Survive the Night in Yharnam
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
A true gem in FromSoftware’s soulslike collection, Bloodborne’s world is as unique and breathtaking as it is perilous. Players start with nothing, forced to fight their way through the night in Yharnam, mapping this dark, gothic city in their minds to find paths to new areas and track down their next prey.
Best Open-World Games Where Exploring Is Scary
These open-world games make their worlds enticing in a different way. Exploration doesn't just offer rewards, it'll also scare the socks off players.
A borderline horror game with intricate, deep lore that fans still debate, Bloodborne can be incredibly tense and unsettling. The game throws terrifying, grotesque monsters and even unthinkable cosmic beings into the mix, surprising players at every turn. Thanks to its interconnected design, the world is also deeply satisfying to explore, with a wealth of well-hidden treasures and entire secret areas to uncover.
Chernobylite
Return to the Zone With Different Rules
Chernobylite
- Released
- July 28, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Another game set in the Chernobyl Zone like STALKER 2, Chernobylite plays its cards very differently. But due to the shared setting full of dark mysteries and dangers, it’s yet another example where optional exploration feels equally intriguing and rewarding while being creepy and perilous. Unlike the seamless open world, each map in Chernobylite is a separate zone, allowing for diverse and memorable locations that players constantly return to.
What makes Chernobylite especially scary and unsettling, aside from the strengths of its post-apocalyptic setting of abandoned cities, is the unique Black Stalker feature. This deadly nemesis can randomly appear in any location, stalking players at the most inconvenient times. While it’s possible to fight the Black Stalker and most other threats like mutants, it’s always an uphill battle, as the main character isn’t a superhero.
Control
The Oldest House Is a Home to All Sorts of Unexplainable
Control
- Released
- August 27, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, Third-Person Shooter, Supernatural
Control is probably among the least traditionally “scary” games on this list, but it offers one of the most intriguing and unsettling exploration experiences. Set entirely within the mysterious Oldest House — a hub of paranormal activity and artifacts — players embark on a unique journey through shifting environments, eerie hissing sounds, mentally enslaved or unstable individuals, and inexplicable anomalies.
Best Open‑World Games That Blend Horror And Exploration Seamlessly
Open-worlds don't always make for great horror games, as they rarely feel claustrophobic, but these games manage to blend the two genres seamlessly.
Control isn’t designed to be pure horror, as players are well-equipped to handle nearly any threat with powerful weapons and supernatural, almost superhero-like abilities for flashy, dynamic combat. Yet the game’s oppressive environments and the constant sense that things are going very, very wrong create a lingering unease throughout.
The Evil Within 2
Exploring Union City Is Equally Rewarding and Scary
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
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Drastically different from its predecessor, The Evil Within 2 takes bold steps toward a more action-oriented approach, while also embracing open zones — still a rarity in the horror genre. Several times during the story, players can freely explore large parts of the STEM simulation, including entire city blocks and underground complexes teeming with dangerous creatures, deadly traps, and oh-so-needed rewards.
While it’s tempting to pause the main narrative and go exploring, since players can find valuable upgrades, powerful new weapons, and intriguing side quests that add depth to the story, it’s always risky and frightening. Straying too far from the main path in The Evil Within 2 can lead to losses outweighing gains, especially when tackling areas too early or unprepared. Such zones often harbor terrifying mini-bosses that may not be worth fighting at all.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Night Exploration Isn’t for the Faint of Heart
Dragon's Dogma 2
- Released
- March 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
At first glance, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a typical open-world fantasy RPG, offering vast explorable worlds, companions known as Pawns, and a wealth of skills and weapons for fun, dynamic combat. And that’s all true, unless players decide to venture out at night. Almost every character in the game warns against it, and for good reason: exploring at night is, more often than not, a nightmarish experience that’s rarely worth the risk.
The nights in Dragon’s Dogma 2 are pitch black and terrifying, with ruthless enemies lurking in abundance. With no fast-travel option available, players can’t easily escape to safety if things go wrong — and trust me, they will. Exploring the game’s world at night should be a last resort, especially until players are well familiar with the game’s rules, its enemies, and their weaknesses.
Best RPGs Where Exploration is Risky
These great RPGs feature engaging worlds full of threats around every corner. Exploration is risky in these titles, but it's also worth doing.