The past few years have been pretty incredible for horror fans, with both new and returning titles flooding the gaming charts with all the spooky goodness that players adore. Among the sea of scares, first-person horror games are widely considered to be the scariest, due to the heightened level of immersion that places the player directly behind their character's eyes.
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Despite being focused on creating as much fear and despair as possible, there is still a lot of scope within the genre. Claustrophobic environments, terrifying creatures, and gore that practically jumps from the screen, the future of the genre looks insane, and leading the charge are the first-person experiences that make the horror feel closer than ever.
Full Fathom
Terrors Beneath The Waves
- Release Date: 2025
- Developer: Daemon House
Full Fathom plunges players deep into the ocean, an environment that naturally inspires dread. Combining claustrophobic underwater exploration with mounting psychological tension, it emphasizes both survival and the unnerving mystery of the sea, with the focus on isolation creating a constant sense of unease in the player.
The game's first-person perspective heightens immersion, forcing players to confront the unknown in tight spaces with limited visibility. By pairing awkward survival mechanics with unseen horrors, it offers a fresh spin on exploration-based fear, turning the ocean depths into a labyrinth of darkness.
Routine
A Horror 10 Years In The Making
Routine
- Released
- December 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Lunar Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Routine takes place aboard an abandoned lunar base, blending retro-futuristic aesthetics and an uncanny level of realism. The sterile corridors and unsettling silence create an atmosphere of unease, where players must navigate the station whilst avoiding the terrors around every corner.
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Its use of dated technology and cold environment recalls classic sci-fi horror while offering a distinct identity that feels akin to a found footage movie. The game was stuck in a developmental hell of sorts, but it has finally broken free with a release date on the horizon, so it won't be long before players get to jump into this terrifying lunar adventure.
Resident Evil Requiem
Switching Perspectives On The Fly
Resident Evil Requiem
- Released
- February 27, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Resident Evil: Requiem continues one of horror's most beloved franchises with a return to the past with more than a few twists. Players have the option to switch between perspectives, third-person for more action-oriented gameplay, and first-person, to fully enter the darkness within.
Having such an intimate point of view reinforces the sense of vulnerability, making every encounter more oppressive. Fans of the series can expect a lot of familiar sights, as the game attempts to bridge the gap between the modern day and the city that started it all.
Project Mist
Ethereal Environments Full Of Mystery And Death
- Release Date: Q4 2025
- Developer: Chicken Launcher
Project: Mist strands players in a desolate forest with little to no guidance or safety to aid them. The first-person perspective transforms the wilderness into an intimate, hostile environment, where the danger feels closer than ever, and the player's survival hinges on observation and attention at all times.
By leaning into atmosphere over action, the game delivers a more grounded form of horror. Its environments feel alive, shifting between tranquility and menace as players search for answers, but they are instead greeted with isolation that amplifies the dread, making each step deeper into the forest a true test of nerve.
Subliminal
Taking The Normal And Making It Paranormal
- Release Date: Coming Soon
- Developer: Accidental Studios
Subliminal takes the concept of liminal spaces and delivers a lifelike horror experience that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. Familiar locations feel uncanny and unsettling, and every innocent room has a sense of danger about it that can never truly be explained.
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Putting the camera right behind the character's eyes means that every step taken feels like one the player made themselves. It lends it a uniquely alluring feel, that pulls players forward to an unkown goal, whilst making them question whether they are alone or being watched from the shadows.
ILL
Dismemberment From Head To Toe
ILL
- Developer(s)
- Team Clout inc.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
ILL places players in a decaying world overrun by grotesque mutations and body horror. The game emphasizes cinematic detail, with environment and enemies designed to disturb on a visceral level, and the exploration takes place in environments teeming with tension, never giving players a chance to breathe.
The first-person perspective heightens the discomfort of confronting monstrosities up close. By combining the gruesome imagery with the claustrophobia of the halls, ILL evokes a sense of revulsion that pushes horror into new extremes both visually and thematically.
Dark Mass
Rituals In A Dark, Gloomy Underworld
Dark Mass
- Developer(s)
- Path Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Exploration, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Dark Mass plunges players into an occult nightmare filled with ritualistic imagery and suffocating darkness. Exploration is central, as uncovering the mysteries of cult activity requires venturing into terrifying spaces that players would probably rather avoid.
Every flickering shadow and distant sound is transformed into a source of fear that players can never quite pin down. The game really aims to evoke a sense of dread rooted in the unknown, echoing elements of true psychological horror in a way that has never been seen before.
Total Chaos
A True Test Of Survival Will
Total Chaos
- Released
- November 20, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Trigger Happy Interactive
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Total Chaos is exactly what it says in the title. It's a waking nightmare where players must scavenge and survive on an island overrun by abominations and various other threats that never give up and are more than eager to get their hands on the player.
Its grim aesthetic and its realistic graphics amplify the immersion and, in turn, the tension. The choice to make the playthrough first-person feeds into the idea of inescapability, as players frantically search for any signs of an exit, but are greeted with far more locked doors than open ones.
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