To celebrate the spooky season, our staff presents horror games we love. While not all of these are firmly in the horror genre, they still give a sense of unease, thrill and dark excitement. So, lock the doors, keep the lights on, and let us know what your favorite spooky games are!
Alicia Graves
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
White Night
OSome Studio
Black and white brilliance. The first game I almost broke my screen playing. It took me years to complete it finally and still haunts me.
Available on Steam→
The Evil Within
Tango Gameworks
Stealth and cunning defined TEW in a new way that has been imitated but never duplicated. The story is hauntingly sad, and the ending… IYKYK
Buy on various platforms→
The Mortuary Assistant
DarkStone Digital
No two playthroughs are the same! I have sunk 22 hours into it, and I still have not seen everything. Coupled with the White Lady, and it is perfect horror.
Out on various platforms→
Without a Dawn
Jesse Makkonen
The use of sound and “simple” pixels makes it my favorite horror game of 2025. The beauty and bleakness are not undersold for a moment.
Available on Steam→
The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales
DO MY BEST
Completely underrated, The Bookwalker is what I call “uneasy horror.” It’s not in your face, but the world, and the journey are uneasy.
Get on various platforms→
Charlie
Business Manager
Nine Sols
Red Candle Games
If the “parts processing” doesn’t get to you, being suddenly faced with millions of brains in jars makes the dread really set in. Or perhaps you would enjoy a day at the spa of guilt and horror?
Available on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch→
Ben Huttler
Staff Writer (he/him)
FAITH: The Unholy Trinity
Andorf Games
A game that beautifully merges horror with religion in a way that is tasteful and genuine, tackling themes of trauma, guilt and (of course) faith while bringing up questions of what it means to hold faith in the face of evil and despair.
Available on Steam→
Shawn
Staff Writer/News Editor
(he/they)
Alan Wake Franchise
Remedy Entertainment
I’m a fan of Remedy’s Alan Wake and Control games.
I really like how Sam Lake ties in different forms of media into the games ranging from music videos like in Alan Wake 2.
Check out the entire Alan Wake Franchise→
Control
Tango Gameworks
I also like how music itself also ties into the plot in all the games. How the in-universe band Old Gods of Asgard have been to predict so much stuff like Jessie’s route through the Ashtray Maze.
Purchase Control on PC and consoles→
B.C. Brewer
Staff Writer
Phasmophobia
Kinetic Games
I love watching YouTubers play horror games, but my freeze reflex is so bad I can never get through 5 minutes on my own. Phasmaphobia is my favorite because of the co-op and puzzle aspects.
Buy Phasmophobia on Steam→
Observation Duty Franchise
Notovia
Observation Duty can be tense and very creative in its scares. Some of the intruders in Observation Duty leave me wondering how the heck a person could even think of that!
Check out the whole Observation Duty Collection→
Little Nightmares II
Tarsier Studios
I have not technically played it, but Little Nightmares 2 is phenomenal on every level. Such an amazing piece of art, from the visuals, the audio, the symbolism and the visual storytelling.
Grab Little Nightares II on PC and consoles→
Jordan
Staff Writer (he/him)
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Monolith
It was a launch title for the Xbox 360, and it still warrants the occasional replay. Also, the reason I can’t trust mannequins to this day.
*It has been delisted from Steam and Xbox
Buy Physical Edition: GameStop→
SIMULACRA 1 & 2
Kaigan Games OÜ
FMV games where you need to discover what happened to a missing person by going through their definitely not haunted cell phone. Really interesting and has some great scary moments.
Check out the SIMULACRA games on Steam→
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Ninja Theory
More tense than terrifying but not without its moments. Also, a great exploration of mental illness and its connection to “witchcraft” in medieval societies.
Grab Hellblade on PC and consoles→
Grace Brewer
Staff Writer
Dread (TTRPG)
The Impossible Dream
With no stats, numbers, or complicated mechanics, it’s perfect for tabletop beginners, and the core mechanic being tied to making pulls from a Jenga tower is the perfect way to naturally build suspense and raise the stakes as the game goes on.
Buy and download Dread PDF→
Shane
Video Reviewer (he/him)
Resident Evil
CAPCOM Co.
The franchise that defined survival horror and what was my gateway into the horror genre.
Buy it on most platforms→
The Amnesia Series
Frictional Games
The first game has my respect for revitalizing the survival horror genre. Each game feels unique and innovative.
Available in physical format
Dead Space
Various Devs
A favorite from my teenage years and still recommend to others to this day (aside from 3)
Grab on multiple platforms→
Fatal Frame
Tecmo
An underappreciated horror series that deserves a spot in the limelight.
Unavailable for purchase anywhere currently
Dino Crisis
CAPCOM Co.
Another franchise forgotten by Capcom with the first game being different due to panic horror rather than survival.
Buy on GOG→
Max
Reviewer (he/him)
Alien: Isolation
Creative Assembly
A masterclass on source material fidelity, the alien is ruthless, cunning, and never far enough away, but the game doesn’t deprive you of tools to deal with it.
Buy it on most platforms→
Penumbra Overture
Frictional Games
One of Frictional Games’ earlier games that pits you against mind-bending puzzles, frantic chases, and tense encounters that paved the way to their later titles.
Available for PC on Steam→
Outlast
Red Barrels
A high-octane experience that blends found footage ‘REC’-esque scares with gameplay that’ll leave your knuckles pale and your forehead sweating!
Grab on multiple platforms→
Silent Hill
Team Silent
One of the most influential with its rich blend of East & West Horror. Its unnerving tension lasts the whole game, and environmental storytelling keeps you coming back for more.
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