The Best Horror Game of Each Year 1996 2026

The Best Horror Games Of Each Year (1996-2026)

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we’re taking a look at the 30 best horror games of each year, beginning with one game in 1996 and ending in 2025.

1996: “Resident Evil”

Prior to 1996, horror games were essentially point-and-click adventure games with a scary atmosphere. But once “Resident Evil” rolled around, it managed to show the industry how to make horror work in a truly unique way. Scarce ammunition, replayable scenarios, and clever puzzles that still encouraged exploration helped pave the way for the survival horror genre in gaming. All of that plus the campy voice acting made “Resident Evil” one of the most memorable games of the 90’s. It’s almost hard to believe the folks at Capcom would manage to outdo themselves somewhat consistently in the years that followed as we’ll see throughout the list.

1997: “Blood”

Admittedly, 1997 was a rather weak year for horror-themed video games. Even so, “Blood” remains to be one of the most brutal and terrifying boomer shooters ever created. This ain’t your daddy’s “Wolfenstein”. This is an FPS where the enemies hit hard, which already make them and the environments more frightening than they may seem. It isn’t until later in the game when you start seeing some truly horrific creatures like Cerberus and the demon lord himself, Tchernabog. The creativity on display is enough to call this the best horror game released in 1997. Not like it had much competition anyways.

1998: “Resident Evil 2”

When talking about the classic “Resident Evil” games, RE2 seems to be at the top of the list on a near-universal scale, and understandably so. Capcom went bigger with the concept of a zombie apocalypse occurring at a police station instead of a giant mansion. But they didn’t stop with just Leon and Claire’s respective campaigns. RE2 boasts an insane amount of replay value with two bonus campaigns starring Hunk and a sentient block of tofu. And if you had the N64 version, you likely clocked in dozens of hours with the built-in randomizer mode. Man, why don’t we get official randomizers in other RE games?

1999: “Silent Hill”

With Capcom showing the world how to make survival horror games, Konami decided to throw their hat into the ring with their own spin on the formula. Whereas “Resident Evil” was providing a sort of “popcorn horror” experience focused on jumpscares and campy writing, “Silent Hill” would get deadly serious with its story, tone, and creature designs. What resulted was a horror game many were genuinely fearful of. Granted, that fear was out of love and respect. “Silent Hill” pretty much showed how you could use horror and gameplay to create something that would shock the player and leave a strong impact.

2000: “American McGee’s Alice”

Having left id Software after working on “DOOM II: Hell On Earth”, American McGee took his sadistic level design and demented ideas to Rogue Entertainment to direct this PC gem. “American McGee’s Alice” implements harrowing platforming, mindboggling puzzles, and visceral visuals to create a morbidly imaginative take on Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland”. Admittedly, some aspects of the game have not aged well such as the controls and whole Vale of Tears section. Still, there’s a part of us that wishes EA would just bring the game forward to modern hardware already.

2001: “Silent Hill 2”

No matter how old it gets, “Silent Hill 2” will forever be known as the greatest horror game ever made. James’s journey through the cursed town is one that has haunted players for decades now, and it’s hard to not see why. The way it handles the feeling of guilt, the many perspectives it shares on how people deal with grief, the raw intensity behind anger… “Silent Hill 2” does not hold back to a frightening degree. So, if you have not played this game yet, you absolutely need to. Like, pause the video, go buy it right now, and come back. Just steel yourself.

2002: “Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem”

“Eternal Darkness” really does not get the amount of love and admiration it truly deserves. To this day, this is one of the most brilliant horror games made in gaming history simply in the way it turns sanity into a truly maddening experience. Should your character’s sanity get too low, you, the player, will soon experience your own hallucinations. The game will act like your TV’s volume is getting lowered by an unseen force, distort and contort character models, and even fake your character’s death in rather convincing ways. Honestly, we’re surprised no one has tried copying “Eternal Darkness’s” ideas.

2003: “Siren”

Few horror games can match the intensity of “Siren”. While there are moments that can be a little heavy on the cutscenes, they’re almost necessary as a breather from the difficult gameplay. See, “Siren’s” hook that you possess the ability to see everything the enemies see. The problem is that this is your only source of information, and if you can see your character, it’s all over. You have to be methodical and play with extreme caution. Despite the challenge, it adds to the game’s horror, especially when you’re sneaking around more congested and narrow areas.

2004: “The Suffering”

Carrying on with horror games known for intensity, “The Suffering” is one relic that doesn’t get as much recognition as it ought to receive. For instance, setting the game in a prison is a classic choice for horror and one that, surprisingly, is not seen a lot in video games. While some today may tire from the focus on the never-ending cycle of violence, “The Suffering” also touches on some rather sensitive topics such as capital punishment and its oft-questionable ethics. Unfortunately, this clever and unsettling title has gone largely unnoticed since publisher Midway closed its doors in 2004. But are you really surprised to know Warner Bros. is ignoring a real treasure such as this?

2005: “Resident Evil 4”

We all knew it was coming. “Resident Evil 4” has forever been known to be the best “Resident Evil” game ever made, some fans going so far as to call it one of the greatest video games ever made. Indeed, there is a lot to love here. The amount of interactivity with enemies, the environment, and the game’s mechanics create some truly exciting moments throughout every playthrough. The Mercenaries mode is an excellent example of this, too. And would you believe the remake is just as incredible as the original?

2006: “Dead Rising”

In a world filled with tons and tons of zombie games, “Dead Rising” is among the few that manage to stand out from the crowd and stand the test of time. Sure, you can take zombies out the usual way with a baseball bat or some bladed weapon, but have you ever tried taking them out with a toy gun or a guitar? You wind up in funnier situations in this zombie apocalypse than you may expect, and the amount of weapons you can find is what makes it so highly replayable.. The colorful and deranged Psychos also made for some fun boss fights as you rescued survivors.

2007: “BioShock”

Some would never consider “BioShock” to be much of a horror game compared to “Resident Evil”, “Silent Hill”, or…well, just about every other game on this list. Despite this, “BioShock” very much is a horror game, and well-made one at that. What’s more frightening than an ambitious utopia being turned into a collapsed civilization whose remains consist of murderous maniacs, beastly beings in diving suits, and genetically mutated superpowered freaks crawling on ceilings? As if things couldn’t get any worse, the audio logs paint an even darker picture of the events that happened in Rapture before your arrival. Really, “BioShock” is way more of a horror game than you’d think at first.

2008: “Dead Space”

It’s rare to ever see a horror game showcase the true power of hardware, and “Dead Space” was definitely a driving force in showing the capabilities of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. From the gruesome death animations to the lighting and detailed textures, “Dead Space” was stomach-churning just from seeing screenshots! Things got even more alarming when you heard Necromorphs crawling in vents, busting out of the ceiling, and charging at you. So many players were scared s***less at the time, and the 2023 remake…yeah, it managed to get us a second time.

2009: “Left 4 Dead 2”

Multiplayer never works well with horror since the player is playing with other people. You kind of need the player to be alone to scare them properly. However, “Left 4 Dead 2” was scary on another level. Sure, you had hordes of zombies to worry about as you made your escape. But you also had special foes like Boomers and Witches that could put you on high alert the second you could hear them. The mere sound of them puts you on high alert so quickly that the stress immediately turns into fear as everyone is trying to figure out where the damn thing is lurking. And that is partially why “Left 4 Dead 2” and its predecessor are still talked about to this day. Well, that and the mods.

2010: “Amnesia: The Dark Descent”

By 2010, horror games were becoming scarce. Companies like Capcom, EA, and Konami were fooling themselves into thinking everyone wanted every game to be action-heavy like “Call of Duty”. This little indie classic helped show that wasn’t true. “Amnesia: The Dark Descent” was so unique in presentation and its then-clever mechanic of making light the safe spot instead of dedicated rooms. At the time, it was genuinely frightening, and the success of “Dark Descent” helped pave the way for the indie gaming market to basically steal the AAA companies’ collective lunch.

2011: “Shadows of the Damned”

Though it isn’t really teetering anywhere on the side of terror, “Shadows of the Damned” is essentially the “Evil Dead” of video games. Directed by Suda51 and produced by “Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, you follow Garcia as he tries to save his girlfriend from the demon lord known as…Fleming. Not only does it have the same hokey horror seen in the Sam Raimi classic, many parts of the game were clearly inspired by it. You could say it's a comedy-horror game with how ridiculous it gets, and it is worth playing through the entire thing every Halloween. Or anytime, really.

2012: “Telltale’s The Walking Dead: Season One”

Deviating from traditional horror once more, Telltale’s first season of “The Walking Dead” is an experience that still enters our minds every once in a while. While it may not be focused too much on jumpscares or having intense fights with zombies all the time, there are many moments that almost made the game hard to sit through. In a good way, of course. You’re presented with so many terrifying encounters as you’re trying to protect Clementine from a visceral world of cannibals, killers, and the undead. And yes, it is still hard going through the final episode without bawling our eyes out. If only the following seasons were as good as this one was.

2013: “Outlast”

Another horror gem made by a then-small team of developers, “Outlast” took the internet by storm upon release to an almost absurd degree. Whereas many horror games try to keep a pace between safety and danger, “Outlast” threw all of it out the window. Your only means of staying safe was by finding batteries and using your camera’s night vision filter to see where you were going. Run into an enemy while wandering in the dark, and you best know where a good hiding spot might be. It was about as mortifying as “Dead Space” was.

2014: “Alien: Isolation”

It was hard to be excited for anything related to “Alien” on account of Gearbox Software screwing up “Colonial Marines” the year prior. But developer Creative Assembly reminded us why Xenomorphs should be feared. It doesn’t take long for “Alien: Isolation” to instill a paranoia in you towards open holes in walls and ceilings. And the way Xenomorphs will search for you and sometimes come close to finding you…there’s nothing more chilling. It was as if we were living out the 1979 film ourselves. And that is why we’re eager for the sequel whenever that arrives.

2015: “Until Dawn”

Speaking of games replicating movies, “Until Dawn” is an interactive movie game that has become absolutely timeless. You control a group of friends who reunite for a brief getaway until they find themselves being stalked by a mysterious killer. This is one of those few games where just about every choice you make matters as it could determine which character lives and who dies. Yeah, the writing could be a little bit better in some areas, but overall, it’s a game you’ll never forget after your first playthrough, especially if you wind up getting a favorite character killed off.

2016: “Dead by Daylight”

Though its playerbase would argue against the very game they play, “Dead by Daylight” truly is one of the most impressive horror games ever made and the best to have come out in 2016. Now, to be fair, the game was super rough when it first launched. However, as the years have gone by, it’s become a powerhouse in horror-themed multiplayer. Not only does DBD provide scares with particular builds that let Killers play stealthy, some of the Killers themselves employ tactics like ambushing with teleporting skills or summoning beings to assist in chase. That’s kind of hard to pull off when Survivor players are almost never alone on mic. And do we even need to mention the absurd number of horror IPs that are represented in this game in clever and creative ways mechanically?

2017: “Resident Evil VII: Biohazard”

For a time, it seemed as if Capcom had lost its touch with “Resident Evil” no thanks to RE6 and “Umbrella Corps”, games focused more on action and eSports. With RE7, Capcom went back to the drawing board and focused primarily on scaring the living crap out of players. In addition to bringing the franchise back with a bang, Capcom managed to remind everyone why “Resident Evil” is widely regarded as the best horror game franchise ever created. On top of that, RE7 showcased the power and potential of the company’s own in-house engine, appropriately named RE Engine. It’s been used in just about every Capcom project since 2017.

2018: “Dusk”

Before giving us the 2021 gem known as “Iron Lung”, David Syzmanski and the folks at New Blood Interactive gave us this boomer shooter loaded with chainsaw wielding maniacs, cultists, and demons. Don’t let the simplistic visuals fool you - the game gets tough with its enemy placement, enemy variety, and hazards. You can play fast and loose if you want, but the second you run low on ammo or find yourself getting a bit overwhelmed, don’t be surprised if the game ends. And don’t be surprised if you end up playing some more immediately after.

2019: “A Plague Tale: Innocence”

From the very beginning, “A Plague Tale” had won us over just from its distinct setting. A whole game set during the 14th century when the Black Plague was the deadliest disease in the world? It’s not something many video games explore. You’ll sneak past guards and try to wade through rat-infested spaces as you navigate through a land enveloped in the Hundred Years’ War. It’s a surprisingly engaging experience and one that may cause you to never see rats the same way again. …Okay, maybe that’s a lie. They can be cute!

2020: “Carrion”

For decades, horror games always placed the player in the typical spot of fighting zombies, ghosts, demons, and so on. It likely wasn’t the first to do it, but “Carrion’s” take on reverse-horror has left a long-lasting impression on players to this day. As a blob made of flesh and teeth, you can live out your own horror fantasy as the murderous monster and stalk soldiers as you try to break out of an underground laboratory. Not only is it one of the most unique horror games in concept, it still manages to instill fear by giving the enemies more and more devastating tools that can put the player in dangerous situations. In other words, “Carrion” is a very well-executed balancing act.

2021: “Resident Evil Village”

Hey, we didn’t name it our 2021 Game Of The Year for nothing! “Village” managed to take a lot of the best elements of RE4 and RE7 and turn the blend into something truly unique for itself. Castle Dimitrescu, House Beneviento, and even the village itself have become iconic for their intricate design, detailed layouts, and the kinds of terrors that lurk within them. As for the story, it’s rare to find a game so perfectly paced from start to finish. Some may gripe about Heisenberg’s factory for its reliance on backtracking, but that is nothing more than a brief pimple on an otherwise morbidly beautiful face.

2022: “Signalis”

You rarely see many games utilize a top-down perspective unless they’re in the shooter or RPG genres. “Signalis” looks to be the former until you start encountering dead bodies and enemies. Despite the change in perspective, it manages to be terrifying thanks to the dynamic lighting and inventory management. However, for as unsettling as the atmosphere can be, “Signalis” brings an existential dread with its story as it explores identity, obsession, and grief. Trust us, it is as heartwrenching and disturbing as “Silent Hill 2”.

2023: “Alan Wake II”

Trippy. That’s really the best way to describe “Alan Wake II”, and it’s way more trippy than the original 2010 game. For this long-awaited sequel, it isn’t enough to simply fend off the many monsters and criminals you’ll encounter. Most of the mysteries depend on your own critical thinking skills as you explore the Mind Place and Writer’s Room to solve puzzles and manipulate surroundings. As bizarre as it gets, there’s no denying that it's one of the most creatively mind-boggling games ever made, especially in the horror genre.

2024: “Mouthwashing”

If you haven’t explored the indie side of the gaming industry in recent years, you’re missing out. “Mouthwashing” was perhaps the biggest horror game to launch in 2024 for its disturbing imagery and premise. When a freight crew crashes their ship, they find almost all of their supplies and inventory to be destroyed in the process. Their only means of maintaining survival: a container of several bottles of mouthwash. It's best you go into this game knowing and seeing as little as possible. Just know you may not be the same after playing it.

2025: “Silent Hill f”

Much like “Blood” in 1997, “Silent Hill f” didn’t have much competition in 2025. Really, it was a weak year for horror. Regardless, that does not detract from the impressive quality on display here. “Silent Hill f” was proof that Konami actually WANTS to come back to gaming! The game is blossoming in amazing creature designs and tells a stomach-churning story about generational trauma, sexism, and conforming to social norms. It's pretty biting in its commentary at about the same level as the franchise’s early games. Not only is “Silent Hill” back and better than ever, but so is Konami, which is something we never thought we’d ever say.

Have you played any of these horror game classics for yourself? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays.