10 Most TERRIFYING Moments in Recent Horror Games

10 Most Terrifying Moments in Recent Horror Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at moments from recent Horror games that left us absolutely petrified with fear.

Hall B

“Cronos: The New Dawn” (2025)

The mutated humans known as Orphans in “Cronos: The New Dawn” come in a variety of disgusting shapes. But honestly, one of the game’s most terrifying moments comes when you’re in far less danger than you think you are. At a certain point, you’ll enter Hall B, where you’ll find a group of Orphans in a quarantine bay. An incredibly tight space, filled with both good loot and some freaky foes? While you might think you’re in for a fight, that only happens if you go in guns blazing…and it’ll be a tense one. In reality, developer Bloober Team took the opportunity to mess with us. You can get through this without fighting anyone. Sneaking around the Orphans to collect items is clearly stressful. Make too much noise or get too close, and you might regret it.

The Barn

“Reanimal” (2026)

Coming from the team behind “Little Nightmares,” you probably know what to expect from “Reanimal.” Mostly, gigantic, twisted behemoths chasing you around, trying to eat you. At one point, you’ll come across a barn full of pigs. And in the back, you’ll witness the much larger leader swallowing a little pig whole, before commanding you to leave. While it isn’t a tense chase, it is an unholy combination of visual and audio design that sent a chill straight through us. Plus, players get their tense chase when they’re forced to return later, fleeing from a giant pelican. This takes you back to the barn, where you only escape after barring the door behind you, and letting all the animals burn inside.

Chased by Trots

“Still Wakes the Deep” (2024)

A key feature of survival horror is the chase scene, so be prepared to see a few of those. In “Still Wakes the Deep,” a group of Oil Rig workers accidentally awaken something in the ocean, which causes most of them to mutate into nightmares out of John Carpenter’s “The Thing.” One of the unfortunate crew members is Trots, who provides the game’s scariest moment. Players encounter him in a laundry room, mumbling about the mess; an unsettling combination of the remaining humanity and the monstrosity. Of course, once he spots you, he chases you around the room, trying to turn you. Trots provides another good scare later, pursuing you down a claustrophobic vent.

Cleanse the Orphans

“The Outlast Trials” (2024)

While there are definitely more violent missions in “The Outlast Trials,” this one managed to get under our skin with less gore. A big part of what helps is the location; an extremely creepy orphanage, run by the nasty Mother Gooseberry, where all of the children are mannequins. Players are meant to accomplish certain tasks to influence the ‘orphans,’ stopping them from taking drugs and helping them see the light of God. All the while, it implements the popular formula of previous “Outlast” games. Gooseberry and her minions hunt you while you try to complete the mission. And all you can do is run and hide once they give chase.

Emma’s Risky Swim

“The Quarry” (2022)

In Chapter 4 of “The Quarry,” new camp counselor Emma decides to go for a swim out to a small, nearby island. Unfortunately for her, she’s alone in a Horror game. We know an attack is coming, and the developers do a good job luring you into a false sense of security as Emma films herself and explores the nearby areas. Of course, a werewolf does eventually pop out, terrifying both her and us, and leading to one of the tensest chases in the game. With so many quicktime events, you have more chances to die here than with most other scenarios. And in each one where the werewolf catches her…it’s pretty gruesome. It’s made even more disturbing if, towards the end of the game, said werewolf Max finds her body and realizes what he’s done.

Encountering Blue Knees

“MADiSON” (2022)

This indie psychological trip takes inspiration from “Fatal Frame,” with the main mechanic revolving around using a camera to see into the spirit world. You naturally see some fairly spooky things, but nothing quite compares to encountering Blue Knees. The design is pretty alarming; the pale gangliness, the sharp teeth with blood around its smile, the pitch black eyes you have to flash with the camera for safety. But it’s also a genuinely chilling part of the story. Blue Knees is a demon attached to a children’s book, which haunted your character’s grandmother, stealing her sight before killing her. In order to escape, you have to search for the demon’s eyes while actively listening to one of the creepiest theme songs we’ve ever heard.

Experiencing a Blackout

“Amnesia: The Bunker” (2023)

Much like other games in the series, the premise of “Amnesia: The Bunker” is that you’re alone, with a monster hunting you. Depending on your playstyle and the given area you’re in, this monster can react in different ways. Although exact moments can vary from player to player, there’s one universal, terrifying thing that everyone has to endure. And that is a blackout. As you work towards your escape, you’re constantly aware of the limited amount of fuel in your generator. Once it runs out, you have to refuel it in the dark, with the monster stalking you, only able to use a noisy, wind-up flashlight. Even once you refuel, there’s still a limited amount in the game. Once it’s all gone, it’s lights out until you can reach the end.

The Valhalla Nursing Home

“Alan Wake 2” (2023)

Anytime a game blends the elderly with forcing us to go into a dark basement, it tends to be pretty terrifying. Things only seem a little off when Saga arrives at the Valhalla Nursing Home, looking for a couple of residents. It’s a slow burn, but it’s a masterclass in immersion and building tension. From the encounter inside the Wellness Center, to searching through the nursing home in the pitch black darkness, Remedy did a great job covering the atmosphere in dread. Of course, it’s when we head to the basement to restore power when the level reaches its crescendo. The fight against Cynthia Weaver, with her demonic voice echoing through the area as she flies around, is one of the game’s best moments.

The Middle School

“Silent Hill f” (2025)

The latest entry in the “Silent Hill” series more than proved it still had the expertise to scare the bejesus out of us. The abandoned middle school is a strong standout, relying on the tried and true method of creepy kids. In order to progress through the inside, you must occasionally head outside to find a key or somesuch, where an expected nasty monster will be lurking. But eventually, this feeling of having a safe haven will be taken away from you. At a certain point on the second flood, Scarecrows suddenly appear. Not only do these monsters take on the form of undead children, they move when you aren’t looking at them. Some are fakes, too, and it’s hard to tell them apart until you’re within arms reach.

Meeting the Girl

“Resident Evil Requiem” (2026)

We’ve talked about a few games where you’re chased, helplessly, by some imposing, horrifying figure. And “Resident Evil” is the king of that. As Grace comes to after being abducted, she tries to figure out exactly where she’s been taken to. Sadly for her, lurking in the dark is something vicious. The Girl is a tremendous monster. The hulking stature, the freakish design, her movement animations, those unsettling noises she makes. It’s all incredible. And of course, being the start of the game, Grace has nothing to defend herself with. “Requiem” obviously has a whole lot of scary moments. And although it’s early, meeting the Girl is just such a terrific display of Capcom’s craftsmanship.

What moment from a recent Horror game still sticks with you? Share your thoughts in the comments, and we’ll see you next time!