Top 10 Best Horror Games of the 90s

We’re starting our list with a very important entry, because even though it saw home releases, this game is arguably one of the most popular arcade shooters of all time, drilled into the brains of every 90s kid who walked by it, hearing its menacing sounds, and seeing its scary black curtain. The House of The Dead defined an era of horror rail shooters and created an environment in an arcade, a place infamously difficult for finding true world immersion, that was really truly scary.

Though not a traditional horror game, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night drips with gothic horror atmosphere, and is inarguably f***ing fantastic - sorry for swearing, but I’m trying to make a point. It may not deliver outright scares, but it stands as one of the most iconic Metroidvania games ever made, filled with gothic-horror-inspired settings and enemies, all while emphasizing refined gameplay. Konami's classic remains stunning, endlessly replayable, and incredibly influential, and THAT influence is why it’s worth acknowledging.

Survival horror may be a hugely popular gaming genre today, but many modern titles trace their roots back to Alone in the Dark, which is OFTEN credited as the first 3D survival horror game. Now I know there’s a small subcommunity pushing their glasses up their nose and typing a comment right now about how that’s not technically true, but get out of here with your facts. Just because you’re technically right, doesn’t mean you aren’t boring. Released in 1992 for PC, the game follows a straightforward goal: escape a haunted mansion. Yet, this task is far from easy, with puzzles to solve and undead enemies to face along the way. Much like Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark emphasizes resource management, requiring players to carefully monitor their inventory as they progress. I replay this game yearly, and STILL get stuck at least 10 times.

Enemy Zero is one of the most memorable horror exclusives on the Sega Saturn. Though the story is highly engaging, the gameplay can be divisive. All enemies are invisible, and to defeat them, players must rely on an audio cue, a chime that grows louder as they approach. Players need to charge their weapon and fire at the loudest point to ensure a hit. This mechanic can feel either incredibly tense or somewhat frustrating, depending on your preference. Thankfully, Enemy Zero includes two easier difficulty options, making it more accessible if the core challenge feels overwhelming. Even so, the game is worth playing for its captivating story, which remains impressive for its time.

DreamForge's Sanitarium is a cult-classic point-and-click adventure, still readily available on platforms like Steam. Players take on the role of an amnesiac who awakens in a disturbing asylum, surrounded by unsettling imagery. Known as "Max," the protagonist embarks on a surreal, unpredictable journey through strange and terrifying places as he tries to piece together his identity and understand his circumstances... Does any of this sound familiar? Yeah, because like every game on this list, it was influential! More than two decades after its release, Sanitarium remains a compelling psychological horror game with a nine-chapter story that steadily ramps up the tension.

Released for the SNES in 1995, Clock Tower is a point-and-click adventure that is both terrifying and masterfully crafted. Nobody expected the SNES to have a genuinely terrifying experience that holds up to this day, but with the limited resources available to them, they managed to perfectly use what they had to make our spines straighten up. The game excels at setting a haunting atmosphere through its visual and sound design, blending gloomy, claustrophobic visuals with an anxiety-inducing soundtrack. Clock Tower also stands out for its multiple endings, determined by the player’s choices and performance throughout the game. Alongside its tense ambiance, the game offers thoughtfully designed puzzles that players must solve to survive. Influence, replayability, and atmosphere, the three pieces for the recipe that makes the perfect horror experience pie.

Released by Square in 1998, Parasite Eve combines RPG elements with real-time action gameplay, creating an intensely atmospheric experience. Playing as Aya Brea, players must track down and stop Eve, a woman intent on wiping out humanity. While the action combat is strong, much of the game’s appeal comes from exploring its haunting environments and unraveling its story. Parasite Eve did not blow up in the same way as series like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and other PS1 survival horror games did, but with its re-release for Sony players in the classics sections of the PlayStation store, it is getting a serious renaissance that is making players rethink where it ranks in their brain.

Just. REMAKE DINO CRISIS ALREADY! Directed by Shinji Mikami, co-creator of Resident Evil, Dino Crisis could be summed up as "RE with dinosaurs," but the game offers its own distinct experience. It introduces several mechanical differences, giving players more strategies to handle dinosaurs beyond simply killing or evading them. The game also places a stronger emphasis on puzzles, often involving various tools that make for engaging challenges. The difficulty increases by a WHOLE BUNCH in the latter half, but it’s a welcome change, as you’ll likely be feeling confident by that point. BOOM: Replay value. BOOM: Influence. BOOM: Atmosphere. Great stuff.

We decided to just pick ONE Resident Evil entry for this list, and while Resident Evil 1 may have laid the groundwork for Capcom’s series, it was Resident Evil 2, released in 1998, that DEFINED the franchise. The game established many of the hallmarks fans expect today, improving on nearly every gameplay element from the original. Resident Evil 2 deepens the horror atmosphere with a constant, looming threat that relentlessly pursues the player, a design choice that resonates even in modern titles like Resident Evil Village. The third entry was fantastic, offering some really interesting story connections to the second game, but the second game just did everything right. With a phenomenal remake available, there’s no better time to try Resident Evil 2.

At the young age of 5, Silent Hill was the first game I experienced that taught me that video games could also be scary. Up until this point it was all Marios and Crash Bandicoots for this kid. Released in 1999, few games have influenced the horror genre as deeply as the original Silent Hill, and no game has left scars on the psyche of 90’s babies like Silent Hill. Known for its immersive, atmosphere-driven experience, Silent Hill preys on players' uncertainty, often veiling their surroundings in a dense fog. With a straightforward premise of searching for a lost daughter in the eerie town of Silent Hill, the game offers five different possible endings based on the player’s actions throughout the story, adding layers of mystery and replayability.