Top 30 Scariest Video Games of the Century So Far

#30: “The Forest” (2018)

2018’s “The Forest” really puts the “survival” in survival horror. In this creepy first-person survival game, you’ll craft, explore, and engage with creepy little weirdos to make it out alive. After surviving a plane crash, you’ll spend the daylight hours building up your camp and fortifying your defenses, because at night you’ll have to defend yourself from these same enemies. Building up a strong camp is just as important as being competent in battle. “The Forest” cleverly offers countless ways for you to do so. It doesn’t seem that scary on the surface, but trust us when we say that it can get out of hand fast.

#29: “The Suffering” (2004)

A hidden horror gem from the PS2 and original Xbox era, “The Suffering” is a first and third-person hybrid game where you take on the role of Torque, a death row inmate. He’s been convicted of killing his ex-wife and two kids, but has no recollection of committing this heinous crime. The game’s writing and subject matter may not have aged super well, but we can’t deny that it’s one of the creepiest games of that time. The dark and claustrophobic environments will make your hairs stand on end. The terrifying, “Silent Hill”-like enemies with blades for limbs are gruesome and hard to kill. The “Max Payne”-style combat is fun, and navigating around the dark, bloodstained prison is an experience we won’t forget.

#28: “F.E.A.R.” (2005)

“F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon” is a classic first-person horror shooter from the PS3 and Xbox 360 era that has spawned a handful of sequels. You play as the Point Man, one of many cloned super soldiers with enhanced abilities, dispatched to take on the paranormal threat of Alma Wade. It perfectly blends high-octane action gunplay with atmospheric horror, doing so in much better ways than more recent horror games like “Resident Evil 6.” Alma is an all-time horror game character. Her few and far between appearances caused us many a jump scare throughout our playthroughs.

#27: “Little Nightmares” (2017)

It may not look it at first glance, since it’s a traditional-style 2.5D platformer, but “Little Nightmares” has its fair share of terrifying moments, living up to its namesake. It’s not the most complicated or mechanically-focused game, but we can’t deny its place among the horror game greats. There are a handful of moments that prey on specific types of fears and phobias, like creepy dolls and uncanny body horror. The extremely short run time, along with its sequel, makes for a game that fans of both horror and puzzle platformers should play at least once.

#26: “The Mortuary Assistant” (2022)

We’ve been blessed (or cursed, depending on how you look at it) with an endless supply of indie horror games throughout the last decade. Games like “The Mortuary Assistant” offer just a few hours of solid, scary gameplay for great value, and are some of the best horror game experiences you can find. In it, you play as Rebecca Owens, a new graduate fresh out of mortuary school. She’s asked to work the night shift. As you’d expect, supernatural nonsense begins to happen as she spends the night with her cadaver companions. The game’s mortuary mechanics are somewhat realistic, and like many other horror titles, its puzzle design is top-notch.

#25: “​​Cry of Fear” (2012)

“Cry of Fear” originally started out as a “Half-Life” mod and has since become one of the best hidden gem horror games of the 2010s era. It’s a single-player and co-op survival horror game set in an abandoned Scandinavian town where you’ll have to avoid hellish creatures. It has an emphasis on cinematics, something many quality horror titles have found success with, along with a spooky atmosphere and jumpscares in spades. Development on the project has unfortunately been halted, but you can still download this great horror mod for free on Steam, and we highly recommend you do so if terrifying vibes are your thing. If you’re watching this video, they probably are.

#24: “Luto” (2025)

“Luto” came out in July 2025, but it’s already high up on many horror fans’ lists. It’s a slow-moving psychological horror game inspired heavily by P.T., where you play as Sam, who’s trying to escape from his home and face his traumatic past. The game’s story is told through dark, disturbing notes, journal entries, pictures, and the ongoing narration that subverts your expectations. There’s no combat, no real stakes, and no way to get a “game over,” but that doesn’t mean the game isn’t terrifying. The silent and still figures covered in white sheets are still burned into our brains. Even though the jump scares are few and far between, they’re some of the most startling we’ve experienced in any horror game.

#23: “Visage” (2020)

Another game heavily inspired by P.T., “Visage” is easily one of the scariest video games ever made, and definitely the most disturbing. Sharing some similarities with “Luto” as well, “Visage” will have you explore and solve puzzles as you attempt to escape the house you’re trapped in. We’ll spare some of its cutscenes and imagery here, since the game deals heavily in murder, but trust us when we say it’s violent, disturbing, and masterfully captures the vibe of what you’d expect from a good psychological horror game.

#22: “Amnesia: The Bunker” (2023)

The fourth game in the “Amnesia” series, “The Bunker” takes the timeline back to 1916 during World War I, hence the name. You play as French soldier Henri Clement as he fights his way out of the titular bunker, all while solving puzzles and evading a new monstrous presence stalking him. It has the typical “Amnesia” tension and puzzle-solving we’ve all come to know and love. Just like its predecessors, it is absolutely terrifying. It’ll run you anywhere between 4 to 8 hours to finish, but it’s an experience that will stick with you long after you roll credits due to its quality as a game and its pedigree as part of one of the best horror franchises around.

#21: “Mouthwashing” (2024)

One of the biggest indie horror standouts of last year, “Mouthwashing” is best enjoyed going in completely blind. Without giving too much away, the game is a sort of walking sim sci-fi horror game where its story is told in a nonlinear fashion. It starts after your space freighter is sabotaged and crash-lands, leaving the ship’s captain in rough shape and to blame for the malfunction. Throughout its roughly 2-hour runtime, you’ll explore the ship, learn about its crew, and experience the narrative, all while it builds good tension. It’s super short, but its puzzles and story make it a standout indie horror title we highly recommend.

#20: “Slender: The Eight Pages” (2012)

This game helped give rise to the indie craze of the 2010s and proved that video games didn’t need massive budgets to be effective. Like “The Blair Witch Project” and similar low-budget horror films, “Slender” does a lot with a little. The gameplay itself is very simple - you walk through the darkened woods, collect notes, and avoid the creepy Slender Man. But there’s something inherently terrifying about hiding from threats in the dark; it activates something primal buried deep within the brain. The game’s low-budget aesthetic adds an extra layer of uneasiness, like it was something pulled from the dark web.

#19: “Soma” (2015)

A lot of people were wondering what Frictional Games would do after the brilliant “Amnesia: The Dark Descent.” The answer was the similar yet totally different “Soma,” which concerned sentient robots in an underwater research facility. Like its predecessor, “Soma” primarily involved sneaking around enemies and solving puzzles while uncovering the mystery behind your identity and precarious situation. It also contains a relentlessly unsettling atmosphere - a unique mixture of “Amnesia,” “System Shock,” and “BioShock” all rolled into one. And when all that is combined with the disgusting body horror present throughout the game, you get an experience pulled straight from a nightmare.

#18: “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice” (2017)

“Hellblade” is a self-proclaimed “independent AAA game” from British developer Ninja Theory. It follows a Pict warrior named Senua in her attempt to save the soul of her dead lover from Hela. And though the story is compelling, it’s Senua’s psychosis that really stands out. The developers consulted with neuroscientists and people suffering from psychosis in order to accurately depict the condition, and it was this aspect of the game that subsequently received the most praise. Game critics noted how Senua’s psychosis lent to the game’s unsettling horror - such as visions, auditory hallucinations, and even some psychological tricks - while experts praised the realistic depiction of the condition. It’s scary, but in a deeply tragic and humane way.

#17: “Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator” (2017)

By 2017, interest in the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” series was waning. It needed an injection of creativity and invention - and “Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator” proved just what the doctor ordered. This game unexpectedly took the franchise into business simulation, tasking the player with managing and maintaining a fictional pizzeria. While doing so, you must avoid the hostile animatronics that are set loose in the establishment. It’s during this section that some of your business decisions will either help or impede your progress. For example, accepting sponsorship offers will give your business more money, but will later prove detrimental when loud advertisements play on the computer. It’s a wildly inventive game that horrifically blends business sim with the traditional creepiness of“Five Nights at Freddy’s”.

#16: “Inside” (2016)

“Inside” is the second game from Playdead, who gave us the brilliant “Limbo”; it’s something of a spiritual success, characterized by a similar art style and 2.5D gameplay. Taking control of an unnamed boy, players explore and traverse a monochromatic dystopian world while avoiding obstacles like security machines and hunting dogs. Should the boy die, the deaths are often depicted in a surprisingly realistic manner, which lends the game an unexpected grittiness. The world itself is also deeply unsettling thanks to the art design, general lack of sound, and some incredibly nasty creatures. Seriously, the Huddle has to be one of the most disturbing things we’ve ever seen in a video game. “Inside” isn’t so much “scary” as it is just deeply unnerving.

#15: “Alan Wake 2” (2023)

“Alan Wake 2” is a horror sequel 13 years in the making. It was worth every second of patience. The game picks up where the original ended, with the titular writer Alan Wake getting trapped in the Dark Place. Enter FBI agent Saga Anderson, current-gen graphics, modern design sensibilities, and you have one of the best and scariest contemporary horror games. The original game was scary, but the sequel dials it up to 11. Jump scares may be abundant, but they’re well-placed and extremely effective, and adding the FMV acting spliced into in-game cutscenes helps with immersion. If anything, make sure you play this game for the “We Sing” section alone. Trust us.

#14: “Dead Space 2” (2011)

Now if you want to talk viscerally impacting, let’s talk about “Dead Space 2!” The “Dead Space” series is the medium’s answer to the scary space stories of old. Space inherently makes for a terrifying setting – not only is it seemingly beyond human comprehension, but there’s literally nowhere more isolating. In short, it really gets the ol’ imagination going. And not in a fun way. Add in some Lovecraftian alien things and some truly disturbing body horror, and you have the living nightmare that is “Dead Space 2.” We didn’t think it could get much scarier than the first game. This proved us wrong.

#13: “Layers of Fear” (2016)

Developed by the oddly named Bloober Team, “Layers of Fear” is a psychological horror game that takes its cues and influences from the independent horror titles of the early decade. More on that later. You play as a mentally disturbed artist who is trying to paint his masterpiece but who keeps getting distracted by puzzles and an ever-changing mansion. As you do. Like most psychological games, “Layers of Fear” places most of its horror within the mind and forces us to evaluate what is and isn’t real. As such, it asks us to share in the protagonist’s surreal experience, even if that’s something we don’t necessarily want to do. The persistent jump scares and disturbing visions don’t help much.

#12: “Until Dawn” (2015)

“Until Dawn” is one of the PlayStation 4’s most unique exclusives. It serves as an interactive, choose your own adventure style of game, as the choices you make directly impact the story and characters. The story takes its influence from a wide variety of horror styles, starting as a creepy slasher in the vein of “Friday the 13th” before transitioning to a more fantastical tale involving wendigos and Native American curses. Of course, much of the horror derives from the nature of those stories. But the stress of keeping your characters alive and trying to make the best decisions possible also adds an element of unpredictability that helps keep the game fresh and relentlessly nerve-racking.

#11: “The Evil Within” (2014)

Being a third person horror title directed by Shinji Mikami, “The Evil Within” was bound to be compared to the “Resident Evil” series. But while the latter primarily focuses on B-movie thrills like zombies, mutants, and parasites, “The Evil Within” is far more psychological and disturbing. It’s themes were more in line with “Silent Hill” than “Resident Evil,” complete with a troubled protagonist, otherworldly locations, a general nightmarish tone, and a story so bizarre and bonkers it’ll have you genuinely questioning the sobriety of its creators. And who can forget the grotesque enemies such as Quell, Laura, and everyone’s favorite, The Keeper? It’s deeply disturbing, but also incredibly rewarding.

#10: “Condemned: Criminal Origins” (2005)

“Condemned” is basically the video game equivalent of “Seven.” You play as an SCU investigator named Ethan Hunt who must study and analyze crime scenes to catch serial killers. And much like “Seven,” the game’s setting of Metro is visually dark, seedy, and repressive -almost as if the city is an embodiment of the violence and depravity within it. As if that’s not scary enough, Ethan suffers from visual hallucinations, each episode more unbelievable and deeply unsettling than the last. The game is a hideous combination of inventive jump scares, unimaginable perversion, brutal melee combat, and surreal visuals. “Condemned” isn’t “played” so much as it’s lived in and experienced.

#9: “The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

May we just say one thing - the Rat King can go right to Hell. Like its predecessor, “The Last of Us Part II” involves sections made up of pitch black hallways, distant clicks and screams, and many disgusting visuals. But it’s not just the visuals that make “The Last of Us Part II” so unnerving. It’s the game’s general atmosphere. Unlike its predecessor, there are very few, if any, lighthearted moments to be found. It’s just unending hatred and horrific violence, including the most brutal and realistic death animations we’ve ever seen in a video game. Devastating, uncomfortable and downright exhausting, this sequel will stick to you long after the end credits roll.

#8: “Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem” (2002)

“Eternal Darkness” is a definite standout within the Nintendo library. Released exclusively on the GameCube and published by Nintendo, “Eternal Darkness” was the esteemed publishers’ attempt at going mature. And what a resounding success it was! Most of the game’s scares stem from its “sanity effects,” a highly unique mechanic in which the game essentially trolls the player. Some examples include pretending to change TV inputs, fake-deleting your save files, clearing your inventory, and disconnecting your controller. This, of course, was in addition to various character-specific and environmental effects. The end result is unlike anything seen in a video game before, and it greatly aids in both interactivity and immersion within the story. “Sanity’s Requiem”... will have you questioning your own.

#7: “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” (2017)

A lot was riding on “Resident Evil 7.” “Resident Evil 5” was considered a bit of a disappointment after the masterpiece that was “4,” and “6” was just…well, let’s not talk about “6.” Now taking cues from “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “Resident Evil 7” came barrelling out the gate, and it did not hold back! From the unnerving atmosphere of the Baker family residence, alongside disturbing boss battles and gruesome sequences we can’t show here, “7” brought the scares, both psychological and visceral. There may not have been a familiar face in sight until the very end, but this game singlehandedly brought the franchise back from the brink of extinction. (xref) “Resident Evil 2” only solidified Capcom’s miraculous redemption.

#6: “Alien: Isolation” (2014)

Finally – FINALLY! – we got an “Alien” game in keeping with the first movie’s tone. Most “Alien” titles have followed in the bombast of James Cameron’s “Aliens,” and that’s fine. But a lot of the franchise’s fans were clamoring for a more atmospheric and claustrophobic experience in keeping with Ridley Scott’s masterpiece, and Creative Assembly delivered. There are few video games as stressful and anxiety-inducing as this, as you are persistently hunted by the titular alien and left utterly powerless to defend yourself against it. Yes, there are defensive techniques, but most of your time will be spent cowering under tables or holding your breath in a locker as the alien stomps and sniffs around outside. We didn’t think our hearts could beat that fast.

#5: “P.T.” (2014)

We may never forgive Konami for what they did to “P.T.” If you’ve been living under a rock for the last five years, “P.T.” was a playable teaser (hence the initials) for a new “Silent Hill” game. This could have been the greatest horror game ever released – not only was it being co-directed by Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, but the demo alone was scarier and more impactful than most AAA horror games. This demo was a masterclass in horror, creating tension like nothing else and cycling through a wide variety of horror styles, each of which were well integrated and deliriously terrifying. It’s a masterpiece of supernatural horror, and it will never again see the light of day.

#4: “Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly” (2003)

The first “Fatal Frame” was certainly scary, but “Crimson Butterfly” is on a whole other level. This game is quite possibly the greatest representation of J-horror within the video game medium. The gameplay largely centers around exploring an abandoned village and exorcizing its ghosts and demons with your magic camera. The village has a delightfully spooky atmosphere, and the game forces you to literally confront your fears by interacting with the ghosts rather than running or hiding from them. And while all this is going on, the player’s sister Mayu is overcome with some type of malicious force, making the whole thing feel deeply personal. There’s simply no other ghost game like “Fatal Frame II.”

#3: “Outlast” (2013)

“Outlast” helped define the independent horror surge of the early 2010s. Developed and published by Red Barrels, this game had you playing as a journalist who travels to a seemingly abandoned insane asylum to uncover the truth about inhumane experiments. The gameplay is relatively simplistic, as it mostly consists of walking around, running away from enemies, and hiding under beds. Most of the game’s mastery lies in its execution. It preys on our intrinsic fears of the dark, of being chased and hunted, and of being helpless against an enemy who wishes to do us harm. It’s amazing what Red Barrels managed to do with such limiting gameplay, and it helped revolutionize the way horror games were made throughout the decade.

#2: “Amnesia: The Dark Descent” (2010)

The legacy of “Amnesia” cannot be overstated. It kickstarted the independent horror craze of the early 2010s, and its gameplay mechanics and general style were heavily copied throughout the decade. The game has you control a man named Daniel as he explores a dark and foreboding castle, solves intricate puzzles, and hides from deformed and nightmarish creatures that literally cause him to go insane. Never before had a game focused so heavily on sheer survival, and few have made the player feel so alone and vulnerable. You may begin questioning your own sanity by the time the credits roll, never mind Daniel’s. It’s a masterful example of the survival horror genre, and it remains one of the scariest games ever made.

#1: “Silent Hill 2” (2001)

It’s certainly worth debating, but “Silent Hill 2” may just be the perfect horror video game. It combines essentially every element of horror into one nerve-racking package, ensuring that not even the most resilient gamer can come out unaffected. There are the visceral scares inherent to otherworldly monsters, creepy abandoned towns, and the game’s grimy, foggy atmosphere; from a gameplay and visual perspective, “Silent Hill 2” is terrifying. But then there’s the psychological aspect, including the game’s metaphorical use of Pyramid Head, the Bubble Head Nurses and the horrific integration of James’s wife, Mary. The game gets in your head and stays there, forcing you to contemplate and confront its numerous horrors, both real and allegorical. It’s a stunningly effective piece of horror.

Let us know if we missed your favorites in the comments below.