Yikes! These are the 15 Best Horror Games for PC

Published: Dec. 20, 2023
Updated: Dec. 20, 2023

German English

You're searching for them, we have them: the 15 best horror games for PC! But those expecting the same old stuff might be pleasantly surprised.

This article includes:

  • Our picks for the top 15 horror games for PC.
  • Insightful game descriptions and screenshots from each title.

What Kind of Best-of List is This?

Best horror games for pc

“Best Horror Games,” this hellish trio of words is something every horror fan has probably typed into a search engine at least once. The problem is that even Google, the supposed top sleuth of the internet, mostly finds you a boring reunion of the usual stuff; from Outlast to Resident Evil to Silent Hill and back.

Our top 15 is a bit different. Since its inception, Guided has also delved into the works of half-starved indie developers, who often use their compiler wait times to pour all their sorrow into a single-ply tissue. Will you benefit from this too? Well, check out the results.

Our Top 15 Horror Games for PC

15th Place: Perception

In Perception, you can play blind: as Cassie, born without sight, you navigate through the mysteries of an abandoned mansion with a cane. Uniquely (but coolly) visualized sound waves serve as your guide. Hardcore horror fans might find it a bit underwhelming.

Perception

14th Place: Narcosis

Narcosis, with its deep-sea setting, seems to want to follow in SOMA’s footsteps, but it turns out to be more of a watery echo of Night Beyond. A guaranteed scare, along with frustration over some difficult puzzles.

Narcosis

13th Place: Conarium

Another entry in the H.P. Lovecraft universe comes from Turkish game studio Zoetrope Interactive. Conarium, inspired by At the Mountains of Madness, excels in storytelling. It feels almost like a horror novel “to walk around in”, so it’s a nightmare for action fans.

Conarium

12th Place: Daemon_9

“It’s not a movie and not a game, it’s both,” says solo developer Curio Productions about their FMV adventure daemon_9. The gameplay involves shamelessly snooping on a stranger’s hard drive and the vastness of the real internet to solve the mysterious disappearance of a high school student. Impressive.

Daemon 9

11th Place: Little Nightmares

As a creatively inclined horror platformer, Little Nightmares didn’t get the attention it deserved. The sneaking, climbing, and jumping with the small protagonist Six is really fun. The game also shines with an outstanding soundscape and appealing graphics. The “hidden” story and short playtime led to a deduction in our rating.

Little Nightmares

10th Place: Detention

If most horror titles are as innovative as a mixed ice cream, Detention is a big, fat toffee cup. Set in the Taiwan conflict of the 60s, you slip into the role of a teen in a mythologically complex story about an old school building, and sink knee-deep into it.

Detention

9th Place: Home Sweet Home (Episode 1)

This merciless first-person survival horror from Thailand really goes for it. Essentially a game of cat-and-mouse with a faded box-cutter jester, it’s so grimy and gripping that fans of Asian horror will be fully satisfied. Unfortunately, the level and mission design quality noticeably drops towards the end.

Home Sweet Home

8th Place: White Day (Remake)

The remake of the well-known Korean survival horror classic can’t quite replace the original game from 2001. The originally extremely threatening hide-and-sneak has been toned down too much. Nonetheless, the captivating story of Yeondu Highschool remains a genre benchmark in this version.

White Day Remake

7th Place: Resident Evil 7

No top list would be complete without a few big names: Resident Evil 7 says goodbye to previous action extravaganzas and serves up an unusually wholesome story. “Resi 7” works as a first-person horror game mainly thanks to the behaviorally unique Baker family, who unfortunately only hosts you for about six hours.

Resident Evil 7

6th Place: Infliction

Want P.T. without the loop? Then try Caustic Reality’s horror drama Infliction – if nature gave you nerves of steel cables. With its outstanding sound and enemy design, as well as a relentless story, this haunted house brute knocks you out of your comfort zone so hard, you’ll long for your mom’s embrace at times.

Infliction

5th Place: Resident Evil 2 (Remake)

Capcom really managed to create a terrifying remake without the supposedly essential surveillance camera perspective. Sending Leon, Claire, and Mr. X into the ring couldn’t have been done much better, but it’s a pricey thrill.

Resident Evil 2 Remake

4th Place: Unforgiving: A Northern Hymn

Unforgiving: A Northern Hymn by Angry Demons is a nearly perfect first-person journey through the dark mythology of the Nordic world. The game’s design, a mix of adventure and survival horror, keeps you engaged with many dramatic moments for a good six hours. The only downside is the sometimes unconvincing graphics.

Unforgiving

3rd Place: Gray Dawn

Gray Dawn, a heavily religious indie title from Italy, ranks high for a simple reason: it’s a digital masterpiece. The passionately crafted adventure by Interactive Stone invites even atheists to delve into the surreal world of a misguided priest. A must-play for all innovation-loving (horror) gamers.

Gray Dawn

2nd Place: Devotion

Devotion, by the creators of Detention, not only transitions to the third dimension but also surpasses its predecessor with a cinematic story about a truly dreadful family drama. Fans of Asian horror should not miss out on Devotion.

Devotion

1st Place: Dead Space

Combining the gameplay of Resident Evil, the horror of Doom³, and the disgust of Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth results in Dead Space. This blend of dense atmosphere and technical brilliance almost inevitably lands it in the first place on our list of top-rated horror games. Congratulations!

Dead Space was developed by Glen Schofield (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3) and the American studio Visceral Games, which closed in October 2017; last year, the exceptional game celebrated its tenth anniversary. With over a million copies sold in its release year, this third-person sci-fi horror was a considerable success.

What’s your favorite horror game? Feel free to write it in the comments.

Dead Space

Want to join our community and discuss old or hot gaming topics? Then join our Discord server, we look forward to having you! 

After graduating from high school, I initially wanted to study instrumental music. However, eventually I pursued a career as a video game journalist, which I started at the prestigious Ehapa-Verlag publisher, among others. Today, I share my extensive video game expertise with Guided. I benefit from over 40 years of experience with PC and console games, as well as my work in game development for the indie studio Knights of Bytes. I understand how video games work, and I also know how to convey my knowledge in an understandable manner.
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
Please read our Privacy Policy
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram