Summary
Horror games can be many things;each player will want something slightly different from the games they play. Whether that be grotesque creatures of unknowable origins chasing the player down, or a simple text-based psychological horror that makes them second guess their place in the universe.
This list looks at 8 games that inhabit each of these extremes, and everything in between, with one simple factor in common: their distressing nature. While not all of these games contain graphic imagery or horrible creatures, they each manage to leave the player feeling uncomfortable, unnerved, and a little pale.
Mouthwashingis a relatively simple psychological horror that took the horror genre by storm in the latter months of 2024. The game revolves around the player trying to keep morale high within the crew of a crashed space-freighter as resources dwindle, and the disfigured yet still alive captain is kept pacified in the medical bay.
The real disturbing elements ofMouthwashingcome in the form of mind-bending hallucinations, fueled by a guilty conscience and the excessive consumption of alcoholic mouthwash. It is also impossible to talk aboutMouthwashingwithout mentioning the ironically sobering moment the player is confronted with the reality that the character they have been playing is not only the cause of the crew’s situation but also as much of a monster as any creature the horror genre has to offer.
The first first-person entry in the long-runningResident Evilfranchise,Resident Evil 7: Biohazardhas much to offer in the way of distressing moments. Not only can the player watch first-hand as Ethan Winters is dismembered, and other characters are beheaded, disemboweled, and transformed into the creatures the franchise is known for, but all of this can be experienced in VR.
Biohazardrebooted the franchise out of the action-horror slump it had found itself in, getting back to the classic horror roots it became famous for. Despite this, some of the tension does fade away once the player gets a gun and can start fighting back, but this does little to detract from the overwhelmingly unpleasant atmosphere.
Outlastis possibly the closest thing to a true found-footage horror game on the market, and it executes this perfectly. Placed in a mental hospital with nothing but a camera, the player’s only objective is to survive. WhereOutlastsucceeds in being truly distressing is its level of immersion, forgoing a health bar and stereotypical HUD (except when using the camera).
Outlastnever gives the player the option to fight, instead requiring them to hide, sneak, and run to escape and outlast the inhuman assailants chasing them.
Similar toOutlast,Alien: Isolationdenies the player the opportunity to fight the main antagonistic force, which appears in the form of the Xenomorph. The player must make their way around a space station that is falling apart, avoiding rampant androids and desperate humans all while being hunted by an unstoppable alien force.
Being caught by the alien is game over, and it is constantly lurking nearby (thanks to the revolutionary AI systems in place), making the entire game an anxiety-inducing experience. It is never clear exactly when the Xenomorph will appear, but it is very clear that it is never far away enough to truly relax.
The Mortuary Assistantis one of the games on this list not from a previously established franchise and was developed by a singular dev, making it a pinnacle of the indie horror genre. The player takes control of the titular mortuary assistant as they work to embalm bodies. This sounds simple enough, if not a bit macabre, but it is complicated by the numerous demons possessing the bodies, and the players' character themselves.
While the game plays like a walking simulator, similar toOutlast, the procedurally generated narrative means that each playthrough is unique and that the scares leading to each of the different endings will keep players on their toes every time. The creature design inThe Mortuary Assistantdoes a stellar job, on top of the already distressing feeling of simply being in a morgue.
Most, if not all, gamers will be familiar withSilent Hill 2, the atmospheric survival horror game set in the town of Silent Hill, where fog permeates all and brings with it unknowable horrors.The 2024 remake of the 2001 classic takes what many loved about the original and cranks it up to 11, taking the creatures that caused many nightmares and making them look that much more realistic.
It isn’t only the horrors lurking in the fog that cause the distressing atmosphere ofSilent Hill 2, but also the game’s reflection on human nature, guilt, and ultimately the realization that James may not be the diligent husband he claimed to be. The environmental aspects of the game also do a huge amount for the game, making the desolate town feel even more isolating.
The oldest game on this list,I Have No Mouth And I Must Screamis a point-and-click adaptation of the classic Harlan Ellison short storyof the same name. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the last five members of humanity are held captive by AM, an AI, which keeps them alive simply to torture them for centuries on end.
If the premise of that isn’t distressing enough, the end of both the game and the story (hinted at in the title) is truly one of the most depressing narrative conclusions in horror, and the subject of many “fate worse than death” lists. The player can play the hero all they like, but only one of the seven endings has any real hope for the future of humanity.
The final entry on this list isP.T.,a game that is no longer playable unless someone can get their hands on a PS4 from 2014 that still has the game installed. Intended to be a “playable teaser” for a now-canceled project known asSilent Hills,P.T.has the player simply walking through the corridors of a house. That loops over, and over, and over, each cycle bringing new horrors and narrative revelations with it.
Despite the short runtime of the teaser, many gamers considerP.T.to be one of the scariest games ever made and is distressing intrueSilent Hillfashion. From a crying fetus in the bathroom sink, to the terrifying “Lisa”,P.T.made the simple concept of turning the corner into one of the most distressing decisions in horror game history, and many gamers lament the decision to cancel the full game release.
