Horror video games have nearly all the time been related to fight-or-flight encounters with killers and adrenaline-fueled boss fights, however what if the true essence of concern cannot be quelled by the barrel of a gun or the slash of a knife?
The truth is, among the most chilling and memorable horror video games are those the place you by no means increase your fists in any respect.
These sorts of horror video games are excellent for reminding us that generally, the scariest factor in a recreation is figuring out you’ll be able to’t battle again.
Whether or not you are uncovering haunting mysteries or simply attempting to outlive the evening, these combat-free horror video games show you don’t want weapons to scare your viewers!
10 Killer Frequency
Saving the Day By way of Radio Tunes
Killer Frequency is just like the Camp Crystal Lake simulator of the horror recreation world—besides as a substitute of taking part in as a topless teenager within the woods, you are a washed-up radio DJ determined for a paycheck.
On this recreation, you will play the a part of a burnt-out radio DJ caught in a tiny city incapable of recognizing your true inventive skills.
Fading into profession obscurity is the least of your issues, nevertheless, when, throughout a late-night graveyard shift, your callers begin getting picked off one after the other by a mysterious killer with unknown motives.
Armed with little else however a neighborhood map and your fast considering (or lack thereof), you’ll must spend the evening taking frantic calls from panicked townsfolk as a masked killer step by step picks them off.
Your purpose? Information these poor souls to security, so long as you’ll be able to determine the place they’re, what’s chasing them, and the way to not get them killed, in fact.
It’s half puzzle-solver, half disaster administration, and 100% a reminder that perhaps being a DJ isn’t as low-pressure of a gig as you thought.
9 5 Nights at Freddy’s
Do not Turn out to be Animatronic Chow
5 Nights at Freddy’s has turn out to be a family title within the gaming world, and for good purpose.
This decade-old horror franchise has expertly stored its viewers glued to their screens since day one; with its oddly intensive lore, terrifying animatronics, and heart-pounding encounters, this recreation would make anybody wish to sleep with the lights on.
On this recreation, gamers will step into the OSHA-certified footwear of an evening safety guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. What begins off as a seemingly boring job rapidly spirals right into a nerve-wracking ordeal, nevertheless, because the restaurant’s animatronic creatures determine they’re hungry for one thing greater than pizza.
With homicide on their mechanical minds, these animatronics will cease at nothing to hunt you down. Armed with nothing however a dwindling energy provide, a formidable set of safety cameras, and the world’s most claustrophobic management room, you’ll must outsmart these animatronic nightmares at each flip when you ever wish to see the tip of your shift.
There’s no preventing again and no quests for revenge—simply a variety of panicked button-pressing, tense moments of silence, and leap scares that’ll hang-out you lengthy after you’ve clocked out.
8 Chasing Static
Spirit-Field Simulator
Chasing Static is a surprisingly under-hyped horror recreation that deserves far more recognition than it will get. Set within the misty, atmospheric countryside of rural Wales, this psychological horror journey will sink its claws into you the second you load it up.
On this recreation, you will play the a part of Chris Selwood, a misplaced vacationer who stumbles upon an deserted facility out in the course of nowhere, with the residents of the encompassing city nowhere to be discovered.
With nothing however a frequency scanner to your title, you’ll must piece collectively the city’s haunting backstory by following unsettling audio cues and exploring the world.
The sport leans closely on its environment, providing among the best slow-burn horror experiences that I’ve had the pleasure of being terrified by in a very long time.
For those who’re a fan of video games that make your literal pores and skin crawl with out counting on leap scares or extreme gore, then Chasing Static is a hidden gem value tuning into. Simply don’t blame me when you begin listening to static in your sleep.
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7 Phasmophobia
Get the Ghost and Get Out
- Launched
- September 18, 2020
- Multiplayer
- On-line Co-Op
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Use of Medicine, Violence
- How Lengthy To Beat
- 36.5 hours (solo) / 28 hours (co-op) / 33 hours (vs.)
- Early Entry Launch
- September 18, 2020
- PC Launch Date
- September 18, 2020
- Xbox Sequence X|S Launch Date
- October 29, 2024
- PS5 Launch Date
- October 29, 2024
- Variety of Gamers
- 4
- Supported VR Headsets
- PlayStation VR 2 Headset
- Steam Consumer Score
- 96%
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- How Lengthy To Beat (Completionist Runs)
- T For Teen // Blood, Use of Medicine, Violence
- OpenCritic Score
- Robust
- PSVR2 Launch Date
- October 29, 2024
Everybody’s most likely heard of Phasmophobia at this level, with standard YouTubers like Markiplier giving it the inexperienced gentle and its optimistic Steam critiques within the literal tons of of hundreds. That being stated, this horror expertise is much from over-hyped; Phasmophobia will actually rewire how your mind interprets terror.
Phasmophobia drops you and your group of ghost hunters (when you’re taking part in co-op) into horrifically haunted places, with solely your wits and your myriad of ghost-hunting instruments to maintain you firm.
No fight, no preventing to your life, simply the fixed, endless anticipation of one thing lurking proper across the nook—or worse, straight behind you.
Each creaky floorboard, each flicker of the lights, and each sudden drop in temperature may sign the ghost’s subsequent transfer. By no means figuring out when, the place, and even why the entity will strike is definitely some of the horrifying facets of the sport.
For those who’ve ever wished to know what it could be wish to get chucked into The Conjuring cinematic universe, then all you should do is play Phasmophobia.
6 Demonologist
Ed and Lorraine Warren POV
Demonologist is form of like Phasmophobia, besides as a substitute of simply figuring out the ghost and reserving it the hell out of there, you truly must exorcise the damned factor too. It is low-key as if The Ghostbusters have been rated R.
On this co-op horror recreation, you and your group of beginner demon hunters (when you’re taking part in with buddies) are tasked with investigating haunted places, gathering proof of the supernatural, and performing exorcisms to ship the vengeful spirits packing.
The kicker is that, apparently, demons and such do not like getting despatched again to the place they got here from.
The truth is, they hate it a lot, that they’re going to be attempting to kill you in essentially the most horrific, admittedly inventive methods attainable from the get-go, and can solely develop extra agitated the longer you retain respiratory.
For those who’re into terrifying paranormal entities, dangerous profession selections, and questioning when you’ll make it out alive with your whole limbs intact, then Demonologist has you coated.
5 Outlast
Outlast the Monsters
If traditional indie horror video games have been a kingdom, then Outlast would sit upon its throne with a crown product of terror.
Outlast is a kind of horror video games that everybody ought to play at the least as soon as, offered they haven’t any coronary heart issues or weak stomachs; it is the proper recreation to play when you’re seeking to expertise the form of horror that’ll make you remorse ever getting off the bed.
On this recreation, you will play as Miles Upshur, a reporter who decides to take a look at a creepy, deserted insane asylum as a result of, apparently, your mind by no means developed fairly proper, and you like making dangerous selections.
Regardless of the adrenaline-pumping premise of this recreation, there’s surprisingly no fight—simply you, your prayers, and a complete bunch of very, very offended “sufferers” who’d all wish to make you the primary course.
You’ll spend the whole recreation operating, hiding, and hoping that the shadows lurking at midnight do not catch as much as you.
For those who assume being chased by psychotic inmates in a darkish, decrepit asylum is enjoyable (and who doesn’t?), then Outlast will probably be your creepy cup of tea.
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4 Slender: The Arrival
He is Again and Scarier Than Ever
Anybody even remotely accustomed to horror video games has heard about Slenderman: a tall, skinny entity that stalks unsuspecting gamers by means of the woods at evening. This recreation takes the whole lot you really liked (or hated) concerning the traditional creepypasta legend and turns it right into a nightmare you wished you possibly can neglect.
You would not assume {that a} faceless, string bean dude in a swimsuit can be all that terrifying (or perhaps you are regular), however belief me; seeing this dude’s featureless noggin coming at me in the dark conjured a form of terror inside my mind that I used to be not ready for within the slightest.
He appears to be like as if the Keep Puft Marshmallow Man went on a eating regimen, however within the worst method attainable.
This recreation serves because the official re-imagining of the unique Slender: The Eight Pages recreation that terrified audiences across the globe.
That includes a brand-new storyline, improved visuals, and even new characters, Slender: The Arrival options the whole lot that made the unique recreation nice after which some.
All the Slenderman video games to date have been a masterclass in atmospheric horror, however someway, Slender: The Arrival was simply constructed totally different. You are going to want to purchase soundproofing to your recreation room from how loud you will be screaming.
3 Amnesia: The Darkish Descent
A Darkish Descent into Insanity
Much like Outlast, most players would agree that Amnesia: The Darkish Descent is a kind of video games that everybody must play at the least as soon as.
Amnesia: The Darkish Descent could have you questioning actually each noise your home has ever made, and the way costly your energy invoice can be when you simply stored the lights on for the remainder of your life. It isn’t for the faint of coronary heart, but it surely is for players who do not like fight and love crying themselves to sleep at evening.
On this recreation, you get to play as Daniel, who wakes up in a creepy previous fort with no reminiscence of who he’s or how he acquired there.
Armed with nothing however a flimsy lantern and your quickly crumbling sanity, you’re tasked with exploring the fort, pondering your previous, and—oh yeah—attempting to outlive regardless of the hell is lurking at midnight.
Hiding and operating to your life are actually your solely two defenses on this recreation, and boy, does it ever make you utilize them. Usain Bolt has nothing on this recreation’s protagonist, as you attempt to pilot him to security like a bat out of hell.
2 Mouthwashing
Not Truly About Mouth Washing
Opposite to what you would possibly imagine, this recreation just isn’t concerning the risks of poor oral hygiene. So earlier than you go leaping to conclusions based mostly on the sport’s title, let me simply say that Mouthwashing is definitely some of the vile, psychologically horrific video games that I’ve performed in a very long time.
This recreation has no fight, however it is going to mess along with your head in ways in which really feel like a private assault in your psyche. Set on a shipwrecked house freighter whose crew is slowly dying, you are not simply attempting to outlive—you’re attempting desperately to not descend into insanity.
Hunger, isolation, and the eerie feeling that one thing is simply slightly bit off will gnaw at you till you’re questioning what’s actual and what’s a waking nightmare conjured up by your personal thoughts.
This recreation will not have you ever going through any enemies within the conventional sense, however it is going to break you down mentally and psychologically, forcing you to confront terrifying hallucinations, deranged crew members, and a sinking sense of hopelessness because the ship’s energy and assets dwindle day by day.
For those who’re in search of a recreation that’ll maintain you on the sting of your gaming chair, make you second-guess each single sound, and make you by no means wish to use mouthwash ever once more, then Mouthwashing is your subsequent huge obsession.
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1 Layers of Worry: Legacy
If Picasso Was on Medicine
If Layers of Worry: Legacy have been an individual, it could be that one scraggly uncle who lives in a gazebo and is not allowed to return to Thanksgiving anymore.
In Layers of Worry: Legacy, you play as an unnamed, tortured painter attempting to finish your magnum opus, and nothing says “inventive course of” like wandering round a haunted mansion with shifting partitions and hallucinations round each nook.
The portray itself is coming alongside nice, truly—that’s, till you begin shedding your thoughts. Shortly after you end your first layer, you start to expertise horrifying hallucinations of your previous, together with guilt-ridden reminiscences surrounding your spouse and baby.
These haunting visions will comply with your each transfer across the mansion, by no means providing you with a second of relaxation or escape from their torment. Throughout your frantic makes an attempt at dodging these specters’ harassment, you will uncover increasingly twisted particulars about your previous, main you even deeper right into a pit of insanity inconceivable to flee from.
It is a actually haunting title that’d have anybody operating to cover below the covers, however what makes Layers of Worry: Legacy actually particular is its distinctive gameplay mechanics. All the surroundings shifts with each transfer of your digicam, throwing you into new environments that solely additional illustrate your character’s descent into madness.
Bear in mind studying The Image of Dorian Grey in highschool and lowkey getting the creeps round work for some time? Yeah, get able to expertise that over again with this recreation.
Belief me after I let you know, this one goes to stay with you lengthy after you have logged out.
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