Zach Cregger’s filmWeaponshas one of the creepiest premises seen in a modern horror film, but several games also emulate the movie’s sense of growing tension, terror, and mystery. Some horror titles have truly haunting atmospheres, making you feel on edge at every second. The best ones don’t rely solely on jumpscares, but rather choose to immerse you in a world that aims to see you consistently afraid.
While somegames are tied to iconic horror franchises, there are plenty of original titles that stand out too. WhileAlien: Isolationperfectly recreates the terror of the Xenomorph,fans of horror may want to look outside the box for worlds they don’t know. This can lead to completely fresh experiences, especially if you’re looking for something to disturb you in the wayWeaponsmight have.
10Until Dawn
Little Choices Have Major Consequences
A great game for horror movie fans isUntil Dawn, a story-driven title that follows a group of friends getting together in a secluded cabin in the mountains following a tragedy the previous year.This game plays almost like an interactive film, following the perspective of several charactersas things turn sinister in the isolated environment they find themselves in.
Thepersonalities of each character here are bolstered by the choices you make, which can lead to various outcomes. For example, failing a quick time event could lead to someone’s death, affecting the ending of the game.
There are severaltension-filled moments inUntil Dawnwhere you must keep the controller still, make fast choices under stress, or simply decide a character’s fate in a split-second.
There isplenty of replayability inUntil Dawnto reach different endings, including ones where everyone dies or others where you manage to save each character. The"butterfly effect"of each of your choices is incredibly impactful, making them worth redoing to see what consequences come from every decision.
9Signalis
Dystopian Future With Deteriorating Minds
Signalisis an indie horror game that explores the journey of Elster, a Replika ship technician searching for her human pilot after their scouting ship crashlanded on a strange world. Featuring a limited inventory system and top-down pixelated 2.5D art, this game is similar toResident Evilin its survival horror elements, but its atmosphere is wholly unique.
The environments are tense inSignalis, baked in the dread-inducing surrealism you might find in a David Lynch or Kubrik film. Taking inspiration fromThe King in Yellownovel by Robert W. Chambers,this game is meant to be as much psychological as survival horror, taking you through many twists and turnsacross a story where supernatural events make you question what’s real.
Elster’s status as a biomechanical clone Replika plays an important role in the story, asElster’s choices to unravel the mysteries around her origin can lead to several different endings. Although this game does focus on action a lot, the sci-fi horror here is ideal for those who want a rich world with plenty of horrifying secrets to uncover.
8Silent Hill 2 (2024)
Beautiful Remake For The Perfect Horror Story
There’s not much aboutSilent Hill 2I can say that hasn’t already been said before - it’s one of the best horror games of all time. This holds true forthe 2024 remake, which modernizes the gameplay of the classic to mold survival horror action into a haunting storythat will stay with you for hours after the credits roll.
Silent Hill 2follows James Sunderland, who visits the titular town of Silent Hill at the request of his dead wife, who seems to be calling him from beyond the grave.The game’s story dives deep into James' psyche, investigating his relationship with his wifewhile he navigates the horrors that seem present in the town layered with fog.
The iconic Pyramid Head shows up as a major antagonist in this game alongside other memorable characters whose own stories are just as compelling as James'. By the time you reach theend ofSilent Hill 2and reveal the truth, you’ll be able to accept or deny it in several different endings.The atmosphere of this game is creepy, melancholic, terrifying, and always eerie, creating one of gaming’s most memorable locations.
7The Mortuary Assistant
The Mortuary Assistantis a game where you work as, you guessed it, a Mortuary Assistant at a local funeral home, where dead bodies are embalmed, and the deceased are prepped for any ceremonial services.While you learn to take care of and properly embalm various people, strange situations start taking placeon a particularly late shift while you’re at work.
As of this time of writing, a movie adaptation ofThe Mortuary Assistantis planned for release in 2026.
The work with the dead already provides a creepy atmosphere, especially since your character is basically alone with their thoughts in a sterile, quiet workspace. As you continue working, you’ll slowly realize that there is more to each body than it seems, unraveling a thread about your character, the town they live in, and the evils lurking behind those who’ve died.
The devolving environment from a professional doing their job to a chaotic, terrifying mess of demonic entities and rituals isgreat for fans of slow-burning horror that takes time to build tension. The overall mystery of this game is compelling too, with many pieces to put together as you ward off evil as best you may.
Relentless Sci-Fi Terror With An Alarming Twist
Both the 2008 original and 2023 remake ofDead Spaceare excellent examples of sci-fi horror refined to its best elements. In this title, you control Issac, an engineer sent to investigate a mining ship along with your team. However, once you arrive, things quickly spiral into chaos asyou have to fight deadly Necromorphs, mutated human monstrosities who come in all shapes and sizes.
ThroughDead Space’s third-person action, you collect various weapons and resources to fend off the Necromorph threat while trying to repair and escape the mining station.The enemy variety of the Necromorphs will keep you on your toes, forcing you to adjust to many different types of creaturesyou’ll encounter in claustrophobic spaces inside the space facility.
Dead Spaceredefined what horror games could be, using environmental storytelling to drive a terrifying story where Issac can be ambushed around every corner.The intensity of the Necromorph threat culminates in a fascinating twist, which redefines everything that set up the game in the first place for a truly excellent horror-themed reveal.
5Slay The Princess
Nearly Endless Endings For Looping Horrific Choices
Slay the Princessis a visual novel with a simple princess - slay the titular princess, or the world will end. However, while this seems straightforward,there are an innumerable number of choices you may makethat change the game in drastic directions. Mercy or brutality give way to ethereal, looping horror where you begin to question the nature of everything around you.
As you loop back into the same situation, scenarios change from the eerie to the downright terrifying. Almost Lovecraftian in a way,this game is one you’ll want to experience over and over againto see what is truly possible as you try to reach some sort of ending.
4Alan Wake II
Shed Light On A Sprawling Mystery
Fans ofWeapons' mystery might find solace inAlan Wake 2, anothersurvival horror title that has a greater focus on its mystery. A follow-up to the 2010Alan Wake, this third-person game follows Saga Anderson, a detective trying to solve a series of ritualistic murders in a small town.
As you play throughAlan Wake 2’s growing story, you can profile individual characters, find clues surrounding the murders, and use Saga’s Mind Place to work through the mystery at your own pace.
As you might expect, this leads to multiple supernatural events, but ones that are approached far differently than other games. The main mechanic ofAlan Wake2is touse a flashlight’s beam of light to make enemies vulnerable to other weapons, creating a gameplay loop different from titles likeDead Space. Since your flashlight uses up battery, resource management is an important aspect of the game’s survival elements.
Thedual narrative of Saga and the titular Alan Wake can be played independently of each other, creating two distinct atmospheresthat you’re able to explore. The dreary town Saga explores builds an almost folk horror sense of foreboding, while the Lovecraftian subliminal spaces Alan finds himself in mesh together into multiple interesting settings for you to experience.
3Outlast
The Darkest Places Have The Worst People
Outlastis a game that induces fear almost constantly, throwing constant scares that will leave you on edge throughout your entire playtime. A staple of the genre,Outlastfollows the story of a reporter going to an insane asylum, and getting trapped inside while almost every resident is set loose against him.
The location ofOutlastis outright terrifying, with dark scientific experiments creating deranged patientswho’ve lost their minds. From hulking behemoths to gruesome would-be grooms, every individual in the asylum is memorable for their cruelty, violence, or outright insanity that you can only flee from.
Armed with only a camera with night vision, part of the game is finding batteries to keep your vision intact.As you run and hide from different enemies, you’ll uncover the asylum’s secretsas you find some way to escape. While this horror title is loaded with jumpscares, none of them feel cheap as they each suit the cramped environment and the danger you are always in.
2Amnesia: The Bunker
Trapped Underground With A Monster Lurking
Every game in theAmnesiaseriesfocuses on great horror through its settings, butAmnesia: The Bunkermight be my favorite iteration on their first-person survival horror adventures. This game is set during the first World War, with your character as a soldier set in an underground bunker beneath the trenches of constant deadly warfare.
This isolation gives way to a monster lurking in the depths of the bunker, leading to you getting trapped inside with it. The constant movements and AI behavior of the monster creates an endless sense of paranoia as you attempt to keep your sanity and escape the bunker.
Similar toAlien: Isolation, the monster reacts to your actions and learns your tendencies to best adapt to you. This learning AI can lead to some terrifying moments, encouraging stealth more than the game’s limited combat.
Elements of the bunker are randomized, creating a semi-open world that changes every time you play it.As you try to find out the secrets of the bunker and evade the monster, you’ll have to rely on the limited supplies you can findto survive.
1Little Nightmares II
Two Children Trying To Flee From A Gruesome Fate
The absolute best game for fans ofWeaponsshould beLittle Nightmares 2, a platforming game featuring two children in a dark setting filled with terrors.An evil transmission has distorted the world of this game into something gruesome, making people fall into depravity and corrupting the landscapeinto a vile place where children should not be.
Here,you play as Mono, a young child looking to stop the source of The Transmission. Along the way, you’ll rescue another child named Six, and learn to cooperate as you traverse a big world filled with even bigger threats. Six is not just a loyal follower though, as they are independent enough to create a compelling character alongside your own.
Devoid of dialogue, this game relies completely on environmental storytelling, with massive levels that contain tons of detail. As you unravel the secrets behind The Transmission, you’ll see evils beyond comprehension, building toward the same level of creepiness that madeWeaponssuch a great entry in the horror genre.
