10 Best Horror Games Ever, From Resident Evil to Outlast

From the pulse-pounding gorefests to the psychological horrors, there are so many horror games for you to sink your teeth into, but which ones are worth your time – and your sanity? In this list, we’re breaking down the 10 best horror games ever from days gone by.

They’re some of the top horror games ever, and they’re guaranteed to have you reaching for the pause button and switching on the lights. It’s okay, just pretend you’re not scared – it usually works.

Best Horror Games Ever

Here’s our list of the best horror games you’ll ever play – enjoy! *Insert evil laugh here*

1. Resident Evil

This is where it all began for so many of us. In 1996, Capcom developed and released Resident Evil, a culture-shifting, paradigm-altering game that left many of us old-timers clutching our chests with fear. As we navigated the terrifying Spencer Mansion (and beyond), we found ourselves coming face-to-face with an all-new and terrifying threat: the undead.

Resident Evil set a bar that horror games would try to reach in the many years that followed. It was the baseline for the horror genre, and it went on to spawn a successful movie franchise, countless follow-on titles, and a living, breathing, and thriving universe.

Is there anything more suited to the top spot on this list than the original Resident Evil? It’s the best horror game ever.

Related: Best Survival Horror Games, Ranked

2. Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 2 (2001) is an absolute classic – a true horror game that fans of the genre simply must play. It’s arguably the defining game of the series that has gone on to spawn many more titles, and it’s equal parts physically threatening and psychologically taxing. It’s a solid title to play if you’re hunting for one of the best horror games ever.

If you don’t want to play the original, then the remake compiled by Bloober Team and released in 2024 is a much more modernized take on the classic horror game.

3. Outlast (Series)

Outlast – and the follow-up titles – is a terrifying experience that’ll have you pausing to catch your breath following one of the game’s many jumpscares. It’s one of those games that leaves you incapable of fighting against what’s hunting you, and all you can do instead is run and hide, which often results in you sitting on the edge of your seat with your heart pounding in your chest.

Outlast 2 deserves a special mention, given that it’s by far the scariest game in the series.

4. Resident Evil: Biohazard

Biohazard might not have felt like a typical Resident Evil game, but thanks to the title’s lore, it was steeped in history and embedded in the overall RE timeline. In Biohazard, players must contend with some of the most chilling enemies in RE history, fighting through a story that’s equal parts graphically violent and psychologically thrilling. It’s a top-tier RE game and one of the best horror games ever concocted.

Related: All Resident Evil Games, Ranked

5. Maid of Sker

Maid of Sker was released in 2020 and quickly became known as one of the scariest games ever made. It features gorgeous visuals and a beautiful soundtrack, but it’s easily one of the most intense games you’ll ever play. In Maid of Sker, even breathing can put you in the sights of bloodthirsty creatures roaming the stunning environment of an abandoned Welsh hotel.

Maid of Sker eventually spawned a spin-off title, Sker Ritual, which was seen as a solid competitor to Call of Duty’s Zombies mode.

6. The Last of Us (Series)

If you don’t think The Last of Us is a horror game, then you haven’t played it. It is riddled with jump scares, terrifying enemies, and heart-pounding sequences made more terrifying by the constant, looming threat of the post-apocalyptic setting. If you’ve never come face-to-face with a Clicker, you obviously haven’t played one of the best horror games ever made.

That subway station sequence that locks you in an enclosed space with half a dozen Clickers and few resources will forever stick in my mind. Huge shout-out to The Last of Us Part II, which manages to keep up the same tension.

7. Half-Life: Alyx

This VR game might not seem like a horror at first blush, but I was jump-scared more playing this than any other game in history. From the perspective of a VR headset, everything is incredibly detailed and in-your-face, and nothing will make you leap out of your skin more than a headcrab jumping at your face out of the darkness.

Special mention to Jeff, one of the most terrifying creatures I’ve ever faced in one of the scariest segments of a game I’ve ever seen.

8. Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Amnesia has had a few titles spawn in the series, but none have been quite as scary as the first title, which was released way back in 2010. In The Dark Descent, players must contend with some of the most unexpected, effective jump scares ever featured in a game, and they can quite literally occur around any corner.

Related: Best New Horror Games to Play This Halloween

9. Forbidden Siren

If you enjoyed Silent Hill f, you might just fall in love with Forbidden Siren. In 2003, Japanese horror fans received ‘Siren’, later released as ‘Forbidden Siren’ globally, a shocking and terrifying game that holds up today as one of the scariest games ever made.

In Forbidden Siren, players assume control of multiple characters trying to avoid shibito, shambling zombie-like enemies that roam a town called Hanuda, not too dissimilar from the setting of 2025’s Silent Hill f.

The game’s fear factor is heightened by the need to avoid the shibito rather than engage in a fight with them. Players can use a ‘sightjack’ mechanic to see through the eyes of the shibito, using stealth and a limited array of weapons to navigate various areas, including a school, hospital, and village streets.

10. P.T.

P.T. was a demo that was supposed to advertise Hideo Kojima’s ‘Silent Hills’ game, but it was never meant to be. While the full game was never released, players spent hours poring over P.T. – ‘Playable Teaser’ – which was released with no instructions, no guide, and no direction. However, it was one of the most chilling games ever released, and it had the internet ablaze for a few days when it dropped.

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What do you think about our list? If you’ve got a better horror game, let us know about it on the Insider Gaming Discord server

Written by

Grant Taylor-Hill

Senior Editor and Esports Lead

Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.

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