Best Horror Games That Play On Your Fear Of The Unknown

Key Takeaways

• Horror games that keep players guessing create amazing gameplay experiences.
• Games like Layers of Fear and Phasmophobia offer unpredictable twists and scares.
• Slay the Princess and Dead Space create terrifying atmospheres that keep players on edge.

The scariest horror games are the ones that know how to prey on the player’s fear of the things they can’t anticipate. Video games may be governed by lines of code, but the unpredictability of certain horror titles makes them amazing to play through.

Players who don’t want a predictable horror game will be spoiled for choice thanks to the many games that keep people guessing until the very end. Everything from story to gameplay plays a huge role in governing how unexpected certain events in a horror game can be. This fear of the unknown drives players to see things through.

8 Layers Of Fear

Players Will Start Dreading the Twists & Turns of This Slow Burn

A psychological horror game that focuses on the life of a painter, Layers of Fear is a deceptively simple title that doesn’t show its hand until players are invested in the story. The tale of the protagonist and his obsession with his wife’s beauty takes a dark turn in no time.

Players will be left with their jaws on the floor as the plot reaches out and grabs their attention. It’s a dark and morose story that explains the painter’s descent into madness after a personal tragedy that destroys what was once a happy marriage.

7 Phasmophobia

Players Have No Idea What To Expect With Every Ghost

Despite being a co-op horror game, Phasmophobia can scare players out of their wits, even when their friends are nearby. This is mainly because of its unpredictable ghost hunts that can either unnerve players with a slow burn, or scare them outright.

Every ghost hunt is a mystery where players know nothing. They must try and equip themselves with the knowledge they need to capture this ghost before it isolates and kills every member of the group.

6 Slay The Princess

Players Start To Dread The Princess Over Time

It’s recommended to go into Slay the Princess with little to no knowledge about the game. The voice performances are in a class of their own, and ensure that players will be on the edge of their seats until the very end of this mind-bending horror game.

It’s amazing how this title turns what seems like a defenseless princess into one of the most intimidating horror villains of all time. Slay the Princess revels in lulling players into a false sense of security, intentionally employing certain clichés before throwing a curveball that will make players second-guess their actions.

5 Dead Space

The Horrific Atmosphere Makes Players Dread The Halls Of The USG Ishimura

From the moment Isaac and the rest of the crew take their first steps on the USG Ishimura in Dead Space, it’s clear that something is wrong. Players have no idea what is going on until the necromorphs rear their ugly heads and thrust players into a nightmarish action-horror game.

The first game’s focus on a terrifying atmosphere means that players have no idea what to expect in the cramped corridors of this spacecraft. The enemies are scary enough as is, only for the story to introduce Markers that manipulate humans and drive them insane. Most players will probably relate to this after a point.

4 STALKER: Call Of Pripyat

The Anomalies & Mutants Will Scare Players Every Step Of The Way

Despite being the third game in the series, most people recommend Call of Pripyat as the best game in the series that newcomers can enjoy. It’s polished (for a STALKER game), well-paced, and beginner-friendly. However, players expecting a fun ride will soon realize just how wrong this assumption was.

The Zone is not for the faint of heart. Players won’t know what to expect whenever they leave the safety of a settlement to explore hostile regions full of mutants and anomalies. It’s impossible to predict what will happen whenever players venture into the unknown, forcing players to stay on their toes and keep their trigger fingers ready for anything that may ambush them.

3 Silent Hill 2

James’ Disturbed Mind Conjures Horrors That Players Won’t Expect

Silent Hill 2 is one of the greatest video games ever made, and fans were genuinely surprised that Bloober Team did justice to this masterpiece with the recent remake. Barring the lack of a cinematic camera, Silent Hill 2 is a faithful remake that newcomers will find easy to jump into.

Following a letter he received from his deceased wife, James Sunderland is whisked away to the town of Silent Hill, where his strongest fears manifest themselves. The plot is one of the game’s strongest points, with its well-paced enemy encounters ensuring that players will have no idea what awaits them.

2 Iron Lung

The Submarine’s Confines Keep Players From Grasping The True Horror

Despite barely lasting for more than an hour, Iron Lung leaves a strong impression that uses its minimalist horror to great effect. Players are stuck inside a cramped submarine as they explore an ocean of blood, only for a massive monster to start hunting them down.

With no information about the outside world, except for a rudimentary camera to capture obscure shots, Iron Lung succeeds in building the tension and playing with the limited knowledge players have. The ending of this game arrives like a freight train, scaring players out of their wits with a final scene that will be burned in their minds.

1 P.T.

Disturbs Players In Its Short Yet Captivating Runtime

P.T. is an experience that took the world by storm, reigniting interest in a new Silent Hill game that was supposed to be directed by Hideo Kojima. The looping apartment and obtuse puzzles turned the game into a viral phenomenon where steps to make progress were discussed online in great detail.

Players who had no idea about the game’s organic social elements were left in the dark as they tried to make head or tail of this creepy experience. Even if they managed to make any progress, the game’s scare factor reached new heights and made players second-guess every step they took in this cursed apartment.