The Must-Play Free Multiplayer Horror Games To Download

For some, there’s nothing better than stepping into a virtual world filled with nightmare fuel. Whether it’s Zombies, Ghosts, or perhaps a trip through a monster-infested forest, the horror genre works excellently with multiplayer. Tackling scary challenges and battling alongside friends can be a tense and exciting experience not for the faint of heart.

However, there are several horror-themed multiplayer games, many of which charge a premium. It’s a crowded space, and deciding where to spend money and which games to skip is challenging. Fortunately, there are several frightening and intense multiplayer games available for free. Some of these games offer jump scares, while others present diabolical puzzles or scenarios in which it’s unclear who should be trusted.

Updated December 9, 2024 By Matthew Mckeown: Whilst it may seem like you need to drop some cash to get spooked, in reality there’s a ton of free options out there that let you get scared with spending anything.

Whilst the release windows on these games are a bit sparse, and you do need to hunt around quite a bit, they are out there. To help you in your hunt we’ve collected a sample of the best free options for playing something scary with your friends. To save you some time, here’s an updated look at the best free multiplayer horror games out now.

13

EXIT 2

Simple, Short, Spooky

A very simple indie horror game that costs absolutely nothing to play, EXIT 2 from a trio of indie devs is very enjoyable with the right group. The premise is straightforward, there’s a bunch of keys around the map, and to leave you just need to collect them.

However, chasing the key collector is a horrible creature and if they catch the other player it’s game over. The levels are basic but fun, and for a free game that has perks and customisation options, it’s a fun and free distraction for a few hours.

12

Hide and Shriek

Startle Horror Simulator

For the masochists amongst you, Hide and Shriek from Funcom is worth looking into. This spooky multiplayer horror game has two teams hunting down objects to win whilst scaring the living daylights out of each other.

The spooks are managed by planting traps that play jumpscares on the other player’s screen. These will either slow them down momentarily, or cause them to jump out of their chair in fright. It’s a great pick for the sadistic, and the fact that it’s completely free is the extra cherry on top.

There’s no right or wrong way to place traps, it all depends on your creativity and how immune to jumpscares your opponent is.

11

Deceit

Destroying Friend Groups One Fight At A Time

A game that’s sure to cause a lot of arguments, Deceit from World Makers will give your friend group trust issues in a very short space of time. After waking up in a dilapidated manor, it’s up to you and a maximum of five others to figure out who amongst the group is infected with a deadly pathogen.

If the infected aren’t found in time they’ll turn into their monster forms and start eating the other players. To get around this there are plenty of gadgets, tests and other forms of finding out who amongst you is guilty. The rounds are always anarchic, and with a large group you can run into some really tense and funny situations.

10

Enemy On Board

Retro Styled Among Us

An Imposter style game with a lot of retro charm, Enemy On Board from Windwalk Games is a great Early Access pick for an evening of hardcore deduction. There’s two teams, six survivors, two aliens and if you’ve played this kind of game before you’ll feel right at home.

For those that haven’t, the goal is simple. Survivors find the aliens, the aliens kill the survivors without being caught. There’s a number of cartoony and wild looking characters to choose from and a surprisingly big arsenal of weapons to pull out in a pinch. Plus, the aliens are equally weird and varied, so there’s a fair amount of replayability here all for free.

9

SCP: Secret Laboratory

A Reddit Classic

This first-person shooter experience takes place in a science facility where things have taken a nasty turn. Choose to play as an entity trying to escape the labs, a security forces member trying to lock everything down, a chaos insurgent working against the security forces, or Class-D personnel who are humanoid experiments trying to get free.

With powerful firearms and several melee weapons to choose from, SCP: Secret Laboratory sees players search the darkened and sterile laboratory for each other or a way out. The eerie lighting design perfectly sets the mood, with ambient and sometimes red-colored areas for dramatic effect.

8

Project: Playtime

All Work And No Play…

Similar to games like Hello Neighbor and Five Nights At Freddy’s, Poppy Playtime came out as a free horror game that gained a cult following. So much so that the creators came out with a free multiplayer horror game in the same universe.

It’s similar to the Poppy Playtime title with a creepy monster that stalk you across the abandoned toy factory that you find yourself in. But, you and your friends don’t just have to survive, you also have to create a giant toy from party you find in the level. It’s like a work sim, but with horrible monster that is controlled by another player.

7

Dead Frontier 2

An Homage To A Great

With a look inspired by the over-the-shoulder third-person Resident Evil games, Dead Frontier 2 offers both player vs. environment and player vs. player action. There is an emphasis on gathering and conserving resources with options to trade with other players (if you can trust them).

The moody and dark urban environments make for a tense, continually changing experience, but co-op with a friend can help offset powerful enemies. Another feature allows players to customize and create unique characters along with specific skills that alter how the game is played.

6

No More Room In Hell

Get Your Axe Ready

Based on the highly mod-friendly Source engine, No More Room In Hell is a cooperative zombie shooter that pits up to eight players against the infected horde. The first-person perspective adds unease as the undead can come from any direction. With over 30 weapons (including a chainsaw), players can decide how to approach battles and how many resources to conserve.

Objectives sprawled out through the maps change for every playthrough and offer plenty of replayability. With proximity chat and voice, players need to stay close and coordinate carefully because there is little chance of success once separated.

5

Stay Out

Immediately Break The One Rule

Still in early access, Stay Out is free-to-play and offers a haunting environment to explore in the third person. This massive multiplayer RPG focusing on firearms pits you against creatures and other players trying to survive the alien surroundings. Survival, self-defense, cooperation, and an eye for valuable loot are the keys to success.

Contrary to other first-person shooter games, Stay Out requires players to manage their stamina, so constant run-and-gun strategies don’t apply. Investigate locations like cities, vast wilderness, and other surprising places.

4

Secret World Legends

Save The World With Friends

What would the modern world look like if evil supernatural forces were attempting to take it over? Experience an epic story-driven campaign that can be shared with friends where characters with unique abilities battle other-worldly foes.

Secret World Legends is a third-person adventure that features stellar special effects, creepy monster designs, and mature story beats. With full voice acting and over a hundred hours of content, it offers supernatural horror fans loads of entertainment. For those who enjoy myths, legends, and deep lore, this title provides plenty of meat for players to feast on.

3

Codename Cure

Squad Zombie Mayhem

Team up with four other players, each with a unique class, and work to neutralize infected zombie zones or try out survival mode in Codename Cure. Choose character classes like Assault, Technician, Support, and more. Each class comes equipped with different weapons and abilities, such as the Technician’s sentry gun.

There are two game modes, and each offers nail-biting intensity. The objective mode requires players to set and detonate explosives in certain areas and then extract them. Survival mode tasks players to remain alive as long as possible while battling waves of zombies.

2

Escape From School

Don’t Skip Class

This first-person escape room-style game provides a more cerebral horror experience. Waking up in an empty classroom, players must investigate and uncover both puzzles and hidden elements in Escape From School.

Coop play is available for up to four players, and combining brain power may be the key to putting all the clues together. With a unique 3D polygonal character art style with more realistic environments, this game offers a mixture of esthetics while retaining a dark, moody, and unsettling atmosphere.

1

Unfortunate Spacemen

Quite Unfortunate Indeed

This first-person shooter combines elements of games like Among Us with frightening and visceral visuals. There are three modes to choose from: Shapeshifter, Survival, and Story. Shapeshifter puts up to sixteen players in the game, and depending on which character you choose, you’ll either be completing objectives to escape or wearing a disguise, making traps, and actively hunting others.

The monster design and labyrinthian levels in Unfortunate Spacemen make for both tense and startling rounds as Spacemen and mimics battle for victory. For those who want a more realistic Among Us, that adds guns, this game will certainly scratch the itch.