The Horror Games With The Best Puzzles

While a lot of horror games rely on these scares alone to terrorize players, most of these titles understand the importance of keeping players engaged with other forms of gameplay. From action-packed combat to nerve-wracking stealth, these horror games know how to mix things up and appeal to a wider audience.

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A popular genre that many horror games delve into, a series of great puzzles can force players to overcome their fears and wrack their brains to make progress. It’s a marriage made in heaven, with some of the best horror games featuring their fair share of challenging puzzles that fans love to solve.

8

Layers Of Fear

Some Clever Environmental Puzzles Support An Engaging Story

Systems

Released

June 15, 2023

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Layers of Fear is an immersive psychological horror game, with this remake incorporating the stories of previous titles to let players go through the narratives of both the Painter and the Actor. As one would expect, the game messes with players by manipulating the environment in new and interesting ways.

A lot of the puzzles in this title involve players interacting with the game’s mechanics in new and interesting ways. These puzzles get the job done and keep players engaged, breaking up the gameplay from time to time and letting players enjoy moments of downtime before the scares crank up once again.

7

Limbo

The Simple Physics-Based Platforming Lends Itself To Some Ingenious Puzzles

It’s amazing to see what Playdead has achieved with the seemingly simple game Limbo. The minimalist art style adds to the sinking feeling of dread, especially when players have to avoid certain terrifying enemies that can kill their character in brutal ways.

Players will form a bond with the boy they’re controlling, doing everything in their power to prevent him from being eaten or killed by the monstrosities that hunt him down. The game has its fair share of puzzles, many of which are ingenious and give players something new to solve at every turn, which is impressive given the straightforward gameplay of Limbo.

6

Inscryption

Features Its Fair Share Of Genre-Blending Puzzles

Systems

Released

October 19, 2021

Developer(s)

Daniel Mullins Games

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Inscryption is more than just a puzzle game, combining everything from roguelike deckbuilding to FMVs to make for an unforgettable experience. Players can’t get enough of the amazing horror vibes in Inscryption that will instill them with a sense of unease as they go through the game’s three acts.

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The escape room puzzles in Inscryption are really engaging and do a great job of letting players make progress, take a break from the card-based gameplay, and solve optional brainteasers for more bonuses. These puzzles may not be the focus, but they are ingenious enough to give players an incentive to work toward solving them.

5

Resident Evil 2

The Puzzles In This Game Are Iconic

Systems

Released

January 25, 2019

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Resident Evil 2 is one of the best video games ever made, and the remake does a great job of doing justice to this beloved action-packed title. As one would expect of the Resident Evil franchise, the tantalizing combat of this title is accompanied by its fair share of puzzles.

It seems like busywork to locate keys and find codes, but Resident Evil 2 does a great job of justifying these hurdles and making them satisfying to solve. These puzzles are brainteasers that aren’t too frustrating to solve, which is an impressive middle ground to achieve.

4

Ten Bells

A Fantastic Anomaly Horror Game Loaded With Puzzles

• Platform: PC
• Release Date: 30 August, 2024
• Developers: Hillfort Games, Acrylic Pixel

Anomaly-hunting horror games have become all the rage in modern times, with many people highlighting Ten Bells as the best game to display the genre’s strengths. Players must explore an English pub lost in time and make progress by exploring the environment and heading back if they spot anything that’s out of place.

The tense nature of this game’s spot-the-difference gameplay feels great. Players will be shocked by some horrifying moments, while feeling a creeping sense of unease at some of the game’s more subtle anomalies. It’s a simple and engaging game that fans of unique horror will have a great time with.

3

Catherine

Vincent’s Nightmares Can Get Downright Horrifying As He Struggles To Complete Challenging Puzzles

Systems

Catherine is a unique game that fans of hard puzzle titles will have a great time with. The story mostly plays out in the real world, with Vincent struggling to survive in his nightmares where he must set up building blocks and ascend at all costs to avoid being sucked into the void.

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Catherine takes some wild turns and the puzzles remain consistently challenging throughout. Catherine‘s horror is effective in its scariest nightmares where Vincent must confront his worst demons, with these sections being hard to get through because of how terrified players will be in the moment.

2

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Great Puzzle Design That’s Improved By Immersive Sim-Esque Design

Amnesia: The Dark Descent became a viral hit courtesy of a fortunate launch window that coincided with the rising popularity of Let’s Plays. However, while the game is unfairly associated with jumpscares and the like, the brilliance of The Dark Descent stems from its immersive sim design.

It’s a perfect fit for the game’s horror vibes, with players having to complete several innovative puzzles by manipulating objects in the game world. This lets players slowly uncover a compelling story as they try to figure out why the player character decided to voluntarily wipe his memories, and why he is trapped in the game’s gothic castle setting.

1

Inside

Ingenious And Tense Puzzles In What Seems Like A Simple Side-Scroller

Playdead’s magnum opus is one of the scariest side-scrollers ever made. Inside‘s mysterious setting, compelling gameplay, and ingenious story help it stand out as an indie masterpiece that any fan of great video games must check out.

The game doesn’t overstay its welcome and lets players wrack their minds to solve some tricky puzzles that are engaging despite the game’s simple control scheme. It’s a testament to the heights games can achieve without over-complicating things, with Inside‘s set-pieces being a joy to play through as players try to save a child from dying in many different and horrifying ways.

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