Summary
- Horror games explore dark themes, from body horror to psychological struggles, maximizing player discomfort.
- Games like P.T. integrate socio-economic commentary and address mature themes to create haunting experiences.
- Titles like Alice: Madness Returns and Silent Hill 2 delve into trauma, abuse, and grief, shaping unsettling narratives.
To the benefit of horror games, there are plenty of things that people find scary, from real world scenarios to the occult and the extraterrestrial. While some games are atmospherically scary and exploit common phobias, others tackle very relevant and distressing themes to really target the player’s sense of horror.
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Thematically dark games are often paired with uncanny visuals and soundscapes that really drill a sense of unease into the player, maximizing their discomfort. This is a spoiler-free list of the best horror games that explore mature themes, following disturbing narratives that focus on psychological struggles and physical trauma.
The entries in this list make reference to themes that some readers may find distressing or triggering. As ‘M’ rated titles, the mentioned games might not be appropriate for all gamers.
14
P.T.
P.T. is an established psychological horror game that has since influenced many titles in the same genre with its looping mechanics. Despite its removal from the PlayStation store, the game still stirs up a lot of discussions and theorizing about what the experience is really all about.
For all of its ambiguities, P.T. does make clear references to socio-economic issues; familicide, sexism, and domestic abuse are just a few of the topics the game dares to broach. Lisa’s ghost and the talking fetus are memorable images that point towards a tragic series of events.
13
Omori
Coming To Terms With Grief
- Released
-
December 25, 2020
- Developer(s)
-
OMOCAT, LLC.
- Publisher(s)
-
OMOCAT, LLC.
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Horror games with child protagonists are often some of the most touching, and Omori is no exception. The game follows young boy Sunny and his alter-ego, Omori, searching for his missing friend Basil with a group of friends, as the truth about his past is gradually revealed.
Using familiar RPG elements like turn-based battles, exploration, and changing environments, Omori portrays what it’s like to battle with grief at such a young age. Despite its focus on childhood, the game tackles the nuances of trauma and relationships beautifully.
12
The Cat Lady
An Unsettling Narrative About Battling With Depression
- Released
-
December 1, 2012
- Developer(s)
-
Harvester Games
- Publisher(s)
-
Screen 7
The Cat Lady is a 2D side-scroller following the reclusive Susan Ashworth after an attempt to take her own life. An encounter with the Queen of Maggots leaves her immortal, and at her behest, the player must embark on a mission to rid the world of five human “parasites.”
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The limitations of the game’s format do not take away from the content, which explores the likes of loss, violence, and coping with depression. With a smart use of color and graphic design, The Cat Lady is a poignant game with multiple endings determined by the player’s choices throughout.
11
Fran Bow
An Unsettling Psychological Horror Adventure
Adventure
Indie Games
Puzzle
- Released
-
August 17, 2015
- Developer(s)
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Killmonday Games AB
- Publisher(s)
-
Killmonday Games AB
In Fran Bow, the player, via point and click puzzles and gameplay, must help the eponymous young girl escape Oswald Asylum to find her cat. Along the way, she will encounter characters and monsters either seeking to help or to enact their more sinister motives.
Despite the whimsical settings, Fran Bow creates a sense of unease by twisting the familiar into the surreal, and its cartoonish graphics in no way undermine the game’s tackling of heavier topics. Trauma surrounding murder, abuse, and mental health struggles are both implied and shown during the playthrough.
10
Alice: Madness Returns
Is There Really A Way To Escape The Horrors Of Reality?
- Released
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June 14, 2011
- Developer(s)
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Spicy Horse
- Publisher(s)
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Electronic Arts
Alice: Madness Returns is not the most obvious horror game, but underneath the hack-and-slash gameplay is a dark psychological experience that is far from Lewis Carroll’s original tale. The game follows Alice navigating Wonderland and reality after being released from Rutledge Asylum.
At its core, Alice: Madness Returns is about coming to terms and coping with trauma. While the game doesn’t explicitly show the heartbreaking exploitation that the children of the orphanage suffered, it is very heavily implied through dialogue and imagery.
9
I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream
Explores AI And Human Nature
I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream is based off of Harlan Ellison’s story of the same title. The player alternates between five characters, each being one of the last remaining people on Earth after the rest of humanity was purged by the sentient “Mastercomputer,” AM.
Beyond its examination of the terrifying extent of human potential, I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream also broaches philosophical questions surrounding consciousness, morality, and redemption. Overall, this is an uncomfortable dystopian experience.
8
Cry Of Fear
A Silent Hill Inspired Survival FPS
- Released
-
February 22, 2012
- Developer(s)
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Team Psykskallar
- Publisher(s)
-
Team Psykskallar
Cry of Fear was originally intended to be a Half-Life mod but eventually grew into its own entity to become a standout disturbing horror game. Navigating Stockholme after being hit by a car, the player (as 19-year-old Simon) must try to make their way home.
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With its grotesque monsters and “nightmare” sequences, Cry of Fear has often been compared to Silent Hill, but it remains distinctive in many ways. The game focuses on Simon’s recession into his own psyche, grappling with anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as the sickening tragedies of the city’s past.
7
Spec Ops: The Line
A Very Real Depiction Of PTSD
- Released
-
June 26, 2012
- Developer(s)
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Yager Development
Spec Ops: The Line is not a traditional horror game with ghosts and jusmpscares, but it quickly deviates into a psychological horror that reveals how haunting war can be. Set in Dubai, the player is ordered to identify any survivors to evacuate, but things do not go to plan.
While it is also a third-person-shooter, players are forced to make weighted decisions throughout the game — moral calls that have horrific outcomes, no matter the choice. As the protagonist gradually declines into mental turmoil, players will be left shaken by the events endured.
6
Doki Doki Literature Club!
Far From An Innocent Visual Novel
Doki Doki Literature Club!
- Released
-
September 22, 2017
- Developer(s)
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Team Salvato
- Publisher(s)
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Team Salvato
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
By now, most gamers will be aware that Doki Doki Literature Club! is not the cute visual novel that it apears to be. What begins as a dating sim set during an after-school book club slowly declines into a much darker narrative about obsession.
As the player gets to know each of the girls through seemingly innocent gameplay, their true natures start to become apparent. The game’s unapologetic and graphic depictions of mental health struggles are intense, leaving players with a sense of distress that lasts well beyond its completion.
5
Silent Hill 2
Blurs The Lines Between Real And Internal Worlds
Survival Horror
Horror
Adventure
Action
- Released
-
October 8, 2024
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
While Silent Hill took a more literal approach to the iconic town, Silent Hill 2 steered the franchise into a more psychological horror direction. The player controls James Sunderland searching for his missing wife, meeting other troubled characters along the way.
The game is most known for shaping the environment as a manifestation of the protagonist’s psyche, which, unsurprisingly, leads to some very disturbing scenes. There is a lot of sexual imagery, depicting things from infidelity to abuse, as well as confrontations with guilt and depression.
4
Outlast 2
Uncover The Disturbing Cult Goings-On
Outlast as a franchise has never shied away from the macabre, the first game taking on heavy narratives revolving around suffering and human experimentation. It’s Outlast 2, however, that stands out for its particularly grim aesthetic and subject matter.
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The plot centers around Blake Langermann searching for his investigative journalist wife, Lynn, after their helicopter crashed near a secluded village. What ensues is a journey into an Antichrist-obsessed cult that dabbles in incest, torture, systematic assault, and killing.
3
Fear & Hunger
One Of The Most Hard To Stomach Survival Horror Games
- Released
-
December 11, 2018
- Developer(s)
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Miro Haverinen
- Publisher(s)
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Happy Paintings
Fear & Hunger is an RPG and survival horror notorious not only for its unforgiving gameplay but also for its morbid content. Set in an ancient fortress where gods are grappling for power, the player must make their way through, dungeon crawler-style, to find the captain of the Knights of the Midnight Sun.
With numerous ways to die, from infection to being skinned, and resource management, Fear & Hunger is an all-around brutal experience. Explicitly featuring addiction, cannibalism, and violence (of all kinds), Fear & Hunger is a particularly heavy title.
2
Mouthwashing
A Story That Gets Worse As It Unfolds
- Released
-
September 26, 2024
- Developer(s)
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Wrong Organ
- Publisher(s)
-
Critical Reflex
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
For an indie game, Mouthwashing has done extremely well, with a steadily growing fanbase that has granted it status as an established horror title. Following the crew of a crashed space freighter, the player experiences the subsequent fallout as they try to survive.
Beyond the unnerving graphic style and visuals, Mouthwashing is particularly disturbing in terms of its narrative. Because of the setting, tensions are quick to run high, and the characters’ relationships soon spiral out of control, with horrendous, irredeemable revelations coming to light.
1
The Hole
Uses Metaphoric Visuals To Convey The Dark Truth
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: December 5, 2024
- Developer: BOBER BROS
The Hole is a shorter indie title, but for what is essentially a walking simulator, it does an incredible job of storytelling. When the neighbor begins drilling holes in the wall, the protagonist’s curiosity reveals a sickening narrative — a hard-hitting and personal confrontation with the horrors of real life that go on behind closed doors.
While nothing is necessarily explicitly shown, the imagery makes it pretty clear what is going on. From the dingy environment to the uncanny PS2-inspired graphics, The Hole has a permeating atmosphere of dread and horror. Overall, this is an uncomfortable experience that interrogates the likes of domestic and child abuse, sexual violence, and voyeurism — without the need for cliché tropes.
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