The Scariest Horror Game Endings

Despite the dreaded tone and atmosphere experienced throughout the game itself, it’s not uncommon for a horror game to end off on somewhat of a happy note, with the protagonist flying away to safety in a helicopter, or rejoining their friends and family after a nightmarish adventure. However, not every horror lead has been given a satisfying ending, and in fact, some of the finales seen in these games have been so creepy and unnerving that they leave a lasting impression on players long after the credits roll.

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Because these sorts of horrifying endings can make players question whether the entire journey was even worth it, they tend to be optional conclusions to the game which only activate depending on certain conditions being met. If a developer really wants to send a chill down the player’s spine though, they can still decide to make this the one and only ending as a way to provide one final scare before the screen cuts to black.

This list contains spoilers!

8

Dead Space

Isaac’s Exposure To The Marker Corrupts His Mind

Systems

Released

January 27, 2023

ESRB

Rated M for Mature for Blood and Gore, Strong Language, and Intense Violence.

When Isaac first disembarks onto the USG Ishimura at the beginning of Dead Space, little did he know he would be stepping onto a ship that has long been infested with nightmarish monsters known as Necromorphs. After using his engineering skills and a lethal arsenal of weapons to escape the ship in one piece, for a moment, it seems as though everything ends well for Isaac; that is until he hears a mysterious voice from his dead girlfriend, Nicole.

The truth is that Isaac’s constant exposure to the alien artifact known as The Marker while aboard the Ishimura has corrupted his mind, making for a very unsettling closing scene that feeds nicely into the beginning of the second game. The implication that Isaac is well on the way to losing his mind is already scary enough, but the gruesome depiction of a zombified Nicole makes this ending even more memorable.

7

Resident Evil 0

Rebecca Has No Idea What New Nightmare She Is About To Step Into At The End Of Her Adventure With Billy

Released

November 12, 2002

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Intense Violence, Blood and Gore

Rebecca goes through quite the hellish adventure throughout Resident Evil 0. After forming an unlikely partnership with Billy, an ex-convict, the two are forced to fight their way through swarms of zombies and deadly animal mutants until they eventually come face to face with the main villain of the game — the Queen Leech itself. With the creature down for good, Rebecca and Billy decide to part ways, and while this seems all well and good to begin with, it’s the final shot that makes this ending so creepy.

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The game ends with a shot of the Spencer Mansion, which is the location of the first game, before then switching to an image of a butterfly who can be seen trapped in a spider’s web, acting as a bit of symbolism for Rebecca. Considering the young medic had no idea what she was about to step into, it’s an ending that feels eerie, especially for longtime fans who know the types of horrors Rebecca will be facing as soon as she steps foot inside that infamous mansion.

6

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly – Frozen Butterfly Ending

The Amakura Sisters Meet A Frightening End When One Suddenly Turns On The Other

Systems

Released

November 27, 2003

Fatal Frame 2 follows Mio and Maya, twin sisters who suddenly find themselves stranded in a dark and mysterious village that is packed full of dangerous spirits and ghosts. After journeying through the area and learning more about its origins, the twins come to realize that Minakami Village is built atop a Hellish Abyss, which can only be kept in check by performing a violent ritual where a pair of twins must kill each other in order to maintain balance.

Though it would seem likely the game would end with the two breaking the ritual, this isn’t a guarantee, since the game features numerous endings, including a particularly harrowing one that was only added to the Wii remaster. In this ending, Mio almost goes through with performing the ritual, but hesitates at the last second, only for her sister Mayu to start laughing uncontrollably as she wraps her hand around Mio’s neck. The final visual of Mayu stroking the hair of her deceased sister is a haunting image that nobody who has played the game will ever be able to forget about.

5

Amnesia: Justine

A Sickening Trial Turns Out To Have All Been Orchestrated By The Protagonist

Amnesia The Dark Descent

Released

September 9, 2010

ESRB

m

At the beginning of Amnesia: Justine, a short bonus story to Amnesia: The Dark Descent, players will find themselves trapped in some sort of dark and dingy cell, with the only noise being the voice blasting through the nearby speaker. As the voice goes on to mock players before giving them a brief glimpse at the nightmarish journey that awaits them, they are eventually set free and forced to take on a bunch of tricky puzzles and riddles to enter each new area.

After avoiding the three Suitors who endlessly scour the map to hunt down Justine, something strange starts to happen. The protagonist begins talking to themselves, with the voice being the exact same as the one heard earlier on. It turns out, rather than being some sadistic game set up by someone else, the entire trial was Justine testing herself as a way to determine whether she still feels any kind of true compassion or fear in her heart. The line “this was the best one yet” suggests this wasn’t the only one of Justine’s twisted trials, which is the cherry on top of this already horrifying cake of an ending.

4

Haunting Ground – Bad Ending

If Players Treat Hewie The Dog Poorly, He Won’t Be There To Support Fiona In The Ending Scene

Systems

Released

May 10, 2005

ESRB

m

While players assume control of Fiona in Haunting Ground, they will also be accompanied by a small dog named Hewie, who can help with solving puzzles and fending off any stalkers who start getting a little too close for comfort. Throughout the game, players will have the option to pet Hewie and reward him, but if they decide to ignore him and keep sending him out to take needless damage, they will be one step closer to retrieving the game’s disturbing bad ending.

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In this ending scene, Fiona fails to escape her captors and is locked away in a large box by Riccardo. That’s not all though, as Fiona can then be seen sitting in an armchair laughing away maniacally, insinuating that her mind has been completely warped. Needless to say, this is an ending so creepy that it could keep even the most experienced horror fans up at night.

3

Little Nightmare 2

A Shocking Twist Reveals The True Nature Of Both Six And Mono

Survival Horror

Puzzle

Action

Released

February 10, 2021

ESRB

T For Teen due to Blood, Violence

Mono and Six, the two protagonists of the sequel to the immensely popular Little Nightmares, always have one another’s back throughout their adventure in the second game. Whether they are trying to evade a trigger-happy madman or a sinister long-necked teacher, the two work together to avoid all kinds of hideous monsters throughout the game, but in the end, their relationship comes to a sudden stop when the two attempt to escape the Signal Tower.

When Mono is hanging off the edge with only Six holding him up, in a surprise twist, Six decides to let go, leaving her “friend” to die. When the camera switches back to Mono, who is sulking away while sitting on the chair, time starts to pass, and eventually, he turns out to resemble none other than the Thin Man, who has been appearing as a frequent antagonist throughout the game that the player had just completed.

2

SOMA

After One Hell Of An Adventure, Players Are Left In Complete Darkness With No Hope Of Escape

Released

September 15, 2015

ESRB

t

Journeying through an underwater research facility full of monsters is pretty terrifying, but thankfully, Simon has his trusty AI companion Catherine to keep him company for much of SOMA‘s story. Throughout the game, Simon and Catherine attempt to launch the ARK into space, which is essentially a hub made up of AI versions of real people; the best paradise Simon can hope for in his current situation of being stuck in an underwater facility.

Just as the mission seems to be wrapping up, Simon starts questioning Catherine on why he hasn’t yet been sent to the ARK, only for her to clarify that his consciousness will only be copied, not transferred. After shutting down completely, Simon is left in a dark room as he cries out for Catherine, who is long gone by this point. There’s not much scarier in a horror game than being left alone in a pitch-black room without a clue of what’s lurking in the shadows, but dumping players into this scenario after they’ve spent hours with a companion on their side is pretty cruel.

1

Silent Hill 2 – Rebirth

After Failing To Find Peace Within Himself, James Makes His Way Toward A Mysterious Cult To Revive Mary

Survival Horror

Horror

Adventure

Action

Systems

Released

October 8, 2024

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

Rebirth is one of the multiple endings in Silent Hill 2 and its remake. It can only be unlocked after completing the game once and picking up a few select items while on a New Game + playthrough. Silent Hill 2 is a story based around James’ mental torment, and more specifically, his attempts to try and come to terms with the fact that he killed his wife, Mary. As a result, the endings differ wildly depending on the player’s actions in-game, but the most chilling is Rebirth.

As the name implies, this ending sees James putting Mary’s body onto a small rowboat as he makes his way toward a cult that can potentially bring her back to life. On the one hand, it’s already unnerving to hear James talk to himself about the Cult like he’s already one of their loyal followers, but the fact that his journey seemingly warped his mind even more, rather than bringing him peace and acceptance, makes it an especially scary scene to end on.

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