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What are the best Horror games on Steam?

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12 Games Considered

12 Options ConsideredPriceSteam RatingGenre
Resident Evil HD Remaster
Very Positive–
Left 4 Dead 2
Very PositiveFPS / Action / Zombies
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Very Positive–
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Very PositiveFirst-Person / Horror / Survival
The Evil Within 2
Very Positive–
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Resident Evil HD Remaster

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Kristaps
Top Pro

Immersive exploration

•••
The entire game is set in a massive mansion and its surrounding area. It's very quiet, spacious, and has many locked doors that will pique your interest. You'll gradually unlock more of the mansion, slowly uncovering its mysteries. This includes hidden passages, secret laboratories, and rot...
Kristaps
Top Pro

Fixed camera angles create a cinematic experience

•••
Resident Evil HD skillfuly balances visibility and tension with fixed camera angles. It can be the view from behind a fence as your character passes it by, giving you a sense of looming danger. It can be an upwards angle on a giant statue, making it seem more imposing. Or it can be the zoomed out...
Kristaps
Top Pro

The puzzles feel just right

•••
The developers have done a great job of balancing difficulty of the puzzles. You'll still have to look for clues, reading through documents and examining objects, but it won't ever feel daunting. It won't feel too easy either, giving you a sense of accomplishment when you open that secr...
Kristaps
Top Con

Combat feels awkward at times

•••
In various areas you won't be able to see the enemies on-screen because of the fixed camera angles. This might make combat somewhat unpleasant since you won't be sure if you're hitting the enemy or how far they are. The auto-aim function helps with that by pointing your character towar...
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
See 3 more Pros & ConsSee 3 more Pros & Cons

Left 4 Dead 2

Slant Bot
Top Pro

Play as zombies or survivors

•••
Experiencing both sides of the zombie apocalypse brings a fresh experience.
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Invigorating team-work dynamic

•••
Left 4 Dead 2 requires players on the same team to cooperate in order to survive. This makes for an interesting team dynamic, as it will be increasingly difficult to make it through a level if any one player on the team decides to go off on their own instead of staying with the group and cooperatin...
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Melee weapons offer a more visceral gaming experience

•••
Left 4 Dead 2 allows for the player's use of melee weapons. These create not only more graphic violence when playing (in comparison to that created when just using guns), but also a more personal and intimate experience.
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Local two-player and online four-player co-op

•••
Left 4 Dead 2 supports two-player local co-op as well as four-player online co-op.
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Not much different from its predecessor

•••
While the game has been improved from the original, if you did not have much fun with Left 4 Dead, you will probably not get much enjoyment out of the sequel. It is essentially the same game and some have complained that it just feels like a large DLC update.
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Unique and diverse co-op versus mode

•••
Left 4 Dead 2 features a versus mode that pits two teams against one another. For the survivor team, it is basically the same game as the normal campaign. However, versus mode adds a new way for teammates on the opposing team to work together by playing as the infected, which opens up a whole new p...
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Awesome game for singleplayer

•••
One of the best co-op games for offline bot play.
Slant Bot
Top Con

AI lacks craftiness

•••
The AI has a tendency to make ridiculous choices that can screw up what players are doing. This can become a big problem when relying on AI teammates in order to get through a level.
Slant Bot
Top Con

Much improved from Left 4 Dead

•••
If you loved the original Left 4 Dead, this game will be even more fun for you. Almost everything has been improved, such as the AI and multiple new additions to the game (like new enemies and weapons).
Slant Bot
Top Con

Very difficult without team engagement

•••
For those looking for a casual co-op experience, Left 4 Dead 2 probably isn't the best option. Without a good sense of teamwork and focus, this game can get very challenging.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:FPS / Action / Zombies
Co-Op:4 Player Online / 2 Player Couch / 4 Player LAN
See 9 more Pros & ConsSee 9 more Pros & Cons

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

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Kristaps
Top Pro

Pursuers make the game suspenseful

•••
One of the boss enemies patrols most areas. If they spot you, they will chase you and try to kill you. It's hard to tell where they'll be, because it's very easy to lose track of them. This causes you to shudder every time you open a door or turn a corner. It's even worse when they...
Kristaps
Top Pro

Interesting story and characters

•••
It's a lot of fun to uncover why the Baker family went mad and what happened to your missing girlfriend. The various memos, diary entries, and video tapes explain the events leading up to this. It should be enjoyable for both horror fans and other players as well.
Kristaps
Top Pro

Intense boss fights

•••
Even though the boss fights are packed with action, they also make you feel a bone-chilling helplessness. For example, in one of the fights you're trapped in the slaughterhouse. The door's locked and the boss is slowly walking towards you. One wrong move and you'll be decapitated by a c...
Kristaps
Top Con

Regular enemies are very bland

•••
The regular enemies are black goo people with claws. They have hardly any variation and even the crawling variants aren't very scary. It's really disappointing the developers didn't think to use any alligators (or other swamp creatures), with the game being set near a swamp.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
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Amnesia: The Dark Descent

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Slant Bot
Top Pro

Immersive puzzle solving

•••
Amnesia offers immersive puzzles to the player by creating interaction that comes natural to the player. When a door needs opened, the player must pull their mouse towards them to actually open the door, same goes for drawers as well. It is through these interactions that the player can feel as if...
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Excellent, unnerving atmosphere

•••
Much of the game is inspired by Lovecraftian horror wherein the player is constantly assaulted with their sanity being eroded as they try to regain their memories. Monster lurk within the game that are quite frightening and the whole game is sparsely lit with constant sounds surrounding them that c...
Slant Bot
Top Con

Puzzles tend to be easily solved

•••
Sadly the core of the game is the puzzle aspect but they tend to be easily enough solved, which makes for a bit of a let down for players who are used to or looking for difficult gameplay.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:First-Person / Horror / Survival
Co-Op:None
Controller Support:Full
See 2 more Pros & ConsSee 2 more Pros & Cons

The Evil Within 2

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Kristaps
Top Pro

Great feeling of suspense

•••
As you explore the nightmarish world of The Evil Within 2, you'll almost never feel safe due to a variety of reasons. First, the disfigured nightmare monsters are very dangerous, so messing up usually equates to your death. Even when you get used to the controls and combat, you can mess up ve...
Kristaps
Top Pro

Excellent crafting system

•••
As you explore the world you'll find various materials that can be used for crafting ammo and health items. You can either use a crafting table or craft items while you're out in the field at double the cost. This gives the crafting system a fair amount of flexibility and depth, allowing y...
Kristaps
Top Pro

Interesting story

•••
The Evil Within 2 at its core is a story about a father looking for his long-lost daughter in a nightmarish artificial world, generated within a computer system. Its inhabitants have succumbed to the negative influences of the world, turning them into monsters, which leaves you to take them out. It...
Kristaps
Top Con

Might not be that scary for hardened horror fans

•••
While there is a fair share of grotesque imagery and creepy moments, the scare factor isn't that high. You'll encounter the ocasional jump scare, but nothing ever gives you an impending sense of doom, which can be pretty disappointing for horror enthusiasts.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
See 3 more Pros & ConsSee 3 more Pros & Cons

Corpse Party

Slant Bot
Top Pro

Deep interactive storied gameplay

•••
While there are no battles in the game (as one would expect from the RPG look of the title), the game does feature a deep interactive story that sees the player control different characters in different horror scenarios. Throughout the game you will be searching for clues and investigating mysterio...
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Minimal style creates tension through imagination

•••
Corpse Party is based off of an old release from 1998 that was created with RPG Maker. This port uses that design and as such has a lot of text and sound effects due to not being designed around flashy graphics. This means the text and sound effects are what creates the atmosphere of horror in the...
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Never becomes too unnerving

•••
While the plot of the game can be quite heavy and scary, there are times where the tension eases up (when exploring) as the music takes a lighter tone. This gives the player a much needed break from how unsettling the game can be.
Slant Bot
Top Con

Overly familiar premise

•••
For those familiar with Japanese horror games, the plot in Corpse Party should be pretty familiar. A group of school kids have accidentally performed an occult ritual and are now stuck in a haunted school trying to solve the mystery of who is killing off their friends. Basically, a haunted school h...
Slant Bot
Top Con

Can fetishize violence

•••
One thing that is a bit unsettling about the game is how much it fetishsizes the violence contained within. This may take the games violence a bit too far for the player due to how it often presents it in a unrealistic light.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:Adventure / Horror / RPG / Indie
Co-Op:None
Controller Support:Full
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Observer

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Hloja
Top Pro

Terrifying, mind-bending story presentation

•••
Observer's detective story sounds simple, with you tracking down protagonist Daniel Lazarski's missing son, but the way the game presents this narrative is what counts. As you follow leads on his son's whereabouts, you'll analyze crime scenes mostly by searching through horrifying,...
Hloja
Top Pro

Intriguing cyberpunk world

•••
The deserted, rain-slicked streets of the gritty city at night, filled with unsettling displays of government advertisements fits right in with the themes and media that inspired Observer's cyberpunk world. A dystopian future where augmented humans were killed off by a mysterious disease is a f...
Hloja
Top Pro

In-depth environmental storytelling

•••
As you search around apartment buildings and office spaces with augmented vision, you'll come across emails, video sequences, and notes that flesh out the story. You can take your time to find out about now-extinct religions from the past, learn about the lives of the many people who died from...
Hloja
Top Pro

Hacking into peoples' memories is an engaging way to investigate crimes

•••
While solving cases, you can hack into a subject's memories through their augmentations, creating a new reality as you physically explore their thoughts. You'll then proceed through the scenes of their memories, listening to conversations that reveal more about the story and the world. The...
Hloja
Top Con

Gameplay is limited to mostly walking around

•••
As a "walking simulator," Observer is appealing to players who enjoy taking their time to explore and take in the environment, but it may not have enough gameplay for those looking for a more involved experience. Hacking into minds, analyzing crime scenes and moving from place to place ma...
Hloja
Top Con

Some frustrating, out-of-place chase sequences

•••
Some segments of Observer force you to stealthily avoid a menacing enemy lumbering through a dark workspace or a dilapidated set of hallways, but they don't quite fit with the game's overall freedom of discovery and exploration. If you're discovered, it's game over. These parts ruin...
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:Cyberpunk Psychological Horror
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The Forest

Slant Bot
Top Pro

Great graphics

•••
The graphics really stand out in The Forest, from the realistic looking foliage to the terrifying creatures in the forest. Remarkably the graphics are on par with any AAA game, which is quite a feat for an indie game.
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Awesome AI

•••
The AI is really cool and will hunt around for the player. Also if the player kills or injures one of the tribesmen many times they will try to drag the body away or even cry over it.
Slant Bot
Top Con

Still early alpha - very glitchy

•••
As the game is still in early alpha, it still contains many glitches, some of which are game-breaking, such as the infinite ammo glitch.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:Survival / Open World / Horror
Co-Op:Yes
Controller Support:No
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Manhunt

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Slant Bot
Top Pro

Comments on the state of violence in media

•••
While there has been violent games before the release of Manhunt, none had gone so far as to match what is found in some of the more over the top Animes and movies. At the time this game was released it was banned in numerous countries due to the violent decapitations and adult themes, but at its c...
Slant Bot
Top Pro

Great voice acting

•••
Actor Brian Cox lends his voice to the game through an earpiece in the main characters ear. Often repulsive comments that are convincingly acted well. This adds to the level of polish of the game in that the voice acting is so convincing.
Slant Bot
Top Con

Unrealistic gameplay

•••
Ignoring even the crazy premise of a televised manhunt, the gameplay itself is unrealistic in the sens that this is a stealth game where the second the player gets into the shadow, no one can see him, no matter how close. This may be immersion breaking for some.
Slant Bot
Top Con

Steep leaning curve

•••
The game is tough, and only gets tougher. This is a game for the hardcore and it shows, which may not appeal to everyone as it does take a commitment to move forward in this game.
Specs
Steam Rating:Mostly Positive
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Detention

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Yoshiyuki
Top Pro

Balanced and intuitive puzzles

•••
The puzzles are pretty straightforward and intuitive. Most items will serve practical purpose, rather than relying on the absurd logic that some other adventure games suffer from. For example, wire cutters are used to cut gates, paint thinner is used to dissolve paint, etc. Most puzzle items are us...
Yoshiyuki
Top Pro

Creepy horror atmosphere

•••
Jump scares are few and far between. Detention focuses more on atmospheric horror through it's rather oppressive and bleak environment. To emphasize the dread, most of the game's artwork consists only of dark shades and washed out textures. Almost everything is depressing and bleak - the st...
Yoshiyuki
Top Pro

Dread-inducing sound design

•••
The soundtrack isn't a typical soundtrack. Rather, it is purely environmental ambience and effects. There are no gentle melodies or soothing tracks at all. Rather, the audio itself involves a lot of screaming, scratching, moaning, humming, and strange otherwordly tones. Forgoing music for stran...
Yoshiyuki
Top Pro

Horror elements incorporate Taiwan's real life history to disturbing effect

•••
Detention takes place in 1960s, a time period in which Taiwan was under martial law. The story focuses heavily on the social struggles of the time. Much of the game's horror elements are heavily inspired by the atrocities committed during this time. The creepy and disturbing factor is amplified...
Yoshiyuki
Top Pro

Tense gameplay

•••
There is no combat or weapons in this game, making an encounter with the many ghosts a tense and frightening experience. Since you have no way of fighting directly or defending yourself, your only survival options are to use stealth and trickery. In order to sneak past a ghost, you will have to h...
Yoshiyuki
Top Pro

An altogether tense horror experience

•••
Detention does a great job of ensuring a tense horror experience from start to finish. The entire atmosphere is just downright creepy, often washed in dark with very few light sources. The ghosts look absolutely horrific. Having to sneak by them can create some of the most tense moments in the gam...
Yoshiyuki
Top Con

No auto saving can result in frustration

•••
Saving can only be done at specified save points. Forgetting to manually save is quite common when you're wrapped up in the creepy atmosphere and story. When you die, it's rather frustrating to have to replay large sections of content.
Yoshiyuki
Top Con

Some minor pixel hunting

•••
Some items are hard to find, resulting in a bit of pixel hunting from time to time. While this is the norm for seasoned adventure gamers, some may be frustrated by having to repeatedly backtrack and search areas for missed items.
Yoshiyuki
Top Con

Very short

•••
The whole game can be played in about 3-5 hours.
Specs
Genre:Survival Horror, Adventure
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The Evil Within

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thermoplastics
Top Pro

Great immersion

•••
many parts of the game are pretty scary and creepy, making for an atmosphere that is truly fitting of a survival horror. there will be jump scares are gross out horror, which all adds up to a game that is very polished.
thermoplastics
Top Con

Non cohesive levels

•••
There are certain sections of the game that sees the player sneaking around, which really limits exploration in the game. While many parts of the game are very fitting for a survival horror title, some sections leave the player wanting.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:Survival / Horror
Co-Op:None
Controller Support:Full
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Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion

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WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Pro

Karamari Hospital - great downloadable content

•••
It's not free, but it's worth the 2 dollars.
WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Pro

Endless mode

•••
You can get spooked endlessly.
Monika
WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Pro

Every new specimen gets more scarier than the previous

•••
WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Pro

Specimen

•••
All 13 of them are scary and almost every one of them has a jumpscare.
WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Pro

Not very spooky

•••
Instead, it's scary.
WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Pro

Free game

•••
It's free, you don't have to sacrifice your wallet.
Monika
Mimida Abosa
Top Con

Specimen 1

•••
If you go through the door to the hallway, there is a 50% chance Specimen 1 will pop-up and scare you, BUT they are just cute cardboard cut-outs with a random (NOT SCREAMING) jump scare sound that will give you a heart attack. They are harmless and won't be a problem throughout the game, but if...
Monika
Mimida Abosa
Top Con

The endings aren't good

•••
The Bad Ending isn't good, and The Good Ending isn't any better at all.
Monika
Mimida Abosa
Top Con

There is only ONE BOSS in this game

•••
Out of all specimen that could be a boss, Specimen 9 steals the cake and is the one and only boss in this game.
Monika
WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Con

The most disappointing story ever

•••
The game wants to be scary, a lot of specimen are thrown at the player for that. Unfortunately, the first creatures are rather cute. The game lacks a story besides these creatures turning less cute and more scary.
WhiteLilac
Mimida Abosa
Top Con

Old specimen 10's death

•••
The old scary floating worm has been replaced with a spaghetti man.
Monika
Mimida Abosa
WhiteLilac
Top Con

Some of specimen are way too slow and others are a downright nightmare to escape

•••
The fast ones: 2, 3, 4, 6 (they move if you don't pay attention), 7, 8, 9 (in a trap room), 10 (second form), 11, and 13. The slow ones: 5, 6 (they don't move if you pay attention), 10 (first form), and 12.
Alex
Mimida Abosa
Top Con

The gameplay is a little repetitive

•••
A big chunk of the game is just running away from an enemy. Of course, there is some occasional change of pace - looking for some item or collecting notes.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre: Action / Adventure / Comedy
Co-Op:None
Controller Support:Full
See 12 more Pros & ConsSee 12 more Pros & Cons
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Mimida Abosa
Ryan
Kristaps
Yoshiyuki
Hloja
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