Horror games manage to fill players with a sense of dread and excitement. No matter how terrifying a game in the horror genre may be, fans continue to go back for more. As technology and social understanding develop, so does the way developers evolve horror games to better connect with players on a visceral level.
Experimental horror has become its own sub-genre, and there are dozens of games that push boundaries within it. Whether a game in this genre is created for a timed challenge, using minimal mechanics, or even diving into the human mind there is something for every type of horror fan.
10 Dread X Collection
The Dread X Collection features the works of ten developers and creates an experience that many fans of the genre can enjoy. The collection challenges developers to create a horror game that is raw and a reflection of their own fears, in seven days.
Games within the first edition of the Dread X Collection include: SUMMER NIGHT, The Pay is Nice, Carthanc, Mr. Bucket Told Me To, Hand of Doom, The Pony Factory, Outsiders, Shatter, Rotgut, and Don’t Go Out. Each game in the horror anthology features its own unique form of gameplay and visuals. The Dread X Collection a solid experimental horror franchise and is now available on Steam.
9 SOMA
Frictional Games, known for the Amnesia and Penumbra series, brings players into the underwater world of SOMA. The sci-fi horror game forces players to make tough moral decisions as they traverse an eerie and abandoned underwater facility reminiscent of Bioshock.
Throughout the story, players will question identity, consciousness, and what it means to be human. Dangerous obstacles lurk in every corner, from twisted creatures to insane robots. The omnipresent A.I. and corrupted humans add a deeper layer to the story and the choices players make.
8 We Happy Few
We Happy Few takes players through a retrofuturistic city in an alternative 1960s England. Players will have to explore the city to discover its dark secrets while managing to blend in with the other inhabitants. Civilians take doses of Joy regularly, and they do not take kindly to anyone who goes against the status quo.
Though the concept seems simple, the aspect of managing the player characters’ intake of joy with puzzles, and controlling three different characters, make the game a challenging experience.
7 You Left Me
In You Left Me, players wake up in a surreal world and must remember their identity before they’re lost forever. You Left Me is a dark and funny game about loss and loneliness. Players can experience all five of the game’s endings, with playthroughs ranging from five to thirty minutes each run.
Developed by Angela He in 48 hours, You Left Me is highly recommended for experimental horror fans. The story takes inspiration from real life and dissociative amnesia.
6 Vanished
Horror enthusiasts looking for a game to play on the go can check out Vanished, an audio-only horror game for IOS. Players find themselves in a world devoid of light, with no memories. The game’s concept comes from experimenting with the hardware in an iPhone, to recreate real-world movements.
Players must rotate and shake their phones while moving around to protect themselves from the creatures in the darkness. Imagination becomes a powerful tool as players use audio cues to complete the game.
5 A Pet Shop After Dark
Cute and simplistic character and environment designs hide an unsettling narrative, in A Pet Shop After Dark. The owner of the shop gives players three straightforward instructions, including water the plants, feed the pets, and definitely do not turn off the lights.
It’s only after waking up in the shop a second time that something does not feel right. A Pet Shop After Dark comes alive and players’ own computers join in on the scares. Listening to the clues carefully and closely while exploring program files on their own machines will lead to the answers they seek. A Pet Shop After Dark is available on Itch.io and is developed by Npckc.
4 SKYHILL: Black Mist
Players awaken inside a semi-open-world building conglomerate, in SKYHILL: Black Mist. Once awake, they must search through the building for their missing daughter while avoiding the dark monsters and cultists that have overrun the building. SKYHILL: Black Mist features a non-linear approach to exploration, and death unlocks even more mysteries.
Players are able to choose different ways to approach problems to solve the mysteries of the world. Luring enemies into traps, making use of stealth, and a resource management system makes the game an exciting time. SKYHILL: Black Mist is available on Steam by developers at Mandragora.
3 Mists of Aiden
In Mists of Aiden, players will explore a nightmare-inducing mansion. Players have control over their decisions, or at least that is how it seems. The house has a mind of its own, and won’t let players escape so easily. Each attempt they make at escaping leads to a new ending and more mysteries.
Mists of Aiden is full of tragedy and horror and combines several genres of horror into one narrative. The evil in the house is defined only by what players choose to pay attention to. Mists of Aiden is available on Steam and is developed by Steppe Hare Studio.
2 OMORI
Players will explore a strange and colorful world in OMORI. As players navigate through the world, they will uncover plenty of secrets in addition to a look into how friendships can fall apart. OMORI covers themes such as depression and anxiety, and how the characters cope with loneliness. The game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Developed by OMOCAT, the game can be found on Steam.
1 Project: Mara
Though Project: Mara is still in development, experimental horror fans should have it on their radar. Ninja Theory, known for Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, says their upcoming game will be based on psychological research to create an accurate depiction of the horrors of the human mind.
According to Ninja Theory’s Dreadnought Developer Diaries, Project: Mara is set to be their most realistic game to date. The game will be set in one location, an existing apartment, and to make the game as realistic as possible, the art team is using various technics to replicate the space in game, down to dust on the floor.
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