11 Best Horror Games on Steam (Scary Games on PC)

Horror games are all well and good right up until I regret playing them and I start hearing noises at 2 a.m. And yet, I still love them — the thrill of it all, the unsettling atmosphere. For me, it’s the perfect way to experience fear, in a very controlled environment.

And if you’re like me and you love horror, but you’re not sure what to play next, here are some of the scariest games ever. There’s a bit of everything, because not everyone’s fears are the same. So, you’ll find some psychological horror, some nightmarish survival scenarios and of course, zombies (even if Zombieland made them more funny than scary to me).

Silent Hill 2 Remake (Slow-burn, psychological horror)

If you thought the original Silent Hill 2 was unsettling, just wait until you see it with modern graphics and sound design that makes every eerie whisper feel like it’s right behind you. The Silent Hill 2 Remake takes everything that made the original one of the scariest games ever and cranks up the psychological horror to new levels.

James Sunderland’s return to Silent Hill is just as haunting as before, maybe even more so now that every fog-drenched street and crumbling hallway is disturbingly detailed.

Outlast (1 & 2) (Psychological survival horror)

Outlast games leave you completely helpless against a sinister *something* that’s chasing you. Both games ditch weapons entirely, leaving you with nothing but a night vision camera, and a dwindling supply of batteries.

The first game throws you into Mount Massive Asylum, where the patients are… let’s say less than friendly. Your only options are to run, hide, and pray they don’t find you. Meanwhile, Outlast 2 trades the asylum for a creepy cult in the middle of nowhere.

Both games are relentless, dripping with tension, and filled with moments that will make you physically pause just to catch your breath.

Alien Isolation (Stealth-survival horror)

If you’ve ever watched Alien and thought, “I could totally survive that,” Alien: Isolation is here to prove you very, very wrong. This game doesn’t just recreate the tense, claustrophobic horror of the movies, it makes it even better (or worse, depending on how you look at it).

You play as Amanda Ripley, trapped on a space station with an unstoppable Xenomorph that learns from how you play. So, for example, if you hide in lockers, it will learn that you do that and start searching for you there. It’s honestly one of the most intense horror games ever made.

Resident Evil 7 (Survival horror)

Resident Evil 7 didn’t just bring the series back to its horror roots, it shoved players headfirst into a mold-infested nightmare they’ll never unsee. Gone are the over-the-top action sequences; instead, you’re trapped in a decaying Louisiana plantation with the Bakers, a family that redefines the term “bad hospitality.”

Playing as Ethan Winters, you’re just a guy searching for your missing wife, which makes every encounter feel even more terrifying. The shift to first-person is genius. It makes every creaky floorboard, every flickering light, and every unhinged Baker family member feel way too close for comfort.

Still Wakes the Deep (Atmospheric survival horror)

Being trapped on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean sounds bad enough. Now add something horribly wrong lurking in the shadows, and you’ve got Still Wakes the Deep.

There are no weapons, or escapes, just you, the rig’s crumbling metal halls, and something hunting you. The game leans into pure survival horror, forcing you to rely on stealth, problem-solving, and sheer panic as you try to navigate the flooding, collapsing structure. Every creak, every distant noise could mean death, and trust me, you will hesitate before turning every corner.

Condemned: Criminal Origins (Survival + Investigation)

Condemned: Criminal Origins is so scary and so violent that it was banned in Germany. It’s pure psychological and survival horror, mixed with some of the most brutal first-person combat you’ll ever experience.

You play as Ethan Thomas, an investigator hunting down a serial killer while dealing with the fact that, well, everyone around you seems to have lost their minds. The game’s enemies aren’t monsters or ghosts — they’re desperate, violent people lurking in the shadows, waiting to ambush you when you least expect it. And since ammo is rare, you’ll be forced into up-close, bone-crunching melee combat that makes every fight feel way too personal.

I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream (Techno-horror and body horror)

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is a disturbing dive into psychological horror, morality, and human suffering — based on Harlan Ellison’s famously bleak short story.

A malevolent AI named AM has wiped out humanity, leaving only five survivors to torture for eternity. Each character is forced to relive their deepest traumas in twisted, nightmarish scenarios designed to break them. And because this is a point-and-click adventure game, the horror isn’t just in what you see, but also in the choices you make.

Visage (Psychological horror)

If you think you can handle psychological horror, Visage is here to test your limits. It builds an atmosphere so tense, so deeply unsettling, that even walking down a hallway feels like a mistake.

Set inside a seemingly normal house with a very dark past, Visage throws you into a slow, creeping nightmare where reality twists and the house itself seems to hate you. Strange noises, flickering lights, and shadowy figures watching from the dark. Oh, and did I mention the sanity meter? The more terrified you are, the worse things get. So, uh… good luck with that.

Maddison

If you’re looking for a psychological horror experience that slowly eats away at your mind, Maddison is here to deliver in the most disturbing way possible. The game throws you into the shoes of Luca, a young man who is cursed with investigating the eerie happenings surrounding his family’s dark past—and let’s just say, the more you dig, the worse it gets.

Set in a decaying family home, Maddison builds a thick atmosphere of dread, with supernatural forces creeping through every corner. Expect plenty of eerie imagery, haunting noises, and puzzles that slowly unravel a disturbing story about loss, guilt, and, of course, the sinister force known as Maddison. The tension isn’t just from jump scares (though, there are plenty of those)—it’s from the slow realization that the house itself might be out to get you.

With its first-person perspective and immersive storytelling, Maddison will keep you glued to the screen, constantly questioning what’s real and what’s not. If you’re into horror that messes with your head long after you’ve finished playing, this one’s a nightmare worth diving into.

SOMA (Survival mystery horror)

ISOMA is a sci-fi horror game and a psychological thriller that messes with your head long after the game ends. Set in an underwater research facility, you play as Simon, a guy who wakes up to find himself trapped in a place where reality and perception are more twisted than a pretzel.

What makes SOMA stand out is its ability to make you question what it means to be human. You’ll spend most of your time sneaking past horrifying creatures while piecing together the disturbing truth behind the facility’s downfall.

If you like SOMA, you might like these sci-fi games too.

Amnesia (First person survival/psychological horror)

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is considered a classic of psychological horror. It’s not just about the monsters (though there are plenty of those); it’s the way the game manipulates your senses and makes every moment feel like you’re teetering on the edge of madness.

You play as Daniel, who wakes up in a dark, creepy castle with no memory of how he got there or what’s lurking in the shadows. The horror isn’t just in what you see; it’s in what you don’t see. With no weapons, your only options are to hide or run, which makes every encounter feel heart-stoppingly real.

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