As we get ever closer to Halloween, the demand for horror games is increasing. Gamers everywhere are looking for something scary to play, whether it be an old-school classic or a new-age terror. For those that only want to play the best of the best, GameRant is counting down our list of the top 100 horror games of all time.
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These 100 games were chosen by polling the GameRant editorial staff, but you can let your voice be heard by voting in the Reader’s Choice Top 100 Horror Games Poll.
60. Amnesia: The Bunker
Frictional Games has a reputation for building some of the scariest games of all time, and Amnesia: The Bunker is yet another bone-chilling title from the studio. Amnesia: The Bunker takes place in a cramped World War 1 bunker that is downright terrifying to explore, thanks to the presence of a vicious monster that can pop around any corner.
59. Silver Pines
Silver Pines is a Metroidvania horror game that feels like a marriage between Silent Hill and Twin Peaks. Players take on the role of a trenchcoat-wearing private investigator named Red Walker as he searches for someone in the titular town of Silver Pines. The town of Silver Pines gives off serious Twin Peaks vibes, with Walker even able to drink coffee to boost his stamina. The monsters and psychological horror elements are closer to Konami’s Silent Hill franchise, but it’s safe to say that fans of both will find a lot to love with Silver Pines.
58. Resident Evil Zero
Resident Evil Zero was originally being made with the Nintendo 64 in mind, but it eventually evolved into a GameCube exclusive. Resident Evil Zero serves as a prequel to the original game, and it features some unique mechanics that help it stand out from other entries in the series. Players are able to swap between two playable characters, Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen, at will, which opens the door for some unique puzzle opportunities. Zero also does away with the franchise’s traditional item box in favor of letting players drop items on the ground, which is a neat idea though I still prefer the convenience of the item boxes.
Resident Evil Zero was remastered for modern platforms with updated controls and various other improvements. A full-blown remake of the game is rumored to be in development.
57. Crow Country
There are countless indie games that pay homage to old-school Resident Evil, but Crow Country is one that stands out from the pack. Crow Country plays like a classic survival-horror with its exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat, but graphically, it actually has more in common with something like Final Fantasy 7. It’s a creative blend of PS1-era sensibilities that ultimately gives Crow Country the boost it needs to become something much more than just another RE clone.
56. Silent Hill 4: The Room
Silent Hill 4: The Room is one of the most divisive entries in the franchise, but it’s also one of the most memorable. Silent Hill 4: The Room‘s most compelling segments take place in the protagonist’s apartment, where players find themselves trapped. The creepy vibes are off the charts when figuring out the mysteries behind the apartment, and while the more traditional Silent Hill segments are also solid, the time spent in the apartment is what will stick with players the most.
55. Inscryption
Horror has infiltrated all kinds of genres over the years, including roguelike deck-building games. Horror roguelike deck-builder Inscryption has players play cards and solve puzzles in a spooky cabin – going into too much more detail would potentially hurt the experience for anyone interested in checking it out. So rest assured, Inscryption is worth your time and then some.
54. Clock Tower
The original Clock Tower is a point-and-click horror game that tasks players with escaping a manor all the while being stalked by the deadly Scissorman. One of the earliest and most influential survival-horror games of all time, Clock Tower‘s legacy can not be understated.
Clock Tower has been re-released and remastered multiple times. The latest version of the game, available to play on modern consoles, is called Clock Tower: Rewind.
53. Five Nights at Freddy’s
Five Nights at Freddy’s has blown up into a cultural phenomenon, but it wouldn’t have reached that status without the rock-solid original game. Five Nights at Freddy’s has players take on the role of an unlucky security guard who finds themselves working at a bizarre Chuck E. Cheese-like restaurant. As players flip through the security cameras, it quickly becomes apparent that the restaurant’s animatronics are alive, and players are challenged to see how long they can survive them.
52. The Forest
A survival-horror game that puts emphasis on “survival,” The Forest has players crafting items, gathering resources, and building traps like typical survival games, but with a horror twist. The unforgiving forest players find themselves in happens to be inhabited by dangerous cannibals, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the game’s many horrors.
51. Amnesia: Rebirth
Amnesia: Rebirth marked Frictional Games’ triumphant return as the primary developer for its horror franchise after A Machine for Pigs development was led by The Chinese Room. Trading the eerie castle of Amnesia: The Dark Descent for a brutal desert and pitch-black caves, Rebirth‘s puzzles and scares are some of the best in any horror game.
