Most gamers can name the heavy hitters of the horror genre quite easily. Series such asSilent HillandResident Evillooms large in the minds of horror junkies. But the genre is so much more varied than some people may realize. Underrated titles, unfortunately, slip through the cracks all the time.
RELATED:The Best Free-To-Play Horror Games On Steam
The good news is that the last five years have been great for horror gaming. It shouldn’t be forgotten that indie developers often crank out some pretty solid horror experiences every day. Thus, it would surely be a mistake for players to overlook this selection of entertaining titles.
Updated June 10, 2025 by Mark Hospodar:The horror genre is tailor-made for video games. Nothing beats the thrill of being chased down a hallway by a demented killer or the subtle atmospheric creep factor that makes the hair on a player’s neck stand on end!
Many well-crafted horror games get the accolades they deserve. However, the genre is massive, especially when one takes into consideration the indie market. As such, not every great horror game receives the laurels that are due to them. This list has been updated to include a few moreunderrated horror gamesfrom the last five years.
12Fears To Fathom (2021-2022)
Players who like the kind of horror that hits close to home should loveFears to Fathom, an episodic indie horror game from Rayll. The first episode,Home Alone, deals with a home invasion scenario that is startlingly effective in its execution.
The second episode,Norwood Hitchhike, capitalizes on the creepy motel trope to the fullest. Hearing a knock at the door while glimpsing a stranger through the blinds proves just as scary as it sounds. If getting trapped in a haunted asylum for the hundredth time sounds boring, giving the more down-to-earthFears to Fathoma try is certainly recommended.
11Murder House (2020)
The developers at Puppet Combo consistently deliver truly terrifying horror experiences. Their titles typically revolve around more realistic scenarios centered around serial killers, rather than ghosts or mythical creatures. The pacing inMurder Houseis spot on as it slowly builds the creepiness and tension to a fever pitch, before being shattered by the appearance of the killer.
Speaking of the killer, this particular antagonist goes about his business in a bloody Easter bunny suit. Seeing that image emerge from a dark hallway gets the blood flowing, to say the least. The atmosphere iswell-served by the PS1 aesthetic, making things appear pixelated and causing the player to often wonder: What did I just see out of the corner of my eye?
10Iron Lung (2022)
The dark depths of the ocean can be a frightening place. When that ocean is comprised entirely of blood,the experience gets even creepier.Iron Lungis a short indie horror game where players must navigate a submarine while snapping photographs of various locations under the sea (of blood).
The atmosphere is nailed pitch-perfectly. The sounds of something unseen swimming nearby the player’s submersible can be chilling. The strange glimpses of something horrifying that fans can capture in their photographs are also effective on a simple, basic level.Iron Lunguses its short runtime to maximum effect, something that not every horror game pulls off.
9White Day: A Labyrinth Named School (2017)
White Day: A Labyrinth Named Schoolwas given a fresh coat of paint in 2017. It undoubtedly made the gamescarier than the 2001 originalby adding a host of new features and content. There are even more macabre encounters to experience whilst exploring the haunted high school. But exploration isn’t easy. There is, after all, a baseball bat-wielding janitor to avoid along the way.
RELATED:Horror Games With The Most Heart Attack-Inducing Jump Scares, Ranked
The janitor is just the tip of the iceberg. A whole array of ghosts swarm the hallways and classrooms, not all of whom are malevolent. Some may randomly turn off light switches or produce noises, like a chalkboard being used (which is actually quite unsettling). Others are more direct, appearing in front of the player to scare or even harm him. It all makes for great replayability, at least for the brave.
8Observer (2017)
Observeris a psychological horror game that utilizes a creative cyberpunk atmosphere. It blends a futuristic aesthetic with aspects of the horror genre in a manner that is a bit reminiscent ofSomaand evenBlade Runner. The game poses a series of moral questions by giving the protagonist a frightening toolkit of gadgets to solve crimes.
In the world ofObserver, the ability to hack into someone’s mind is made possible by a device called the Dream Eater. A person’s darkest thoughts and deepest secrets are laid bare with such an implement. It asks the player to wrestle with the potential dangers and pitfalls posed by the unrestrained advancement of technology.
Hotels can often be naturally creepy places. That sentiment certainly holds true for the establishment depicted inAt Dead of Night. This particular game isbeautiful to look atseeing as how it’s shot using Full Motion Video, or FMV. In 2021, FMV isn’t something that is regularly seen anymore. However,At Dead of Nightutilizes this antiquated feature superbly.
A psychopathic killer stalks the halls of the dark, rundown hotel. The player, of course, needs to avoid him at all costs. Doing so requires keen eyes and open ears. Sometimes, the player will even spot the antagonist peeking around corners or catch a glimpse of his shadow on the ground. It’s simple and yet immensely effective. Catching sight of movement out of one’s peripheral vision when danger is known to be lurking is incredibly tense. This game possesses tension and atmosphere in spades.
6Welcome To The Game 2 (2018)
The home invasion sub-genre is criminally underrepresented in video games. Reflect Studios’Welcome to the Gameseries aims to fill that void. The idea of someone malevolent lurking inside one’s house or apartment is obviously an unsettling thought. This game brings those fears home quite effectively.
Welcome to the Game 2requires the player to search the Dark Web for hidden codes in order to rescue a missing woman. The danger, however, comes in the form of kidnappers, a hitman, and a serial killer. All these individuals can, and will, break into the player’s apartment with evil intentions. Looking over one’s shoulder is effectively made into a game mechanic.
5Prognostic (2022)
It’s difficult for horror games to strike the right balance between atmosphere and gameplay. It’s not uncommon to find horror games that nail one aspect while neglecting the other.Prognosticactually manages to strike a satisfying balance between the two.
RELATED:Best Indie Horror Games To Play If You Loved PT
InPrognostic, players conduct a series of mystical investigations using a variety of tools at their disposal. While doing so, a malevolent entity threatens the player character’s safety. The puzzle-solving aspect of the game is neat, intuitive, and progressive, ensuring that players don’t get tired of it quickly.
4Song of Horror (2019)
Protocol Games’Song of Horroris a supernatural nail-biter from start to finish. Its gameplay features, like its fixed camera angles and inventory management, take a lot of inspiration from the earlyResident Evilentries.
Collecting objects and solving puzzles constitute the meat and potatoes of this game. Of course, avoiding the assortment of horrific enemies along the way is also a concern. Interestingly, a protagonist who falls victim to one of these enemies is permanently killed. A new character must be selected to continue the story.
3Visage (2020)
When the disappointing news broke thatP.T.had been canceled, many game developers tried to fill the void. A lot of so-calledP.T.“clones” would be released over the years, with many of them being abysmal endeavors.Visage, however, probably came the closest torealizing the potential thatP.T.had to offer.
Set within the walls of a dark and foreboding suburban house, the player is tasked with unraveling the mysteries of the home’s tragic past. Unsettling, supernatural encounters soon follow as the player character struggles to maintain his sanity.
