Scariest horror games to play on your PC


Do you have a thirst for horror? Even though they sometimes terrify us, there are many of us out there who can’t get enough of scary video games. Whether it’s the adrenaline rush or the excitement of being in a virtual fight-or-flight situation, we’re obsessed with them. The horror genre has always been a popular one for gamers, so much so that it’s hard to pick just a few titles for this list. However, some games truly stand out as a testament to horror. These are the titles we won’t be forgetting about in our nightmares anytime soon.

Outlast

From the minute you start playing Outlast, you can tell it’s going to be a horror game. A journalist investigating an abandoned hospital? That sounds perfectly safe. The fact that you can’t go in through the front door and have to parkour your way up to a window tells you all you need to know.

Outlast is one of those games that’s born to scare. The lights regularly go out, chases are frequent, and you have no way to defend yourself. It’s run or lose your life. On top of all that, you have to keep finding batteries to power up your camera. Otherwise, you lose your night vision and have no idea what you’re about to walk into. This all ramps up the creepy factor, which is already well-established by the freaky characters and nightmarish location. You may reconsider your feelings about hospitals after playing this game.

Friday the 13th

Online multiplayer games are all the rage right now, so it’s no wonder that Friday the 13th is a popular choice for many. This release is unique in that it puts you and other players into one of the various settings in the horror film franchise. One of you plays the antagonist looking to slaughter everyone, while the rest act as campmates trying to make their escape.

Although the game’s premise might not necessarily be terrifying, the fact that you’re playing against real people and not AI turns the fear factor on its head. You’re not running away from a computer, but rather someone who thinks just like you. Real players aren’t going to give up until they know you’re dead, and that thought alone is pretty scary.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

There have been seven games in the Resident Evil franchise now, but it wasn’t until the 2017 release that the series really kicked the horror up a notch. No longer utilizing third-person point of view, this game throws you right into the action and does all it can to scare the living daylights out of you. The ability to fight back is minimal, and the antagonists aren’t afraid to appear out of nowhere and hunt you down. That’s scary enough without even considering all the unsettling imagery that’s used throughout the game. The location of Biohazard is definitely Resident Evil’s most unnerving to date.

Layers of Fear

A game doesn’t have to be full of terrifying monsters and intense chases to be considered scary. Sometimes, the simplest things can be disturbing if done correctly. Layers of Fear is one of those games that has you afraid to do anything because you never know what might happen. Even turning off a light can have a huge impact on your surroundings.

The further you delve into the story, the more disturbing everything becomes. As you understand the sinister intentions of the painter you’re playing as, the horrific imagery around you grows darker. If you’re someone who isn’t a fan of creepy dolls coming to life, this is one game you might want to avoid. They’ll follow you into the most horrific places.

We’re all affected by horror in different ways, so some of you may have no qualms about taking on these games. They’re sure to still leave a lasting impression on you, though. They can scare you in the most surprising ways.

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