8 Forgotten Horror Games That Deserve To Be Rediscovered On Steam

Steam is great because it’s flexible and has a massive collection of games. Unlike some other digital stores like PlayStation Network, if you bought a game on Steam years ago – even as far back as 2010 – you can usually still play it. However, Steam doesn’t always keep games available forever. Recently, two excellent horror titles, Cold Fear and Condemned: Criminal Origins, were removed from the platform.

There are many horror games available, but truly great ones are rare. Unfortunately, some excellent games don’t get the recognition they deserve and can be lost to time, as seen with the examples mentioned earlier. Because these older games are no longer available for purchase, horror fans should consider adding the following titles to their Steam wishlists and watching for potential delisting.

Among Ashes

Two Games In One

Among Ashes is a unique game that blends two experiences: playing a computer game and exploring a real-world apartment. When players download a free horror game, strange events begin to occur both within the game and in their actual surroundings.

Despite its outdated 90s-style graphics, this 2024 horror game delivers surprisingly effective and often silly jump scares. It’s a unique experience that breaks the fourth wall, and it deserves more attention on Steam.

Carrion

You Are The Monster

Released in 2020, Carrion offers a unique twist: you play as the monster! You control an experimental creature that escapes from a lab, and your goal is to grow stronger by finding power-ups and eliminating anyone who tries to stop you as you explore.

This game cleverly flips the typical roles, and despite its 2D graphics, it features impressively gruesome and frightening takedowns. Transforming into a larger monster is incredibly satisfying and motivates you to keep playing in a fresh and interesting way. It feels a lot like a playable version of the classic movie The Blob, which would actually make a fantastic game on its own.

Blair Witch

A Better Sequel

Released in 1999, The Blair Witch Project was a massive hit and a unique cinematic experience, something its follow-up films never quite achieved. The 2019 video game, Blair Witch, is the strongest continuation of the story, delivering genuine scares and successfully recreating the atmosphere of the original movie.

What made the first movie truly frightening was the feeling of being lost and trapped in the woods, with the constant sense that you were being watched – and the game captures that perfectly. Players use tools like flashlights and a camcorder to navigate and solve puzzles. While it’s more of a straightforward experience than a truly difficult horror game, it nails the atmosphere and delivers some effective scares.

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut

The Greatest FBI Agent Of All Time

Every version of Deadly Premonition tends to split players. While the 2010 game has noticeable technical flaws – the graphics and gameplay aren’t great – its atmosphere, characters, story, and music are so strong that those who stick with it often find it a surprisingly rewarding experience.

This show shares similarities with Twin Peaks: an FBI agent, Francis York Morgan, arrives in a quiet town to investigate a string of murders committed by a dangerous killer known as the Raincoat Killer. Despite some flaws, it’s a thrilling and scary experience that’s ultimately worth watching for its many twists and turns.

Penumbra: Overture

Dark And Mysterious

Penumbra: Overture blends horror and adventure elements, offering a gameplay experience that focuses on exploration and managing your inventory. It’s not just about quick reactions; players need to actively interact with the world – like using a menu to switch on a light or clicking on objects, such as drawers, to open them.

Players now have more ways to experience Penumbra: Overture, the first game in a trilogy that originally came out in 2007 and is also available on Steam. It’s a bit of a challenging recommendation, as the game can be quite difficult and confusing, so we suggest starting with just the first chapter. If you enjoy it, the other two Penumbra games are definitely worth playing.

ObsCure

The Faculty

The game ObsCure was first released in Australia in 2004, and then in North America in 2005—an unusual release order for video games. It’s largely based on the 1998 movie The Faculty, putting players in the shoes of teenagers trapped in a high school experiencing strange, paranormal events.

Players can select from five different students, each with unique abilities, and the game offers cooperative play for those who like to team up. What made the campaign stand out was its early use of permanent character death – meaning if a character died, they stayed dead, and the story continued. While this is now a common feature in games like Until Dawn, it’s interesting to see one of the first examples of it.

Fear Effect

Spy Fiction

Released in 2000 for the PlayStation 1, near the end of its run, Fear Effect is a spy game rather than a horror game. Players control three characters, with Hana being the most memorable. The game’s name reflects its unique gameplay: instead of a health bar, characters have a fear meter that rises when they’re frightened, adding a new challenge to tense situations.

While scary elements appear more strongly in later parts of the game and its 2001 sequel, it remains a relatively obscure PlayStation horror title. Fortunately, it’s now available on platforms like Steam with a recent 2025 port.

Clock Tower: Rewind

One Of The All-Time Greats

Clock Tower: Rewind is a 2024 remake of the original Clock Tower game, first released in Japan for the SNES in 1995. It includes added animated cutscenes that improve the gameplay without losing the feeling of the classic original.

In Clock Tower, you play as Jennifer, a young orphan who arrives at a beautiful mansion only to find herself separated from the other girls living there when the power goes out. But it’s not just a blackout—a dangerous killer named Scissorman is stalking the halls. This point-and-click adventure game requires you to solve puzzles by finding items and quickly hide whenever Scissorman appears. Even with its older 16-bit graphics, Clock Tower remains a truly frightening experience thanks to its incredibly immersive atmosphere.

2025-12-08 02:36