Horror games are doing incredibly well right now. Both big-budget and independent titles are delivering fantastic and frightening experiences to players. This has been especially true in 2025, with great new releases from both well-known series and completely original games.
The horror games released this year were incredibly diverse, drawing inspiration from both classic and contemporary styles. However, each of the titles listed below stands out as a prime example of the genre, offering truly creepy settings, frightening narratives, and immersive gameplay. Here are the 10 best horror games of 2025, listed alphabetically.
Dead Take
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Surgent Studios’ Dead Take is a truly cinematic and thrilling horror experience. The title hints at the film industry, which is central to the story: actor Chase Lowry is searching for his missing friend, Vinny Monro. Featuring a talented cast including Neil Newbon, Laura Bailey, and Ben Starr, Dead Take uses gameplay inspired by escape rooms. Players explore a lavish but unsettlingly empty Hollywood mansion, uncovering a mystery by finding and assembling disturbing video clips and clues. As they delve deeper into the mansion’s silent halls, the full story begins to emerge. Dead Take is an ambitious and innovative horror game expected in 2025 and is already generating buzz.
Dying Light: The Beast
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In Dying Light: The Beast, players once again control Kyle Crane, returning decades after the events of the first game. Driven by a desire for revenge against the Baron who held him captive and experimented on him, Kyle navigates a world overrun with both familiar and new types of infected. Players will have access to upgraded skills to help them survive the relentless hordes. The game takes place in the countryside of Castor Woods, building on the core Dying Light experience of first-person parkour, exploration, and combat within a dynamic open world. This creates a thrilling and immersive horror game that continues the series’ legacy.
Hell is Us
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While Hell is Us blends action with role-playing and loot collection, it’s fundamentally a horror game. Developed by Rogue Factor, this third-person open-world adventure takes place in a war-torn land filled with supernatural forces unleashed by the conflict. Players control Remi as he searches for his family, battling the “Hollow Walkers” – creatures born from human negativity. Beyond its engaging story, Hell is Us creates a chilling atmosphere that delves into the horrors of both real-world tragedies and the supernatural.
Karma: The Dark World
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Pollard Studio’s Karma: The Dark World is a strange and unsettling first-person story heavily inspired by George Orwell’s 1984. The game takes place in an alternate East Germany where a powerful corporation dominates everyday life. Karma: The Dark World plunges players into a mind-bending exploration of identity, memory, and whether we truly have free will. The game’s depiction of a controlling and oppressive world forces both the main character, Daniel McGovern, and those playing to question what is real.
Look Outside
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Originally a small project created for a game jam by Francis Coulombe, Look Outside grew into a complete game published by Devolver Digital. The story follows Sam, who wakes up to find a strange, terrifying force is horribly changing his neighbors – and anyone who looks at it. Stuck inside his apartment, Sam tries to figure out what’s going on and how to stop it. Players need to find supplies and manage Sam’s mental state while trying to survive. Look Outside uses detailed pixel art and blends classic game styles with turn-based RPG combat to create a unique cosmic horror experience that feels both familiar and new. With multiple different endings, Look Outside offers a lot of replay value for players who want to face its Lovecraftian horrors again and again.
The Midnight Walk
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With its unique stop-motion animation, the horror anthology The Midnight Walk uses shadows and fire to create a striking atmosphere. In the game, players control The Burnt One and team up with a living lantern called Potboy to explore a gorgeous but unsettling world, solving puzzles with a smart sound-based system. While it’s a bit short, The Midnight Walk‘s captivating visuals, endearing characters, and delightfully twisted stories make it a strong contender for one of the best games of 2025.
Post Trauma
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The independent game world is known for consistently producing great horror titles, and the new release from Red Soul Games is no exception. Inspired by the classic Silent Hill games, Post Trauma puts you in the shoes of Roman, a train conductor caught in a very strange and frightening situation. As Roman is pulled into a bizarre and dangerous reality, you’ll need to solve challenging puzzles in different locations to uncover the mystery of how he ended up in this nightmarish world.
Silent Hill f
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The Silent Hill series made a strong comeback last year, first with the impressive Silent Hill 2 Remake, and then with the more unusual Silent Hill f. Written by Ryukishi07, Silent Hill f breaks from the series’ usual style by taking place in a quiet Japanese town in the 1960s. The game follows Hinako Shimizu as she deals with personal struggles and the expectations of society. Silent Hill f explores the idea of finding beauty in horror, and its world, characters, and monsters are among the most strikingly unsettling in the entire franchise. The game’s positive reception has also restored fans’ confidence in the series, solidifying its place as one of the best releases of 2025.
Tormented Souls 2
Check Out Tormented Souls 2 on OpenCritic
Following up on the success of the 2021 survival horror game Tormented Souls, the sequel continues the tradition of classic, chilling gameplay. Players once again control Caroline Walker, picking up the story after her investigation into missing twins at an abandoned hospital revealed disturbing secrets. This time, Caroline travels to a remote location in Chile to investigate even more unsettling and unnatural events. Tormented Souls 2 builds upon the original game’s strengths, offering expanded gameplay, a consistently creepy atmosphere, and the same tense, claustrophobic experience fans loved.
Total Chaos
Check Out Total Chaos on OpenCritic
Originally created as a mod for Doom 2 in 2018, Total Chaos has evolved into a full, standalone game. Players take on the role of a coastguard responding to a strange distress signal at Fort Oasis, a rundown mining colony. The game sends you to explore the complex depths of the island, scavenging for supplies and building weapons to uncover the source of the mystery. Total Chaos is especially praised for its exceptional sound design and music by Akira Yamaoka, and it’s considered one of the best horror games of 2025 thanks to its blend of exploration, puzzles, item management, and fast-paced shooting.
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2025-12-06 16:05