Horror games range in how challenging they are, with some being much harder than others. Thankfully, many survival horror games let you choose a difficulty level and customize what that means for your experience.
For some horror games, they even go as far as to remove any and all threats entirely.
Many players enjoy the immersive feeling and suspense of horror games, but don’t want constant combat. Even easier horror games can still be challenging due to enemies. That’s why it’s great when games let you turn enemies off completely, letting you explore and experience the atmosphere without the fear of being attacked.
Even if you’re playing on an easier or safer difficulty setting, don’t assume the game won’t be frightening. These games can still be incredibly scary, even without any monsters.
10. The Long Dark
Push Away the Horror Elements
Some people wonder if The Long Dark is a horror game, and while it’s not strictly horror, it definitely has horror elements. The game’s intense focus on survival and the harsh day/night cycle create a truly desperate feeling, mirroring the struggle to stay alive in the freezing wilderness. In The Long Dark, you’re simply trying to survive an endless winter in a world devastated by a geomagnetic storm.
Okay, so this game isn’t technically horror, but trust me, it gets under your skin. Imagine you’re scavenging through a house, and suddenly the Northern Lights start dancing in the sky. It’s beautiful, yeah, but things get weird. Animals get super agitated, and even old electronics flicker back to life – after hours of just hearing nature sounds, that little spark is seriously creepy. It’ll definitely make you jump!
The Long Dark is known for being a challenging survival game, but it’s also surprisingly customizable. Players aren’t forced to endure extreme difficulty if they prefer a more relaxed experience. The game offers a wide range of settings that let you adjust everything from the availability of resources to the behavior of wildlife. You can tailor the game to your liking even before you start playing, choosing the kind of survival experience you want.
You can adjust the difficulty to make the game easier – for example, by reducing how aggressively enemies attack or making your character better at handling cold and hunger. However, doing so will lessen the horror aspects and transform the game into a straightforward survival challenge, rather than a terrifying experience.
9. Phasmophobia
Invite Casper to the Friend Hangout
Sharing scary experiences with friends makes them much more enjoyable, and that’s especially true in games like Phasmophobia. It’s hilarious to play with friends in a spooky setting, and even funnier to hear them react to their fears from another room!
Okay, so I’m totally addicted to Phasmophobia! You team up with friends to hunt ghosts, but these aren’t your friendly neighborhood spooks – they’re seriously aggressive and will try to kill you, possess you, or both! It’s funny watching your friends freak out over the radio when a ghost grabs them, but things can get overwhelming with all the hauntings happening. Luckily, you can tweak the difficulty settings to make it a bit easier, or ramp it up if you’re feeling brave!
You can’t completely disable ghosts in the settings, but you can change them to be friendly! This means they won’t chase or bother you – they’ll just become harmless companions. Feel free to even give them a name, like Casper, and consider them part of your group!
Even though these ghosts are friendly, they still manage to give you a fright every time they suddenly appear.
8. Maid of Sker
Let’s Take it Down a Notch
I’m a sucker for games that play with old stories, and Maid of Sker totally grabbed me with its take on a really famous Welsh legend – the love story of Elisabeth Williams and Thomas Evans. Honestly, even if you’ve never heard of it, you’re in for a surprise! They don’t just retell the tale straight – they add some cool creative twists and then throw in some genuinely creepy, scary stuff. It’s a really unique experience.
Staying hidden is key to surviving in this game, and it’s especially tense because the enemies are blind but have incredibly sensitive hearing – they can even hear your breathing! However, you’re not forced to play stealthily if you prefer a different approach.
The game includes a Safe Mode which removes all enemies, making it much easier to play while still maintaining its scary atmosphere. The game’s unsettling mood remains even when you’re not in danger.
Good news! You can still unlock all the achievements by playing in Safe Mode, meaning you can complete the game without fighting any enemies if you prefer.
7. The Forest
Or Sons of the Forest; Both Offer Safety
If you enjoy building and collecting resources in a spooky setting but want a relaxed experience, The Forest has a “Peaceful Mode” that removes all enemies. Usually, The Forest is a challenging survival game where you search for your son after a plane crash, but this mode lets you focus on building without the threat of monsters – Timmy can wait!
Honestly, keeping my stuff organized in this game is a breeze – it’s super relaxing! The only real bummer about switching to Peaceful Mode is that you miss out on the awesome enemy AI. It’s seriously impressive! I’d definitely recommend not playing on Peaceful for at least your second time through, so you can really experience how smart the enemies are.
Sons of the Forest, the game’s sequel, includes a Peaceful Mode where players can experience all the new features and improvements without any of the usual challenges or drawbacks.
6. Amnesia: Rebirth
Not Just Safe Rooms Anymore
The Amnesia games have become incredibly popular in the horror genre, going from a little-known indie title to a prominent feature on YouTube. When something dangerous appears, you need to quickly find a safe room to catch your breath, or you’ll be in serious trouble – especially if you’re caught!
Amnesia: Rebirth offers an Adventure Mode that keeps enemies present but makes them non-aggressive – they won’t attack unless you bother them. This mode also brightens up the game slightly and makes it easier to maintain your sanity, resulting in a less frightening experience overall.
This offers a great way for players who don’t enjoy intense scares to still enjoy a horror game, focusing more on the story and atmosphere than jump scares.
Just don’t bother the monsters. If you do, they’ll immediately become hostile and attack you.
5. Layers of Fear
The Remake, Specifically
I really loved the original Layers of Fear, but it was basically just about exploring – nothing could actually kill you, so you never lost progress. The cool thing about the 2023 remake is they added some threats, like this entity called ‘The Ghost,’ but it’s not forced on you. You can still play without worrying about being killed if you want to!
Players who prefer a more relaxed experience can enable Safe Mode in the settings. This turns off the ghost and removes any danger she might present, effectively making the game a walking simulator.
Layers of Fear puts you in the role of a painter striving to complete his masterpiece. However, as a psychological horror game, he’s tormented by unresolved personal issues. A mysterious figure known as ‘The Ghost’ is part of this haunting, and discovering who she is a key reveal best experienced while playing.
Safe Mode isn’t a feature in the game itself, since the idea is you’re already secure… or so it seems.
4. DREDGE
Just Keep Swimming … Away From Me
DREDGE is a really enjoyable game, even if you don’t typically like horror. It only takes around 20 hours to fully complete, but I personally spent over 80 hours playing! It’s a cozy horror experience, so while there are dangers hidden under the water, the pressure isn’t as intense as in other scary games.
DREDGE is a scary fishing game where you arrive in a seemingly peaceful coastal town to work. But you quickly discover something is terribly wrong – with the town and the creatures you catch. As you upgrade your boat and explore further, the disturbing truth is revealed.
Don’t worry about terrifying sea creatures if you switch on Passive Mode at any time during your game. This stops enemies from attacking and even prevents some from showing up. You’ll still need to keep an eye on your character’s sanity, but it will be much simpler when you’re not trying to escape a monstrous fish!
Remember, disabling enemies will prevent you from earning a few trophies, but you can quickly re-enable them in the settings. This lets you easily unlock the achievement, then switch back to playing without enemies if you prefer.
3. Crow Country
An Amusement Park All to Yourself
Many new horror games take inspiration from older, classic survival horror titles, and Crow Country is a recent standout. Players loved it, quickly establishing it as one of the best horror games of 2024. It’s particularly praised for updating the classic ‘tank controls’ to be more accessible and user-friendly.
In Crow Country, you’ll investigate a mysterious amusement park and learn about its creator, but you’ll quickly find yourself facing more than you bargained for. The park is full of dangerous creatures, which can be tough to handle, but Exploration Mode makes the challenge much more manageable for players who prefer to focus on the story.
Exploration Mode lets you freely wander and enjoy the game’s story and puzzles without any danger. Just remember that your final rank is affected by the difficulty you choose – to get the highest ranks (S or S+), like in Resident Evil 4, you’ll need to play on a higher difficulty setting.
This game includes all the classic elements of survival horror, but without the scary monsters chasing you around, making for a more relaxed experience.
2. Still Wakes the Deep
Just Get Sad Instead
Christmas is typically a time of joy and wonder, but for Caz McCleary, working on the Beira D. Oil Rig in the story Still Wakes the Deep, it’s anything but festive.
Things get truly terrifying when the oil rig accidentally drills into a monstrous creature known as The Shape, unleashing chaos and turning the rig into a nightmare. The crew is then caught in a frantic struggle to survive, longing for the simple problems they left behind – but their fate was sealed from the beginning.
Later in the game, you’ll encounter former colleagues who have been transformed into terrifying monsters by The Shape. They’ll relentlessly pursue you, and won’t stop until they kill you. However, the game’s environment is often broken and unreliable, which can make escaping difficult. If you play on Story Mode, you can avoid these challenges.
Story Mode lets you easily avoid enemies if you don’t approach them. The game only becomes challenging if you actively seek it out. Enemies will be visible, creating a tense atmosphere, but they won’t bother you unless you get close or cross their path.
1. SOMA
Experience One of the Greatest, Stress-Free
SOMA is a truly exceptional horror game and consistently recommended to fans of the genre. It boasts a deeply compelling story, with immersive world-building and details that create a genuinely unsettling and disturbing experience.
SOMA explores deep questions about what defines a human being, particularly the nature of the soul. The game’s search for answers is incredibly memorable and stands out as a unique experience in the horror genre – I haven’t encountered anything quite like it since.
What’s really great about SOMA is its Safe Mode – it was one of the first horror games to offer this feature. Safe Mode turns off enemy attacks, so while the creatures are still there and can be scary, you don’t have to worry about being chased or killed. This lets you focus entirely on the story and atmosphere.
I’m really looking forward to the developers’ next project! If it’s as good as their best work, it’s going to be amazing, and they’ll probably include a Safe Mode option for players.
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2026-02-11 00:12