13 scariest video games to play this Halloween

Grandmasters of Survival Horror

We begin with Resident Evil Requiem, a massive celebration of the series' 30th anniversary. It perfectly captures the franchise's dual nature: the first half offers genuine terror through first-person segments featuring Grace Ashcroft in the atmospheric Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Centre, while the second half shifts into high-octane action with the return of Leon S. Kennedy. It is arguably one of the best releases of the year.

For those who prefer atmosphere over action, Silent Hill: Townfall by Screen Burn offers a moody, psychological experience. Shifting the setting to a fog-shrouded Scottish island, the game trades traditional third-person gunplay for an intimate first-person perspective and stealth mechanics, delivering a relentlessly suffocating British tale.

Reanimal, the latest from Tarsier Studios (the creators of Little Nightmares), takes its predecessor's whimsical dread and turns it into something much darker and more violent. Following the journey of Boy and Girl through a hostile world, it stands out for its cinematic flair and grim, enigmatic atmosphere, playable in both single-player and co-op modes.

Indie Gems and Unique Experiences

Iron Lung is a masterclass in lo-fi tension. Trapped in a small submersible in a blood ocean on an alien world, you must navigate by sight through a tiny, murky TV screen. With no windows and unsettling sound design, the 45-minute experience is a claustrophobic descent into madness.

If you own a VR headset, Ghost Town from Fireproof Games is a must-play. Set in 1983 London, it follows ghost hunter Edith Penrose through a series of tactile, highly imaginative puzzles. It’s a beautifully evocative urban fantasy that feels truly otherworldly.

For a more investigative approach, The Séance of Blake Manor places you in the shoes of detective Declan Ward in 1879 Ireland. You must navigate a bustling hotel, interrogate guests, and piece together clues before a looming calamity strikes.

In the realm of community-driven horror, Myhouse.wad serves as a touching and unsettling tribute to a late friend. Built within the Doom engine, this mod transforms a nostalgic childhood home into a space where something feels deeply, inexplicably wrong.

Servant of the Lake continues the surrealist tradition of Rusty Lake. Set in 1839, it offers a refined mix of point-and-click adventure and room-escape puzzles, blending beautiful vistas with sudden, bloody absurdity.

Horses is a surrealist, first-person narrative horror that blends slapstick comedy with arthouse experimentation. Despite its controversial history on major storefronts, it offers a uniquely destabilizing and meaningful experience.

Cult Classics and Retro-Futurism

Fans of body horror will find Clive Barker's Hellraiser Revival by Sabre Interactive compelling. While its combat can be uneven, the descent into the Labyrinth—a non-Euclidean nightmare of chains and flesh—is visually stunning and deeply unsettling.

For fans of puzzle-heavy classics, The 7th Guest has been reimagined. Vertigo Games offers a brilliant VR version that utilizes 1:1 movement, alongside a standard version for non-VR players, preserving the eerie charm of Henry Stauf's mansion.

Forbidden Solitaire is a clever