Step into the shadows and brace yourself for heart-pounding terror – we’ve curated the 9 best survival horror games you can play right now, blending nerve-wracking suspense, chilling monsters, and survival challenges that will test your wits and courage. Whether you crave psychological scares, intense action, or atmospheric dread, this list has something to haunt every horror fan’s darkest dreams. Ready to face the nightmare? Your next terrifying adventure awaits.
A great horror game does all that and more, crafting an experience that plunges deep into the player’s psyche, probing at themes and concepts that drive at the heart of our most primordial collective fears. With that in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of some of our favorite survival horror games that’ve made our blood run cold and kept us on our toes.
Honorable mentions go to such venerable classics as Silent Hill 2 and 3, which, while crucial to the artistic and commercial history of the genre, remain frustratingly inaccessible on modern hardware.
Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2, released in October 2023, is a survival horror game developed by Remedy Entertainment that continues the story of best-selling novelist Alan Wake, trapped for 13 years in a nightmarish alternate dimension known as the Dark Place. Players alternate between Alan and FBI agent Saga Anderson, who investigates ritualistic murders linked to Alan’s mysterious disappearance. The game is praised for its gripping narrative, atmospheric graphics, and challenging gameplay that blends horror, detective work, and resource management. With over 2 million copies sold by late 2024, it stands as Remedy’s fastest-selling title and a standout in modern survival horror, further enriched by two DLC expansions, Night Springs and The Lake House.
Where to play:PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Alan Wake 2 hit like a bolt of lightning when it came out last year. The sequel to Remedy Entertainment’s 2010 action-adventure game about a beleaguered writer haunted by his own horror story brought to life took the fundamentals of the original and turned them on their head. Introducing a new protagonist in the form of FBI agent Saga Anderson, Alan Wake 2 offers a bifurcated story that follows the parallel journeys of Saga’s investigation into the mysteries of Bright Falls and Alan’s desperate attempt to escape the Dark Place.
The result is a survival horror masterpiece that keeps players on their toes, all the while pushing the boundaries of the medium itself. There’s literally 13 years’ worth of innovative and iconic surprises bursting at the seams between Alan Wake 2’s dual storylines, culminating in a final act that puts a bow on the entire experience while leaving the door open to a universe of yet more horrifying and exhilarating possibilities. It’s not just hype; Alan Wake 2 really is that good, and you owe it to yourself to experience it firsthand if you somehow haven’t already. -Toussaint Egan
Alan Wake 2 Standard Edition
$40$5020% off $40 $40 at Epic
Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a masterclass in survival horror, set 15 years after the original Alien film. Players control Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, as she navigates the eerie, dilapidated Sevastopol space station, trying to uncover her mother’s fate while evading hostile humans, androids, and most terrifyingly, a relentless Xenomorph. The game’s intense stealth mechanics and unpredictable AI make every encounter nerve-wracking, as the alien cannot be killed and must be carefully avoided. Its atmospheric design, faithful to the original 1970s sci-fi aesthetic, combined with a dynamic AI that actively hunts the player, delivers a consistently tense and immersive experience that stands out as one of the best survival horror games available today.
Where to play: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One
The Alien franchise has had a lot of ups and downs (to put it lightly), but underneath the machinations of androids or fights with the Predator, it’s a haunted house story set in space, where the monster is an unknowable, constantly evolving alien. It doesn’t understand classic human weapons; it only knows how to attack, grow, and reproduce. That simplicity is what makes the original Alien so impactful, and developer Creative Assembly ingrained this philosophy in Alien: Isolation, which continues to terrify players nearly a decade later.
Isolation stars Amanda Ripley (Ellen Ripley’s daughter) as she tries to evade a xenomorph and other enemies on a space station. She has to complete objectives to progress, and while she gets access to various weapons, none of it matters with limited ammo. The player is challenged to evade enemies as much as possible with the help of a motion tracker that can track the alien’s movements, often in the ceiling ducts. However, as in many stealth games, using your tools might alert enemies to your presence. The motion tracker is an ingenious addition that ups the tension of trying to crouch your way through a space station. Once it starts beeping, you know you’re going headfirst into a one-hit kill. It’s the first time the Xenomorph has felt truly dangerous in a long time, and it’s not even in a mainstream film release! Future Alien entries, take note. -Carli Velocci
Alien: Isolation
$40 $40 $40 at Steam
Amnesia: The Bunker
Amnesia: The Bunker thrusts players into the claustrophobic depths of a World War I bunker as French soldier Henri Clément, hunted relentlessly by a mysterious, photosensitive monster known as the Beast. This first-person survival horror game breaks from series tradition with a semi-open world design, offering players freedom to explore and multiple solutions to puzzles while managing scarce resources like fuel and ammunition. The dynamic, unscripted gameplay emphasizes tension and unpredictability, with the Beast reacting to sound and player actions, making every playthrough unique and intensely nerve-wracking. Survival hinges on keeping the bunker’s generators running and using limited tools like a revolver and a noisy flashlight to navigate the darkness and evade the ever-present threat.
Where to play: PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
The Amnesia series is the survival horror franchise that put Frictional Games on the map, an intense, supernaturally fraught experience wherein a disempowered protagonist is forced to evade an onslaught of horrific creatures and fighting back is simply not an option.
The fourth and latest installment in the series, Amnesia: The Bunker, inverts that entire dynamic, transforming what would otherwise be a linear story-driven horror experience into a semi-open-world immersive sim where players are trapped in a WWI bunker with a mysterious creature waiting for the opportunity to strike. You have a gun, but even that won’t save you; you’ll have to rely on your wits and bravery to devise a means of escaping the bunker before the beast inevitably closes the gap between you and them.
Amnesia: The Bunker is a tremendous reinvention of the series’ core principles, offering a level of unpredictability and replayability that only increases the horror. It’s easily one of Frictional Games’ most terrifying creations to date and a must-play experience. -TE
Amnesia: The Bunker
$16$2536% off $16 $25 at Steam$16 at PlayStation$25 at Xbox
Dead Space (2023)
Dead Space (2023) is a masterful remake of the 2008 survival horror classic, delivering a tense and immersive experience set aboard the derelict spaceship Ishimura. The game excels in atmospheric storytelling, with its shadowed metal corridors and minimalist industrial design creating a suffocating sense of dread. Combat revolves around the strategic dismemberment of grotesque necromorph creatures, maintaining the original’s visceral and nerve-wracking gameplay while introducing refined weapon mechanics and enhanced enemy variety. The real-time inventory and navigation systems keep players constantly engaged, heightening immersion without breaking the flow. With updated graphics and sound design that amplify the horror, this remake respects the legacy of the original while offering a fresh, thrilling experience for both new players and longtime fans.
Where to play:PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Blending the terrors of Resident Evil-style survival horror with the cinematic scares of sci-fi horror films Alien, Event Horizon, and Sunshine, the new version of Dead Space is a near-perfect remake of the game it’s based on. As Isaac Clarke, an everyman who uses modified engineering tools as weapons, players scour the planet-harvesting vessel known as the USG Ishimura for answers to a gruesome disaster. The ship’s crew has been transformed into horrors known as Necromorphs, twisted reconstructions of the human form that can only be killed by creative dismemberment.
Dead Space’s strategic dismemberment may seem like a gimmick at first blush, but developer Motive – working off Visceral Games’ original Dead Space – gives players reason to experiment. And to have fun with the severing of Necromorphs’ limbs. Each weapon has its strengths and weaknesses, and players can upgrade those killing tools over time, unlocking new strategies.
Few games deliver well-deserved jump scares like Dead Space, in no small part thanks to the game’s incredibly strong sound and lighting design. And compared to the Resident Evil games that inspired Electronic Arts’ sci-fi horror series, it’s got a pretty good cosmic/body horror story to go along with it. -Michael McWhertor
Dead Space
$28$6053% off $28 $28 at Steam$70 at PlayStation$70 at Xbox
Outlast
Outlast is a first-person survival horror game that plunges players into the terrifying Mount Massive Asylum, a remote psychiatric hospital overrun by homicidal inmates. You play as investigative journalist Miles Upshur, armed only with a camcorder equipped with night vision, forcing you to rely on stealth, hiding, and running to survive since combat is not an option. The game’s intense atmosphere, combined with limited visibility and scarce resources like batteries for the camcorder, creates a relentless sense of vulnerability and psychological terror. Outlast’s design prioritizes feeling powerless, making it a standout in the survival horror genre and a must-play for fans seeking a truly harrowing experience.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Few other horror games are as genuinely unnerving as Outlast. The 2013 debut from Canadian developer Red Barrels puts players in the role of an investigative journalist who is tipped off about a remote psychiatric hospital in Colorado performing illegal experiments on its patients. It’s only upon arriving, however, that the player realizes how in over their head they truly are.
Armed with nothing save a handheld video camera, players must navigate the corridors and secret passages of this dilapidated hospital in order to escape and expose the truth of what’s going on. Easier said than done, especially considering that the facility has been ransacked by a group of homicidal patients intent on killing anything – and anyone – unfortunate enough to cross their path. To survive, you’ll have to sneak past them undetected, all the while scavenging for batteries to keep your sole means of navigating the dark. It’s absolutely nerve-wracking in practice, as each move you make puts you more at risk of being found and mauled by your would-be pursuers. -TE
Outlast
$20 $20 $20 at Steam$20 at PlayStation$20 at Xbox
Resident Evil 2 (2019)
Resident Evil 2 (2019) is a masterful remake of the 1998 survival horror classic, delivering a fresh yet faithful experience that elevates the original’s tense atmosphere with modern graphics, sound design, and gameplay mechanics. Players navigate the terrifying corridors of Raccoon City as rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, facing relentless zombies and the formidable Mr. X in an immersive, dread-filled environment. The game’s realistic textures, dynamic lighting, and eerie soundscape create a gripping sense of fear, while smart quality-of-life improvements and multiple campaign scenarios add depth and replayability. Praised as one of the best survival horror games of its generation, Resident Evil 2 (2019) sets a high bar for remakes and horror gaming alike.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
The original Resident Evil 2 is a sacred entry in the survival horror genre. It pushed the Resident Evil brand forward with a light sprinkling of action and a more compelling interweaving narrative compared to the original game, giving horror fans new puzzles and new characters to fall in love with. Capcom’s 2019 remake treats that highly respected sequel with the utmost care, gorgeously re-rendering a zombie-infested Raccoon City and rethinking the original’s gameplay mechanics.
As rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and capable heroine Claire Redfield, players contend with a growing and evolving zombie horde, uncovering the mystery of how the Umbrella Corporation spread its monster-making virus. The new Resident Evil 2 is gorgeous (and gory), thanks to its permanent nighttime setting and terrifying bestiary of the mutated undead. Resident Evil 2 is highly replayable, full of unlockable weapons and cosmetic items that will push players to complete the game over and over, faster and faster each time.
The stars are the game’s terrors, a mix of slowly shambling former police officers and gruesome new strains of bloody beasts with giant eyeballs to shoot. Of course, all this horror is tempered with a dose of humor; Capcom has retained just enough of Resident Evil 2’s campiness, making it just as fun to watch as to play. -MM
Resident Evil 2
$20 $20 $20 at GameStop
Soma
SOMA is a standout survival horror game from Frictional Games that masterfully blends psychological horror with a deep, thought-provoking narrative. Set in a dystopian underwater research facility, it explores themes of identity, consciousness, and what it truly means to be alive. Unlike traditional survival horror, SOMA emphasizes atmosphere and story over combat, with players relying on stealth and evasion rather than weapons to survive. Its unsettling environments and philosophical questions create a lingering sense of dread that stays with players long after the game ends, making it a must-play for fans seeking a cerebral and immersive horror experience.
Where to play: PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Soma’s setting is one of the bleakest in video games. After a comet strikes Earth, the PATHOS-II underwater research facility becomes the last stronghold of human life. While there is hope – in the form of a virtual world that can house digitized uploads of human consciousness – it doesn’t feel like it. As you play, it truly feels like you’re at the end of civilization. Being deep in the ocean, surrounded by darkness and pressure, doesn’t help lighten the mood either.
The developers at Frictional Games, which made a name for themselves with the incredible Penumbra series and Amnesia: The Dark Descent, are atmosphere-setting masters, so the fact that Soma is filled with excellent horror vibes isn’t surprising. However, Frictional went all-in on just pure dread. You’ll mostly be tasked with exploring the deep seafloor and completing objectives, but you’ll also encounter horrific androids that twist the human form in deeply upsetting ways. There aren’t any ways to fight back, so you’ll have to hide and wait for them to lose interest, although a few years after release, Frictional added a Safe Mode that allows you to enjoy the story without worrying about stealth. It might reduce the “survival horror” aspects a bit, but that just means more people can go deep into the story, which is one of the most thought-provoking we’ve ever played. What does it mean to be human? What is consciousness in the face of technological advancement? How long until you aren’t you anymore, and will that matter? -CV
Soma
$30 $30 $30 at Steam$30 at Xbox$30 at PlayStation
Signalis
Signalis is a retro-style survival horror game set in a dystopian future where humanity is controlled by a totalitarian regime. Players take on the role of Elster, a synthetic android called a Replika, who awakens from stasis after her ship crashes on a frozen planet. The game combines classic survival horror elements like limited resources, puzzle-solving, and tense combat with a unique aesthetic and a haunting, melancholic atmosphere. Its story explores themes of loneliness, grief, and existential terror, wrapped in a sci-fi setting reminiscent of titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Signalis stands out for its evocative mood, challenging gameplay, and deep narrative, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Signalis begins with confusion and ambiguity and never lets up. You play as Elster, a “Replika” who’s searching for her missing “Gestalt” Ariane after their ship crashes on a desolate planet. You will learn a lot of these kinds of terms as you discover the history of the authoritarian civilization Elster comes from, the plague that seems to be turning other Replikas into violent monsters, and the fate that will greet her at the end of the game.
Minus the extensive world-building, it’s a classic survival horror setup. Your protagonist has no memories of her past beyond her drive to find Ariane, and must wander through abandoned locales uncovering mysteries and using anything she finds to survive. Signalis is clearly inspired by other staples of the genre – especially Silent Hill 2, down to the save point audio cue – and goes all-in on scarcity in materials, weaponry, and ammo. A lot of the game will be cleaning out your very limited inventory, but that, combined with the top-down POV and pixelated art style, makes this a faithful retro experience.
However, while there are dark hallways, inhuman enemies, inventory management, and surreal, cosmic evils lurking underneath the planet that make this a terrifying experience, Signalis is, at its core, a bittersweet love story about people torn apart by forces beyond their control. Ultimately, it shows that regardless of the systems we’re assimilated into, we can still use everything in our power to head toward love, and that’s beautiful. -CV
Signalis
$14$2030% off $14 $20 at Steam$20 at Nintendo$14 at PlayStation
The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2 continues the harrowing journey of detective Sebastian Castellanos as he ventures into the twisted world of STEM to rescue his daughter Lily. This survival horror game blends intense combat with stealth mechanics, allowing players to choose between sneaking past or confronting grotesque enemies head-on. With a larger, more open environment than its predecessor, it encourages exploration and strategic use of resources and upgrades to survive relentless threats. The game’s masterful audio and visual design amplify the tension, creating a chilling atmosphere that keeps players on edge throughout its approximately 13.5-hour main story. The Evil Within 2 balances horror and action, delivering a gripping experience for fans of the genre on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Where to play: PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
People were waiting with bated breath when famed Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami founded Tango Gameworks in 2010, just to see what he could do out on his own. The studio’s first game, The Evil Within, was spooky, but it featured some outdated tropes about mental illness. It was also just generally in dire need of an editor. It’s a game that wants you to explore, but besides the chance to find weapons and ammo, it makes it too difficult with messy combat and controller issues.
The Evil Within 2 feels like what the first game should’ve been: pared down but with plenty to do in a semi-open world you actually want to explore, but might be too scared to. Its setting, a simulation of small-town Americana created by a secret organization, means that anything can happen, which creates some real tension on your journey. You never know if you’ll find some much-needed health items or a horrifying Japanese-inspired yokai that’ll kill you with one hit. The story is simple – you play Sebastian Castellanos, a sendup to detective noir, who has to find his daughter inside the simulation – which leaves plenty of room for scares and gameplay. It’s just fun in a way many survival horror games forget about, not only leaning into familiar mechanics for fans but also using all its best ideas from the previous outing. Best of all, you don’t need to play the first game to enjoy this one. -CV
The Evil Within 2
$40 $40 $40 at Steam$40 at PlayStation$40 at Xbox
Which survival horror game will keep me on the edge the longest this year
The survival horror game most likely to keep you on the edge the longest this year is Tormented Souls II. It promises over 20 hours of gameplay, with multiple sprawling locations, numerous weapons, terrifying bosses, and a variety of enemy types designed to deliver a sustained and intense horror experience. If it lives up to the quality of the original Tormented Souls, it could be the standout survival horror game of 2025 for long-lasting tension and scares.
Other notable mentions for intense and immersive horror include Outlast, which excels at making you feel utterly helpless, and The Last of Us, renowned for its emotional depth and gripping survival narrative. However, for sheer longevity and classic survival horror elements this year, Tormented Souls II stands out.
Which upcoming survival horror game in 2025 will scare me the most long-term
The upcoming 2025 survival horror game most likely to scare you the most long-term is Directive 8020 by Supermassive Games. Set in a desolate deep space environment, it combines survival horror with Supermassive’s signature choice-based narrative style, evoking the dread of classics like Dead Space and Alien. Its tense atmosphere, life-or-death decisions for an ensemble cast, and survival stakes promise a prolonged, nerve-wracking experience that will keep you on edge well beyond release.
Other strong contenders for intense long-term scares include Dark Fracture, a psychological horror game featuring an ever-changing world where reality and nightmares blend, designed to unsettle players deeply. Additionally, Dying Light: The Beast offers a lengthy, action-packed survival horror experience with dynamic day-night cycles and terrifying enemies, though it leans more toward zombie-killing mania than pure psychological terror.
For the purest, most sustained psychological horror scare, Directive 8020 stands out as the top pick for 2025.
