The survival horror genre has seen something of a resurgence in recent years after with the Resident Evil series getting back to form with its most recent entries. This is after the genre went on something of hiatus. Developers preferred the action-horror game route for a time after the commercially successful Resident Evil 4.
Unlike action horror, survival horror genre only truly works if the player feels as if their character’s life is on the line at all times. This is accomplished by ramping up the tension and capitalizing on the jump-scares at the right time. In that vein, these scary games get their jump scares right.
Updated by Michael Llewellyn on June 18, 2021: The horror genre continues to gain more ground with fans after the commercial hit that was Resident Evil Village. Even though that went back to Resident Evil 4 territory with its surprisingly good action elements, it still had a good dose of scares for fans. However, in terms of pure fear, terror, and jump-scares, it doesn't match up to its predecessor or some of the best in the genre. Whether it's a AAA budget title like Resident Evil or a smaller indie title, the genre can take the player on an emotional rollercoaster that is unmatched. But which titles are the scariest?
14 Until Dawn: Rush Of Blood
- Released: 2016
- Developed by: Supermassive Games
- Platform: PSVR
Released in 2016, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is a horror spin-off to the original interactive movie and survival horror game Until Dawn. Unlike the first game, Rush of Blood is an on-rails PlayStation VR that places the player on a roller coaster that throws all sorts of horrors at them.
There are connections to the original to keep fans happy, but players can enjoy the game as a singular horror experience. Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is loaded with all kinds of jump scares and creepy moments. The spiders, in particular, are terrifying and definitely not recommended for true arachnophobes.
13 Until Dawn
- Released: 2015
- Developed by: Supermassive Games
- Platform: PlayStation 4
The PSVR spin-off Until Dawn: Rush of Blood has made the list, it’s unsurprising then that the original Until Dawn gets a mention here too. However, it’s a completely different game to the PSVR title, as it has more in common with the likes of Telltale’s Walking Dead.
The game effectively puts the player in the director’s chair of their very own horror movie. It features a star-studded cast with the likes of Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) and Hayden Panettiere (Heroes). It’s easy for the player to get lost in the story and involved with the characters, and that’s why it hits home when one of them dies horribly.
12 Fatal Frame 2/Project Zero 2
- Released: 2001
- Developed by: Koei Tecmo
- Platform: PlayStation 2, Xbox and Wii
The Project Zero/Fatal Frame series debuted on the PlayStation 2 back in 2001. It takes a similar approach to horror and scares to the Silent Hill series. It also takes a few leaves out of the Japanese horror movie playbook, with inspiration taken from The Grudge and The Ring.
The frights and the scares build up over time. They're also all the more effective because players are put in the shoes of a fairly helpless protagonist, armed with nothing more than the mystical Camera Obscura. The camera is her only defense against the malevolent spirits that attack her.
11 P.T. (Silent Hills)
- Released: 2014
- Developed by: Kojima Productions
- Platform: PS4 Demo (No longer available)
Released as a demo in 2014 for the PlayStation 4, P.T. (Silent Hills) was a “playable teaser” for the now-canceled Silent Hill reboot. It was developed in collaboration between Hideo Kojima and acclaimed film director Guillermo del Toro.
Despite being just a demo, P.T. was genuinely terrifying as the player was stalked in a suburban home by a hostile spirit called Lisa. The corridors and halls would continuously loop until the player could figure out its final puzzle. Sadly, despite its positive reception and circumstances that led to Kojima leaving Konami, the studio shut the demo down and called off development for the full game.
10 Resident Evil 2 Remake
- Released: 2019
- Developed by: Capcom
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, and PC
Released in 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC, the Resident Evil 2 Remake was easily one of the best games of the year and one of the scariest entries in the long-running famed zombie horror franchise.
One of the reasons for its success was because of how well Capcom stuck to the original game’s formula. The series lost sight of what made attracted fans to the franchise with its more action-oriented entries. However, by going back to the series' roots and using the incredible RE 7 graphics engine, the scares were amplified ten-fold.
9 Silent Hill 2
- Released: 2001
- Developed by: Konami
- Platform: PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, backwards compatible with Xbox One/Series
When it comes to psychological scares, Silent Hill 2 remains the benchmark title in the horror genre. It was released on the PlayStation 2 back in 2001 by Konami, and the game still holds up well especially on the Xbox 360 remaster that released in 2012.
Its story also stands the test of time, but the atmosphere and the slow-building terror are executed perfectly. The game also has an unpredictable nature, making the scares that much more effective.
8 The Evil Within 2
- Released: 2017
- Developed by: Tango Gameworks
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, and PC
Released in 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC, horror sequel The Evil Within 2 took everything good about the first game and made a more refined and open experience. More importantly, the tension in the game never lets up taking a more psychological approach to its horror.
That’s not to say that The Evil Within 2 is short on visual terror too, because the monster and demon design is fantastic in its own terrifying way. Additionally, the game takes a smarter approach to its jump scares. They are few and far between ,but the tension remains high throughout. When they do happen, the scares have much more impact.
7 Alien Isolation
- Released: 2019
- Developed by: Creative Assembly
- Platform: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC
Alien Isolation released for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the PC in 2014. It remains the most faithful and the best videogame adaptation of Alien ever released. The game’s story is set 15 years after the events of the first movie with players controlling Ellen Ripley, the daughter of the film’s lead protagonist.
The game’s atmospheric level and sound paired with its hide and seek mechanics follow the themes and the tension of the first movie. The Xenomorph’s artificial intelligence reacts realistically and unpredictably to the player’s action, which is what really pulls in the scares.
6 Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul
- Released: 2017
- Developed by: VRWRX
- Platform: PSVR and PC
Released in 2017 on the PC and the PlayStation VR, Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul is a virtual reality game based on horror films of the same name. The visuals are some of the best on the PSVR, and really make the player feel like they are exploring a haunted house.
In addition to the visuals, the sound design is incredible with a good set of headphones or a surround sound system. Hearing knocks, bangs, and movement coming from the other rooms or footsteps on the floorboards above really taps into the player’s fears and manages to be far more terrifying than its source material.
5 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released: 2017
- Developed by: Capcom
- Platform: PS4, PSVR, Xbox One, and PC
Released in 2017 for the PC PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, and the Xbox One, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard managed to successfully bring the series back to its survival horror roots and mechanics while reinventing itself by using a new first-person viewpoint and one of the best graphics engines of the generation.
Resident Evil 7 is terrifying in all formats, but the PlayStation VR experience is one of the best on the system. It’s hard not to lose oneself in the disgustingly rotten home of the crazed family that dwells there. Furthermore, the sound design is in a league of its own for the genre.
4 The Exorcist: Legion VR
- Released: 2017
- Developed by: Wolf & Wood
- Platform: PSVR and PC
The Exorcist: Legion VR released on the PC and the PlayStation VR in 2017 and 2018 respectively. As the game title suggests, it’s a virtual reality horror game that was released using an episodic model.
The game is based in the same universe as The Exorcist, which many consider to be the most influential horror movie of all time. The Exorcist: Legion VR is based on the third movie in the franchise and is just as disturbing and as its source material. The sound design is phenomenal and does a great job of building tension with its creepy whispers and sounds that seem to come from everywhere. The intensity never lets up and players will be literally on the edge of or leaping off their seat in pure terror.
3 Condemned: Criminal Origins
- Released: 2005
- Developed by: Monolith Productions
- Platform: Xbox 360
Released as a launch title for the Xbox 360 in 2005, Condemned: Criminal Origins is not only one of the most overlooked games on the system but one of the scariest in the last two generations. Monolith Productions were already well-versed in the horror genre with their F.E.A.R. series but Condemned felt like a more pure experience.
While Condemned does have a supernatural element in the later stages of the story, the game's real horror is based on reality. It’s the human characters that the player will encounter in the game that induces the most fear. From the relentlessly aggressive thugs hiding around corners to the creepy men dressed as mannequins, Condemned has plenty of scares in store for the player.
2 The Outlast Series
- Released: Outlast 2014 and Outlast 2017
- Developed by: Red Barrels
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC
Outlast and Outlast 2 were released in 2014 and 2017, respectively, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC. A Nintendo Switch version of both horror games followed in 2018. They are first-person survival horror games where the player is in the shoes of a completely vulnerable and defenseless protagonist.
The player’s only means of escape is to hide and use the environment to their advantage to create openings, meaning the tension is high at all times. The visuals and sound design in both games are incredible. The jump scares are expertly done, and never cheap or predictable.
1 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
- Released: 2010
- Developed by: Frictional Games
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC
Amnesia: The Dark Descent first released for the PC in 2010. The Dark Descent and its sequel, A Machine for Pigs, eventually released on the Switch, PlayStation 4, and the Xbox One. Despite their age, they remain some of the most effective and terrifying games ever released.
Before games like Alien: Isolation and Outlast, the Amnesia series put players in the shoes of a helpless protagonist where their only method of defense is to hide and run. However, Amnesia adds the gameplay twist of keeping a protagonist afraid of the dark from losing his sanity, when the dark is his only safety against the creatures that are hunting him. The games are tense beyond words, and endless scares wait around every corner.