Many people are drawn to the idea of exploring empty spaces, and video games are the perfect medium for it. There are so many games set in abandoned places, like the ancient ruins and deserted jungles in Tomb Raider, and the deserted, horrifying buildings of Silent Hill. The games on this list evoke a sense of fear and dread, while also being fun to explore.

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From decaying asylums to guestless hotels and curiously empty villages, here are some of the most creepy, atmospheric abandoned places in video games, so players can enjoy the feel of urban exploration from the comfort of their own sofa (and without having to break the law in the process).

6 The Timberline Hotel - The Suicide Of Rachel Foster

In The Suicide of Rachel Foster, the player controls Nicole Wilson, dealing with the aftermath of her mother's death. Nicole has to check on her parent's former business, The Timberline Hotel (horror fans may notice this small nod to The Shining: Timberline was the name of a lodge that the infamous Overlook Hotel was based on). Nicole gets snowed in and must spend a few days in the hotel that she grew up in. Alone.

The Timberline Hotel is like a time capsule from Nicole's childhood. It's also incredibly daunting to wander around by yourself. It's simultaneously fun and terrifying to explore every room, with the occasional naughty jump scare (a window banging open, for example) adding to the tension. As the player explores, they get the sense that Nicole is not actually alone after all.

5 Yaughton - Everybody's Gone To The Rapture

Everybody's Gone To The Rapture is a walking simulator set in a fictional English village, Yaughton. It's a stunningly beautiful village: think beautiful cottages, immaculate gardens, blooming foliage, and pristine white sheets gently drying on a washing line. It's comforting and familiar to British players, and on paper, it doesn't feel 'creepy'.

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But the problem is that Yaughton is completely empty. The villagers have vanished, seemingly in the middle of a typical day. The player must investigate by following a series of glowing orbs, listening in on the echoes of conversations, and looking for clues. It's a gorgeous village, but the total emptiness is kind of horrifying. Looking around, hearing nothing but birdsong, is constantly tense, but also strangely somber.

4 The Finch Home - What Remains Of Edith Finch

Another excellent walking sim, What Remains Of Edith Finch is considered by many gamers to be a must-play. It has an excellent story, much of which is slowly unveiled as players explore an abandoned house. The Finch home is creepier than a regular abandoned home; each room is designed to be a shrine for a deceased family member.

The player will uncover what happened to each family member through flashbacks, all of which vary in style. While the house isn't exactly scary to look at, it feels tense to explore: the more deaths and heartbreak the player uncovers, the more they begin to dread what happens next. The house, with its shambling, precarious construction, is an excellent representation of a family devastated by a curse, and exploring it feels like stepping into the shadows of a tragedy. It's a beautiful exploration of grief and loss.

3 The Poolrooms - Escape The Backrooms

Escape The Backrooms is generally terrifying if players have a phobia of liminal spaces. Each level in this indie horror game has its own unique horrors: players will be chased by horrible clown monsters and have to sneak around a creepy, long-limbed creature in a silent library.

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However, one level stands out as being particularly creepy without needing to rely on jump scares or monsters. The Poolrooms are a series of connected rooms filled with shallow pools of water. It's quiet, empty, eerie, and seemingly infinite. It creates an atmosphere of dread: will players manage to escape, or will they be stuck in these lonely, empty rooms forever?

2 Ospedale Psichiatrico Di Volterra - The Town Of Light

There are a few games to choose from if players are looking to explore an abandoned asylum. After all, it's the perfect setting for a horror game. However, The Town Of Light's asylum, Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra, is interesting because it's based on a real hospital in Tuscany. The hospital was notorious for the horrific treatment of its patients, which makes exploring the virtual version even creepier.

The main character, Renée, explores the empty asylum, triggering flashbacks of abuse during her stay. Rooting through her medical files and discovering what happened to her within the confines of the hospital is a truly brutal experience, and exploring the empty corridors feels daunting. It's the kind of game that sticks with the player long after they've completed it, and it has an important message about mental health alongside the terror of exploring such a notorious building.

1 Castle Brennenburg - Amnesia: The Dark Descent

The Amnesia games are notoriously scary, and The Dark Descent is no exception. The protagonist, Daniel, awakens in an empty castle with no memory of his past. He must explore the castle to look for clues, while avoiding the growing dangers around him.

It's terrifying to walk through the dark, crumbling, maze-like castle. While players will find safe spaces (hiding in the Old Archives and the Entrance Hall feels like a tempting option), it quickly becomes apparent that he is not, in fact, alone. Humans may have abandoned the castle, but other creatures remain, hidden, lurking in the shadows. While technically the location isn't completely abandoned, and players will work towards finding someone else in the castle, it still feels incredibly lonely to explore for the most part.

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