When it comes to horror games, 2019 was one of the strongest years for the genre in recent memory. The year featured a slew of high-quality indie horror game experiences, as well as some big budget triple-A horror games, including one that stands as the highest-rated video game of 2019 across all genres. The best horror games of 2019 are a mix of these big budget experiences, as well as lesser-known titles that maybe even the most hardcore fans of the genre missed out on.

The best horror games of 2019 range from virtual reality titles to more traditional survival-horror games. There was a little something for horror game fans of all tastes this year, and each game on this list will likely satisfy anyone looking for a scare this holiday season.

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Without further ado, here are the best horror games of 2019.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

best horror games 2019

Prior to A Plague Tale: Innocence, Asobo Studio mainly worked on licensed games based on Pixar films. However, A Plague Tale shows that Asobo has a lot to offer the gaming industry with its original ideas, especially horror fans. A Plague Tale is a stealth horror title where players have to avoid enemy soldiers and huge swarms of vicious rats inflected with the plague. Players take on the role of Amicia de Rune for much of the journey, though they also have the chance to play as her brother Hugo later in the game, who has supernatural abilities that let him control the rats. A Plague Tale: Innocence has earned a great deal of praise for its narrative, even being nominated for Best Narrative at The Game Awards 2019.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Blair Witch

One of the biggest surprises of Microsoft's E3 2019 press conference was the reveal of Blair Witch, a video game based on the found footage horror movie series of the same name. Developed by well-known horror game studio Bloober Team, Blair Witch has players explore the creepy woods from the movies in search of a missing boy with the help of their loyal dog Bullet. Bullet's presence alleviates the tension a bit, but he can't protect players from the jump scares, strange creatures, and sense of dread looming over the entire game. The game captures the tone of the Blair Witch movies perfectly, and while some players may admittedly become frustrated by some of the game's design choices, Blair Witch is still one of the scariest horror games of the year.

Blair Witch is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Devotion

top 10 horror games of 2019

Taiwanese game studio Red Candle Games released the first-person horror game Devotion on PC earlier this year, with the game earning high marks from critics and being compared to games like Hideo Kojima's PT. But like PTDevotion has been pulled from online stores, making it difficult for players to get their hands on the game today. However, it's possible that Devotion will eventually return from the dead after it removes art making fun of Chinese president Xi Jinping, though plans for its return have yet to be announced. It would be a shame for Devotion to never be released again, as the game is certainly one of the top horror games to come out in all of 2019, with a unique setting and premise that help it stand out from the rest of the horror games that came out this year.

Devotion was previously available for PC.

Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted

best horror games of 2019

Virtual reality and horror have done great together since the start of VR, with the medium's high level of immersion lending itself well to things like jump scares and disturbing imagery. One of the best VR horror games that we've seen so far is Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted, which plays like a "greatest hits" of the Five Nights at Freddy's games, and ups the scare factor considerably thanks to the use of VR. Five Nights at Freddy's VR makes the Five Nights at Freddy's games scarier than they were before, but it also makes the entire experience more immersive as well, with players really feeling like they're being tormented by animatronic nightmares at the haunted restaurants.

Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted is out now for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR.

Hunt: Showdown

top horror games of 2019

Crytek may be best known for its Crysis series, but the studio has also found some success with Hunt: Showdown, an asymmetric multiplayer horror game that has earned decent reviews from critics since its launch earlier this year. Hunt: Showdown pits teams of human players against each other while they simultaneously have to worry about the threat of supernatural monsters. A little more action-oriented than many of the other games on this list, Hunt: Showdown is still a genuine horror experience with survival-horror elements mixed in with its asymmetric multiplayer gameplay to create something truly unique in the genre.

Hunt: Showdown is out now for PC and Xbox One, with a PS4 version also in development.

Layers of Fear 2

Bloober Team solidified itself as a horror game studio to watch with the first Layers of Fear, but 2019 saw it become one of the top horror game studios in the entire industry. Not only did Bloober Team launch the well-received Blair Witch in 2019, but it also released Layers of Fear 2, which continued the first-person horror style of its predecessor. Layers of Fear 2 may not be for everybody, but the game's scare factor is hard to deny, and it will leave many players on the edge of their seats from start to finish. In our Layers of Fear 2 review, we praised it as superior to the original, and it will be interesting to see if Bloober Team can perfect the formula with a third entry.

Layers of Fear 2 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Resident Evil 2

Mr X in Resident Evil 2

The highly-anticipated Resident Evil 2 remake is not just one of the best horror games of the year, but it's arguably the best game of the year, period. Resident Evil 2 has earned higher review scores than any other video game to launch in 2019, and for good reason. It successfully updates the PS1 original for modern gamers, offering top-of-the-line graphics, refined gameplay mechanics, engaging puzzles, and plenty of scares. The terrifying Mr. X is the real star of the game, however, with his relentless pursuit of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield responsible for many of its scariest moments.

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The Resident Evil 2 remake has not just been a critical success, but it's also proven to be a massive sales success for Capcom as well. Considering this, it's not surprising that the company is apparently moving forward with a Resident Evil 3 remake. If it's even half as good as the Resident Evil 2 remake, fans can count on the Resident Evil 3 remake being one of the top horror games of 2020.

Resident Evil 2 is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan

Supermassive Games surprised horror fans with the choice-based narrative game Until Dawn, which has become one of the most-celebrated horror games of the past decade. After Until Dawn, Supermassive experimented with some other kinds of games, but now the studio has returned to its roots with its horror anthology series The Dark PicturesThe Dark Pictures: Man of Medan is the first entry in this new series, retaining many elements that made Until Dawn such a hit, but adding some new ideas like co-op play. The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan puts it over the top as a must-play game for horror fans, with the fates of each character potentially in the hands of a different player, adding a lot more tension and stakes than many similar games manage to do.

The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Worse Than Death

best horror games of 2019

Worse Than Death is a short game, but that doesn't make it any less effective. With an art style similar to some classic retro horror gamesWorse Than Death is about a high school reunion that is interrupted by the appearance of invisible monsters. Like many horror games, protagonist Holly is encouraged to avoid these creatures at all costs, but she has to do so while simultaneously solving puzzles and uncovering the mystery behind their sudden appearance. Worse Than Death flew under the radar for many horror game fans, but it's definitely something fans of the genre should consider checking out.

Worse Than Death is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Yuppie Psycho

best horror games 2019

Yuppie Psycho is a bizarre game, to say the least. In it, players take on the role of Brian Pasternack as he navigates his new job at Sintracorp. He soon realizes that Sintracorp isn't exactly what it seems, and he's tasked with hunting down a witch, having morbid conversations with his coworkers, and more. Yuppie Psycho is a surreal experience that may be off-putting to some, but that gives it an almost David Lynch quality.

Yuppie Psycho is out now for PC.

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And while it can't be categorized as a horror game, we can't wrap up this list without mentioning Luigi's Mansion 3. The Nintendo Switch-exclusive game isn't technically a horror game, but it still has enough elements of survival-horror titles that fans of the genre may still want to check it out. Plus, it has plenty of fun nods to classic horror movies like The Shining and The Ring, so horror fans in general will likely have some fun with it.

NEXT: The 10 Best Horror Games (According to Metacritic)