Horror is one of the video game industry's biggest and most popular genres. Sifting through the sheer number of titles makes for an eclectic mix of subject material. Supernatural, psychological, post-apocalyptic, you name it. Fans of the spooky and the macabre can rest assured there's something out there to satisfy their interests.
Some of these horror games are quite short, lasting only a few hours. Nevertheless, certain titles will require a modest investment of time from the player. Fortunately, HowLongToBeat provides a great resource when trying to gauge the length of a horror game. Be prepared to keep the lights on because this selection of scary titles will take a while.
Updated February 26, 2022 by Mark Hospodar: Horror is one of the video game industry's most popular genres. Unsurprisingly, horror games come in all different shapes and sizes. Some games can be beaten in a day or two, while others require a significant investment in time on the player's part.
Horror games that take a few dozen hours to complete are common. This list has been updated and expanded to accommodate new entries, as well as new data, from HowLongToBeat.
15 Deadly Premonition (18.5 Hours Min.)
Deadly Premonition is an open-world survival horror game that was released in 2010. Players assume the role of FBI Agent Francis York Morgan as he attempts to solve the murder of a young woman in a rural American town. Along the way, the protagonist must deal with supernatural entities that must be periodically overcome.
Deadly Premonition can be beaten in a relatively short amount of time, standing at about 18.5 hours to finish. However, as with most open worlds, there is plenty of side content to occupy the player's time. Completionists can expect to invest roughly 35.5 hours for a 100% run.
14 Siren (20 Hours Min.)
Siren is one of the older games on this list. It was released in North America in 2004 for the Playstation 2. The plot of Siren is somewhat unique in that the story is told through different perspectives, spread across ten characters. Interestingly, the actions of one character affect those of another.
Completing the main campaign of Siren will take players about 20 hours to complete. Seeing everything the game has to offer won't take much longer. A completionist run can take roughly 24 hours to complete according to HowLongToBeat.
13 Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise (20 Hours Min.)
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise is the sequel to the 2010 classic that was mentioned earlier in the list. The game follows FBI Agent Francis York Morgan as he investigates a murder in Louisiana. Of course, events prove to be a lot more complicated than a simple homicide.
The main story of Deadly Premonition 2 stands at around the 20-hour mark. Embarking on a longer, completionist run will take about 39 hours if players choose to really take their time throughout the game's open-world environment.
12 Dying Light: The Following-Enhanced Edition (20 Hours Min.)
Dying Light: The Following-Enhanced Edition collects all the fun of the main game and some of its DLCs into one package. With additional story content, maps, weapons, and skill trees, traversing the zombie-infested wasteland never felt better. Utilizing plenty of nifty parkour techniques, enemies don't stand a chance.
Playing through the story content of Dying Light: The Following shouldn't take too long. It stands at about 20 hours minimum. However, there's a lot more to the game than just that. Completionists who want to witness everything included in the entire package are looking at an average of 80.5 hours.
11 Returnal (20.5 Hours Min.)
Fans of sci-fi action with a healthy dose of psychological horror should find plenty to enjoy in Returnal. When the protagonist becomes stranded on a mysterious alien world, players will have to make use of a diverse arsenal of weaponry to stem the tide of extraterrestrial threats.
The main story campaign of Returnal won't take players long to complete. Fans can expect to spend about 20.5 hours in this regard. However, attempting a completionist run can take an average of 57.5 hours, which can keep players busy for quite some time.
10 OMORI (20.5 Hours Min.)
OMORI is a psychological horror game that incorporates various RPG elements. The game's setting is split between the "real" world and a dream world crafted from the protagonist's mind. Combat is turn-based and often influenced by the emotions of the protagonist and his party.
Seeing the main story through to completion isn't a particularly long endeavor. An average of 20.5 hours is necessary to experience the main beats of the campaign. Unsurprisingly, completionists in it for the long haul are looking at 68 hours on average.
9 Project Zomboid (20.5 Hours Min.)
Fans of The Walking Dead television series should feel right at home with Project Zomboid. It's an open-world, survival horror game where the goal is simply to continue living. Players need to manage certain needs such as hunger, fatigue, and mental stability. Hordes of zombies, of course, stand in the player's way.
Project Zomboid is still in early access on Steam. Updates to the game continue to be dropped by the developers every so often. In its current state, the game takes about 20.5 hours to experience. However, due to its sandbox nature, hundreds of hours can potentially be poured into Project Zomboid.
8 Zero Time Dilemma (21 Hours Min.)
Zero Time Dilemma is the third entry in the Zero Time series. The game is characterized primarily by its puzzle-solving elements. Taking control of three different protagonists, the player is tasked with exploring their environment and searching for clues. Along the way, they get to know the backstories of the various secondary characters.
Powering through the campaign will take about 21 hours, according to HowLongToBeat. Unlike other entries on this list, there is no massive jump for players who enjoy taking their time. The website lists 22 hours as the maximum for completionists.
7 We Happy Few (21 Hours Min.)
We Happy Few takes place in an alternate, dystopian timeline of the 1960s. The inhabitants of this world are addicted to a hallucinogenic drug known as Joy, which keeps them blithely unaware of their morbid surroundings. The game is a survival horror experience with some roleplaying elements included as well.
Players who wish to complete the main story are looking at an average of 21 hours. Nevertheless, completionists looking to see and do everything in Wellington Wells are looking at over triple that number. It stands at about 67.5 hours to 100% the game.
6 The Last Of Us Part 2 (24 Hours Min.)
Coming off the heels of the critically-acclaimed first entry, The Last of Us Part 2 continues the story of Ellie. The game is heavily focused on stealth and action, while the player is given some degree of freedom in how they want to approach each combat encounter. Human, as well as infected, zombie-like enemies, prove to be dangerous obstructions.
Witnessing just the main story should take an average of 24 hours. Side missions, collectibles, and New Game Plus will nearly double that playtime. As such, completionists are looking at 41.5 hours total to see everything The Last of Us Part 2 has to offer.
5 Dying Light: Platinum Edition (26 Hours Min.)
Once again, fans of Dying Light can expect to sink a respectable number of hours into this survival-horror jaunt. The Platinum Edition of the game, which hit shelves in May 2021, includes the previously mentioned The Following DLC, as well as all the other packs and bundles associated with Dying Light.
A package deal such as this can take a significant amount of time to sift through to the end. Completing just the main story clocks in at about 26 hours. However, experiencing all the content loaded into this package will take an estimated 44 hours of the player's time.
4 Ultimate Custom Night (26.5 Hours Min.)
Most horror enthusiasts are likely well aware of the Five Nights at Freddy's series. Surviving the night while a group of homicidal animatronics roams the halls is the game's primary objective. Ultimate Custom Night allows players to create their own unique scenarios using assets from the previous games in the franchise.
Due to the freeform nature of Ultimate Custom Night, players can sink a modest number of hours into it. About 26.5 is the average playtime to experience the major points of the game. Nevertheless, experimenting with all the myriad mechanics on offer can take upwards of 37.5 hours total.
3 Pathologic (26.5 Hours Min.)
Originally released in 2005, Pathologic has subsequently become something of a cult classic. The game's plot revolves around a mysterious plague, which begins to devastate a strange, isolated community. The fate of the townspeople is tied directly to the player's actions throughout the game.
Sticking to the main story as one of the three playable protagonists, the game takes an average of 26.5 hours to complete. However, multiple playthroughs are encouraged, as each protagonists' experiences are slightly different. Completionists should expect an estimated 79 hours to fully uncover the town's mysteries.
2 Pathologic 2 (28 Hours Min.)
Pathologic 2 isn't a direct sequel to the first game. Rather, it's a remake of the original title that follows a broadly similar plot with a few variations. The game revolves around the Haruspex, one of three original protagonists of the 2005 version. Story content focusing on the other two protagonists is currently being planned by the developers.
This remake is a bit longer than its predecessor. Pathologic 2 clocks in at 28 hours to complete its main story. Like the first entry, accomplishing every side objective and learning every secret of the town will take more time. HowLongToBeat estimates 46 hours for a completionist run.
1 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (33.5 Hours Min.)
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games is a bundle that includes the first two games of the series. Namely, they are Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. These games are presented as visual novels with a focus on puzzle-solving and dialogue. The plot is centered around a group of nine people who must escape the clutches of a mysterious figure who has kidnapped them.
Players looking to complete both stories in The Nonary Games are looking at about 33.5 hours of playtime. Exploring every alternative option for a completionist run will take about 50 hours when all is said and done.