Most gamers can name the heavy hitters of the horror genre quite easily. Series such as Silent Hill and Resident Evil looms large in the minds of horror junkies. But the genre is so much more varied than some people may realize. Underrated titles, unfortunately, slip through the cracks all the time.

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The good news is that the last five years have been great for horror gaming. It shouldn't be forgotten that indie developers often crank out some pretty solid horror experiences every day. Thus, it would surely be a mistake for players to overlook this selection of entertaining titles.

Updated June 14, 2022 by Mark Hospodar: The horror genre is tailor-made for video games. Nothing beats the thrill of being chased down a hallway by a demented killer or the subtle atmospheric creep factor that makes the hair on a player's neck stand on end!

Many well-crafted horror games get the accolades they deserve. However, the genre is massive, especially when one takes into consideration the indie market. As such, not every great horror game receives the laurels that are due to them. This list has been updated to include a few more underrated horror games from the last five years.

12 Fears To Fathom (2021-2022)

Fears To Fathom

Players who like the kind of horror that hits close to home should love Fears to Fathom, an episodic indie horror game from Rayll. The first episode, Home Alone, deals with a home invasion scenario that is startlingly effective in its execution.

The second episode, Norwood Hitchhike, capitalizes on the creepy motel trope to the fullest. Hearing a knock at the door while glimpsing a stranger through the blinds proves just as scary as it sounds. If getting trapped in a haunted asylum for the hundredth time sounds boring, giving the more down-to-earth Fears to Fathom a try is certainly recommended.

11 Murder House (2020)

Boy Sitting On Easter Bunny's Lap From Murder House

The developers at Puppet Combo consistently deliver truly terrifying horror experiences. Their titles typically revolve around more realistic scenarios centered around serial killers, rather than ghosts or mythical creatures. The pacing in Murder House is spot on as it slowly builds the creepiness and tension to a fever pitch, before being shattered by the appearance of the killer.

Speaking of the killer, this particular antagonist goes about his business in a bloody Easter bunny suit. Seeing that image emerge from a dark hallway gets the blood flowing, to say the least. The atmosphere is well-served by the PS1 aesthetic, making things appear pixelated and causing the player to often wonder: What did I just see out of the corner of my eye?

10 Iron Lung (2022)

Indie Horror Game Iron Lung Submarine Interior

The dark depths of the ocean can be a frightening place. When that ocean is comprised entirely of blood, the experience gets even creepier. Iron Lung is a short indie horror game where players must navigate a submarine while snapping photographs of various locations under the sea (of blood).

The atmosphere is nailed pitch-perfectly. The sounds of something unseen swimming nearby the player's submersible can be chilling. The strange glimpses of something horrifying that fans can capture in their photographs are also effective on a simple, basic level. Iron Lung uses its short runtime to maximum effect, something that not every horror game pulls off.

9 White Day: A Labyrinth Named School (2017)

Library Ghost From White Day

White Day: A Labyrinth Named School was given a fresh coat of paint in 2017. It undoubtedly made the game scarier than the 2001 original by adding a host of new features and content. There are even more macabre encounters to experience whilst exploring the haunted high school. But exploration isn't easy. There is, after all, a baseball bat-wielding janitor to avoid along the way.

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The janitor is just the tip of the iceberg. A whole array of ghosts swarm the hallways and classrooms, not all of whom are malevolent. Some may randomly turn off light switches or produce noises, like a chalkboard being used (which is actually quite unsettling). Others are more direct, appearing in front of the player in order to scare or even harm him. It all makes for great replayability, at least for the brave.

8 Observer (2017)

Daniel Speaking With An NPC From Observer

Observer is a psychological horror game that utilizes a creative cyberpunk atmosphere. It blends a futuristic aesthetic with aspects of the horror genre in a manner that is a bit reminiscent of Soma and even Blade Runner. The game poses a series of moral questions by giving the protagonist a frightening toolkit of gadgets in order to solve crimes.

In the world of Observer, the ability to hack into someone's mind is made possible by a device called the Dream Eater. A person's darkest thoughts and deepest secrets are laid bare with such an implement. It asks the player to wrestle with the potential dangers and pitfalls posed by the unrestrained advancement of technology.

7 At Dead Of Night (2020)

Jimmy Hall From At Dead Of Night

Hotels can often be naturally creepy places. That sentiment certainly holds true for the establishment depicted in At Dead of Night. This particular game is beautiful to look at seeing as how it's shot using Full Motion Video, or FMV. In 2021, FMV isn't something that is regularly seen anymore. However, At Dead of Night utilizes this antiquated feature superbly.

A psychopathic killer stalks the halls of the dark, rundown hotel. The player, of course, needs to avoid him at all costs. Doing so requires keen eyes and open ears. Sometimes, the player will even spot the antagonist peeking around corners or catch a glimpse of his shadow on the ground. It's simple and yet immensely effective. Catching sight of movement out of one's peripheral vision when danger is known to be lurking is incredibly tense. This game possesses tension and atmosphere in spades.

6 Welcome To The Game 2 (2018)

Hallway From Welcome To The Game II

The home invasion sub-genre is criminally underrepresented in video games. Reflect Studios' Welcome to the Game series aims to fill that void. The idea of someone malevolent lurking inside one's house or apartment is obviously an unsettling thought. This game brings those fears home quite effectively.

Welcome to the Game 2 requires the player to search the Dark Web for hidden codes in order to rescue a missing woman. The danger, however, comes in the form of kidnappers, a hitman, and a serial killer. All these individuals can, and will, break into the player's apartment with evil intentions. Looking over one's shoulder is effectively made into a game mechanic.

5 Prognostic (2022)

Prognostic

It's difficult for horror games to strike the right balance between atmosphere and gameplay. It's not uncommon to find horror games that nail one aspect while neglecting the other. Prognostic actually manages to strike a satisfying balance between the two.

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In Prognostic, players conduct a series of mystical investigations using a variety of tools at their disposal. While doing so, a malevolent entity threatens the player character's safety. The puzzle-solving aspect of the game is neat, intuitive, and progressive, ensuring that players don't get tired of it quickly.

4 Song of Horror (2019)

Gameplay From Song Of Horror

Protocol Games' Song of Horror is a supernatural nail-biter from start to finish. Its gameplay features, like its fixed camera angles and inventory management, take a lot of inspiration from the early Resident Evil entries.

Collecting objects and solving puzzles constitute the meat and potatoes of this game. Of course, avoiding the assortment of horrific enemies along the way is also a concern. Interestingly, a protagonist who falls victim to one of these enemies is permanently killed. A new character must be selected to continue the story.

3 Visage (2020)

Enemy Standing In Hallway From Visage

When the disappointing news broke that P.T. had been canceled, many game developers tried to fill the void. A lot of so-called P.T. "clones" would be released over the years, with many of them being abysmal endeavors. Visage, however, probably came the closest to realizing the potential that P.T. had to offer.

Set within the walls of a dark and foreboding suburban house, the player is tasked with unraveling the mysteries of the home's tragic past. Unsettling, supernatural encounters soon follow as the player character struggles to maintain his sanity.

2 Northbury Grove (2019)

Footage From Northbury Grove

The 70s and 80s saw the release of a plethora of slasher films, which usually involved teenagers meeting their untimely ends. Northbury Grove is clearly a homage to movies like Friday the 13th and Halloween. Rather than attending a rock concert, the player character stumbles upon a bloodthirsty maniac wearing an animal skull as a mask.

The goal of Northbury Grove is simple: escape. That's easier said than done as the killer is unusually quick to hunt the player down. Outrunning the fiend within a confined space typically doesn't end very well. Hiding is a much more useful, albeit more nerve-racking, strategy in order to survive.

1 Bloodwash (2021)

Bloodwash

Fans of the previously mentioned Murder House should get a few thrills out of Bloodwash as well. Embarking on a trip to the laundromat sounds innocent enough, but things become much more dangerous when the dreaded "Womb Ripper" arrives on the scene.

Once again, the PS1-inspired graphics will likely appeal to a subsect of players who enjoy the retro aesthetic. The "creep factor" in this game is ratcheted up to ten, so players who enjoy a slow burn of mounting tension before the blood starts to spill will be fans of Bloodwash.

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