by RootSec
With the release of Resident Evil Village fast approaching, many will feel that now is the perfect time to dive into some spooky games in order to get into the mood. While there are a ton of great horror games available though, paying for them when Resident Evil Village is just around the corner may be hard to justify for some.
Thankfully, however, there are plenty of free horror games that can be played through Steam, independent platforms, and even web browsers, meaning that players don’t need to splash the cash in order to fill the gap. Just like any other genre, free horror games can vary quite a bit in quality, but there are quite a few that are worth checking out at the very least.
Updated April 27, 2021, by Thomas Bowen: Rather than cutting edge visuals, many of the best horror games instead rely solely on atmosphere and tone to scare their players and, as it happens, these are things that can be created fairly easily without the need for a blockbuster budget. As a result, there’s a wide variety of free to play horror games that are able to compete with some of their triple-a counterparts when it comes to terrifying players. Those looking for something to hold them over until Resident Evil Village arrives could therefore do a lot worse than trying out some of these excellent free horror games.
12 Slender: The Eight Pages
That Slender: The Eight Pages has almost been around for a full decade will likely make some readers feel old. For those who are yet to play the game though, it remains surprisingly fresh. It certainly helps that the game never really relied on visual fidelity to get its scares across, instead focusing on a terrifying antagonist who could show up at just about any time.
The game draws much of its strength from this uncertainty as well as its foreboding atmosphere and dark muted color palette. There are times when it can feel a bit like a walking simulator, but this only serves to build up tension for the inevitable jump scare.
11 Doki Doki Literature Club!
Doki Doki Literature Club! may not look like a traditional horror game at first glance, but it’s actually one of the most disturbing games on Steam. The dating sim elements might not be to everybody’s tastes, nor may the visual novel approach that is taken to storytelling. Those who persevere with it, however, will likely be glad that they did.
Rather than zombies, ghosts or other supernatural entities, the game instead focuses on delivering a surreal and, at times, unsettling experience that will stick with players long after the game is over. It’s a strange title in many respects, but also an incredibly unique one that’s as hard-hitting as it is subversive.
10 Blink: The Last Night
Blink: The Last Night is a free game available on Itch.io. Although it’s technically a demo of a game that’s currently in development, the demo offers over an hour of content to mess around with, making it a great way to kill some time while also getting a good idea of what the final release is going to look like.
It’s a first-person psychological horror game that follows a babysitter watching over a little girl. The demo may be short, but it offers a lot in terms of its eerie atmosphere and intriguing mystery. The full game is being developed by a team of only two people, but things looks pretty promising so far.
9 Cry Of Fear
Cry of Fear is definitely starting to show its age a little, but it’s still a great game to play either in single-player or in co-op. The game takes place in a deserted town full of terrifying creatures and boasts a very uncomfortable atmosphere.
The mysterious narrative is engaging, and it can be a lot of fun to play with another person. The only real problem with Cry of Fear aside from its dated visuals is its odd control scheme. If players can get past that, however, they’re in for a pretty unique experience.
8 Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion
Although Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion starts with a lighter atmosphere and funnier tone, the game becomes a lot more like a traditional horror experience over time. Its cutesy aesthetic might make it seem like a bit of a non-starter in that respect, but it really does come into its own as the narrative progresses.
It’s much better to go into the game blind, although it is worth noting that many players may set the game aside before it really gets off the ground. Those who stick with it really will be surprised by how scary it actually gets though. As the name suggests, players will need to prepare for a few jump scares along the way.
7 Perdition
Although Perdition is played through a browser window, it feels like a traditional 2D side-scroller that one would expect to see on any major platform. Granted, it’s not quite as well polished as a triple-a title, but it’s definitely up there with some of the other great indie titles to have released over the past decade or so.
Perdition is available on Newgrounds, which is great, as it’s easily accessible through either an internet browser or the Newgrounds Player. The game utilizes a horror sci-fi aesthetic that makes it feel pretty unique. While the mechanics of the game can be fairly shallow, the experience is really sold through the intriguing narrative and complex visuals.
6 Wrong Floor
Wrong Floor is short, but it offers a truly terrifying experience. Unlike longer horror games, it instead leans heavily on its tone, offering players an extremely short game that packs one hell of a punch. Everything in Wrong Floor works to create an experience that’s as fascinating as it is unsettling.
The way that the camera works and the sound design add a unique touch that can make any player feel uneasy about what might pop up around the corner. This one is a perfect game to play in the dark — although players should be prepared to sleep with lights on for a few days after doing so.
5 SCP Containment Breach
Created as a companion to the viral SCP Foundation wiki, SCP Containment Breach is a free survival horror game that takes place within a secret organization tasked with researching threatening creatures, objects and locations. It also features a procedurally generated map, which helps to ensure that no two playthroughs will ever feel exactly alike.
Like some of the other free horror games that are out there, SCP offers interesting lore to define its world. Due to its association with the wiki — which effectively serves as a companion guide of sorts — players have a lot of extra unsettling information that they can dive into in order to enhance the experience.
4 Midnight Scenes
Midnight Scenes is actually a collection of short games that are all in the same vein. The games take a lot of inspiration from shows like The Twilight Zone and the black and while aesthetic that they employ does a wonderful job of setting a spooky and sinister tone.
The games are more interesting than they are terrifying, often focusing on a larger mystery that the player needs to discover as they play. They feature a wonderful pixel art style with a color scheme that serves as a nice throw back to the shows that they draws much of their inspiration from.
3 Unfortunate Spacemen
For those that are still enjoying Among Us, Unfortunate Spacemen is definitely a game worth checking out. It’s a co-op game that features a lot of the same social deception mechanics, but instead opts to go with a first-person shooter approach.
Unlike Among Us, Unfortunate Spacemen is much more focused on action elements and creates a much darker atmosphere. This game isn’t really a traditional horror game, although the tone and atmosphere can create some pretty scary moments. It’s completely free-to-play too, which makes it perfect for those looking for a co-op game to try out with friends.
2 [REC] Shutter
[REC] Shutter is a small horror title focused on puzzles and level progression. The game feels a little similar to titles like Fatal Frame and Outlast, as the player must use a camera to help them navigate the world. The game also offers an interesting narrative that the player must work to solve as they progress through its levels.
Unfortunately, Shutter was never actually finished nor was it given a true ending. However, it still features four levels to play through and explore, which makes it well worth a look for anyone who likes paranormal horror titles.
1 The House In The Woods
The House In The Woods is a game inspired by The Blair Witch Project. It allows players to explore a vast forest to discover as much information as possible. Its gameplay is merely okay, but is made great by the near perfect atmosphere, which does a lot to keep players on edge.
It also features a graphical style that calls back to some of the horror games featured on the PS1. It’s a game that not only knows how to create an ambient atmosphere, but also how to use it to scare the player through intense moments and creepy sound effects.
