Whether it’s the frightening jumpscares, bone-chilling settings, or the haunting ambiance, horror games can get your heart pumping like no other.
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Ghosts, Ghouls, Demonic Entities, Indescribable monsters. Here are the games that have got all of them.
Fortunately, the Xbox Game Pass is home to a multitude of such titles. Whether you prefer isolated survival nightmares or atmospheric psychological thrillers to jump-scare-filled titles, the Game Pass has got you covered.
Hunt Your Prey
Dead by Daylight
Dead By Daylightis currently one of the most popular asymmetrical multiplayer horror games right now. The title throws you into an intense cat-and-mouse chase scenario, as you’re put in a position to hunt or be hunted.
You either play as the killer or a group of four survivors. The killer tries to hunt the survivors before they can repair the generators and escape his clutches. However, it’s the fun and intense experience of playing with a bunch of your friends that makes you keep coming back to it.
The game features an impressive line of iconic horror maps and characters from games and movies. Most notably,Alan Wake,Castlevania, andSilent Hill. As a result,Dead By Daylight becomes a tiny universe of your favorite scary characters.
To sum up,Dead by Daylighteffortlessly pulls off an odd balance of heart-pounding tension mixed with humorous moments. You won’t get tired of hunting down your friends and they try to run for their life.
Bear in mind, that the maps and characters from other games are available in the form of expansion packs, which are not part of the Game Pass. You will find the game there, but you will have to pay to get access to these packs.
10 Best PvP Horror Games
Sometimes all you want is to scare your friends or be scared along with them in a game.
9Still Wakes The Deep
Echoes of the Abyss
Still Wakes the Deep
The ocean’s vastness is scary enough, but when you add a sinking ship filled with supernatural entities, the level of horror can become unsettling.
Still Wakes The Deep is just that—a psychological horror game similar to Amnesia, set in the 1970s on a deteriorating oil rig in the North Sea. The title does an outstanding job of targetting your claustrophobia as you struggle to crawl through tight spaces.
However, the brunt of the horror elements comes from the otherworldly supernatural threat lurking in the abyss of the ocean. It’s easy to see that the developers were fans of the works of horror legends, HP Lovecraft and John Carpenter. We see this inspiration play out in tasteful choices in letting the myth of the monster drive the ship’s men insane.
Our protagonist, Caz, is an electrician on the rig who’s had a rough past, but his motivations for survival are foreshadowed from the beginning. His layered character depth plays out beautifully until you reach the end and are given a pivotal choice that will defy the labels thrown at him all his life.
If you want to enjoy an atmospheric horror game with a well-written narrative at its heart, then don’t miss this gem on Game Pass.
8Resident Evil 2
A Masterful Remake
Resident Evil 2
you may trust Capcom when it comes to horror game remakes, andResident Evil 2is a prime example of that. This survival horror title reimagines the iconic 1998 original with a stunning upgrade to visuals and gameplay.
Playing either Claire Renfield or Leon Kennedy, you will encounter the entire Racoon City Police Department infected with a zombie virus.
However, your biggest enemy throughout this experience would be the menacing Mr. X. The towering foe is relentless in his pursuit of killing you.
The title is fun to play while remaining true to its creepy survival horror roots. You always stay on the edge hoping you don’t encounter the scariest-looking zombies in gaming to date.
Capcom also keeps things old-school with its clever puzzles, which are at times challenging. You might need to turn to YouTube when you are stuck, but this difficulty is part of the experience.
In short, you have a compelling narrative, modern-day graphics, and the thrilling combat that makes theResident Evilfranchisesuch a gem. If you missed your chance to play the original game, or want to revisit the golden title, consider trying out this remake.
7The Evil Within 2
Twisted Nightmare Fuel
The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2builds on Sebastian Castellanos’ tragic story. You’re plunged into the nightmarishly evil world of the virtual STEM program again, all to save your daughter.
There’s a healthy blend of action and horror along with plenty of narrative to keep you hooked. There’s also flexibility when it comes to how you approach scenarios in the game. you may take the sneaky way or rain down bullets on your enemies.
One thing that the sequel improves upon compared to its predecessor is the story. The first title had a lackluster story and made up for it through the setting and atmosphere.
On the other hand, Evil Within 2 not only has those two things but features a much better story and plot. In short, Evil Within 2 feels like a sequel that aims to fix its predecessors' mistakes.
An element of campiness is also introduced into the sequel, as you can branch off from the main mission (of trying to save your daughter) into other side quests or partake in silly minigames.
The Experiment Gone Wrong
Preyis the definition of true sci-fi horror. It’s the story of Morgan Yu who wakes up on a space station only to find out everything is out for you, even a coffee mug.
It’s a super immersive first-person simulation horror title set in 2032 aboard the Talos 1 Space station. You are the subject of an experiment meant to better the lives of humans, but like most horror games, it goes wrong.
In short, the entire space station is run amuck by hostile aliens that can transform into anything. Imagine if the mimic monster fromDark Souls 3was given more freedom in transforming ability. That’s where most of the tension comes from, making you paranoid as you walk each step.
Arkane Studios is also ready to mess with your head in this mind-bending narrative where you try to figure out your character and survive this nightmare. Also, in traditional Arkane fashion, stealth is encouraged as blindly firing your weapons isn’t always the best option.
My advice would be to not trust anything or anyone, and that includes a stapler.
5Amnesia: The Bunker
Nightmare in the Trenches
Amnesia: The Bunker
One of the most important qualities of a horror game is itsuncanny creepy atmosphere, andAmnesia: The Bunkerperfects this. Step into an oppressive, claustrophobic setting of World War 1, in the latest installment of Frictional Games’ terrifying series.
Unlike previous games, Amnesia The Bunker offers more freedom as it deviates from the usual linear formula. You’re also given more options on how to get past challenges thrown in your way.
The game doesn’t give you a lot of information to begin with and throws you into a map open for exploration right from the get-go.
This lack of information and unfamiliarity creates tension that just adds to the horror experience. Every venture from the safe room is filled with mystery and confusion.
The game also gives you the chance to play detective as you try to uncover what happened to your comrades by deciphering the notes they left behind. But don’t get too comfortable because a menacing stalking creature is out hunting you.
Back Aboard The Ishimura
Dead Space (2023)
TheDead Space Remakebreathed new life into the franchise, with a terrifying overhaul of the 2008 classic from EA.
The iconic USG Ishimura has been revived with fresh visuals and impeccable sound design, turning it into an attraction similar to a haunted house.
Only this haunted house is filled with parasitic monsters and critters determined to dispose of you in brutally gory ways.
Also, if you’re interested in exploring every surface of this putrid infected spaceship, well, now you can. The remake gives you access to the tram station to shuttle back and forth, after unlocking each section.
The 2023 remake is also overhauled with new mechanics, such as the limb targeting tactic. The gunplay becomes incredibly fun as you aim to chop down the disfigured limbs of these mutant creatures.
We should mention that once you experience the disgustingly creepy atmosphere in the remake of thisterrifying space mission, it will make the original look stale in comparison.
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On stream, we can all hear you scream!
3Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Terror from a Broken Mind
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrificeplunges you into the control of a protagonist who is plagued by the horrors of her deranged psyche.
Playing as Senua, who goes on a tormented journey to find her lost lover, you must face the demons in reality or projected from her mind.
Ninja Theory presented next-level immersion with the integration of binaural audio. This feature gives us a glimpse into a psyche afflicted with symptoms of mental illness.
The feeling that hits you the first time those voices inside Senua’s mind speak to you is nothing short of eerie and will send chills down your spine.
Even thoughHellblade: Senua’s Sacrificeisn’t a full-fledged horror game, its dark plot and the characterization of cruelty, trauma, and fear inside Senua are presented as a nightmare. If I were to categorize it, it would be psychological horror action.
Her demons come out of the blue to haunt and attack her, as you struggle to help her win this battle against her ailness. At points, you may find yourself growing more paranoid regarding the voices that speak to you as you progress through the story.
The game also incorporatesNorse mythology elementsthat combine to form a narrative like no other. It’s safe to say this experience will stick with you in your memory long after it’s over.
2The Quarry
Decisions are Life or Death
The Quarry
Supermassive creates another successful entry into their playable horror movie niche withThe Quarry. This time around, it draws inspiration from a nostalgic 80s monster movie, giving you control of teenage guidance counselors with their fate in your hands.
AlthoughThe Quarryis more campy than its previous efforts in theDark Pictures Anthology, it provides an ample amount of scares.
However, the game serves to entertain more as popcorn horror that you can enjoy with friends rather than setting out to make you afraid to look at your screen.
The game includes a star-studded cast of diverse actors, from Justice Smith and Ariel Winter to horror legend David Arquette, who fit into several horror movie archetypes.
You decide all of these teens' fates as you hope to get everyone across the finish line alive through narrative choices in dialogue options and quick-time events.
Although it doesn’t do anything mind-blowing, its simple mechanics keep it fun to play throughout its runtime.
Fragile Hope in a Dying World
Telltale knocked it out of the park with the first installment of their acclaimed Walking Dead series.The Walking Dead: First Seasonadapts the popular comic book series by Robert Kirkman into an intense point-and-click adventure.
This game singlehandedly put Telltale on the map as one of the finest game developers, all in due part to this game’s narrative experience.
You follow Lee Everett as he protects andescortsa young, fearful child, Clementine, in a post-apocalyptic world infested with zombies.
It’s all also dependent on choices that concern ethical dilemmas of morality, revenge, survival, and even decisions that come down to life or death. Even simple dialogue options come out to play a pivotal role in determining your relationships with the other characters.
Although the entire Telltale’s Walking Dead series is available on Game Pass, we choose to pick out the first one that got the ball rolling partly because the first season’s plot remains one of the most gut-wrenching stories.
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