The scariest horror games of the decade

The decade has been one of abundance, offering a smorgasbord of amazing titles to choose from, especially for horror fans. Given how broad the horror genre can be, with gameplay ranging from classic jump scares to tense exploration, it can be hard to pinpoint the “best” games of the decade.

That said, we’ve given the matter a lot of thought and have come up with a list of 10 games we feel best exemplify the horror genre. Included in the list are traditional horror games as well as ones that are a bit more abstract.

The scariest horror games of the decade

Bloodborne (2015), Dark Souls (2011)

We’d be wrong to start this list off with anything other than Bloodborne. Not only is it one of the top “horror” games of the decade in terms of atmosphere, writing, and gothic aesthetic, it’s also one of the best games of the decade period.

We can’t help but tip our hats to developer From Software as many of their titles feel worthy of “best of the decade” nods. Not only was Bloodborne released within the decade, but also games like Dark Souls and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In the next decade, From Software looks to continue their success with games like Elden Ring, and we can’t wait to see how it turns out.

While it’s hard to pick between Bloodborne and Dark Souls for this particular list of “horror” games, we lean more towards Bloodborne as it fits the horror game concept a little bit better than Dark Souls. Of course, both set the standard for how games can be challenging, gloomy, and darkly atmospheric.

The Last of Us (2013)

When talking about horror, The Last of Us stands above the rest as one of the best entries in the zombie-themed survival subgenre. It’s mature, it’s dark, and the world it presents is both gorgeous and gloomy at the same time.

Creativity can be found in every single aspect of The Last of Us from its memorable story right down to the design of its enemies, infected humans with unique variants like the Clicker and the Bloater. You also get a human horror element thrown into the mix as many of the other survivors you encounter are a direct threat to you, including Bandits and Cannibals.

The sheer scale and scope of the game continues to wow us to this day and we can’t wait for the release of The Last of Us: Part II. The sequel will be released in the next decade, and if it’s anything like The Last of Us, will earn a spot as one of the best horror games of that decade.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010), SOMA (2015)

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is more along the lines of what you think of when you think of a traditional horror game in that playing Amnesia is like walking through a nightmare where you feel like you’re being watched and followed, even when no one is there. Ask anyone who’s played Amnesia and they’ll tell you it’s hard to complete given how scary it is.

Today, it feels a little dated in terms of graphics, but it’s managed to retain its fright factor. We still won’t play it in the dark and you can’t make us. Adding to Amnesia’s credit, it served as inspiration for many indie horror games that followed. Speaking of games that followed, developer Frictional Games released another memorable horror entry with SOMA.

Similar to how we listed Bloodborne and Dark Souls together, we have to give kudos to both Amnesia and SOMA. We couldn’t exclude one over the other, though Amnesia came first and helped set the groundwork for Frictional’s other titles including SOMA so we lean more towards Amnesia here.

Until Dawn (2015)

Until Dawn reminds us a lot of those Goosebumps books where you could choose your own path and be an active participant in the story rather than a spectator. The goal is to choose the best course of action and get the best possible outcome. We love Until Dawn because it does this in a way no other horror game (outside of the studio’s newer title, Man of Medan) has managed to match.

You can get your characters killed in brutal ways and there are multiple different endings based on the choices you make. It’s scary to play not only because of the Wendigo, but also because of the distrust you feel with some of the characters. You always feel on edge, and even when you dislike a character, you feel motivated to keep them alive so they can, in turn, help keep you alive.

In the next decade, we hope to see more games like Until Dawn that challenge the genre and offer more strategic choice-based gameplay.

Dead Space 2 (2011)

The original Dead Space missed the decade by a few years, releasing in 2008. As much as we love Dead Space, many acknowledge Dead Space 2 to be the better game, offering more polish and scenes that are sure to leave you permanently traumatized. Yes, Dead Space 2 had that eyeball scene that’s best left in a mental file cabinet of things to avoid thinking about.

After Dead Space 2, Visceral Games offered fans even more content to play with the lights on in Dead Space 3. While Dead Space 3 isn’t as great as the first two, it’s still a fantastic horror offering as a whole, and we couldn’t imagine the Dead Space series without it. If you’re looking to torture yourself over the holidays, we highly recommend playing Dead Space 1-3.

The games remain some of the best (if not the all-time best) horror games of the decade that incorporate the sci-fi genre and you can’t convince us otherwise. They’re just that good.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017), Resident Evil 2 remake (2019)

We love the Resident Evil franchise and were fortunate enough to see several outstanding entries release this decade. However, of the games released during the 2010s, our favorite has to be Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It may not feel like a traditional Resident Evil game, but as a horror game, it’s pure nightmare fuel (especially when paired with PS VR).

Following the events of Resident Evil 6, Resident Evil 7 offers first-person survival horror and jump scares guaranteed to make you pee yourself a little. Overall, Resident Evil 7 demonstrates the best way to build upon an established franchise and do things a bit differently. Meanwhile, the traditional games were honored with a surprisingly good remake this decade with Resident Evil 2.

Given that it’s a remake of a game that originally released in 1998, we have to give the prize to Resident Evil 7. However, it’s worth mentioning as one of the decade’s best remakes and one of the best games of 2019.

Layers of Fear (2016)

Layers of Fear is a creative indie game with twists, turns, and surprises. Described as a “first-person psychedelic horror” the game centers around a man grappling with his sanity. Psychological games aren’t always scary, Layers of Fear manages to be deeply unsettling.

It shows a different side to the horror genre thanks to its “unreliable narrator” style of gameplay and appreciation for visual presentation. In a way, it almost reminds us of reading through the works of Junji Ito. The visuals and concepts linger in your mind and you build horror around them, versus a more direct form of horror.

Another thing we appreciate about Layers of Fear is how it builds its horror. The beginning is relatively calm, but by the end, it’s pure chaos. We’d love to see more games like Layers of Fear in the horror genre, especially ones as tuned to what you see versus what you hear or do.

Outlast (2013)

Outlast combines survival horror and exploration with a festival of jump scares to create one twisted, but fantastic final product. What makes the game stand out is how you’re unable to fight back against the enemies you encounter. The only way to survive is to sneak, run, and hide.

The helplessness of your character adds to the tension of moments like when you’re trapped in a dark sewer and hear your foe splashing around in the water nearby. All you have is your video camera to illuminate the way, though it’s a resource you don’t want to overuse. The game can be somewhat cruel at times, presenting you with situations it knows you’ll likely fail the first time around.

To get to the end, you’ll need to remember previous mistakes and use that experience to overcome obstacles. In a nutshell, Outlast defines the decade as a horror game capable of shaking even the most seasoned horror fans to their core.

Five Nights at Freddy’s (2014)

Five Nights at Freddy’s may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s infamous for its creative incorporation of jump scares and time management. It’s also spawned an incredibly successful franchise of games and merchandise that horror fans can’t seem to get enough of.

Five Nights at Freddy’s serves as a shining example of how jump scares can be a core part of how a game is played, while still remaining enjoyable. Well, “enjoyable” as you scream and vow to never play the game again… only to break that vow in a seemingly endless cycle.

Good times.

We’re looking forward to the next set of FNAF games in the next decade, and wonder where Scott Cawthon could possibly go that he hasn’t gone before. No matter what he has planned, we’re certain they’ll be as difficult to complete as FNAF if not more so.

Alien: Isolation (2014)

Similar to how Terminator counts as a horror movie in many ways, Alien and its sequel fall into the horror category within a sci-fi setting. Capitalizing on the horror concepts of the series, especially ones featured in Aliens, we have Alien: Isolation. In Alien: Isolation, you play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter Amanda who’s attempting to unravel the truth behind her mother’s disappearance.

To complicate matters, you’re being hunted Xenomorphs, people, and even rogue AI. You’re never truly safe, and that alone is terrifying. Similar to other games on this list, you have resources that you can use to help you progress through the game including a cool tracker that detects alien movements. The catch? Using these resources makes it easier for you to be tracked yourself.

Yes, you can fight back, but the more you fight the more your foes learn and prepare for the next encounter. The game ramps up like this all the way to the end until the tension becomes almost unbearable. As a whole, Alien: Isolation is a phenomenal entry in both the sci-fi and horror genres, and worthy of being known as one of the best horror games of the decade.

Honorable Mentions

You may be at the end of the list wondering where P.T. is. While we wanted to include the game in the main list, we felt it would be better as an honorable mention for a few different reasons. First, we have no doubt that it’s one of the best pieces of horror ever created. That is a fact.

However, it’s not a full “horror game” in that it's a demo or “Playable Teaser” for a horror game (Silent Hills) that was foolishly cancelled by Konami. We wanted to restrict the list to full, released games that everyone can play and experience. That said, it does deserve recognition as one of the top highlights of the decade, and as such, we’re including it here.

As a whole, P.T. showcased what horror can and should be. We hope that in the next decade, Kojima finds a way to bring Lisa back in some capacity now that he’s free from Konami’s clutches. A brand new horror game with a character like Lisa and would do just fine, thank you very much.

Now that we’ve shared our picks, we want to hear from you. What horror games do you feel deserve to be recognized as the best titles of the decade. What games did we miss? Comment below! For more “best of the decade” lists here at AllGamers, be sure to check out our picks for the best puzzle games of the decade.