Thehorrorgaming genre has evolved a great deal in the last few decades, and it’s taken many different forms. Horror games have gone from simple text-based adventures tofixed-camera survival horrorto third-person action games, and a whole lot in between. That constant evolution has meant that the definition of a horror game is rather loose, but it usually boils down to any game that puts a primary focus on scaring the player, through eerie environments, intense music, spooky monster design, or any combination of the three.
One unique type ofhorrorgame that’s continued to gain popularity in the last decade or so is “cute” horror. These games will often have the eerie environments, intense music, and spooky monsters of standard horror games, but their overall aesthetic is quite tonally different from its contemporaries, with cutesy character models and bright lighting juxtaposing the grim atmosphere. If all goes to plan, 2025 could end up being a pretty big year for these cute horror games.
2025 Could Be Home to a Few Cute Horror Games
The Midnight Walk
Currently set for a July 15, 2025 release,The Midnight Walkis a first-person horror adventure game set in aTim Burton-esque worldof horrifyingly cute monsters. Coming from some of the same developers as 2021’sLost in Random,The Midnight Walkfeatures a similar homemade aesthetic, with all of its environments and monsters having been made out of clay in the real-world and used to create the game’s stop-motion animations.
Fans most recently sawThe Midnight WalkduringSony’s February State of Play, where its distinct aesthetic left a strong impression on many watching. For those wanting to be fully immersed inThe Midnight Walk’s handcrafted horror, the game will also be available in VR for those playing on PlayStation 5 and PC.
Little Nightmares 3
TheLittle Nightmaresseries was a pioneer for the “cute” horror game sub-genre, and though the series has changed hands, it looks like the upcoming entry will continue its strong legacy. Back in 2021, Tarsier Studios (the team behindLittle Nightmares 1and2) announced it would be stepping away from the series due to it being acquired by Embracer Group a few years prior.
Publisher Bandai Namco retained the rights totheLittle Nightmaresseriesfollowing the split, and it quickly turned to Supermassive Games (ofUntil DawnandDark Pictures Anthologyfame) to produce a third installment in the renowned cute horror series.Little Nightmares 3was first shown during 2023’s Gamescom Opening Night Live ceremony, where it was revealed that the sequel will feature 2-player co-op, a first for the series.
Little Nightmares 3was originally slated for a 2024 release, but it was pushed to 2025 in May of last year. At the time of writing, that 2025 release window is still in place. It won’t be easy for Supermassive to meet fan expectations, but from the footage released so far, it seems as thoughLittle Nightmares 3is in good hands.
Reanimal
Something that could throw a spanner in Supermassive’s works, however, is that Tarsier Studios is currently developing a spiritual successor toLittle Nightmares, one that also happens to include 2-player co-op. TitledReanimal, Tarsier’s next gamefeatures a very similar aesthetic to the studio’s previous work, albeit a visually darker one.
WithReanimalhaving only been officially announced in August 2024, it seems unlikely that it’ll release this year. But even if itReanimaldoesn’t appear,The Midnight WalkandLittle Nightmares 3will give cute horror fans plenty to look forward to in 2025.
