Summary
To the benefit of horror games, there are plenty of things that people find scary, from real world scenarios to the occult and the extraterrestrial. While some games are atmospherically scary and exploit common phobias, others tackle very relevant and distressing themes to really target the player’s sense of horror.
Thematically dark games are often paired with uncanny visuals and soundscapes that really drill a sense of unease into the player, maximizing their discomfort. This is a spoiler-free list of thebest horror games that explore mature themes, following disturbing narratives that focus on psychological struggles and physical trauma.
The entries in this list make reference to themes that some readers may find distressing or triggering. As ‘M’ rated titles, the mentioned games might not be appropriate for all gamers.
P.T.is an established psychological horror game that has since influenced many titles in the same genre with its looping mechanics. Despite its removal from the PlayStation store, the game still stirs up a lot of discussions and theorizing about what the experience is really all about.
For all of its ambiguities,P.T.does make clear references to socio-economic issues; familicide, sexism, and domestic abuse are just a few of the topics the game dares to broach. Lisa’s ghost and the talking fetus are memorable images that point towards a tragic series of events.
Horror games with child protagonistsare often some of the most touching, andOmoriis no exception. The game follows young boy Sunny and his alter-ego, Omori, searching for his missing friend Basil with a group of friends, as the truth about his past is gradually revealed.
Using familiar RPG elements like turn-based battles, exploration, and changing environments,Omoriportrays what it’s like to battle with grief at such a young age. Despite its focus on childhood, the game tackles the nuances of trauma and relationships beautifully.
The Cat Ladyis a 2D side-scroller following the reclusive Susan Ashworth after an attempt to take her own life. An encounter with the Queen of Maggots leaves her immortal, and at her behest, the player must embark on a mission to rid the world of five human “parasites.”
The limitations of the game’s format do not take away from the content, which explores the likes of loss, violence, and coping with depression. With a smart use of color and graphic design,The Cat Ladyis a poignant game with multiple endings determined by the player’s choices throughout.
InFran Bow,the player, viapoint and click puzzles and gameplay, must help the eponymous young girl escape Oswald Asylum to find her cat. Along the way, she will encounter characters and monsters either seeking to help or to enact their more sinister motives.
Despite the whimsical settings,Fran Bowcreates a sense of unease by twisting the familiar into the surreal, and its cartoonish graphics in no way undermine the game’s tackling of heavier topics. Trauma surrounding murder, abuse, and mental health struggles are both implied and shown during the playthrough.
Alice: Madness Returnsis not the most obvious horror game, but underneath the hack-and-slash gameplay is a dark psychological experience that is far from Lewis Carroll’s original tale. The game follows Alice navigating Wonderland and reality after being released from Rutledge Asylum.
At its core,Alice: Madness Returnsis about coming to terms and coping with trauma. While the game doesn’t explicitly show the heartbreaking exploitation that the children of the orphanage suffered, it is very heavily implied through dialogue and imagery.
I Have No Mouth And I Must Screamis based off of Harlan Ellison’s story of the same title. The player alternates between five characters, each being one of the last remaining people on Earth after the rest of humanity was purged by the sentient “Mastercomputer,” AM.
Beyond its examination of the terrifying extent of human potential,I Have No Mouth, And I Must Screamalsobroaches philosophical questionssurrounding consciousness, morality, and redemption. Overall, this is an uncomfortable dystopian experience.
Cry of Fearwas originally intended to be aHalf-Lifemod but eventually grew into its own entity to become a standout disturbing horror game. Navigating Stockholme after being hit by a car, the player (as 19-year-old Simon) must try to make their way home.
With its grotesque monsters and “nightmare” sequences,Cry of Fearhas often been compared toSilent Hill,but it remains distinctive in many ways. The game focuses on Simon’s recession into his own psyche, grappling with anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as the sickening tragedies of the city’s past.
Spec Ops: The Lineis not a traditional horror game with ghosts and jusmpscares, but it quickly deviates into a psychologicalhorror that reveals how haunting war can be. Set in Dubai, the player is ordered to identify any survivors to evacuate, but things do not go to plan.
While it is also a third-person-shooter, players are forced to make weighted decisions throughout the game — moral calls that have horrific outcomes, no matter the choice. As the protagonist gradually declines into mental turmoil, players will be left shaken by the events endured.
By now, most gamers will be aware thatDoki Doki Literature Club!is not the cute visual novel that it apears to be. What begins as a dating sim set during an after-school book club slowly declines into a much darker narrative about obsession.
As the player gets to know each of the girls throughseemingly innocent gameplay, their true natures start to become apparent. The game’s unapologetic and graphic depictions of mental health struggles are intense, leaving players with a sense of distress that lasts well beyond its completion.
WhileSilent Hilltook a more literal approach to the iconic town,Silent Hill 2steered the franchise into a more psychological horror direction. The player controls James Sunderland searching for his missing wife, meeting other troubled characters along the way.
The game is most known for shaping the environment as a manifestation of the protagonist’s psyche, which, unsurprisingly, leads to some very disturbing scenes. There is a lot of sexual imagery, depicting things from infidelity to abuse, as well asconfrontations with guiltand depression.
