Be they demos, beta builds, or downright just free, this is the best of the best. Get ready to turn the lights down low and your volume up high ...
15. SCP: Secret Laboratory
“SCP: Secret Laboratory - Trailer - 28.12.2017”
When an outbreak of dangerous and violent monsters happens in a secret laboratory, you must escape from the chaos or die trying. Five different factions to play as, including the monsters themselves, makes for unique gameplay each time.
This game started off as a GMOD (Gary’s Mod) map, but has since expanded into its own game. The SCP foundation, a fictional science driven organization, is the focal point of this free horror game. What does the SCP Foundation do? Your guess is as good as mine. Mostly, they manage deadly but specific monsters and bizarre items. This makes for very interesting gameplay, because you never know if you’ll be the hunter or the hunted next.
SCP: Secret Laboratory’s five different groups include the D-Class (sanitization workers), scientists, SCP’s, the Chaos Insurgence, and the Nine Tailed Fox or Mobile Task Force. Playing as any one of these factions gives you different goals, and trying to trick your friends when you really want to just use them as bait adds to the addicting and fun gameplay. It’s an online multiplayer, so you if you’re debating what to play after League of Legends gets boring for the 60th time, definitely consider SCP: Secret Laboratory. Especially since it’s free!
Smile for the camera! You too, SCP-173. This particular monster will kill you if you are in the same room as it, and you blink. So hopefully, all these D-Class and MTF agents are keeping their eyes open.
The underground SCP Foundation’s maze-like labyrinth of testing rooms and containment doors will leave you confused and scared as you try to find the exit.
14. One Late Night
“One Late Night - Gameplay Trailer”
The ticking clock and boiling coffee maker are all you can hear as you work one late night at your company’s office, but it seems … you’re not alone like you thought you were. Someone else is here, and they’re not happy about your presence.
Playing as a graphic designer being hunted down inside of their own office is nothing short of spooky, and One Late Night’s scares come from the atmosphere more than the graphics or gameplay. It feels like you’re all alone save for this rogue … whatever it is that wants nothing else but your flesh. The night outside is eerie, and the way that the environment gives you subtle clues about the presence of the enemy isn’t just fluid, but also engaging. However, One Late Night falls behind in the slowness of the player character’s walking speed, and the overall plot.
It’s a bit higher up on the list because long time horror fans will find it to be amusing, but new fans to the genre will be spooked out of their wits. The graphics are pretty nice too, but overall, this game’s replayability level is kind of low. It’s a good starter horror game however, so if you’re brand new to the genre, I’d suggest starting with One Late Night.
The office space where you’re followed by an aggressive spirit who wants you out of their long black hair.
A ghost?! Better hurry and hide before it gets you!
13. Disturbed
“Disturbed - A Visual Novel Adventure Game”
Your farm is falling into disrepair. A darkness has taken over the animals, the people, and even your crops. There is no hope left in the world. Only the promise of a quiet, sombre death.
This visual novel style horror game is packed with a deep, metaphoric storyline and stunning hand drawn graphics. Disturbed is a game that will haunt you long after you’ve stopped playing, and one look at the trailer will tell you why. This story-heavy game with its branching choices creates the feeling of looking into the mind of someone struggling with depression and addiction while giving you a grey and hopeless landscape to navigate.
It can be a bit trial and error-ey at times, but that only adds to the pieces of the puzzle waiting for you to unlock them. Disturbed’s soundtrack goes well with the game and the dark and haunting art style of the imagery is enough to make you want to go back and find all the different endings and solve each complex puzzle. There’s no voice acting, so this is a headphones on or off kind of experience. Disturbed’s sequel has also come out, so if you want to play Disturbed: Beyond Aramor, you might want to check this one out first.
Your cozy little house is nothing more than a death trap.
An infected bear in a cave is not too happy to sense you intruding on his home turf.
12. Medusa’s Labyrinth
“Medusa’s Labyrinth Launch Trailer”
An ancient evil stalks the hallway of this Greek stylized labyrinth, and you’d better be quick and clever to escape its clutches. How long can you survive against an evil that’s lasted for centuries upon centuries?
Medusa’s Labyrinth was planned to be its own full game with more of a plot and longer gameplay, but the team decided to keep it as a teaser for a new, longer game that they’re working on. And as such, this maze styled stealth game is not only fun to run through time and time again, but it’s also atmospheric, eerie, and dripping with both old mythological influence and modern storytelling. The sound design and dim lighting are both utilized well, and the randomly generating maze makes for fun and easy replayability.
The only downside is that this is just a maze game with clues you have to search for while evading the enemy, and not a whole lot else! Though this is understandable considering that the development team ran way over of the budget for the game, I’m still excited to see what they’ll have up their sleeves next. If Medusa’s Labyrinth is any indicator for how their full game will go, then it’s bound to be just as scary.
This underground room lit up with moonlight makes it easy to get through, even if you have a torch or not.
The outside of the deceiving labyrinth.
11. 1916
“1916 - Der unbekannte Krieg - Trailer”
Underneath the shadow of the first World War, 1916 follows a young German soldier as he tries to survive among the chaos. Trapped underground, he soon finds that a prehistoric terror is hunting him … and the brutal battlefield above is his only means of escape from being mauled to death.
1916’s language is entirely in German except for at the beginning when you can choose to set the control explanation to English or Dutch, so that the feeling and immersion of the setting will draw you in and keep you feeling like you’re really a soldier in the first world war. Entirely in black and white, the lack of color also makes it feel like you’re playing a dated, frightening game of cat and mouse among the blood and dirt filled trenches.
The story is not lost, as you don’t need to know the language to understand what’s happening. The audio cues, atmosphere, and setting are enough to know when you should hide and when you should run for your life. What really makes this a great game is not only the setting, but the way the setting looks. Purely black and white backgrounds and imagery is difficult to pull off for any developer, but 1916 manages to make it look eerie and not washed out at all. That’s something that’s incredibly difficult to do, so at least give it a chance - it’s free, after all.
The bunker before the war hit. The ‘Good luck!’ seems ominous now.
A deceased soldier isn’t a promising sign for your future. This one’s been hidden in a back room. But what killed him?
10. Marie’s Room
“Marie’s Room Trailer (Free to Play)”
Get into Marie’s room, get the journal, leave. It was supposed to be easy. It was supposed to be safe.
Two friends who have known each other for 20 years and built their friendship upon memories collide in Marie’s Room, creating a dark and unshakable atmosphere that only allows you to piece together the puzzle as you go. This game was produced by the same developers as Life is Strange, so if you’re familiar with that gameplay, it’s incredibly similar. If not, it’s a puzzle game where you wander around an environment and interact on things by clicking on them. Like a 2D visual novel, but in 3D.
The strengths of Marie’s room is the unfolding story and the singular room being the setting, but of course, its weaknesses are the length of the gameplay and the low replayability factor unless you’re a real stickler for detail and want to know what Kelsey has to say about every little decoration in Marie’s room. It’s worth the price (free!) because of its innovative storytelling, and especially so if you like Life is Strange.
Marie’s room, messy and full of life. The scattered decorations and messy bed really make you feel at home.
Kelsey inspects a deck of cards.
9. Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle
“Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle Trailer”
Jason returns and seeks revenge on the camp that killed him in this cute but deadly stylized version of Friday the 13th. Good thing you’re Jason and not a camper, huh?
Cute, gory, and full of funny deaths upon the often inebriated campers, this fun little game combines horror with puzzles and different ways to kill your targets. Each death of the campers is not played out for too long but it is unique and the puzzles themselves aren’t screamingly difficult until you get to the upper levels. It also features a ‘bloodlust level,’ with which you can collect the game’s version of money to unlock new maps and even costumes for Jason.
It does get kind of repetitive after a while however, so make sure you take breaks in between puzzle chunks. The diversity of the different maps upon which Jason revels in bloodshed also ensures that you’re not going to be playing the same levels over .. and over … and over again. But once you’ve gotten to the final levels, that’s when the game stagnates a bit. However, if you’re wanting to play a horror game where you are the killer? This game’s fun and cute, all things considered.
Play Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle
Jason takes aim with his harpoon gun. This poor guy’s about to get hooked …
A puzzle layout! Can you slaughter all these campers?
BONUS: Death Forest
“Death Forest - Creepy Japanese Horror Game - Slenderman Style - Part 1”
This slenderman style collection game is free to play but because of it being somewhat obscure, it doesn’t get its own number on the list. It’s got good atmosphere and good tension so if you want to play Slenderman but are tired of the man in the black suit with no face, give this game a go.
8. Trap
"TRAP PART 1"
When you get a cryptic letter from your brother, it becomes your job to find him and save him from his mysterious, otherworldly demise inside of the vast and expansive, supernatural Hotel Beryl.
This pixel horror game is separated into segments of twenty minutes of gameplay and it’s just as fun to play as it is to look at. The story’s intriguing and the backgrounds and characters are just as vivid as you can expect from a supernatural hotel. There are a few translation errors, but this is the first installment of a series and the original development team didn’t speak English. Keeping that in mind, Hotel Beryl isn’t just eerie to explore with its long winding hallways, but it keeps you on your toes with what you should expect.
This first episode so to speak runs for about 45 minutes and it’s entirely free, so if you’re looking to play an adventure game and King’s Quest has run out of its replayability, consider Trap. It’s a Twin Peaks meets Nancy Drew meets sidescrolling point and clicks, so if you have time and space for it, definitely give Trap a go.
Our protagonist stands outside a shady bar, thinking on what got him to this point in his life.
He rides the subway, trying to avoid trouble. But it always seems to find him anyways.
7. SHADOW CORRIDOR
“Shadow Corridor (Japanese Horror Game) Gameplay”
Something stalks the hallways of this randomly generated horror game set in twisting corridors. Are you quick and smart enough to survive?
SHADOW CORRIDOR is a Japanese game with little to no English involved, which again, is not a problem here because the story is pretty straight forward: Don’t die! Boosting good graphics and a terrifying enemy to escape from, SHADOW CORRIDOR’s scares come from subtle yet spooky sound design and the knowledge that any corner you turn around could be right there, waiting for you. Because this game is untranslated however, there’s not a lot to say about the story. The controls however are fluid and easy, and considering how good the game looks for the price (free!) it’s definitely worth checking out.
Oh, there is one thing to note: This game is notorious for its difficulty level. It could be the best game you’ve ever played … or the hardest. That experience is entirely up to you.
A secret path towards a shrine. I wonder what’s in it.
Screenshots are hard to get so if you're interested, here's a link to it.
6. Blameless
“Blameless v1.3 trailer”
You’re playing as an architect and when you find yourself in a half finished house being chased by a man with a knife, you’ve got to find the quickest way to defend yourself … No matter the cost.
This 3D action filled game combines puzzles with literal home invasion because you’re in someone else’s home, being hunted by a man wielding power tools that are just laying about. Never did I think a house under construction would be scary, but Blameless has proven me wrong. The buildup to the ending and the eventual reveal of the true intentions of you and the person in the house with you is nothing short of shocking. This game’s length isn’t too long unless you spend your time looking around, but it makes replayability go up when you’ve gone through it once and then want to go back to see what else you missed.
Mechanics wise, it’s just the usual hide instead of fight game, combined with room puzzles and some stealth. Nothing remarkable really, except for the nice graphics, solid level and puzzle designs, and believable cast of characters. I want to know right away why the architect is in this half finished house and who or what we’re finding clues of throughout the house. Blameless is one of the best games on this list because of its good graphics, excellent storytelling, and unique setting. Go on and give it a try if you have an afternoon to kill.
An unfinished room with parts of the in construction house lit up. This is a safe area … I think.
A darkened room with little to no light, but the breaker box is right there, at least.
5. Only If
“Only If - Launch Trailer”
Anthony Clyde's memory is missing after a late night of partying, and now he’s got to escape from this unfamiliar town while being pursued by a maniac of sorts, who antagonizes him over the radio. What’s going on here?
Only If is a 3D adventure/horror game that gives us a mystery yet again. This one’s set in a dusty old Western town instead of in a manor or anything like that, so it’s quite the unique map to begin with. Only If is also doing something experimental with its controls to see if it can get the player to trust their gut feelings instead of game mechanics. These experimental controls combined with the changing setting and imaginative story make Only If a surreal sort of horror game rather than just straight up blood and gore.
There are as always cons to go with the pros, however. It’s a bit buggy and the controls can be kind of finicky, according to other reviewers. However, these small cons are outweighed by the numerous pros. The graphics are stunning, the voice acting is tremendously well done, and the plot itself is akin to that of the Stanley Parable or the Borderlands series. This psychological horror game is full of surprises. Which surprises, you ask? Well, there’s only one possible way for you to find out.
The posh interior of the house you wake up in.
A fountain, long dried up. Scenery like this is commonplace in Only If.
4. Infestation: The New Z
“Infestation: New Z - Official Trailer”
When the world goes to Hell and the undead walk the earth, your slim chances for survival are dwindling fast. They go even faster when you’re made to compete among other survivors for resources.
An open world zombie survival game takes fourth place in this lineup of free horror games, and mostly because it’s because it makes you feel like you’re surrounded by enemies and are between a rock, and a hard place. The zombies want to eat you, online players want your things, and to top it all off, you’re completely on your own unless you play with friends, and keeping yourself fed and hydrated is harder than ever when resources are rare and dwindling. The sound, the big and empty maps, and the hordes of undead combine in Infestation: New Z to make you feel more alone than you ever have before.
The biggest and most unique feature of this game is that you can engage in online PVP with other players and fight to the death for your resources. The idea of competing in blood sport and mass killing of zombies gives it a small sense of uniqueness in the open sea that is open world zombie killing games. It’s a twist I haven’t seen yet, and it’s one that works well with Infestation: New Z’s stylized graphics and quick and intense gameplay.
A player encounters a zombie outside of the city’s ‘safe zone.’
Customization! She’s a survivor I wouldn’t want to mess with.
3. No More Room In Hell
“No More Room in Hell Steam Release Trailer”
‘When there’s no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the earth.’ After a plague wipes out masses upon masses, eight survivors must work together to keep their brains and their bodies safe from the hungry, aggressive mutated zombies all around them.
Based on the novel by the same name, No More Room in Hell’s characters and story contain easter eggs, ranging from movie references to other zombie survival titles.This game’s playable with up to eight of your friends and it comes in two modes: “Objective,” and “Survival.” In Objective mode, the game tasks you with chores to complete and each one gets more and more difficult as you finish them. Survival mode is … survival! There’s nothing really special about it, so we’ll mostly focus on Objective mode. Originally released as a Half Life 2 modification, this now standalone game is free to play and explore several unique maps with your friends or complete strangers.
As far as zombie survival horror games go, it’s kind of generic. But the real strengths of No More Room in Hell come when you’re trapped with your friends in a last ditch effort, and one of you pulls off a slaughter of the horde that no one expected to work. The HUD is also very minimal, making the gameplay immersive since you don’t really have to worry about crosshairs or inventory systems. A longer sequel to the game is expected to be produced sometime in 2018 or 2019.
Ever wanted to punch a zombie? Well, start swinging.
A child zombie and an adult one are equally dangerous in this world.
2. Seek or Die
“Seek Or Die Trailer”
When your friends dare you to spend the night in a house thought to be haunted by malevolent spirits, you agree. However, when the door locks itself behind you, you have only one objective: Escape with your life.
This game’s graphics look good, it plays well, and it’s got two unique parts to the story. In part one your objective is to seek out a Jack-in-the-Box to make its music stop ringing through the otherwise empty house. This is a lot more difficult than it seems, because of the way that the house is set up and the way that audio cues work. If you fail to find the toy in time … you’ll meet your quick and bloody end. In the die section, you … try not to die. If you can make it through the night with your life, you win.
This game’s reviews all say that it’s harder than it looks and that you’re in for many a scare when you first start out. Patterns are tough to learn right away and it’s a good challenge for horror veterans and casual consumers both. It’s low in popularity at the moment and because of that, any criticism about the game that you might have while playing will be responded to in a timely and quick manner. Give it a try if you want to play a hyper fast game of hide and die, you won’t regret it.
The jack in the box sits in the dark mansion, waiting for you to stop its melody.
Every spooky haunted mansion NEEDS a sweeping ballroom.
1. Cry of Fear
“Cry of Fear - Launch Trailer”
Sweden’s streets turn deadly one dark night, and Simon Henriksson soon finds himself trapped in a hellish nightmare where the creatures whose limbs are grotesquely twisted and bloodied are out for his blood. He has to survive if he ever wants to see the light of day again … But he needs your help in doing that.
This critically acclaimed free to play horror mystery started off as a popular map in GMOD (Gary’s Mod) that got so big it branched off to become its own standalone experience. The action isn’t too fast paced, the unique monster designs are downright grotesque, and the twists and turns in the story keep you wanting to know what’s going to happen to Simon next. Though it’s quite old now, Cry of Fear is still the best free to play horror game on the market simply for the plot and the characters. Simon feels like someone you’d meet in real life, and the supporting characters are understandable, and witty.
The game mechanics feature puzzles and action alike, which is nice to see compared to just another shoot your enemies and survive game.
You can also dual wield parts of your inventory, making reloading and aiming your flashlight much easier. The game’s atmosphere is just downright frightening, and the multiplayer you can do with your friends is equal parts challenging and rewarding.
What’s happening? Why is it happening? What changed this little town in Sweden? Simon’s questions get answered in ways that you wouldn’t expect, so if you’re itching for a good mystery, I recommend this game.
Simon faces an enemy! Let’s hope she’s not who sent him that text … (It reads, ‘I’m here.’)
This lurching monster is bigger than the cars. Will he be able to defeat it?
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