[Top 15] Best Psychological Horror Games for PC
1. Blair Witch- 2019 (Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, Luna)
The witch is back.
Blair Witch is a first person survival horror game based on the films. Follow policeman Ellis Lynch on his search for a missing boy named Peter Shannon. Players rely on stealth while utilizing a camera, flashlight, cellphone and most importantly Bullet, Ellis’s dog. While searching the Black Hills Forest you must stick close to Bullet and avoid the dark creatures that lie between the trees.
The first person POV is unsettling with muted tones and realistic sound effects. Gameplay is intense not knowing what lurks behind each corner. Having Bullet accompany you does add some much needed relief. Blair Witch is a horror game every player should have in their library for the sheer terror it brings giving it a 90/100 rating.
The demon in the woods is a true nightmare come to life.
2. Visage- 2020 (Windows, Ps4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Navigate your way through the twisted and terrifying haunted house.
In this first person psychological horror game players take on the role of Dwayne Johnson as he explores a seemingly normal 1980’s home. You must uncover the secrets and history of this unique home.. Avoiding the dark is crucial to preserving your sanity. Spirits and demons can manipulate surroundings. Being caught while exploring or having your sanity depleted leads to instant death.
This normal looking home appears welcoming but the emptiness is palpable. Doors slam and objects are thrown by invisible forces. The darkness itself is your enemy. Visage gets adrenaline pumping and is a scary good time earning it a 80/100.
The evil entities that reside in this home love to distort your perception of reality.
3. FAITH:The Unholy Trinity- 2017 (Windows)
Some demons can never be exorcised.
Join John Thomas Ward on a journey against evil. In this pixelated survival horror you must complete unsuccessful exorcisms while holding onto waning faith. Grab your crucifix and fight against demons, cleanse and restore haunted objects, and prevent an ungodly being from entering our world.
The 8 bit inspired graphics along with the satanic panic influences make this game a nice change of pace. The synthesized dialogue and Nintendo-esque soundtrack truly paints a nostalgic picture. FAITH: The Unholy Trinity is unique and original giving it a 95/100 rating.
Father Garcia has the power of God and Gunpowder on his side to defeat all evil.
4. Madison- 2022 (Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
Some secrets are better left unsolved.
On Luca’s 16th birthday he receives an instant camera that holds a deep secret. This camera belonged to a serial killer and has the ability to connect to the realm of the dead. Players must solve puzzles, explore their surroundings, and use the camera to stop a macabre ritual. Above all else you must simply survive.
There is no shortage of jumpscares in Madison. Creaking floorboards, ghostly wails, and disembodied voices are like a soundtrack to Halloween itself. Long expanding hallways continue on into oblivion with seemingly no way out. The ambiance is enveloping while the atmosphere is immersive and truly horrifying. Madison earns a 75/100.
An endless hallway where nightmares become reality.
5. Five Nights at Freddy’s- 2014 (Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, Stadia)
Enjoy some pizza and summon youthful spiritsat Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria.
Welcome to the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza where the animatronics come to life when the sun goes down. Players must guard and watch over the animatronics as they roam the restaurant. Cameras, lights, doors and vents are used to defend yourself against the maniacal machines. If the power happens to go out players have no access to the tools and become defenseless resulting in death.
Five Nights at Freddy’s puts a terrifying twist on childhood nostalgia. Watching over a place that is filled with happiness by day and emptiness at night is very unsettling. The pixelated video cameras add an extra element of terror. Not knowing where Freddy and his friends will pop up next is definitely disturbing. Five Nights at Freddys is a wonderful fever dream that scores a well deserved 100/100.
Freddy Fazbear and friends inviting you to join them…in death.
6. Simulacra- 2017 (Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One)
Simulacra is a detective style horror game in which players find a lost phone belonging to a girl named Anna. While trying to unlock the phone the screen distorts and the words “Help Me” appear. The phone has a mind of its own as it opens a video showing Anna begging to be saved. There are 4 possible endings available but the only goal is to save Anna and find the AI responsible for her demise.
This game is a whirlwind of emotions. Cell Phones have become a part of our everyday lives and the concept of something inhuman taking over is frightening. The idea of prowling through someone's intimate digital world seems so forbidden but also addicting. Finding Anna is a journey but it is a fun one. Simulacra is intriguing and exciting earning a 70/100.
The distorted face of Anna is haunting and otherworldly.
7. The Outlast Trials- 2023(Windows)
There are only two options in this game, kill or be killed.
The Outlast Trials is a survival horror set in the cold war era. Players find themselves test subjects at an underground Murkoff facility. Mind control methods are tested and any remaining sanity is pulverized. Players complete tasks while evading enemies with the goal of gaining freedom.
Stealth is your most precious commodity while navigating this cruel and unforgiving facility. Hostel meets Jigsaw in this bloodbath of a game. The imagery is startling and unsettling but it's hard to look away. There is no shortage of blood and gore. True terror is fully realized in this game granting it a 90/100.
One of the many enemies you face in Murkoff’s underground hellscape.
8. Dredge- 2023 (Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Navigate the deep sea and discover terrifying creatures in this beautiful nightmare called Dredge.
Dredge is a single player fishing game requiring players to catch and sell fish while upgrading their boats. A day and night cycle is implemented in this seafaring adventure. Some fish are only able to be caught after the sun goes down activating a panic meter which is a visual of your mental state. Dredge the open sea and discover why some mysteries are better left unsolved.
Beautiful animation and a melodious soundtrack are wonderful attributes of this game. All is tranquil while the sun is out but once nightfall hits a sinister feeling overtakes the screen. The simple gameplay and wonderful storytelling gives this a rating of 80/100.
The lighthouse looms overhead while the waves crash and rock against your fishing vessel.
9. Escape the Backrooms- 2022 (Android, Mac OS, Windows)
The viral creepypasta comes alive in this maze of misery.
Navigate the backrooms with up to four teammates in this co-op horror exploration game. Based on the creepypasta lore, players must avoid danger and entities while exploring. All members can communicate using voice chat. Players may no-clip into different areas on the map and everyone must find an exit with nobody being left behind.
Escape the Backrooms is surprisingly good. The backrooms have truly come to life in this game. With eight different levels, there is so much to see and experience. The entities are gruesome and shocking and are truly the star of the show. This game is worth checking out for an evening of fun. It deserves a 75/100.
The smilers wait in the shadows and dark places preparing to lunge and attack their next victim.
10. Psych- 2022 (Windows)
Assemble all the pieces of your past to complete this mystifying puzzle.
Psych is a first person horror adventure that follows a character named Alex. Players must find the answers to what happened on the day of his accident. Solve puzzles and attempt to keep your sanity in this contemporary horror story.
Psych is a game to get excited about. Breathtaking and cinematic graphics are paired with spectral sound effects that instantly absorb players. The need to investigate and acquire answers is unrelenting. Psych is a wonderfully imaginative escape from reality and earns a 90/100.
Alex doesn't know how to feel or what to believe as he searches for clues about his missing sister.
11. Fear Therapy- 2021 (Windows)
Will you complete the ritual and escape this haunted house of horrors?
In this single/multiplayer game the objective is to complete quests and collect items needed to escape an insidious haunted house. Gameplay is dark and foreboding with constant jumpscares and dark rooms with only a flashlight to guide you. The only way out of this house of horrors is to begin a ritual and escape the grasp of satan.
Fear Therapy is one of the best horror games available. The ominous atmosphere is fear inducing and spine tingling. Ghostly wails fill the dark hallways and vacant rooms. This game is truly horrendous in the best way possible granting it a 85/100.
Entities and shadows hide behind every corner in this macabre mansion.
12. Hellblade:Senua’s Sacrifice- 2017 (PS4, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
Senua is heartbroken and lost as she tries to make sense of her surroundings.
Hellblade follows the journey of a heartsick celtic warrior named Senua. It is a dark fantasy that is inspired by Norse mythology. Senua must rescue the soul of her deceased partner from Hela in Viking Hell.
Hellblade is a game unlike anything we have ever seen. The storytelling takes center stage with combat being more of a side note. All things seen and heard are not necessarily reality but Senua’s perception. This game is utterly breathtaking and heartbreaking so it deserves no less than a 90/100.
A rare glimpse of beauty in Senua’s otherwise bleak and monochromatic world.
13. Martha is Dead- 2022 (Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Luna)
Even the strongest mind can break.
Set in Italy in 1944 players watch the story of Guilla, Martha’s twin sister unfold. There are no traditional enemies to battle. Supernatural elements and jumpscares are the backbone of this storyline. A true psychological horror story awakens while digging up secrets that lead to the truth of the past.
Sometimes true fear comes from trauma and emotions. This game is raw and real. There is no reliance on ghouls and goblins but on our own struggle with our psyche. Martha is Dead is a true psychological horror and really made me reflect on my own feelings. A rating of 95/100 was necessary for its excellent ability to have players look inward.
Guillan(left) pictured with the memory of her sister Martha(right) in flashbacks.
14. Boogeyman- 2015 (Windows, Oculus Rift)
Childhood fears have been realized in Boogeyman. The only thing this monster fears is your flashlight. There are lamps scattered around your room and you may also use the light of the moon to maneuver around. Conserve the battery life in your flashlight because it only lasts for so long. The only goal is to simply survive until morning.
Boogeyman is a classic childhood scary story. In some form or another we have all heard the legend. This game brings all of the legends to life and offers a bright and easygoing musical score. The sound effects are a true representation of being alone at night. This is a hit with a score of 65/100.
The boogeyman creeps toward you but is stopped by a simple flashlight.
15. Layers of Fear-2016 (Linux, Windows, macOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Madness ensnares the senses and floods the creases of a fragile mind.
Layers of fear is a first person psychological horror adventure in which players control an unnamed artist who must complete his masterpiece. Through the use of puzzles and a search of your environment you will piece together clues to aid the artist. There are six chapters that contain items to be unlocked to complete his work.
It is no secret that many artists have a dark and disturbing backstory and the protagonist in this story is no different. Layers of fear is a twisted tale that will have you spiraling into madness before the end. The classical music is effective enough and the graphics are colorful and exciting. Jumpscares are welcome along with the moody ambiance for a respectable rating of 85/100.
This hallway is a visual representation of the mental state of this tortured artist.
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