It’s Halloween, the scariest time of the year, which means it’s the season for the best horror games of 2024.
For this list, we’re focusing on recent releases. After all, the horror genre has gone somewhat underappreciated in the last few years by major big-budget publishers. While titles like Alien: Isolation is an all-time classic for scary games, it’s also a decade old.
So let’s look at these five games which carry the torch for the horror genre in the 2020s.
Alan Wake 2 – an original horror game of the 2020s
Admittedly, most of the games on this list are remakes. This is because of the industry trend that’s adverse to risks like new titles.
While it is a sequel, Alan Wake 2 is still a new original story. With its heavy emphasis on artistry and storytelling, Alan Wake 2 is definitely different. Its gameplay integrates the flashlight, combining the all-important lighting that defines horror as a mechanic.
For those in the mood for something akin to Stephen King horror literature, Alan Wake 2 is a must-play.
Dead Space – zombies in space
One of the breakout horror franchises circa 2010 returns a decade later with a shiny new remake. Dead Space saw its 2023 release as a faithful modern update of one of the most visceral action horror games.
Most importantly, it carries over its signature limb-removal combat system. Unlike the headshots of classic zombie lore, the necromorphs of Dead Space can only be stopped by systematically removing their limbs.
It adds a unique twist to gameplay, when players must try to shoot off the legs of these fast screeching twisted corpses. These bursts of heart-pounding high-octane action contrasts well with the claustrophobic, eerie spaceship environments.
Amnesia: The Bunker – new sequel to one of the best indie horror games
Speaking of claustrophobia, we move to another tight terrifying environment that’s as far away from the depths of space as possible.
Amnesia: The Bunker takes players to the titular underground base of World War I tunnels. The original Amnesia: The Dark Descent was the codifier for the indie horror games which now dominate the genre.
It used its fewer resources intelligently, moving the emphasis away from big scary set-pieces to minimalist atmospheric first-person gameplay.
Amnesia: The Bunker has more to offer on the gameplay front than its humble ancestor, but it keeps the core spirit of helpless horror alive. The player must navigate an ever-changing labyrinth, pursued by a nightmarish monster that the player can only stall, never stop.
For fans of horror games which emphasize survival over action, Amnesia: The Bunker is one of the best in 2024.
Silent Hill 2 – the newest release for the oldest horror masterpiece
It’s quite telling that after a long dormancy for the once-prolific Silent Hill franchise, the series returns with a 2024 remake of the second game.
Considered an all-time horror masterpiece, Silent Hill 2 was and remains a pinnacle of psychological horror in video games. In particular, the game’s narrative climax before its endings does a fantastic job of contextualizing the titular town and its nightmares to serve the characters and themes.
While the remake modifies and updates the atmosphere to be more action-oriented than the original, it still retains the spirit of the most famous town in horror games.
Resident Evil 4 – the grandfather of modern horror games
Resident Evil 4 is a landmark title not just for the horror genre but also for all of modern gaming. The over-the-shoulder camera which is now omnipresent in games saw its popularity start from this title.
The camera allowed for tight action choreography. This was because it could accommodate a wide angle for spatial awareness of multiple enemies, coordination for melee combat, and pinpoint accuracy for ranged weapons.
But despite this lean into action (as well as a campy B-movie plot), Resident Evil 4 never sacrificed its horror roots. It established that there was a different but equally viable type of thrilling scares found in fighting off hordes of enemies with limited ammunition.
