Buzz
One of the core aspects of horror is the sense of vulnerability. While monstrous creatures and supernatural beings are terrifying in their own right, the fear becomes even more intense when you’re powerless to stop them. This is why many horror games make you the victim. Lacking conventional weapons, you must outsmart your pursuer and find ways to escape as they close in. This approach not only heightens suspense but also presents a greater challenge. However, sometimes, it’s interesting to flip the narrative.
A handful of games turn the tables by putting you in the role of the killer. As a masked murderer or terrifying beast, you hunt down helpless victims to quench your bloodlust. NPCs and other players are nothing more than prey, and you are nearly invincible against their feeble defenses. While this shift in perspective might reduce the difficulty, it offers a thrilling experience through the indulgence of power. It also provides a fresh take on overused horror tropes. This alternative viewpoint makes it worth stepping into the shoes of the villain—no matter how disturbing it may be.
10. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
It’s only fitting that one of the earliest examples comes from one of the most infamous horror films ever created. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre revolves around a group of friends who unwittingly find themselves trapped in a grisly nightmare. A simple roadside stop leads them to a family of cannibals. At the center of this nightmare stands Leatherface, a towering figure with a chainsaw and a mask made from human skin. The gruesome imagery might seem too much for an old Atari game, but this title proves otherwise.
The Texas Chainsaw tie-in has you play as Leatherface during a killing spree. Wielding his trusty chainsaw, he chases civilians around the screen. Colliding with these victims slices their heads off, leaving them in a mass of pixelated blood. That gameplay loop sounds simple, and that’s because it is. You control this iconic serial killer and do what he does best. The game gives you exactly what you ask for.
If old-school Atari is not your thing, the 2023 version of the game comes with more killers and better graphics.
9. The Happyhills Homicide
In the same retro vein is a pixelated indie title. The Happyhills Homicide introduces John Wade. This unfortunate school janitor’s grotesque appearance earns brutal treatment from both students and staff. After a fire leaves him scarred and homeless, this poor soul takes revenge on those who wronged him. Needless to say, this game makes you root for the killer. It’s not just a mindless massacre, though.
The game is a side-scrolling puzzle title. You must sneak into your victims’ homes to catch them unawares. This process involves studying the layout, using tools lying around, and bypassing obstacles. This preparation makes success all the more rewarding. Not to mention, the harebrained schemes have a sadistic perk: killing your targets in wonderfully elaborate ways. The game prioritizes patience and ingenuity with its sadistic showmanship. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
8. Dead by Daylight
In this game, you’re pitted against other players. Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer experience that draws heavily from classic horror tropes. During each round, a group of players take on the role of Survivors, and they must cooperate to escape the trapped arena. To do so, they must gather supplies, repair generators, and unlock exit gates— but the clock is ticking, adding pressure to every decision.
One player, however, takes on the role of the Killer. This masked predator is tasked with hunting down the Survivors and hanging them on hooks. By doing so, they offer the victims as sacrifices to an ominous entity known as the “Entity.” The Killer wins if they can complete the ritual before the Survivors manage to escape. The challenge for both sides becomes a deadly race against time to outsmart each other. While the concept is simple, it taps into the essence of most horror scenarios.
7. Predator: Hunting Grounds
The success of Dead by Daylight led to the creation of several similar games, one of the most notable being Predator: Hunting Grounds. This title fits perfectly with the formula, as the Predator movies center around extraterrestrial hunters methodically slaughtering prey in disorienting environments. This concept aligns seamlessly with the gameplay mechanics of tracking and outwitting opponents.
As before, players engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Four players assume the roles of elite special ops soldiers, working together to complete missions like reconnaissance or target elimination. The remaining player takes on the role of the Predator, hunting the others. While both sides can eliminate each other, the Predator has the upper hand due to its advanced alien stealth technology and formidable biology. It can easily ambush its prey like a superhuman assassin, leaving even the toughest soldiers vulnerable.
6. Friday the 13th
Another multiplayer game inspired by a film franchise, Friday the 13th follows the formula set by Dead by Daylight. This time, one player becomes Jason Voorhees, a relentless, masked killer stalking counselors at a forest campground. With his supernatural speed and heightened senses, Jason is a terrifying force, virtually invincible against any assault. However, the counselors aren’t completely helpless.
The remaining players take on the role of camp counselors. With their knowledge of the environment, they can set traps or use ranged weapons to slow Jason down, buying time to either escape or survive until the session ends. While it’s possible to defeat him by triggering his childhood trauma involving his mother, this task is incredibly difficult. Due to Jason's near invincibility, most matches are more about running for survival than engaging in combat.
5. Jaws Unleashed
It’s easy to understand why Jaws made audiences terrified of the water. The film depicts a peaceful island terrorized by a gigantic shark. Its insatiable hunger and the hidden nature of its underwater world make it nearly impossible to predict. Like the greatest horror creatures, this shark is truly overwhelming and unstoppable.
Jaws Unleashed turns the narrative underwater. Players step into the fins of the monstrous predator, roaming the waters around Amity Island. The gameplay revolves around attacking swimmers, sinking boats, fending off hunters, and preying on other creatures. As you progress, your shark grows stronger, gaining the ability to take on even bigger targets. The humans attempt to fight back in increasingly desperate ways, but overcoming their efforts cements your place as the ultimate apex predator.
4. Vampyr
This game’s appeal largely depends on your personal playstyle. Vampyr is set in 1918 London, where a deadly plague is ravaging the city. You play as a doctor attempting to stop it, but there’s a twist: you’re a vampire yourself, though one of a higher order. It’s here that the game’s moral choices come into play.
Choosing the selfish route is easier, but it leaves a trail of destruction. As a doctor, you have a set group of patients. While they might be innocent, a vampire only sees them as a food source. Killing them and drinking their blood is essential to quench your thirst and upgrade your vampiric powers. However, this choice does undermine your medical role, as your patients mysteriously disappear. By the game’s conclusion, you may realize that this doctor has become more dangerous than the plague itself.
3. Among Us
Among Us may appear to be the most innocent game, but its outward simplicity hides a dangerous twist. It’s another multiplayer experience set in an isolated environment, where a group of survivors must maintain the operations of a failing base through teamwork. But lurking among them is a killer—one of their very own teammates.
Some players are impostors, blending in with the group to get close enough to eliminate others. The challenge lies in identifying who is trustworthy and who is a saboteur before they pick you off one by one. It’s hard to rely on a team when you can’t trust anyone. Still, that element of paranoia creates the perfect atmosphere for horror.
2. Rebel without a Pulse
Zombies are usually seen as easy targets, but Rebel without a Pulse turns that idea on its head. The protagonist, Stubbs, survives by feeding on human brains. The game’s goal is straightforward: devour as many people as possible to stay alive (in a manner of speaking). The humans, however, aren’t eager to let Stubbs feast, and many are more than willing to blow him away. Stubbs can fight back using makeshift weapons and stolen vehicles, but he’s always outnumbered.
Stubbs also has the ability to infect his victims with the undead virus. Not only does this transform them into zombies, but it also binds them to their grotesque creator. Before long, Stubbs commands an entire army of mindless followers. These legions are invaluable for both combat and further spreading the infection. The ensuing chain reaction quickly brings down the entire population. It’s easy to see why zombies are so effective in apocalyptic scenarios.
1. Terminator: Resistance
The Terminator films stand as monumental examples of technological horror. They showcase a post-apocalyptic world where machines have devastated the planet, turning it into a nuclear wasteland, and ruthlessly hunting down the remaining humans. In Terminator: Resistance, you play as one of those survivors, constantly battling against the relentless mechs. Every encounter feels like a brutal struggle due to their near-impenetrable armor and deadly accuracy. However, you have the chance to level the playing field.
The Infiltrator Mode DLC lets you step into the shoes of a Terminator. Specifically, you control an infiltrator unit tasked with eliminating a Resistance commander. This mission takes you through the decaying streets of Los Angeles and into the heart of Tech-Com facilities. In the end, your objective is simple: obliterate any humans foolish enough to stand in your way. That terrifying efficiency leaves you questioning how humanity could ever prevail against such merciless machines.
