One of the best things about Steam is its versatility and its huge library. If someone bought a game in 2010, they can still access it in some form, unlike other digital platforms like PSN. That said, games do disappear from Steam as well, including recently, two fantastic horror games: Cold Fear and Condemned: Criminal Origins.
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It may be past the spooky season, but this past decade’s worth of fantastic horror games are calling to fans regardless of the time of year.
While there are lots of horror games to choose from, few of them are absolute classics, and sometimes lesser-known games get passed over or forgotten, like those two previous examples. It’s a shame they can’t be bought on Steam anymore, so horror fans may want to wishlist the following games instead and keep an eye on them before it's too late and Steam delists them as well.
Among Ashes
Two Games In One
Among Ashes
- Released
- December 9, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Among Ashes is a game within a game. Players can go back and forth between playing a computer game and exploring their apartment. Upon downloading a freeware horror game, things start happening in the game that affect reality.
These result in some pretty ridiculous but effective jump scares, even though the game's graphics are reminiscent of the 90s and aren’t cutting-edge or all that realistic. It’s a cool fourth-wall-breaking horror game that came out in 2024 but went mostly unnoticed, and more people on Steam should check it out.
Carrion
You Are The Monster
Carrion
- Released
- July 23, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Phobia Studios
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Action, Indie Games, Puzzle
Carrion was released in 2020, and it puts players in the tentacled shoes of the villain for once. As an experimental creature trapped in a lab, players will break out of their containment unit. As they explore the lab, they will become stronger as they find power-ups and kill those who stand in their way.
It’s a good role reversal game, and even though it’s in 2D, the kills are pretty gory and horrifying. Becoming a bigger monster feels great, and it encourages progression in a really unique way. It’s like an unofficial spin-off to The Blob film franchise, which would also make for a cool game.
Blair Witch
A Better Sequel
Blair Witch
- Released
- August 30, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The Blair Witch Project tore up theaters in 1999 and became a phenomenon unlike its attempts at making sequels. Blair Witch, a 2019 video game adaptation, is the best sequel set in this universe. It is truly horrifying, and it captures the spirit of the original film very well.
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The scariest thing about the original movie was being lost in the woods and feeling trapped while also getting the sense that something was watching, which is basically what happens in the game. Players will have various tools like flashlights and a camcorder to help get them through areas and complete a few puzzles. Overall, it’s more like a guided tour than a challenging horror game, but it gets the vibes right, and the scares are solid.
Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut
The Greatest FBI Agent Of All Time
Deadly Premonition
- Released
- February 23, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Access Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Any version of Deadly Premonition is divisive. It's a 2010 game that is technically bad from many standpoints, including graphics and gameplay. However, the setting, characters, story, and music are all so overwhelmingly good that those who give it a chance will walk away changed for the better.
It can be likened to Twin Peaks in that an FBI Agent, Francis York Morgan, comes to a sleepy town to investigate a series of murders by a madman named the Raincoat Killer. Full of twists, turns, and even a few scares, it is a horror experience that is worth powering through the bad stuff for.
Penumbra: Overture
Dark And Mysterious
Penumbra: Overture - Episode 1
- Released
- March 30, 2007
- Platform(s)
- PC
Penumbra: Overture is the type of horror game that adventure game fans will also enjoy, as there is a lot of item management and exploration. Players can go into their menu to turn on a light, for example, or point and click on something like a drawer to open it instead of simply tapping on a button.
This gives players more ways to engage with Penumbra: Overture, which is only the first chapter in a trilogy which first debuted in 2007 and is also available on Steam. It’s one of the harder recommendations on this list, since it can get obscure and challenging, which is why only the first chapter is recommended for now. If players enjoy that one, it's absolutely worth checking out the other two Penumbra games.
ObsCure
The Faculty
Obscure
- Released
- April 6, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
ObsCure was released first in Australia in 2004 before launching in North America in 2005, which is a rarity in gaming. Players can essentially call the game an official adaptation of the 1998 movie The Faculty, as it features teens trapped in a high school where paranormal stuff starts to happen.
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Players can choose between five students, each with their own set of skills, and there is also co-op for horror fans who prefer a buddy system. The novel thing about the campaign is that it was one of the earliest examples of a story that continued on even if a character died, which was permanent. That's now far more common in games like Until Dawn, but it's cool to see some early takes on the idea.
Fear Effect
Spy Fiction
Fear Effect
- Released
- February 24, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Kronos Digital Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Survival Horror
Fear Effect was released on the PS1 in 2000, near the end of the console’s lifespan. It’s more of a spy game than a horror game, putting players in charge of three characters, with the femme fatale, Hana, being the most iconic. Fear Effect is more than a name; it applies to the gameplay system, where if characters get into a situation that makes them too scared, their meter will start to rise in lieu of managing a traditional health bar.
The horror elements become more prevalent later in the game and in the 2001 sequel, but overall, it’s one of the more forgotten PS1 horror titles that can now be played on platforms like Steam thanks to a 2025 port.
Clock Tower: Rewind
One Of The All-Time Greats
Clock Tower: Rewind
- Released
- 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- WayForward Technologies, Human Entertainment, Limited Run Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Clock Tower: Rewind is a direct 2024 port of Clock Tower, a game that was originally released in 1995 on the SNES in Japan. The only thing added was some animated cutscenes, which absolutely enhance the experience but take nothing away from the nostalgic elements.
The game stars Jennifer, a young orphan who arrives at a lush manor and meets a group of other girls before the place suddenly loses power, scattering the other girls across the building. Unfortunately, there’s more at work than a simple power outage: a killer named Scissorman is on the loose. Clock Tower is a point-and-click adventure game where players have to find items to progress and look for hiding places whenever Scissorman draws near. Even in 16-bit form, it can still be terrifying, as the atmosphere is top-notch.
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