Summary
- Survival horror games like Dead Space excel with spine-chilling audio cues & Necromorph sounds.
- Ambient noises in games like MADiSON elevate tense moments, creating unease outside of action.
- Headphones are essential in horror games like Amnesia: The Bunker to enhance immersion & gameplay.
While the visual style, aesthetic, and enemies of a horror game can go a long way in ramping up the intensity of a playthrough, what is arguably as important, if not more important, is the audio. To fully immerse themselves in the experience, it's always recommended that players wear headphones before loading into a new game. While this is optional for most horror titles, for some, it's almost a necessity.
8 Best Horror Games That Focus on Survival Over Combat, Ranked
Players often have to rely on their fight-or-flight instincts to survive in these games where ammo is sparse or non-existent.
This has become especially relevant in recent years, where many horror titles have been incorporating 3D audio as an option players can choose to switch on, enhancing the intensity of the experience even more. While the horror titles below are already excellent in terms of their quality and scare factor, they were clearly designed to be played with headphones to get the most out of the experience, so it's a good idea to keep a pair handy when trying these games out.
8 Amnesia: The Bunker
Add To The Immersion By Enhancing The Spine-Chilling Audio Cues
Amnesia: The Bunker
- Released
- May 16, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
In a game where making even a single noise can result in the protagonist being killed, Amnesia: The Bunker is a game that can be brutally difficult unless players decide to use headphones. By keeping the audio close to their ears, players will be able to determine how much noise they are making traveling through the dark and dingy bunker, which is important considering that there's also a beast that will react to these audio cues if it manages to pick up on them.
Another reason headphones are so crucial for a playthrough of Amnesia: The Bunker is because of the beast itself. This horrific monster will often try to remain in the shadows to avoid detection, so the best way to know whether it's lurking nearby is by paying close attention to its disturbing groans. Though Amnesia: The Bunker is fairly short, the attention to detail and dedication to making audio a big part of the gameplay loop still make it a standout horror game that all fans of the genre ought to try.
7 MADiSON
MADiSON Excels At Keeping Players Uneasy Through Its Audio Design
MADiSON
- Released
- July 8, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle, Indie Games, Adventure, Action, Simulation
MADiSON is a fairly niche horror title that takes place entirely in a single house. After players retrieve the camera at the beginning of the game, they will be free to explore the building while also dealing with plenty of spirits and even a few puzzles along the way, but what helps to amplify the tension in between these moments are the random noises that set off every now and again.
24 Macabre And Disturbing Video Games
Video games that showcase macabre elements are often hard to forget. For those brave enough, here are the most disturbing ones out there.
It's not uncommon to hear a random creak or smash emanating through the entire house, reminding players that they are certainly not alone. MADiSON can feel like it goes on for just a little too long considering the gameplay is quite basic, but it's worth a go for those horror fans who enjoy being scared without needing to have an enemy in front of them, which is why it's heavily advised to go into this game with a pair of headphones on.
6 The Callisto Protocol
Callisto Protocol's Monsters Sound Truly Grotesque And Horrifying In All The Right Ways
The Callisto Protocol
- Released
- December 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Though Callisto Protocol received a mixed reception from survival horror fans upon its release, one thing that can't be argued is that the game isn't extremely well-made. One only needs to take a look at the gorgeous graphics to get an idea of how much money was put into this experimental title, but it's also clear that plenty of work went into creating an environment which felt eerily realistic, and one way the team at Striking Distance managed to achieve this was through it sound design.
The grizzly and grotesque noises that the monsters make put into perspective just how heavily the residents of Black Iron Prison have been mutated, to the point where they can barely even speak. While a pair of headphones will make the game more immersive, they are also necessary due to the style of combat that the game includes. Because players are forced to get up close and personal to hack enemies to death, being able to listen out for when a monster is behind Jacob can make a playthrough a lot easier, especially on those brutal hard difficulties.
5 Outlast
Mount Massive Asylum Is Full Of All Kinds Of Terrifying Enemies To Listen Out For
Outlast
- Released
- November 4, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Nudity, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
In a desperate attempt to get the latest scoop, journalist Miles Upshur decides to embark on a journey into the mysterious Mount Massive Asylum. However, he quickly realizes that this seemingly abandoned building is packed full of crazed inmates who are all more than happy to kill Miles the moment they get the chance. Many people remember Outlast as more of a visual experience, considering the entire game is viewed through a camera lens, but those who want to get the most out of a playthrough ought to pay attention to the audio too.
Horror Games That Use Players' Microphones
Using the player's microphone in gameplay is an excellent way to increase immersion and tension in horror games. Here's which titles did it the best.
Because the asylum itself is usually quiet, and due to the lack of a prominent soundtrack, it means the whispers and murmurs of the inmates can be heard pretty clearly when wearing headphones. Needless to say, this ramps up the scare factor of the game considerably. There's even a point in the game where the player's camera will crack, forcing them to rely on sound cues a lot more than before. While Outlast's enemy variety could have been a little better, this survival horror classic is still an amazing game that's made even better when honing in on the audio.
4 Alien: Isolation
Listen Out For The Alien's Snarls To Avoid Being Detected
Alien: Isolation
- Released
- October 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
If the Alien manages to spot players during a playthrough of Alien: Isolation, in most cases, this will result in an instant game over screen, making the moment-to-moment gameplay extremely intense as a result. The best way to steer clear of the merciless Xenomorph is by paying close attention to its snarls and growls, but the benefit of wearing headphones is that players will be able to know exactly where these noises are coming from to ensure they stay protected.
Alien: Isolation also contains plenty of sound cues which are direct references to the movies, so being able to hear the audio as closely as possible helps to invoke that sense of dread and horror that so many fans are already so familiar with. Despite only featuring a handful of enemies, Alien: Isolation thrives as a horror experience thanks to how it keeps players on the back foot for the entire game, making every play session feel like a terrifying thrill ride.
3 Dead Space
Players Can Hear Each And Every Necromorph Crawling Through The Ishimura Throughout Their Travels
Dead Space
- Released
- January 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated M for Mature for Blood and Gore, Strong Language, and Intense Violence.
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
While the grotesque appearance of the Necromorphs is one reason they are such terrifying enemies to take on, another is the sounds they make. Even when they aren't visible on screen, players will still be able to hear the Necromorphs scuttling around the vents of the abandoned USG Ishimura, but at the same time, there will also be faint whispers that highlight how Isaac is slowly losing his mind the closer he gets to the Marker.
Of course, all of this can be missed if players aren't listening closely enough, which is why the game was designed with headphones in mind. As a remake of the original Dead Space, the game also sports some jaw-dropping graphics, no loading screens to speak of, and a story full of exciting twists and turns, but it's evident the developers also dedicated a lot of time and effort to ensuring the 3D audio design is top-notch, which is best experienced with headphones on.
2 Resident Evil 2: Remake
Resident Evil 2 Made A Grand Return With New Graphics, Remodeled Enemies, And Greatly Enhanced Audio
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence
- Genre(s)
- Horror
When Capcom announced they would be developing a fully-fledged remake for the 1998 classic, Resident Evil 2, they weren't only talking about upgrading the visuals. While traveling through the dark corridors of the RPD, players will be able to faintly hear the moans and screams of the zombies who lurk around every corner, keeping players on their guard from beginning to end. The 3D audio allows players to feel as though they're living through the Raccoon City nightmare for real, amplifying the immersion tenfold.
When playing the game with regular speakers, it can be hard to appreciate the amount of work that Capcom has put into the soundscape. Of course, the game already features a fun and quite addictive survival horror gameplay loop of scavenging resources and trying to survive against hordes of enemies, but having a pair of headphones on for the ride goes a long way in making the game feel as creepy as possible.
1 Silent Hill 2 Remake
Bloober Did An Exceptional Job Replicating The Weird And Unorthodox Music And Sounds Of The Original
Silent Hill 2
- Released
- October 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
While there were a lot of people doubting whether Bloober Team could recapture what made the original Silent Hill 2 so special, thankfully, they managed to knock it out of the park with the remake. While the combat has been greatly improved, along with the story being slightly more fleshed out than the original, Silent Hill 2 Remake also carries over the general atmosphere that made that classic game so terrifying, and a lot of this comes from the audio. As a game that is more centered around providing its own form of psychological horror, one way Silent Hill 2 Remake invokes fear in the player is by using small and subtle audio cues to catch them off guard.
Whether it's the scraping of Pyramid Head's blade, the distorted speech of the nurses, or even just the noise of an invisible horse running around a giant courtyard, there are plenty of hidden noises that can only be picked up when using headphones. Sure, there's still a lot of gory imagery and terrifying monster designs packed into the game, but it's really the oppressive soundtrack and audio that takes the true horror of Silent Hill 2 to a whole different level.
8 Horror Games With The Most Immersive Soundtracks, Ranked
A great soundtrack can do a lot for a horror game's immersion. From absurd ambiences to subtle, tense tunes, these horror game soundtracks deliver.