Summary
- Call of Cthulu: DCOTE adapts Lovecraft's novella creatively.
- Ghostwire: Tokyo combines urban legends with engaging combat.
- Prey merges sci-fi and horror in a unique and frightening way.
Bethesda is not an underground name in the gaming world by any means, up there with the likes of Ubisoft and Activision. Bethesda Game Studios is most recognized for developing the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls franchises - both of which are giants in the open-world RPG genre. Likewise, Bethesda Softworks has an impressive portfolio of published titles, including Dishonored and Doom (2016).
Admittedly, when it comes to horror, other names like Konami and Capcom dominate the scene. However, despite not being their niche, some of the biggest games in the genre were actually published by Bethesda. This list ranks every horror game published by Bethesda.
The Wolfenstein games have not been included as they are not generally considered horror titles, but deserve a mention for their exploration of war and the supernatural.
6 Call Of Cthulu: Dark Corners Of The Earth
One Of Many Lovecraft-Inspired Horror Games
Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth
- Released
- October 24, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks, 2K Games
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox (Original)
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Despite some of them being over a century old, the works of H.P. Lovecraft have been a source of inspiration for a significant number of games, both horror and otherwise. Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth takes inspiration from one of the author's more popular novellas, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, taking place in the titular strange town.
Players take on the role of amnesiac private investigator, Jack Walters, as he attempts to remember his past - a venture that leads him to the mysterious Innsmouth. In a combination of exploration and FPS gameplay, they must grapple with terrifying Old Gods and unrelenting cultists as they uncover the town's dark reality. While certainly not one of the most polished games of the Lovecraftian ilk, Dark Corners of the Earth definitely has a lot going for it that many survival horror gamers appreciate.
5 Ghostwire: Tokyo
Horror Meets Modern Day Tokyo With Unique Combat
Ghostwire: Tokyo
- Released
- March 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
While many horror game developers tend to look to the past or future for spooky settings and scenarios, those set in the present day can prove some of the most engaging for the very reason that they are familiar to the player. Ghostwire: Tokyo is one such game, set in an alternate version of modern Tokyo that is plagued by disappearances and infested with malevolent spirits.
5 Best Supernatural Horror Games Ever
Terrifying spirits and demons are at the forefront of these eerie supernatural horror games that remain the best in their subgenre.
Players control the protagonist, Akito, who has been possessed incompletely by a spirit after a car crash. Granted with supernatural powers, the player must fight against the evil and stop the occultist responsible for the chaos. Despite being a very combat-heavy game, Ghostwire: Tokyo has plenty of disturbing urban legend-inspired antagonists, such as Kuchisake-onna, that add extra tension to the action.
4 Doom 3: BFG Edition
Taking The Franchise Into New Terrifying Territories
Doom 3: BFG Edition
- Released
- October 16, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- id Software, Bethesda
- Franchise
- DOOM
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Android
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Survival Horror
The extent to which the Doom games are considered horror is widely debated across the board. However, there is one game in the franchise that definitively embraces the survival horror genre. The original Doom 3 was published by Activision, though the following versions, such as the BFG Edition (which includes the Resurrection of Evil expansion), were published by Bethesda Softworks.
Doom 3' s protagonist is an alternate version of the iconic space marine, Doomguy, who becomes involved in a mission to prevent demons from invading Earth. While the departure from the action-heavy gameplay was relatively divisive, the much more claustrophobic setting and darker body-horror takes on the demons made Doom 3 a big hit among FPS horror fans.
3 The Evil Within 2
A Nightmarish Sequel With A Lot To Live Up To
The Evil Within 2
- Released
- October 13, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Although The Evil Within was an overall success, Tango Gameworks decided to make some changes in the sequel. Beyond the gameplay and combat edits, the plot is much easier to follow in The Evil Within 2, responding to the gripes many players had with the first game. Players take on the role of Sebastian Castellanos as he once again faces nightmares in order to save his daughter.
The 20 Best Open-World Horror Games
Open-world games are often thought of in terms of RPGs, but these horror games make excellent use of the open-world format.
One of the biggest differences in the second game is its semi-open world, which not only adds an extra element of world-building but encourages players to explore more. However, it also means that the game feels less claustrophobic and easier to escape enemies. While The Evil Within 2 struggled to live up to the horror of the original, it's still a worthwhile experience and a memorable survival horror.
2 Prey
A Sci-Fi Horror Reminiscent Of The Alien Franchise
Prey
- Released
- May 5, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Arkane Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Franchise
- Prey
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- FPS
The marriage of sci-fi and horror is by no means an uncommon one, with games like Dead Space and System Shock being significant influences on other games in the genre. The latter, in fact, was an inspiration for Arkane's space-horror, Prey. As researcher Morgan Yu, the player must navigate the space station-slash-laboratory "Talos I". Unfortunately, the station is overrun by hostile aliens that have escaped containment.
While it is a first-person shooter, Prey has a lot of other unique gameplay elements; alongside the crafting system, players can upgrade Morgan to be able to hack, repair, and even acquire alien abilities like mimicking objects to hide and using telepathy. Overall, Prey is an interesting sci-fi horror with plenty of jumpscares and frightening alien encounters.
1 The Evil Within
A Mind-Bending Psychological Survival Horror
The Evil Within
- Released
- October 14, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Franchise
- The Evil Within
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Survival Horror
The Evil Within is one of the better known Bethesda-published horror games. The player follows Sebastian Castellanos, a detective who suddenly finds himself thrown into a horrifying world of tragedy, monsters, and evil organizations while investigating a mass murder. In an equal mix of exploration and action, players gradually piece together the disturbing truth about the dangers they are encountering.
While the sequel smoothed over some of the gameplay elements, The Evil Within stands out for its scary atmosphere, achieved through the roster of deformed creatures and disturbing bosses, as well as the variety of nightmarish settings. While the story is not the most straightforward, it is the mystery and unpredictability that many players felt kept the game gripping.