Summary
- Horror games provide a thrill at home, offering a dose of fear without actual danger.
- Some horror games, like Layers of Fear, are more about aesthetic storytelling than tangible threats, allowing for peaceful gameplay.
- Multiplayer horror games like R.E.P.O. Can be less scary and more fun with friends, providing a relaxing experience after a long day.
Horror games are for adrenaline seekers who haven't quite worked themselves up to outdoor activities such as skydiving or mountain climbing yet. Instead, they get a dose of healthy fear from the comfort of their own home while evading the notice of monsters and exploring the eerie surroundings they find themselves in.
Horror Games That Are Disguised To Look Innocent
Horror games typically appear dark and gory, but some games take players by surprise by suddenly changing the tone to a more sinister one.
For people who are looking for a slightly more Zen experience, they might think they could never delve into this genre which is known for inducing stress. But there are games that offer a slightly calmer experience, either by removing a tangible threat or having combat not be something they need to worry about.
8 Layers of Fear
A Walking Simulator that Prioritizes Aesthetics
Layers of Fear
- Released
- February 16, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- Platform(s)
- Switch, PlayStation (Original), Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Before the near-perfect Silent Hill 2 remake, Bloober Team were mostly known for the Layers of Fear games. Though it was not the first game they made, it was the one that put them on the map, as horror games were becoming increasingly popular at that time, thanks to certain prolific YouTubers who made a name for themselves through let's plays.
As such, Layers of Fear blew up in popularity, becoming known as a stylish walking simulator with a tragic tale at its heart. There aren't really any tangible threats in this game, and it's more about the story unfolding as the player walks through various rooms that each have an interesting, unique or even beautiful look. As such, there are times that Layers of Fear can even be peaceful, as players can simply enjoy the appealing visuals without needing to be on the lookout for a physical enemy.
7 R.E.P.O.
Playing with Friends Alleviates Tension
R.E.P.O.
- Released
- February 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
The market is now flooded with multiplayer horror games right now, as this seems to be what's hot among most gaming groups right now, which can make finding one to play challenging, especially if not everyone is really looking to be stressed out of their mind with horror games, as that is normally what they aim to do.
Best 4-Player Co-Op Games
There are countless 4-player co-op games available for gamers to check out. These, however, are easily among the best.
But thankfully, multiplayer can help games be less scary, and this is true of the meet the quote game R.E.P.O.. Players control adorable robot-like avatars that infiltrate locations looking for valuable loot to extract and appease the taxman, while evading monsters. It can be a truly hilarious game, moreso than frightening, making it the perfect game to wind down to with a beer and some friends after a long day at the office.
6 The Letter
A Horror Visual Interspersed with Moments of Humor and Friendship
The Letter
- Released
- July 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel, Horror
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Visual novels are about as chill as games can get, as it's just like reading a book, only with occasional voice acting, music, sound effects, and accompanying art to truly breathe more life into the digital pages. The Letter is one of the more beginner-friendly as it doesn't overload readers with an overbearing cutesy anime style, nor does it lean too hard into the horror angle, though players' mileage will vary as it is a choice-based game.
While taking choices that shuffle the player towards the bad ending, and losing characters, adds more horror, those who do the opposite to these will experience plenty of downtime before the scripted events that appear in every route. That means players aren't being oppressed by constant dread and horror, and can experience some light-hearted moments between Isabela and her friends as they seek to break the curse of the chain letter they found.
5 Home Safety Hotline
Diagnose Horrors Rather Than Confront Them
Home Safety Hotline
- Released
- January 16, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Home Safety Hotline is one of the more unique horror games out there, as players sit at a computer terminal, answer inbound calls from distressed people and use their database to diagnose what is wrong with their home, from common threats such as mice to more outlandish dangers like hobbs. They then send over the information package after checking the callers' woes over the information given about every listed danger.
The cross-referencing of information serves as an excellent puzzle game, and with the database going offline during one shift, players certainly have their work cut out for them. But with no physical threats against the player, Home Safety Hotline is one of the rare horror games that is perfectly safe for the player, which helps in creating a more relaxed environment.
4 Little Misfortune
Set Out on a Quest to Find Eternal Happiness, Featuring Adorable Graphics
Little Misfortune
- Released
- September 18, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Indie Games, Casual
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows
A mysterious voice visits Misfortune one day, telling her this is the day she will die, but invites her to play a game with the chance to win the gift of eternal happiness, a prize she seeks to give her mother, as home life is not easy for the Hernandez family. Following the voice, Misfortune sets out on an adventure outside her home, going to many different locations and meeting some other characters along the way.
It's a cutesy game with a surprisingly intimidating villain and a dark shock ending, but the journey up until then doesn't contain any scenes that will scare off players, not even those who are the most horror-adverse. The adorable art style and the humorous scenes are strange companions to the real-life horror of broken families and neglectful parents, yet in Little Misfortune, it works wonderfully, and makes it oddly peaceful compared to most horror games.
3 Anemoiapolis
Players Explore the Backrooms at their Leisure
- Platforms: PC
- Released: March 4th, 2023
- Developers: Andrew Quist
Games involving the backrooms never tend to be peaceful, as manu feature monsters, that are hinted about in the original creepypasta, and can just wear down on the player's mind from just hor surreal and psychologically horrifying the experience is. After all, who would want to wander through the same surroundings day after day with no way back home, doomed to die of hunger and thirst if not at the clutches of some otherworldly creature?
Best Abstract Horror Games
The following games offer unique horror experiences that unsettle players in creative ways.
Enter Anemoiapolis, a game that promises a more relaxing jaunt through the liminal spaces. There are no other living creatures to halt their exploration and force them to hide, so they are free to wander through the backrooms without having to worry about dying. Players instead relax and interact with their envionment, making for a strangle peaceful experience in what is normally a horrifying setting.
2 Dredge
Lovecraftian Horror Meets Fishing
Dredge
- Released
- March 31, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- Black Salt Games
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Ah, fishing. A peaceful hobby done in both real life, or through a digital medium. There are certainly no shortage of fishing games out there on the market, and many cozy games feature it as a mini-game that definitely requires some practice to master. Dredge is a unique game in this way, as it combines this normally relaxing pastime with cosmic horror elements.
At night, the player might be visited by more monstrous varieties of fish should they continue sailing the sea, and may even find some odd variants of mundane fish in their cargo. There is also something strange about one of the strangers they find on the island, and the revelation behind this character will send heads spinning. Yet, players can make Dredge a totally Zen experience by focusing more on the fishing and upgrading, and simply just finding a place to dock when night falls.
1 Welcome to Elderfield
A Lovecraftian Stardew Valley
Welcome to Elderfield
- Developer(s)
- Chris Cote
WHERE TO PLAY
Stardew Valley has reigned as the undisputed king of cozy for years now, as players get to unwind their very busy modern-day life to live the dream of moving out to the sticks and starting a farm. Harvest crops, rear farm animals, romance the locals and even go spelunking...there is a ton to do in this game, so there is little wonder why players continue to return to it.
But maybe Stardew is a little too comfy, and they want something a little more. Well, Welcome to Elderfield, as it might just be the game those players are looking for. The best way to describe it is if Lovecraftian horror descended on everyone's cozy farm game, adding some unique horror elements to the tried and true farm simulation. But don't worry, it never gets too scary, offering plenty of gameplay to chill and relax to.
Video Games That Will Help You Relax
Not all gamers are seeking high excitement or thrills. Sometimes, it's better to chill out with the relaxing gameplay these titles have to offer.