Open-World Games With The Most Eerie Environments

Some Open-World games are the very definition of creepiness, with an eerie vibe that can haunt players' dreams for years. Even when they think they have mastered survival in these dangerous settings, players know they cannot let their guard down, since something wicked might be coming their way.

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This list spotlights Open-World Games with the most eerie environments. From one of the most successful Open-World Action RPGs to an isometric survival horror that will take players through a trip in the woods, and show them how oppressive darkness is.

8 Elden Ring

Desolation Merges With Dark Fantasy

FromSoftware is an expert in merging hauntingly desolated landscapes, death, and other gloomy factors that make their titles some of the most eerie fictional worlds to visit. And Elden Ring is no exception to the rule: from the moment we gain control of our Tarnished, we know we're in for a wild ride, filled to the brim with gore, action, and huge bosses to slay.

Parts of this huge Open-world game like Caelid's crimson wastelands are a pour-all-out of grotesque art and incredible level design. However, many players won't have a chance to see some of the best scenery in the game, since thousands of them find it hard even to beat Margit.

7 Fallout 4

The Wastelands Are A Harsh And Tetric Place

A man in a blue jumpsuit walks through a ghost town, there's no trace of life in there, only the occasional crack of rotten doorframes giving way after hundreds of years, and the heartbreaking sound of a baby soothing wheel spinning aimlessly over an empty crib: nothing but dust remains of its former occupant.

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Fallout 4's setting plays with the absence of life like no other game of the franchise, making it even more unsettling to encounter mutated wildlife after hours of traversing thousands of miles. Even when the survivor finds some residents outside the Vault, there's barely any humanity left in them: only beasts desperate to survive. What remains of the world is an eerie husk, devoid of the bright colors of life.

6 Sons Of The Forest

Every Shadow, Every Noise Plays With Your Mind

The cannibal-infested grounds of Sons Of The Forest are a dangerous place, not only because of their voracious inhabitants but also because of the mutated beasts that represent an even higher treath to the players. Every movement, every flicker of the lightning is a signal of alert.

Environmental horror at its finest: the game plays with the minds of the players as they move through disturbingly creepy abandoned villages, and explore the intricate cave systems that house some of the worst eldritch horrors they will see in their lives.

5 Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

It Is Only A Mod, It Cannot Hurt You

This alternate version of one of the best Western games of all time is a harsh and bloody mod that will submerge players in a zombie apocalypse in the Far West. The addition of the zombies adds a macabre twist to the otherwise beautiful and soothing scenery of the game, turning a relaxing horse ride into a recipe for disaster.

Fog-ridden graveyards and ghostly towns infested by ravenous undead complete the vibes of this zombie mod that would make George Romero proud. The thing is managing to survive long enough to get a chance to enjoy it, which is quite challenging, to be fair.

4 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl

The Creepiest Delivery Of The Franchise So Far

In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 the zone is a merciless place where there's barely any respite between action and survival. Hunted down by bandits, military organizations, fanatics, and the many mutants that are the byproduct of the radiation, the players will never feel at ease.

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It is a game where desolation, the harsh climate, and anomalies can kill players in a matter of seconds. Every step could be their last, and even rats in the sewers merge in a horrific mass of squirming death, seeking to consume the flesh of the nearest target until there's nothing left. Nothing can be more unsettling than playing this game in the hardest difficulty.

3 Subnautica

Traumatizing People With Talasophobia Since 2014

Afraid of the deep? This game puts the 'T' in Thalasophobia, with an unsettling merge of survival and diving game, that will humble players putting them against some of the most dangerous creatures of the depths. The haunting feeling of looking at the darkness of the deep trenches, and the atmospheric horror that this game generates is second to none.

Nothing can be more eerie than knowing that there's something huge, lurking around, hunting for prey, and players are all alone in a vast alien ocean, without an ounce of hope for survival.

2 Metro Exodus

Surviving The Nuclear Winter Is One Thing, Escaping It Is Another Different Story

With a mixture of open-world survival and traditional linear storytelling, Metro Exodus tells a tale of struggling against one of the most dangerous environments ever created by human greed. Traveling across a Post-Apocalyptic Russia, filled with dangerous mutants that lurk in the depths of tunnels, they will have to protect a group of survivors from the dangers hidden behind every corner of this devastated landscape.

The music, the sounds of the howling beasts, and the desolation of places like the Caspian sea region or the Taiga forest are so unsettling that will make players think twice before replaying this adventure. Absolutely nerve-wrecking.

1 Darkwood

The Forest Is Dark And Full Of Terrors

This creepy game traps us in a procedurally generated wood, with Alone in The Dark vibes and an unsettling music score that will torment us throughout every playthrough. As players move from area to area, they feel this oppressive darkness looming over them, making every step a nightmarish experience.

The isometric perspective also adds to its charm, making it one of the best survival horrors ever created. With each level pulsing with dark malevolence, it becomes evident that something sinister happens there, and players are led into a spiral of atmospheric horror and ravenous creatures that want to consume their flesh.

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