Summary

  • Horror games can intensify fear by playing on the senses, so experiencing them in the dark is the greatest challenge.
  • Short horror games like Devour maximize tension by incorporating unique terror threats and isolation.
  • Biohazard with its blend of action and foreboding ambiance shines best during quiet night playthroughs.

There is no shortage of spine-chilling horror games out on the market today, for those with a particularly gruesome itch to scratch. Horror games have a unique ability to play human senses against each other, to draw players in with high-tension scenarios, and of course, to produce a ridiculous amount of adrenaline through powerful techniques to elicit fear.

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If there's one thing in particular that intimate, atmospheric horror games do, whether they're from big-budget companies or smaller indie titles, it's turning the night from a peaceful, quiet time of rest into a shadowy plane of unknown terrors lurking just outside of perception. Here are some games perfect for playing on a dark, quiet night.

5 Lethal Company

Oppressive Silence And Unknown Horrors Await

Lethal Company
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Released
October 23, 2023
Developer(s)
Zeekerss
Platform(s)
PC

After its burst of popularity, the steadily updated Lethal Company has become a showcase of atmospheric, sci-fi horror that knows how to use ambient noise and the players' own imagination to create a truly terrifying experience. Plunging deeper and deeper into the ruined industrial villages and cavernous abandoned factories on the many eerily quiet moons as employees of the Company is a singularly horrifying experience and one that Lethal Company absolutely nails.

Enemies in Lethal Company are typically more active and aggressive at night, and this feeling, combined with plenty of eerie silences, makes the title a great play for nights.

4 Pacify

Exploring An Especially Haunted House

Pacify
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Survival Horror
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Released
February 22, 2019
Platform(s)
PC
Genre(s)
Survival Horror
Developer
Shawn Hitchcock

As a marvel among horror co-op titles, Pacify serves as an incredibly powerful horror-focused title. Exploring one of four maps as paranormal investigators, this game doesn't necessarily reinvent the horror genre, but it nails the foundations fantastically.

The tropes here of uncanny children, creepy dolls, screaming ghosts, and an oppressively dark haunted house are all brought together to make a fantastic horror title that plays on the eerie silence of the night.

3 Devour

A Variety Of Maps With Unique Terrors

Devour
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Survival Horror
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Released
January 28, 2021
Platform(s)
PC
Genre(s)
Survival Horror
Developer
Joe Fender, Luke Fanning

Each Devour map is an intricately designed labyrinth taking on classic horror tropes such as haunted mansions and asylums, or bringing new concepts into the fray, such as a Japanese inn. Within every map, a uniquely terrifying threat, in some way linked to the overarching story of a demon left to wreak havoc upon earth, preys upon the players, who assume the role of cultists attempting to reverse whatever terrible ritual has taken place.

The proximity chat among players means that even in this co-op title, it's very easy to feel isolated, and that distance from the familiarity of your friends makes the game that much more terrifying. Struggling to complete quest objectives as the monster haunting or stalking the players gets more active is a uniquely adrenaline-pumping experience, and leaves players in a state of almost permanent tension. Perfect for nighttime playthroughs, the distance and isolation this game evokes is nothing short of horrifying.

2 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Resident Evil's Return To Form Is Uniquely Frightening

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
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Survival Horror
Psychological Horror
First-Person
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Released
January 24, 2017
Developer(s)
Capcom
Genre(s)
Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person

After a series of hit-or-miss titles, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard brought the title back to life in a resounding, horrifying fashion. A pinnacle of the gruesome cannibal horror subgenre, there are plenty of moments in this game that feel like terrifying fever dreams, where the action and the score are kicked up to 11, and the player must use every tool at their disposal to fight for survival. However, juxtaposing these moments, there are plenty of times when the game settles down greatly, and players are left with nothing but dark, foreboding ambiance on this dilapidated piece of property.

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It's in these moments of quiet terror that nighttime playthroughs of Biohazard really shine. Set on edge by the level of utterly grotesque horror players know the game is capable of, wandering around ruined, moldering hallways sets a terrifying tone at night.

1 Hollowbody

Atmospheric, Tech-Noir Terror

Hollowbody
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Survival Horror
Psychological
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Developer(s)
Headware Games
Platform(s)
PC
Genre(s)
Survival Horror, Psychological

Hollowbody pulls no punches in this terrifying exploration of a futuristic world dealing with a horrible calamity. Inspired by the wistfully bleak environments of Silent Hill, this title is filled with gruesome body horror, unsettling environmental design, and a surreal, twisted narrative that will keep players on edge for the majority of their playtime. This title has a particularly unique draw for cyberpunk fans who might enjoy the aesthetic of Hollowbody but typically stay away from horror titles.

The droning, longing quietude that punctuates so many aspects of Hollowbody ensures it's a title that plays exceptionally well at night. Every shadow and corner in a player's room will suddenly resemble the great mounds of decayed, blackened flesh that one finds while exploring this abandoned city.

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