Adrenaline-Pumping Online Horror Games

Some of the best video games on the market over the last decade have been from the horror genre. Whether it’s the constant jump scares that make us wince at every corner turned, or the downright creepy atmosphere that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as if someone is following you menacingly, horror games have the ability to fill us with absolute dread and get the adrenaline pumping with equal measure. Indeed, the best developers have re-created the buzz of the horror movie, but with your hands at the wheel (which is even more scary when you think about it!).

From defending yourself against hordes of zombies to hiding from one of horror’s most recognisable villains played by your friend here we pick out our favourite games from the genre.

Resident Evil Village

The latest release in the Resident Evil series, Village is a direct sequel to the 2017 game Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and takes the series in a slightly different direction, focusing more on strong action gameplay.

Nevertheless, it still retains much of what made people fall in love with the original Resident Evil games, requiring players to scavenge for items and to manage resources in order to survive the onslaught of mutant creatures - and of course, the occasional jump scares.

The setting for Resident Evil Village offers a different vibe than the previous instalments of the franchise, taking huge inspiration from Gothic architecture which is evident in Castle Dimitrescu and House Beneviento - which has been lauded as one of the best locations in the game’s history by some fans.

Find out more on the game’s official website.

Immortal Romance Video Slot

If you like a cash payout with your scares then Immortal Romance video slot by Microgaming is a top choice with its in-vogue vampire theme and super-fast gameplay. It was first released over a decade ago (2011) but remains one of the most popular slots of all time thanks to its notorious Chamber of Spins feature with four bonus rounds named after the vampire in the storyline. There is Amber, Troy, Sarah and Michael who each offer a different number of spins and win multipliers.

At best you can win $12,000 for a wager of $1. Which isn’t bad if you can put up with drooling vampires attempting to put you off. You can read more about the game here.

Alan Wake

Alan Wake is an unusual addition to the horror-themed game genre. It trades the traditional jump-scares and gory nature of your standard horror game for a deep psychological mystery, which is drip fed to the player in chapters.

Bright Falls, where Alan Wake is set, is eerily similar to David Lynch’s world of Twin Peaks - a secluded community nestled into the mountains which harbours dark secrets, posing a danger to anyone who dares to uncover them.

The game’s ability to leave the player on tenterhooks is what truly drives the game forward. Structured like a television series, the story is separated into six episodes which each come with their own cliff-hangers and plot twists.

Until Dawn

The fervour around Until Dawn’s release in 2015 was almost tangible. The combination of an interactive horror adventure game which encapsulated the classic horror tropes that we all know and love made for a truly innovative experience.

Until Dawn is the story of a group of teenage friends who journey to a remote mountain cabin for a holiday until they are all hunted by a relentless monster. What sets Until Dawn apart is that it takes no prisoners; every action that a player takes will have consequences for the story.

The game has six different endings, but people have calculated that there are 256 different possible combinations that players can take in the lead up to these endings. The interactive elements of the game make players feel as though they are in danger themselves, immersing us into the story to a far greater degree than most horror games.

Obscure

Obscure was a third-person horror survival game which was released in 2004. The game came with a two-player cooperative mode that allowed players to try and survive with a friend.

Trapped in Leafmore High School, five teenage friends must uncover and survive the mysteries that are turning their fellow students into infected monsters.

White Noise 2

White Noise 2 is the sequel to White Noise Online; with a heavy focus on multiplayer, the game places four players as investigators as they attempt to survive the onslaught of an evil creature - controlled by another player.

The game forces the investigators to work together to complete the mission as they are equipped only with a flashlight;. Should any of the investigators die, they can come back into the game as a ghost to help their friends. Whereas the creature's main goal is to annihilate each investigator while avoiding the gaze of their flashlights.

There’s more on this one, including screenshots of the game, on the Xbox website.

Deceit

Your chances of survival are increased when playing with other people. The opposite is true in Deceit.

The game forces you to only trust yourself, placing you on a dash to find the exit with other players as you all try to escape the ensuing infection that eliminates one player at a time.

However, one of the players is hiding in plain sight as the prime infector. One minute they could be helping you find the exit, the next you become their latest victim.

Friday the 13th The Video Game

Who doesn’t want to be hunted down by one of the horror genre's most famous villains - Jason Voorhees, played by one of your friends?

Players have to work together to outsmart and escape the unkillable killer, distracting him long enough to escape via multiple methods such as contacting the police, repairing a car or by simply running the timer down.

Resident Evil 5

Finally, this ground-breaking addition to the Resident Evil franchise, RE:5, was the first to introduce co-operative gameplay which enhances the experience.

Play as either Chris Redfield or Sheva Alomar as you battle through hordes of semi-intelligent infected creatures with a friend or stranger through the region of Kijuju which has been devastated by the ‘Uroboros Mkono’ virus in an action-packed survival horror experience.

If you enjoyed the first four in this series you will definitely love RE5 – it keeps the best bits of the original and adds further twists, like all good horror sequels do!