We are all the noobs at some point in our gaming lives, and it can be a daunting experience! Sometimes there is a steep learning curve or the game is far too scary to enjoy properly. If you want to break into the horror genre, or have a friend who wants to dip their toes into the bloodied waters, we can help with an epic list of spooktacular games perfect for horror game newbies. The titles below offer a good range of game types including psych horror, interactive horror stories, survival, sci-fi, and puzzle adventures, all with a terrifying twist.
Whatever you are looking for, and whatever the level of your sensitivities, we will have a great game for you to play and begin your horror game journey. Hold on to your broomsticks, here are our top 10 best horror games for newcomers!
The Dark Pictures Anthology
The Dark Pictures Anthology is actually a series of interactive survival horror games so you are getting eight games in one recommendation here! Each of the titles is inspired by a different genre of horror such as ghosts, witches, vampires, aliens, and serial killers. It is a relatively new series that started in 2019, and it continues to grow each year. One of the big attractions for these titles is the fact you can play with friends in the multiplayer mode. This is especially helpful for newcomers who may be nervous to play a horror game.
The great thing about these is you don’t have to play them in any particular order so newbies can choose their favorite horror genre to try out first. As interactive horror stories, these titles are a little more relaxed than the full-on nerve-wracking action of survival or RPGs. However, your decisions decide the fate of the characters, so you’ll need quick reactions! The Dark Anthology games have their own share of jump-scares and claustrophobic environments to endure, all wrapped up in a tension-filled atmosphere. The puzzles give you a chance to breathe and are a welcome break from the scares, making these titles a great start for anyone trying to get into something a bit creepier right now.
Limbo
Limbo is a morbid but cute puzzle-platform indie game in which it is your job to guide a little boy through a world filled with danger and death as he searches for his sister. It soon becomes clear that you are never meant to successfully complete the puzzles first time round, with each death scene showing you where you went wrong. This was aptly named the “trial and death” playstyle by the devs. The game has a haunting and minimalist grayscale aesthetic and is full of lethal traps and other creepy hazards to avoid.
Limbo is rated PEGI 16 which gives you an idea of, despite being kinda cute, how gory and violent it can be. It’s a great intro horror game as it offers the creepy and gross aspects of the genre without being really scary. It has a few jump-scares and some of the protagonists are creepy but it won’t give you nightmares. The lack of realism keeps this game in ‘creepy cartoon’ territory. If you like movies like Coraline and Corpse Bride then this would almost certainly be a great choice for you.
Dead Space
Dead Space is a sci-fi survival horror set in a 26th century universe inhabited by the mutated undead. The game series has plenty of exciting combat using a combination of kinetic powers and gunplay. Players have to forget everything they know about the undead too as these mutated nasties won’t go down with a bullet in the head. Instead, their rotting limbs should be shot off first.
If you are already into shooters and action-adventures then it will be an easy transition into Dead Space. It has a few jump-scares and disturbing moments, but this game is more about the building of tension and fighting off grotesque enemies. If you aren’t squeamish then Dead Space would be a great choice to start off your horror game journey. If you enjoy sci-fi such as Alien or Prometheus then this would be perfect gaming experience for you. It’s just scary enough without being off-putting, and has a truly great story.
Alan Wake
Alan Wake has a sequel coming out soon so this is a great time to jump into the first title in preparation. This game feels like a psychological thriller movie and action game had a baby and named it Alan. You play as the titular novelist who, in an attempt to fight off his writer’s block, is vacationing with his wife in the small town of Bright Falls. The drama quickly ramps up and Alan ends up battling dark and mysterious forces to save his wife.
The episodic nature of this game lends itself nicely to beginners of the genre. Players are less likely to get overwhelmed by the scary atmosphere or battles with the Taken as they get the chance to take regular breaks. The game also balances the dark and spooky environments with brighter, daytime scenes for some relief to the horror aspect. There are a few puzzles here and there but nothing too taxing or frustrating, so new players will get to grips with it easily. Because of its engaging story and uncomplicated format, Alan Wake is a solid game for horror newbies.
Little Nightmares I & II
Little Nightmares, and its successor, are suspenseful and imaginative puzzle horror games where you play as a little girl called Six. Six wanders through a land of evil grown ups and deadly monsters, solving puzzles and evading nasties. At its very base Little Nightmares is a 2D stealth puzzle game but we prefer to think of it as a grim game of hide and seek. It is as grotesque as it is beautiful in its animation, and despite being 2D it really draws you into the world Six inhabits.
For newcomers to the horror genre, these games offer a gentler grimness, many cute and wonderfully weird moments. There is a great balance of puzzles and tension-filled battles to escape or hide from baddies. It’s not very long (playtime is around 5-6 hours) so it is a great teaser for further increasingly horrible and scary titles. Little Nightmares is so well designed in aesthetic and audio that the lasting impression won’t be of a scary horror but more of a twisted dream. As dark and grim as Little Nightmares can be, this is a great game to springboard to more grown up and scary games.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Due to the ongoing popularity of the game since its release in 2005, Resident Evil 4 got a hot new makeover. The survival horror is a classic title many gamers will already know but may not have played so now is your chance! Playing as agent Leon S. Kennedy you are on a mission to save the president’s daughter from a cult hiding out in a Spanish village and end up embroiled in something bigger and darker than you could ever imagine. Resident Evil 4 is a high quality remake full of drama and action, and frightening foes.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is the perfect place to start if you are looking for mutants to mutilate during your action-adventure game. It’s an absolute rollercoaster of horror so if you are ready for excitement and battles with horrific creatures, then you will love this. It is a good title for newcomers to try because, as much as it is certainly a horror game, it feels more exhilarating than terrifying. It is definitely a game for people who love to get their teeth into a good fight for their lives.
Until Dawn
Until Dawn is a popular interactive horror from the same people who brought us The Dark Pictures Anthology. Through the game you control eight young people trying to survive until dawn when rescue will come. Every moment and decision determines the outcome for the survivors in a clever butterfly effect mechanic. Some choices you make will be tiny and feel insignificant in the moment, while others will be tense moral decisions. These critical moments are all analyzed after each of the ten chapters ends.
Episodic horror games like Until Dawn and its spiritual successor, The Quarry, can be such a great way to ease your self into the genre. The focus of the game is on characterization and plot rather than cheap scares and gore although, of course, there are plenty of panic-filled moments. It’s a great cast and a nail-biting story to play through. As you play either Until Dawn or The Quarry, you feel as if you are playing chapters of a teen slasher movie. So if you love Scream or any other classic 90s horror, this will feel very familiar.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror set in a castle full of puzzles and monsters. As Daniel, you must make your way through the castle while trying to hold on to your sanity. The real trouble comes when you realize you must balance hiding in the shadows from the creatures hunting you and not giving in to your fear of the dark. Dark Descent is the first in a series, so if you enjoy this title, then be sure to check out the rest.
If you are into FPS games, and want to move to horror then try Amnesia: The Dark Descent. This is a classic 2010 title that will grip you from the start. It is relentlessly creepy, with a focus on psychological horror more than jump-scares and physical battles. It is atmospheric and steeped with dread, with creepy audio effects and an unnerving way of making you feel vulnerable as you wander the castle halls. Newbies will love the classic horror story and eerie feel of the game. There are a variety of pretty straightforward but satisfying puzzles to figure out but the biggest puzzle of them all is will Daniel come out of this with his mind intact?
Phasmophobia
Phasmophobia is an online co-op ghost-hunting game for up to four players. The horror investigation commences as all players arrive at their destination to figure out which of the 24 different spirits is haunting that building. The players communicate with each other through voice chat, and can even speak to the spirits. Communication with spirits is made through equipment like ouija boards, haunted mirrors, tarot cards, and more. Just watch out for that decreasing sanity!
The best thing about Phasmophobia is the team aspect and having people with you who are also freaked out by the presence of a malevolent being. There is also the option of ‘Friendly Ghost’ in which there will be no spirit hunting you down, but where’s the fun in that?! Phasmophobia can be occasionally scary, especially when your sanity dips and a hunt begins, but it is mostly a good laugh. If you are new to horror games, a co-op like Phasmophobia is perfect. It doesn’t have a steep learning curve like other co-op horrors, and you can pick up the gameplay and mechanics pretty quickly. And, let’s face it, games are usually better with friends.
Layers of Fear
Here is another first-person title to get your teeth into, this time with story-based gameplay. Layers of Fear is a psychological horror game set in the 1920s where you play as a mentally disturbed artist who is intent on finishing his masterpiece. It is a creepy puzzle game split into six chapters of increasing insanity and decaying talent. Any actions made affect the outcome of the game, giving three possible endings.
The chapters of Layers of Fear are a great way to introduce yourself to the horror genre. It is not difficult to play, or very long, and is divided into manageable chunks. It’s centered on mind-bending psych-horror with an eerie vibe rather than gore and monsters. If you prefer your horror to be cerebral and intriguing then Layers of Fear is the creepy title for you. It has its fair share of grim moments and the story is bleak but intriguing. It is certainly one game that will encourage you to seek out more of the same.
