When it comes to horror games, 2019 was one of the strongest years for the genre in recent memory. The year featured a slew of high-quality indie horror game experiences, as well as some big budget triple-A horror games, including one that stands as the highest-rated video game of 2019 across all genres. The best horror games of 2019 are a mix of these big budget experiences, as well as lesser-known titles that maybe even the most hardcore fans of the genre missed out on.
The besthorror games of 2019range from virtual reality titles to more traditional survival-horror games. There was a little something for horror game fans of all tastes this year, and each game on this list will likely satisfy anyone looking for a scare this holiday season.
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Without further ado, here are the best horror games of 2019.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
Prior toA Plague Tale: Innocence, Asobo Studio mainly worked on licensed games based on Pixar films. However,A Plague Taleshows that Asobo has a lot to offer the gaming industry with its original ideas, especially horror fans.A Plague Taleis a stealth horror title where players have to avoid enemy soldiers and huge swarms of vicious rats inflected with the plague. Players take on the role of Amicia de Rune for much of the journey, though they also have the chance to play as her brother Hugo later in the game, who has supernatural abilities that let him control the rats.A Plague Tale: Innocencehas earned a great deal of praise for its narrative, even beingnominated for Best Narrative at The Game Awards 2019.
A Plague Tale: Innocenceis available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Blair Witch
One of the biggest surprises of Microsoft’s E3 2019 press conference was the reveal ofBlair Witch, a video game based on the found footage horror movie series of the same name. Developed by well-known horror game studio Bloober Team,Blair Witchhas players explore the creepy woods from the movies in search of a missing boy with the help of their loyal dog Bullet. Bullet’s presence alleviates the tension a bit, but he can’t protect players from the jump scares, strange creatures, and sense of dread looming over the entire game. The game captures the tone of theBlair Witchmovies perfectly, and while some players may admittedly become frustrated by some of the game’s design choices,Blair Witchis still one of the scariest horror games of the year.
Blair Witchis available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Devotion
Taiwanese game studio Red Candle Games released the first-person horror gameDevotionon PC earlier this year, with the game earning high marks from critics and being compared to games like Hideo Kojima’sPT. But likePT,Devotionhas been pulled from online stores, making it difficult for players to get their hands on the game today. However, it’s possible thatDevotionwill eventually return from the dead after it removesart making fun of Chinese president Xi Jinping, though plans for its return have yet to be announced. It would be a shame forDevotionto never be released again, as the game is certainly one of the top horror games to come out in all of 2019, with a unique setting and premise that help it stand out from the rest of the horror games that came out this year.
Devotionwas previously available for PC.
Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted
Virtual reality and horror have done great together since the start of VR, with the medium’s high level of immersion lending itself well to things like jump scares and disturbing imagery. One of thebest VR horror gamesthat we’ve seen so far isFive Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted, which plays like a “greatest hits” of theFive Nights at Freddy’sgames, and ups the scare factor considerably thanks to the use of VR.Five Nights at Freddy’s VRmakes theFive Nights at Freddy’sgames scarier than they were before, but it also makes the entire experience more immersive as well, with players really feeling like they’re being tormented by animatronic nightmares at the haunted restaurants.
Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wantedis out now for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR.
Hunt: Showdown
Crytek may be best known for itsCrysisseries, but the studio has also found some success withHunt: Showdown, an asymmetric multiplayer horror game that has earned decent reviews from critics since its launch earlier this year.Hunt: Showdownpits teams of human players against each other while they simultaneously have to worry about the threat of supernatural monsters. A little more action-oriented than many of the other games on this list,Hunt: Showdownis still a genuine horror experiencewith survival-horror elements mixed in with its asymmetric multiplayer gameplay to create something truly unique in the genre.
Hunt: Showdownis out now for PC and Xbox One, with a PS4 version also in development.
Layers of Fear 2
Bloober Team solidified itself as a horror game studio to watch with the firstLayers of Fear, but 2019 saw it become one of the top horror game studios in the entire industry. Not only did Bloober Team launch the well-receivedBlair Witchin 2019, but it also releasedLayers of Fear 2, which continued the first-person horror style of its predecessor.Layers of Fear 2may not be for everybody, but the game’s scare factor is hard to deny, and it will leave many players on the edge of their seats from start to finish. In ourLayers of Fear 2review, we praised it as superior to the original, and it will be interesting to see if Bloober Team can perfect the formula with a third entry.
Layers of Fear 2is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Resident Evil 2
The highly-anticipatedResident Evil 2remake is not just one of the best horror games of the year, but it’s arguably the best game of the year, period.Resident Evil 2has earned higher review scores than any other video game to launch in 2019, and for good reason. It successfully updates the PS1 original for modern gamers, offering top-of-the-line graphics, refined gameplay mechanics, engaging puzzles, and plenty of scares. Theterrifying Mr. Xis the real star of the game, however, with his relentless pursuit of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield responsible for many of its scariest moments.
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TheResident Evil 2remake has not just been a critical success, but it’s also proven to be a massive sales success for Capcom as well. Considering this, it’s not surprising that the company is apparently moving forward with aResident Evil 3remake. If it’s even half as good as theResident Evil 2remake, fans can count on theResident Evil 3remake being one of the top horror games of 2020.
Resident Evil 2is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan
Supermassive Games surprised horror fans with the choice-based narrative gameUntil Dawn, which has become one of the most-celebrated horror games of the past decade. AfterUntil Dawn, Supermassive experimented with some other kinds of games, but now the studio has returned to its roots with itshorror anthology seriesThe Dark Pictures.The Dark Pictures: Man of Medanis the first entry in this new series, retaining many elements that madeUntil Dawnsuch a hit, but adding some new ideas like co-op play.The Dark Pictures: Man of Medanputs it over the top as a must-play game for horror fans, with the fates of each character potentially in the hands of a different player, adding a lot more tension and stakes than many similar games manage to do.
The Dark Pictures: Man of Medanis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Worse Than Death
Worse Than Deathis a short game, but that doesn’t make it any less effective. With an art style similar to someclassic retro horror games,Worse Than Deathis about a high school reunion that is interrupted by the appearance of invisible monsters. Like many horror games, protagonist Holly is encouraged to avoid these creatures at all costs, but she has to do so while simultaneously solving puzzles and uncovering the mystery behind their sudden appearance.Worse Than Deathflew under the radar for many horror game fans, but it’s definitely something fans of the genre should consider checking out.
Worse Than Deathis available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Yuppie Psycho
Yuppie Psychois a bizarre game, to say the least. In it, players take on the role of Brian Pasternack as he navigates his new job at Sintracorp. He soon realizes that Sintracorp isn’t exactly what it seems, and he’s tasked with hunting down a witch, having morbid conversations with his coworkers, and more.Yuppie Psychois a surreal experience that may be off-putting to some, but that gives it an almost David Lynch quality.
Yuppie Psychois out now for PC.
And while it can’t be categorized as a horror game, we can’t wrap up this list without mentioningLuigi’s Mansion 3. The Nintendo Switch-exclusive game isn’t technically a horror game, but it still has enough elements of survival-horror titles that fans of the genre may still want to check it out. Plus, it has plenty of fun nods to classic horror movies likeThe ShiningandThe Ring, so horror fans in general will likely have some fun with it.
