Ranking the Top 22 Survival Horror Games in History

Key Takeaways

• Survival horror games rely on more than jump scares, pitting a (usually) rather helpless protagonist against an overwhelming evil.
• Throughout the years, many near-genre-defining survival horror titles have been released, from Silent Hill 2 to Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
• The following games remain the greatest pillars of survival horror, with some of the eeriest atmospheres and thrilling gameplay.

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A good survival horror game is often a mixture of good stories and bone-chilling moments. It doesn’t rely only on cheap jumpscares but develops interesting and terrifying monsters that hunt down the main character. With horror being such a big franchise, it’s not often that people see an excellent title put out on the market. That being said, if players are survival horror fanatics and are looking to play something new, there are many candidates who more than fit the bill in this regard.

Many games have left a lasting impression in the genre in the past years and will continue to define survival horror for decades to come. Whether it’s because of their intense resource management, tense combat, nerve-wracking story, or a combination of all three, there’s no denying that the best survival horror games around let players experience a feeling that makes every small victory as satisfying as can be while trying to deal with a wealth of horrifying humans and monsters.

Updated on November 19, 2024, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Thanks to its long presence in the industry, every gamer has had their share of survival horror games sometime in the past, be it classic Resident Evil titles, or the recent innovative horror experiences like Outlast Trials.

As the name implies, Survival Horror games must include both survival and horror elements, but the ratio is different from one game to another. So, in a game like Outlast, the survival element is as little as finding batteries, but in another game like The Forest, there is a good balance between survival and horror gameplay. This list will include all the varieties.

The list includes both single-player and multiplayer survival horror games even if the survival elements are minimal.

22 Dead By Daylight

A Multiplayer Horror Experience Where Players Must Cooperate To Survive

Not all survival horror games are story-driven. Dead by Daylight has proven over time that the survival horror genre could also be a great framework for PvP multiplayer experiences if enough thought is given to carve out the gameplay mechanics.

Dead by Daylight revolves around a 4v1 game mode, where one player takes the role of the killer, and the other four players must work with each other to trap the killer and complete their objectives to finally find a way out before the time is over.

21 Metro 2033

When Metro Tunnels Become The Only Safe Haven For Humanity

Metro 2033 is a first-person shooter at its core, but it also comes with a strong horror setting and some survival elements to keep players engaged with the intense atmosphere. The game follows the exploration of a post-apocalyptic Russia, where the surface of the country is swarmed by mutated creatures.

As a single-player, story-driven experience, players are required to delve deep inside the metro tunnels and sometimes even climb up to the surface to complete tasks, gather resources, and feel the horrors of being trapped in a ruthless world.

20 Alan Wake Series

Surviving In The Dark And Fighting With Nightmares Within

The first iteration of Alan Wake was a great attempt from Remedy to create a brand-new universe that revolves around a writer who is trapped inside the darkness of the world it tries to create. While the story was well-narrated, the game had some gameplay issues at the time.

The sequel, however, took the series to the next level by delivering significant improvements to both gameplay and storytelling, allowing players to control a new character other than Alan Wake, and also hinting them towards the events of Control, which is also happening in the same universe.

19 Barotrauma

Surviving In Space With A Submarine

Unlike most other horror games that try to imply fear with jumpscares or eerie sounds, Barotruama creates a heavily dark environment in deep space, where the player’s only hope for survival is their submarine, but as long as it operates properly.

Playable in solo and co-op modes, Barotrauma tasks players with operating the submarine under any condition, while facing space monsters and challenging situations. Players will always need to deal with the fear of losing the submarine, which is why they have to master their skills in managing the resources and fixing the submarine’s problem one by one, before they are exposed to mutated creatures.

18 Phasmophobia

A Realistic Fear Of Unknown

Thanks to its VR support, Phosmophobia is an ultimate experience for anyone who wants to feel the sense of fear deep within. Similar to Barotrauma, Phsamophobia also supports online co-op mode, which allows players to explore the horrific world of the game together!

Phasmophbia revolves around hunting ghosts with a theme similar to The Exorcist movie. Players are ghost hunters, and they need to use all the tools and devices at their disposal to find the source of paranormal activity, but it is not going to be easy to face these otherworldly beings.

17 The Forest

Surviving The Cannibal Tribe

Both The Forest and its sequel, Sons of the Forest, deliver a superb survival experience on an open-world island, where players can build their own bases, though it is not about living a happy life there! Both games follow a crash onto an unknown island, where life looks much different from the rest of the world.

The survival elements are quite bold in The Forest series, as players need to find food and water, craft weapons, and build safe bases where they could rest for a single night at least. However, the island is inhabited by a cannibal tribe, who will raid players at night. Exploring The Forest’s world during nighttime and sneaking inside caves full of cannibals could be among every gamer’s most horrifying experiences ever.

16 STALKER

Revisiting The Post-Apocalyptic Chernobyl

Similar to Barotrauma, the STALKER series also tries to imply fear by creating a realistic world where access to resources is limited and people struggle to survive. While this game is more action-oriented than most other games on this list, players still feel the horror in the post-apocalyptic world of STALKER.

After a nuclear catastrophe, all radiation-infected zones are locked down, but there are still bandit groups smuggling cargo in and out of the zone. The player, however, is looking for someone special inside the radiation zone, and this journey, will force them to deal with many horrifying situations.

15 Haunting Ground

Escape From An Eerie Castle

Haunting Ground is easily one of the most underappreciated survival horror games of all time, channeling the pursuit energy of Clock Tower with a fresh coat of paint that makes this title such an unnerving experience from start to end. Fiona is a pretty engaging protagonist, even if her use as fanservice can be rather harrowing to watch given the gruesome subject matter of this game.

Thankfully, players aren’t completely alone as they deal with the many pursuers who are trying to chase her down for their nefarious purposes. They have a dog called Hewie who aids Fiona every step of the way, allowing her to secure some much-needed items and have some sort of protection against her pursuers whenever Hewie tries to protect her by biting her enemies.

14 The Evil Within

Unraveling A Dark Story In A World Of Terrors

While many horror games today opt for a first-person perspective, The Evil Within is a throwback to the days when games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill dominated with their classic third-person perspective. The Evil Within puts us in the shoes of a detective who’s desperately trying to solve a mass murder.

During his investigation, he’s transported into an otherworldly place filled with terrifying monsters. With the original creator of the Resident Evil series as one of the primary developers, players can expect a haunting survival story full of horrors and scares.

13 Until Dawn

Tough Decisions And Harsh Consequences

For those who love shaping their own story, Until Dawn is one of the greatest survival horror games. It’s set up like a classic slasher horror film, where multiple characters must try to survive the horrors that haunt them. As players control numerous characters in different scenes, they’ll need to collect clues to help them move forward.

Sometimes, players will make decisions and find items that will affect the future, providing them with a brief vision of the future. This will help them make the right choices when the time is right. Players should keep in mind that, for everyone to survive, every detail must fall perfectly in place.

12 The Last Of Us

Feeling The Brutality Of A Lawless World

There’s no question that The Last Of Us is one of the best games of the last twenty years. While it would take forever to elaborate why, it’s better to experience the game firsthand. If players haven’t already ventured into the zombie apocalypse as Joel and Ellie, then it’s strongly recommended that they get around to it.

The Last Of Us series is a mix of fluid gameplay, which includes both combat and stealth options. The threat of the enemies feels real, and with Ellie by their side, the stakes are higher than ever. Even years after, the graphics look amazing and the story will move even the toughest ones to tears.

11 Alien: Isolation

An Original Story Following The Events Of The Alien

There’s no horror movie quite like the original Alien, which is why Alien: Isolation became such a popular title. Its aesthetics are inspired by the first movie, and the game transports us back to a time shortly after the Nostromo’s fall when Amanda Ripley is struggling to find out what happened to her mother.

As she ends up stranded in a space station that has been taken over by hostile synthetics and the Xenomorphs themselves, she must fight for her survival against the perfect organism itself. With beautiful sound design, immersive gameplay, and a challenging & intelligent alien AI to flee, this game provides many fun moments and nerve-wracking scares for hours on end.

10 Outlast

Escaping A Never-Ending Nightmare

When Outlast first came out, it became one of the scariest games of its time. When an investigative journalist arrives at an abandoned mental hospital while hunting for a big scoop, he becomes trapped in the facility and is faced with its deranged inhabitants.

Outlast is one of those games that plays perfectly with a first-person perspective. With the camera function that helps them see in the dark, the game effectively pairs found footage horror movies with the survival horror genre perfectly, creating a chill-inducing and gore-filled experience.

9 Darkwood

Masterful Balance Between Survival Gameplay And Horror Elements

Most people would assume that the top-down perspective instantly takes away from the horror of most games. However, these people have not played Darkwood, which uses this viewpoint to great effect.

The limited cone of vision makes players jumpy with every creepy sound, and the atmosphere of this game is sublime. The fact that this game touches on Lovecraftian themes, despite the creator not even knowing of this form of horror, is a testament to just how effective its horror is.

8 Condemned: Criminal Origins

Investigating The Nest Of Serial Killers

Combining the horror of fighting unhinged individuals with some excellent first-person melee combat, it’s downright criminal that more people don’t talk about Condemned: Criminal Origins. The game is easily one of the most underrated survival horror games around, with its disturbing visuals being pretty tough to stomach.

Controlling an FBI agent who is trying to discover the source of the mysterious killings that have been taking place in the city of Metro makes for a great time as players slowly uncover the depths of a truly nightmarish controversy. It doesn’t help that the protagonist, Ethan Thomas, is framed for these murders, causing him to battle friend and foe alike in a bid to reach the truth and clear his name in the process.

7 SOMA

A Deep, Depressing Story Hidden Beneath The Ocean

When Simon goes for a brain scan after a car accident, he suddenly finds himself transported into PATHOS-II, an underwater research base at the bottom of the ocean. Overrun by strange robotic creatures that seem to have a will of their own, Simon needs to find a way out of the derelict facility that threatens to burst at its seams.

SOMA is a typical survival horror in the sense that players get no weapons to help them on their way. Stealth and wits will get them far against even the most ferocious and fast-moving enemies. The game is extremely imaginative in its aesthetics, and its story is guaranteed to leave players feeling emotional and in awe of just how brilliant the writing is.

6 Amnesia: The Dark Descent

A Classic Survival Horror To Define Fear

Many survival horror games take place in the future, but Amnesia: The Dark Descent went a vastly different route. In the 1830s, Daniel wakes up with severe amnesia inside a castle he hardly remembers getting himself into. Hunted down by terrifying monsters, he needs to find a way to remember the past.

This game was a massive success upon its release, due to its incredible stealth and sanity mechanics, which would force players to be sparing with their lantern oil. Moreover, it had one of the most complex and interesting storylines, which combined historical themes with science fiction.

5 Resident Evil Series

Surviving A Doomed House In The Middle Of Nowhere

After languishing in mediocrity for some time since Resident Evil 5, fans of the series were finally graced with a brand-new direction for the series that focused on a first-person perspective and tackled new and fresh events. The end result was Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, which is as harrowing as most players would assume as they step into the shoes of Ethan Winters and try to bring her wife back after things go south.

Not only did the series manage to bring back the brutality of a zombie apocalypse with Ethan’s storyline, but it also achieved even greater success by remaking older fan-favorite entries, adding more survival-horror flavor to them with the new tech. Resident Evil 4 Remake is a great example of how the survival horror genre can tell deep stories while featuring solid gameplay mechanics.

4 Dead Space

Facing Unprecedented Terrors In Deep Space

This list wouldn’t be complete without the predecessor to most modern sci-fi survival horror titles: Dead Space. Isaac Clarke is tasked with investigating a mining ship that has been taken over by horrible monsters known as Necromorphs. Through various clues, he eventually discovers the truth behind the ship’s fate.

Many games have tried to do what Dead Space accomplished with sci-fi horror but in vain. With a wide arsenal of weapons, it’s one of the more action-heavy survival horror games, but its incredible design and popularity are undeniable. The remake does a great job of making this title more detailed, visually astounding, and horrifying in its own right. The fact that Isaac finally speaks is a bonus too.

3 Silent Hill 2

A Classic Psychological Horror

When James Sunderland receives a message from his missing wife to meet him in the town of Silent Hill, he leaves off to the mysterious town immediately. However, as he arrives, he’s faced with an array of zombie-like monsters and other apparitions that look straight out of his worst nightmares.

The Silent Hill franchise is a master of survival horror, and this installment of the series proves it. James’ story is not only incredibly emotional, but full of iconic, claustrophobic, and disturbing moments as he struggles to make his way to see his long-lost wife.