Best horror games on PC: from unsettling to properly scary

If you are looking for the best horror games on PC, the first thing to decide is how scared you want to be. A short, strange nightmare is not the same as a game where something hunts you for ten hours. Here are eight from the catalogue, ordered from least to most intense, and two at the end for being scared (and laughing) with friends.

Unsettling, without the suffering

Good for getting into the genre, or for a night when you want atmosphere rather than a jump scare every five minutes. None of these outstays its welcome.

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  Little NightmaresHorror · Platformer · PuzzleWhen you want an unsettling experience you can finish in one or two sessions.When to play it and when not to
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  Amanda the AdventurerAnalog horror · Puzzles · ShortWhen you want short, unsettling horror: a first playthrough takes under an hour, and there are five endings.When to play it and when not to

Little Nightmares puts you in the shoes of Six, a girl in a yellow raincoat escaping a ship full of grotesque, enormous creatures. It is platforming, stealth and simple puzzles in a childhood-nightmare atmosphere, with no cheap scares or explicit violence, and it can be finished in one or two sittings. It has Spanish text and is verified for Steam Deck.

Amanda the Adventurer is analogue horror: you inherit a house and VHS tapes of a children’s show turn up in the attic, with its host, Amanda, talking to you from the screen. You answer her questions and solve puzzles using clues from the tapes, and your answers change the ending. The first run takes under an hour and there are five endings. Be warned: several are hard to find without a guide.

Horror that makes you think

Here the tension comes from the story and the atmosphere rather than sudden scares. They work well in sessions of an hour or two.

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  SOMAHorror · Sci-fi · NarrativeWhen you want an unsettling sci-fi story that makes you think, in sessions of one or two hours.When to play it and when not to
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  SIGNALISSurvival horror · Sci-fi · RetroWhen you want atmospheric, enigmatic horror best enjoyed in sessions of one or two hours.When to play it and when not to

SOMA is set in a ruined underwater facility and raises uncomfortable questions about consciousness and identity. It is existential horror that stays with you for days. It includes a mode without threats so you can focus on the story alone, so it also works if you do not want anything chasing you.

SIGNALIS is classic survival horror with the look of the first PlayStation games: limited inventory, puzzles and a cryptic story about a replika searching for her lost partner. If you loved the early Resident Evil or Silent Hill games, this is for you. The story is deliberately ambiguous, though: you have to interpret it.

Properly scary, on your own

These work best with the lights off and headphones on. They are not for just any day: they demand energy and a willingness to have a bad time.

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  Alien: IsolationHorror · Stealth · Sci-fiWhen you want to be properly scared and have the energy for sustained tension.When to play it and when not to

Alien: Isolation puts you in the shoes of Amanda Ripley on a space station where a single, unkillable xenomorph hunts you with unpredictable artificial intelligence. Hiding in lockers has never been so frightening. It is very stressful and long, so do not play it when you are tired. It is available in Spanish, voices included.

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  Amnesia: The BunkerHorror · Stealth · SurvivalWhen you want to be properly scared in a short adventure: a first playthrough takes around five or six hours.When to play it and when not to

Amnesia: The Bunker takes place in a First World War bunker. You feed a generator to avoid being left in the dark, look for items that move around and codes that differ in every run, and hide from a beast that comes to the noise. The first run takes around five or six hours and it can be replayed with everything rearranged. You can only save in safe rooms: dying costs you whatever you have not saved.

Horror to play with friends

Shared fear is a different thing: more screaming, more fun. Both need a group and voice chat.

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  PhasmophobiaHorror · Co-op · InvestigationWhen you're with friends and want a session of scares and laughs: each investigation lasts 10 to 30 minutes.When to play it and when not to
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  Lethal CompanyHorror · Co-op · ComedyWhen you want a laugh with friends: each quota is short and always ends in stories to tell.When to play it and when not to

Phasmophobia sends you to investigate haunted houses with thermometers, recorders and cameras. You have to identify the type of ghost before it decides to hunt you. Each investigation lasts between 10 and 30 minutes, with up to four players. On your own it loses a lot. It has Spanish text.

Lethal Company sends you to abandoned moons to collect scrap, among monsters, traps and a proximity chat that turns it into a mix of panic and laughter. It is designed for groups of 2 to 4 friends, and every run starts from scratch. According to Steam, it has no Spanish language support.

If you want more games to play as a group, there is our guide to online co-op games.

How to choose yours

• If you have never played horror: Little Nightmares or Amanda the Adventurer. They are short and you can stop whenever you like.
• If you want a story: SOMA or SIGNALIS, which tell more than they scare.
• If you want real tension: Alien: Isolation or Amnesia: The Bunker.
• If you have friends online: Phasmophobia or Lethal Company. On your own they are no fun.
• If you are tired: leave them for another day. Almost all of them demand sustained attention. Tell the recommender how much energy you have and it will filter out the tensest ones.