10 free horror games you can play now
The horror genre has been a staple for the gaming community since it entered the market through the (arguably) first horror game, Haunted House. The game was released back in 1982 and was released for the Atari 2600.
This paved the way for many other horror games following the classic formula; survival, solving puzzles, and the addition of gore to make you sleep with one eye open tonight.
If you’re looking for some horror games that won’t spook the living daylights of your bank account, here are 10 free horror games you can play now.
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Top 10 free horror games
Cry of Fear
| Genre: | Indie, Adventure, Action |
| Developer/Publisher: | Team Psykskallar |
| Release Date: | April 26, 2013 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam |
| Metacritic Rating: | 8.1 User Score |
| Steam Rating: | 9/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows |
| Recommended Storage: | 2048 MB RAM available space |
“Cry of Fear is a psychological single-player and co-op horror game set in a deserted town filled with horrific creatures and nightmarish delusions. You play as a young man desperately searching for answers in the cold Scandinavian night, finding his way through the city as he slowly descends into madness.“
Steam
Why Cry of Fear: Although this horror game has been released back in 2013, Cry of Fear continues to yield very positive reviews from players. It even has an occult following up to this date. A perfect free horror game for your weekend.
Gameplay hours: According to howlongtobeat.com, completing the main objectives will take about 7 1/2 hours in length. For 100% completion, it takes about 22 hours.
READ MORE: 12 BEST PC GAMES RELEASED IN 2022
Wrong Floor
| Genre: | Indie, Adventure |
| Developer/Publisher: | N4bA |
| Release Date: | October 20, 2020 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in N4bA |
| Metacritic Rating: | N/A |
| Steam Rating: | N/A |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Recommended Storage: | 282-290 MB available space |
“Wrong floor is a short ~15 minute first person horror game. Elevator with the main character falls into the basement, but the one who lives there clearly does not like it. Can you get out of this terrible place?”
N4bA
Why Wrong Floor: A short free horror game for those who would like to experience a terrifying journey to the elevator. It crashes and brings you down to the basement. From there the fun with a homicidal maniac, aptly named “Maniac” will start and you embark on a trek to get out of the heavily dilapidated apartment. This free horror game will continue to linger in players’ minds even after completing it.
Gameplay hours: As the game mentions, it takes about 15 minutes to finish the game.
SCP Containment Breach
| Genre: | Indie, Massively Multiplayer |
| Developer/Publisher: | Fusion Creators Studio |
| Release Date: | October 26, 2021 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam (multiplayer) or the SCPCB website (single player) |
| Metacritic Rating: | 8.8 User Rating |
| Steam Rating: | 9/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Recommended Storage: | 500 MB available space (multiplayer) 235 MB available space (single player) |
“The events of the game take place in a containment site of The SCP Foundation, a secret organization dedicated to containing and researching anomalous artifacts and entities that threaten the normality of the world. You’re thrown into the boots of a Class D test subject, one of the Foundation’s disposable human guinea pigs.“
SCPCB Game
Why SCP Containment Breach: Who has not heard the bone-chilling stories of the SCP Foundation? If you’ve ever wondered how it feels like to live in a universe where nightmarish creatures crawl, walk, or float among us, this game is for you. This free horror game can be played solo or with other players.
Gameplay hours: According to howlongtobeat.com, completing the main objectives will take about 3 1/2 hours in length. For 100% completion, it takes about 12 hours.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
| Genre: | Indie, Casual, Simulation |
| Developer/Publisher: | Team Salvato |
| Release Date: | September 22, 2017 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam |
| Metacritic Rating: | 8.5 User Rating |
| Steam Rating: | 10/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS |
| Recommended Storage: | 350 MB available space |
“Welcome to the Literature Club! It’s always been a dream of mine to make something special out of the things I love. Now that you’re a club member, you can help me make that dream come true in this cute game! – Monika”
Steam
Why Doki Doki Literature Club!: A cute narrative of the anime-style school. Without spoiling anything for those who have never heard of the game before, this free horror game is so popular that Pewdiepie, Markiplier, and Jacksepticeye had a great time playing the game. Take note that the dialogue will contain a lot of swearing, although that would be the least of your worries.
Gameplay hours: According to howlongtobeat.com, completing the main objectives will take about 4 hours in length. For 100% completion, it takes about 7 1/2 hours.
Dagon: by H.P. Lovecraft
| Genre: | Indie, Adventure |
| Developer/Publisher: | Bit Golem |
| Release Date: | September 24, 2021 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam |
| Metacritic Rating: | 6.9 User Rating |
| Steam Rating: | 10/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows (VR Supported) |
| Recommended Storage: | 3 GB available space |
“Dagon is a 3D narrative experience in madness based on the cult short story of the same title by the master of cosmic horror and weird fiction, H. P. Lovecraft himself. It’s an interactive portal into the world of the controversial genius and his highly acclaimed Cthulhu Mythos, open to both newcomers and long-time devotees.“
Steam
Why Dagon: by H.P. Lovecraft: This free horror game features the Cthulhu Mythos, what else do you need to know? In true Lovecraftian dread, this game will make you feel the mental strain the protagonist is going through as you voyage the mysteries of this world. This game will make you question your sanity, mental fortitude, and reality itself. Also, if you decide to purchase the DLCs, all profits will be donated to help the victims of the war in Ukraine.
Gameplay hours: According to howlongtobeat.com, completing the main objectives will take about 30 minutes in length. For 100% completion, it takes about 1 hour.
the static speaks my name
***TRIGGER WARNING: Please take note that this game contains explicit themes of mental health and suicide. Please skip to the next free horror game on the list if this makes you uncomfortable.***
| Genre: | Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Developer/Publisher: | the whale husband |
| Release Date: | August 10, 2015 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam |
| Metacritic Rating: | 6.0 User Rating |
| Steam Rating: | 9/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Recommended Storage: | 66 MB available space |
“A dark/sad/weird/funny first person exploration game. You play a man on his last night alive as he obsesses over a mysterious painting. More of a story game in that it emphasizes mood and character over gameplay. Takes ten minutes to play and has “next-gen” features like a shrimp tank with pet shrimp.“
Steam
Why the static speaks my name: This free horror game does not rely on the usual jump scares that have become a staple in the gaming community. Instead, it dwells on an immersive experience of a person lingering in a dark state of mind. If you’re looking for a game that would ruin your night, but still not regret it, this game is for you.
Gameplay hours: According to howlongtobeat.com, completing the main story will take an average of 13 minutes. For 100% completion, it takes about 16 minutes.
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September 1999
| Genre: | Indie, Adventure |
| Developer/Publisher: | 98DEMAKE |
| Release Date: | October 11, 2018 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam |
| Metacritic Rating: | N/A |
| Steam Rating: | 9/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS |
| Recommended Storage: | 500 MB available space |
“A free, VHS styled, first-person found footage horror game, which runs exactly for 5 minutes and 30 seconds.“
Steam
Why September 1999: Those who have played this free horror game find it “dismembered” when it comes to its good parts and bad parts. The visual aesthetics of the game truly pays homage to the retro VHS perspective. If you know the names Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy, and Jeffrey Dahmer, this might just be the game for you.
Gameplay hours: According to howlongtobeat.com, completing the main story will take an average of 6 minutes. For 100% completion, it takes about 8 minutes.
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Slender: The Eight Pages
| Genre: | Indie, Survival |
| Developer/Publisher: | Parsec Productions |
| Release Date: | June 26, 2012 |
| Where to play: | Get it in Slender Game |
| Metacritic Rating: | N/A |
| Steam Rating: | N/A |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS |
| Recommended Storage: | 118 MB available space |
“The game falls into the type of survival horror. Slender: The Eight Pages is known for being a first-person mystery-solving game that is based on the popular myth of Slender Man. Players are required to find some eight pages, which are about a faceless, pale creature, and you have to do it before he hunts you down.“
Slender Game
Why Slender: The Eight Pages: This game can be seen in almost all lists of top free horror games published on the face of the internet. Despite being a decade old, the game continues to be a classic when it comes to jump scares and keeping players at the edge of their seats. If you can overlook the graphics because of the age of the game, you can truly feel like the Slender Man is just beside you.
Gameplay hours: The player is given a minimum of 5 minutes each time you have to find a page. The game should be completed in less than 40 minutes in total.
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Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion
| Genre: | Indie, Action, Adventure, Puzzle |
| Developer/Publisher: | Lag Studios |
| Release Date: | July 28, 2015 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam |
| Metacritic Rating: | 7.5 User Score |
| Steam Rating: | 9/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows |
| Recommended Storage: | 300 MB available space |
“Can you survive 1000 rooms of cute terror? Or will you break once the cuteness starts to fade off and you’re running for your life from the unspeakable hideous beings that shake and writhe in bowels of this house? They wait for you, they wait and hunger for meeting you.“
Steam
Why Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion: A slow burn for those who have the patience to go through a series of seemingly unending doors and the mental strength to withstand the jump scares thrown at you by the game. This free horror game starts all cute and fuzzy, but if you travel far enough, those feelings change before you even know it.
Gameplay hours: If you do not speed running the game (yes, people do that), according to howlongtobeat.com, the main story takes about 4 hours. For 100% completion, it takes about 4 1/2 hours.
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We Went Back
| Genre: | Indie, Adventure |
| Developer/Publisher: | Dead Thread Games |
| Release Date: | April 4, 2020 |
| Where to play: | Get the game in Steam |
| Metacritic Rating: | 5.4 User Score |
| Steam Rating: | 9/10 |
| Platforms: | Windows |
| Recommended Storage: | 8 GB available space |
“You wake up in an abandoned space station. Alone. GO.“
Steam
Why We Went Back: This sci-fi free horror game is the heaviest in terms of recommended storage among all the games in this list. That itself will make you curious how much effort was put by the developers of the game to make it as realistic as possible. The game puts you in an astronaut’s suit and makes you feel just how harrowing space can be.
Gameplay hours: According to howlongtobeat.com, the main story takes about 48 minutes. For 100% completion, it takes about 1 hour.
