When you take deep storytelling and almost unlimited character customization options, and mix in a healthy dose of “oh-no-what-was-that” moments, you get horror-RPG in its sweetest form. These games are as terrifying as they are immersive. The besthorrorRPGsdon’t just throw you into creepy settings; they wrap you in worlds where your choices matter, your skills are tested and every decision could be your last (or lead you into something even worse).
10 Horror Games Where You Get to Play the Monster
Become the terrifying creature hunting down prey in these reverse-horror games!
Whether you’re battling otherworldly monsters, struggling to stay sane in a crumbling universe, or simply trying to survive the night, these horror RPGs will keep you on the edge of your seat.
10Bloodborne
Hunt Down Blood-Crazed Enemies
Bloodborne
If you love horror RPGs filled with monsters, madness and mayhem, you’ll have a swell time playingBloodborne. In this game, you’ll find yourself in a city, where a mysterious blood-borne disease is turning people into literal monsters. And your job is to become a hunter and clean house. Well, it’s easier said than done.
When it comes to fighting in Bloodborne, it’s all about speed and aggression. You’re not hiding behind a shield or waiting for an opening to strike. You’re diving headfirst into danger, dodging attacks and countering with vicious strikes. In fact, if you take damage, you can recover some of your lost health by quickly attacking the enemy.
9Darkest Dungeon
Take Out Enemies and Keep Your Sanity
Darkest Dungeon
InDarkest Dungeon, your biggest enemy are not the grotesque monsters and traps waiting to destroy you – it’s your own sanity. Every expedition you send your team on is a test of endurance, pushing both their physical and mental limits. If you’re not careful, your heroes will crack under the pressure.
Review: Darkest Dungeon II
Darkest Dungeon II builds upon great features seen in the series, while also providing new opportunities for growth.
Watching your heroes slowly lose their minds as they face increasingly-horrible threats makes the game intense. You’ll find yourself carefully managing stress as much as you manage health, trying to keep your team from spiraling into madness.
8Fear & Hunger
Enemies are Waiting to Tear You to Pieces – Limb by Limb
Fear & Hunger
Right off the bat, Fear & Hunger throws you into a cursed dungeon where survival isn’t just about managing your health. It’s about clinging to whatever sliver of hope you may find. You have to carefully consider every step, every door and every decision because death lurks around every corner. And when you die (because you will), you’re thrown back to square one.
The limb targeting combat is one of the most exciting parts of Fear & Hunger. You can choose to quickly cripple your enemy instead of going for the kill. But the same applies to you. If an enemy targets your leg, you’re not walking away easily, and if they hit your arm? Well, say goodbye to wielding that weapon.
7Pathologic 2
The Plague is the Villain
Pathologic 2
What makes Pathologic 2 great isn’t just the save-the-world heroics. It’s the fact that everything is against you. Your town is plagued, dirty and isolated. Supplies are scarce, people are dying, time is short and you can’t be everywhere at once. It’s like juggling grenades.
The plague is the real villain in Pathologic 2. But you may’t punch it or shoot – your only weapon is your wits and whatever scraps you can scavenge to fight it. And the NPCs make you question everything. Some are friends, some are foes and some are just plain unsettling. And often, the people you’re trying to save might end up being more dangerous than the plague itself.
6S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
A Desolate Area Buzzing with Mutant and Anomalies
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
This game isn’t just about shooting mutants and looting buildings (although, don’t worry, there’s plenty of that). You’re scavenging for resources, managing your inventory and interacting with various factions. Although S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is set in a desolate area, it’s buzzing with all sorts of horrors.
You’ve got mutated creatures, deadly radiation and strange anomalies that can kill you in ways you didn’t even know were possible. But some of these anomalies hide valuable artifacts that can boost your abilities – if you’re brave enough to risk grabbing them. For a 2007 game, the gunplay feels real, with a sense of weight and accuracy.
An Emotional Rollercoaster
At first glance, Omori is one of those games that looks cute and colorful on the surface. But once you dive deeper, it’s like someone pulled the rug out from under you and dropped you into an emotional rollercoaster. Instead of just relying on stats like attack and defense, your emotions play a key role in battles.
you’re able to change your emotional state to have the upper hand, but enemies can do the same! Being “Happy” increases your luck and crit chance but lowers your accuracy. On the other hand, being “Sad” makes your defense stronger, but it also zaps your energy.
4Prey (2017)
Trust No One – Not Even Your Coffee Mug
In Prey, you find yourself in a space station that feels eerily empty, yet there’s always that nagging feeling that something is watching you. And you can’t trust anything – not even your coffee mug! That’s because there are enemies who have the ability to transform into ordinary objects to hide in plain sight.
Review: Prey
Prey is a fun game with its highlights rooted in beautiful yet creepy levels that contain a lot to explore, but its lack of originality holds it back.
But then, the real enemy is Typhon, the alien species that escaped containment and must be contained immediately. What I particularly like about Prey is the GLOO Cannon. Unlike shotguns and pistols, it shoots foam that can freeze enemies in place, patch up leaks or even create platforms to help you reach new areas.
3Dying Light 2: Stay Human
The Fate of Your City is in Your Hands
InDying Light 2: Stay Human, it’s not just zombies that you have to fear; humans are equally dangerous or even more. The game is not just about smashing zombies or surviving – it’s about how you survive. Your choices can change entire factions and alter the fate of the city. So you are often left wondering if you made the right call.
You will find yourself at a crossroad of whether to help a group that could offer safety, or ally with another that might give you power. But what I like most about Dying Light 2: Stay Human is the fact that you can mod pretty much anything. You can electrify your machete or set your hammer on fire. And fighting isn’t just about swinging weapons – it’s about using your mobility to outmaneuver enemies. You can jump off walls, slide between gaps and dropkick zombies off rooftops.
2Call of Cthulhu (2018)
Find Out Who is Behind the Mysterious Murder of an Entire Family
Call of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhushines in how it builds tension and atmosphere, pulling you deeper into the abyss with each clue you uncover as a private investigator. The game is all about the unknown – and how terrifying that can be. You’re not fighting hordes of monsters with guns blazing. Instead, Call of Cthulhu makes you rely on your investigation skills to solve the mysterious death of a family.
You’ll find yourself hiding, solving puzzles and piecing together clues rather than fighting monsters head-on. you’re able to rely on raw power, stealth, or your detective skills to solve problems and your choices matter. Certain decisions will lead you down different paths, so the game has a high replay value.
1Grim Dawn
Hack and Slash Your Way Through Hordes of Enemies to Save Humanity
You’ll be hacking, slashing, casting and dodging your way through hordes of monsters in Grim Dawn. But what’s even more interesting about Grim Dawn is that it gives you the freedom to choose your warrior.
Want to be a sword-swinging warrior who also summons undead minions? Go for it! Prefer a spell-slinging sorcerer who rains down lightning while wielding a two-handed weapon? You can do that too. And there’s nothing more satisfying than smashing through a group of enemies and watching the screen light up with loot drops – epic weapons, armor and magical trinkets that can turn the tide of battle.
