Classic horror games
When you think of horror games, you might picture sudden jump scares that make you fling your controller across the room. But before Five Nights at Freddy’s and Phasmophobia came along, the foundations of the horror genre were built by classics from the 90s and 2000s.
These OGs didn’t just give us goosebumps – they shaped the mechanics, storytelling, and terrifying vibes modern horror games still draw from today. Here are some classic horror games to revisit or discover this spooky season.
Table of Contents
1. Clock Tower (1995)
One of the pioneers of point-and-click survival horror games
Image credit: Steam
If you’re into point-and-click games that keep your heart rate up, Clock Tower (1995) is a gem worth revisiting. You play as Jennifer, an orphan trapped in a creepy mansion, constantly stalked by Scissorman – a pair of giant scissors in human form.
Image credit: Steam
What made Clock Tower so terrifying wasn’t just its haunting soundtrack, but the infamous “panic meter” – when Scissorman closes in, Jennifer would stumble and struggle to run, leaving you sweating over every escape attempt.
Games inspired by Clock Tower today
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit (2024) took major inspiration from the old-school Clock Tower franchise – something game developer Jay Deighan revealed in an interview. Like Clock Tower, it uses hide-and-evade survival mechanics, forcing you to think fast when a relentless enemy is hot on your heels. On top of that, multiple endings mean every choice counts, so one wrong move could completely change your fate.
The game went on to rack up over 4,800 “overwhelmingly positive” Steam reviews at the time of writing, making it one of the most loved Five Nights at Freddy’s entries to date.
Purchase Clock Tower ($29) and Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit ($18.50).
2. Silent Hill 2 (2001)
An original & terrifying psychological masterpiece
Image credit: Steam
At some point in our lives, some of us may have that one guilty conscience that we find difficult shaking off – now imagine that feeling manifesting itself into a horrifying and monstrous form, to haunt you in real life. That’s the reality of James Sunderland, the main character you play in Silent Hill 2 (2001), who visits the fog-filled town upon receiving a letter from his missing wife to meet him there.
Image credit: Steam
What follows isn’t merely a horror story, but a distressing journey of unending psychological torment. James enters Silent Hill as he confronts his deepest fears and traumas, manifested in grotesque, human-like creatures, all while unravelling the town’s dark mysteries in search of his wife.
Players often describe feeling an unsettling sense of melancholy throughout the game, as monstrous beings emerge to attack – seemingly as punishment for James’s sins.
Games inspired by Silent Hill today
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2 decades since the successful release of countless Silent Hill games, Taiwanese studio NeoBards Entertainment created Silent Hill f – the newest entry in the franchise, which draws inspiration directly from the tone of Silent Hill 2. The new game reportedly sold over a million copies on its first day of release in 2025.
Purchase Silent Hill 2 ($87.11) and Silent Hill f ($84.70).
3. Resident Evil (2002)
The iconic blueprint of survival horror games
Image credit: Fandom
Imagine this: you’re in a police special force unit sent to uncover murders occurring in a city, only to be attacked by zombie dogs, and your only option is to seek refuge in an eerie mansion. That’s only the beginning for something much deeper unravelling in the Resident Evil (2002) gameplay.
Image credit: Steam
Trapped in the infamous Spencer mansion – a disguise for a top-secret underground laboratory for biological weapons – you’re tasked to solve puzzles and explore the vicinity while being stalked by zombies roaming around.
What makes this game so iconic is its fixed-camera angle playstyle, so you literally can’t tell if there’s danger lurking in a corner. Not only that, but the in-game inventory space is very limited, which forces you to manage your resources very carefully.
This mix of suspense, problem-solving, and realism in the gameplay is what players adore till today, forming the building blocks of the Resident Evil storyline for more games to come.
Games inspired by Resident Evil today
Image credit: Steam
Indie survival horror game Heartworm (2025) brings back the nostalgic fixed-camera angle made famous by the Resident Evil franchise, paired with a retro-style aesthetic that hits right in the feels for old-school gamers. Ever since its release on Steam, the game has earned a “Very Positive” rating – proof that vintage horror still has a hold on us.
Purchase Resident Evil ($24.90) and Heartworm ($14.50).
4. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly (2003)
Japanese-style survival horror game
Image credit: Wikipedia
Ghost hunting may seem like fun and games to some, but what happens when you actually get a photo of a ghostly apparition on your camera on the spot? In Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly (2003), you can’t freak out or run away when that happens; your camera is your only best friend, acting as a weapon for you to fend off ghosts in-game.
Image credit: Fandom
The game revolves around 2 sisters who find themselves lost in a haunted village, with no choice but to fend for themselves using the Camera Obscura – their only means of protection from evil ghosts. And the scariest part is you can’t just snap photos of ghosts like shooting bullets at a target upon sight; you have to take the “fatal frame” shot – a photo of the ghost a few seconds before it attacks for the strongest effect.
This gameplay mechanic leaves players sweating buckets as they come face-to-face with near-death in-game if they fail to take the right shot in a short amount of time. And with the ominous music, suffocating walls, and worn-out tatami mats closing in, the whole experience feels like a slow, terrifying descent into madness.
Image credit: PlayStation Universe
Since its rise to fame in the early 2000s, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly has become a cult classic – and now, it will be getting a remake with better gameplay, graphics, audio, and mechanics for existing and new players to enjoy.
Games inspired by Fatal Frame today
Image credit: IGN
Both the 2014 and 2020 versions of DreadOut took massive inspiration from the Fatal Frame series – most notably in how players fend off ghosts using the main character’s smartphone as their main weapon.
But what sets both games apart is the type of ghosts involved: Fatal Frame draws on Japanese mythology, while DreadOut brings Indonesian folklore to life.
Purchase Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake (price TBA), DreadOut ($14.50) and DreadOut 2 ($18.50).
5. Dead Space (2008)
Survival horror game set in space
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In the year 2508, humans are facing near extinction due to the lack of resources on Earth, and the only way to prevent that is to get resources from outer space through Planetcracker ships. But as the game’s name suggests, there are sinister creatures lurking outside the Earth’s crust.
Image credit: Steam
Throughout Dead Space (2008), you’re bound to an enormous mining ship in space, called USG Ishimura, and tasked to find supplies to bring back to Earth. You’ll have to navigate tight spaces within the confines of the spaceship, which often makes players feel quite claustrophobic. While exploring in a dimly lit and eerily quaint setting, grotesque creatures called Necromorphs pop up when you least expect them.
The game was well-liked and praised for its immersive and unique gameplay, and was a standout in the survival horror genre.
Games inspired by Dead Space today
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Considered the spiritual successor to Dead Space, The Callisto Protocol was created by Glen Schofield, the co-creator behind the original Dead Space franchise. What sets this award-winning game apart is its combat system, which focuses on melee combat instead of the usual firearm-heavy gameplay.
Since its release in 2022, it’s reported to have sold over 3 million copies, and is available on Steam for those curious to try it out as well.
Purchase Dead Space ($24.90) and The Callisto Protocol ($49).
6. Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010)
Popular first-person survival horror game
Image credit: Steam
If you’ve ever watched YouTuber PewDiePie in his earlier years, you may have heard of Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010), an intense first-person survival horror game where you solve puzzles and mysteries in a castle while hiding from monsters.
With no weapons to defend yourself, the game keeps you constantly on edge, forcing you to stay alert and rely purely on stealth and sheer willpower to survive.
Image credit: Screen Rant
This iconic game leans hard into your character’s helplessness, forcing you to leverage your surroundings to hide and crack puzzles to avoid monsters, even when they’re approaching you headfirst.
Adding to the tension is its unique sanity meter. In first-person mode, close encounters with monsters will turn players’ screens into a blur and trigger eerie auditory hallucinations, cranking up the fear factor and immersing you fully in the nightmare.
Games inspired by Amnesia: The Dark Descent today
Image credit: Steam
Another horror favourite, Outlast, in its 2013 and 2017 versions, took heavy inspiration from Amnesia: The Dark Descent, from its first-person horror setting to the tense run-and-hide gameplay.
What makes Outlast stand out is the way it delivers scares – from the twisted design of its monsters to just how often they appear around each checkpoint. Players obviously loved it too, with the game garnering an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam.
Purchase Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010) ($18.50), Outlast ($14.50) and Outlast 2 ($18.50).
Classic horror games that carried the horror genre
While a lot of modern horror games nowadays rely on cheap jumpscares to throw players off, there are also plenty that deliver a truly horrifying experience – and even if they’re not an OG themselves, they were probably inspired by one.
This Halloween, gather your friends, dim the lights, and dive into some spine-chilling games for a scare-worthy night.
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Cover image adapted from: Steam