The best horror games on PS5
Thanks to the power of PS5, horror games are better and scarier than ever before. Higher fidelity visuals means the creatures you encounter are more detailed, and environments are more realistic. On top of that, 3D audio draws you into the action, adding further to your immersion. The horror genre is also going through somewhat of a renaissance, with remakes of classic titles being released and fresh new experiences cropping up. But what are the best and scariest horror games on PS5?
Hopefully we can help you with that. We love horror games here at GameSpew, and so we’ve played pretty much all of them. With that knowledge, we’ve put together a list of the best horror games you can play on PS5 right now. We’ll keep the list updated as more horror games are released, too. After all, there are always more PS5 horror games on the horizon that will surely scare us silly.
And remember, thanks to backwards compatibility, the PS5 can play the best horror games on PS4, too.
1. Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 was already one of the greatest horror games of all time, but Bloober Team has improved it immeasurably with this brilliant remake. Putting players in control of James Sunderland, a man who has returned to Silent Hill upon receiving a letter from his dead wife, Mary, Silent Hill 2 plunges them into a nightmare that only gets more terrifying the further you progress.
What makes this remake of Silent Hill 2 such a success is that it keeps all the great elements of the original game intact, such as its brilliant story and engaging puzzles, but then enhances and expands upon them. Most importantly, the combat is much improved, making it feel more vicious and gruelling. The result is a horror game that is truly scary at times. Add in the captivating story that will likely surprise you and leave you shocked the first time you play, and you have a title that’s absolutely a must-play on PS5.
Read our review of Silent Hill 2
2. MADiSON
MADiSON blew us away when we played it in 2022. Developed by indie studio Bloodius Games, it’s the perfect blend of horror, jump scares and puzzle-solving, taking cues from many of the best classic horror games. We couldn’t get enough of it, and its scariest moments have definitely stuck with us.
In MADiSON, you’ll wander through your grandfather’s house – except it’s not quite how you remember it. Something is very wrong. Expect reality to warp around you as you uncover dark family secrets that you’d probably rather had stayed buried.
If you’re after the ultimate horror experience, MADiSON is now available in VR, too. You’ll need a PSVR 2 headset, of course. And also perhaps a clean pair of underwear.
3. Dead Space
Released in 2008, Dead Space was a terrifying horror game in which your enemies could only be killed by slicing off their limbs. This 2023 remake keeps that important mechanic intact, but ramps up the tension with its dramatically improved audio and visuals, and the gameplay with new areas to explore and a whole lot more.
Jump into Dead Space and it won’t take long for you to realise that it’s a scare-fest. Danger lurks around every corner of the USG Ishimura, with most of its inhabitants turned into truly grotesque creatures. You’ll find out why as you make your way through the game, doing your best to escape. Not that it will make your encounters any less harrowing, however.
In any case, Dead Space is a must-play for fans of body horror. And though it has plenty of action, its scares truly are mortifying.
4. Resident Evil 2
The Resident Evil series is an absolute treat for horror game fans, and this remake of the PS One classic is perhaps the best of the best. Set a short while after the events of the original Resident Evil, players find themselves in Raccoon City, taking control of rookie police officer Leon Kennedy or college student Claire Redfield. Caught up in a zombie outbreak, they find themselves holed up in a police station. And from there they must find a way to escape Raccoon City.
What makes Resident Evil 2 so special is how it brings a classic so wonderfully up to date. The tank controls and fixed camera angles are out, replaced with a third-person over-the-shoulder perspective that lets you get closer and more immersed in the action. It also manages to make zombies scary again. You can’t beat the classics, and this is undoubtedly one of the best and scariest horror games on PS5.
Read our review of Resident Evil 2
5. The Last of Us: Part 1
Remade for PS5, The Last of Us: Part 1 is another chance to play one of the best games ever made. Now adapted into a hit show by HBO, The Last of Us puts players in control of a smuggler, Joel, and a young girl called Ellie who’s apparently immune from an infection that has ravaged humanity. Tasked with escorting her to a group called the Fireflies, it ends up being a trek across America, with the pair encountering not only dangerous scavengers but also grotesque creatures known as Clickers along the way.
If you haven’t played The Last of Us before, you’re really in for a treat with this remake, which admittedly only enhances the gameplay a little but dramatically improves the visuals. Its story will stick with you for a long time to come, and some of its scenes and scenarios are truly terrifying. Its sequel has been remastered for PS5 now, too, so you can jump into that after.
Read our review of The Last Of Us: Part I
6. Silent Hill f
It’s a great time to be a Silent Hill fan. As if the phenomenal remake of Silent Hill 2 isn’t enough, the brand new Silent Hill f is also available. It’s a bit of a departure for the series, taking players back to 1960s Japan, but it’s a Silent Hill game through and through, featuring a dark story, challenging puzzles and tense melee combat.
It’s the combat that’s likely to be the most divisive aspect of Silent Hill f, as there’s a large focus on dodging and countering enemy attacks, particularly if you play on harder difficulties. A post-launch patch has rebalanced the game, however, reducing the number of forced enemy encounters and more. In any case, the story is really strong here, and you’ll likely want to play through it multiple times to witness numerous endings and get the fuller picture.
As far as survival horror games go, this is up there with the best of them. It’s also a good indication that there’s life in the Silent Hill series yet.
Read our review of Silent Hill f
7. Alan Wake 2
We waited so long that we thought an Alan Wake 2 would never happen. Thankfully we were proven wrong. Not only that, but Alan Wake 2 far surpassed our expectations, with Remedy Entertainment delivering an incredibly bold and inventive sequel that really amps up the horror elements at times.
In Alan Wake 2, players actually take control of a new character for nearly half of its running time – FBI Agent Saga Anderson. As Saga, you’ll explore Bright Falls and the surrounding areas, trying to solve a case which involves multiple ritualistic murders. Ultimately, it leads to the return of Alan Wake, whose more traditional gameplay is enhanced with him being able to morph the environment around him by changing the narrative.
With its phenomenal writing, intense atmosphere and numerous stand-out scenes, Alan Wake 2 is a must-play, particularly for horror fans. It’s not only one of the best horror games on PS5, but it’s one of the best games on PS5 full stop.
Read our review of Alan Wake 2
8. Cronos: The New Dawn
Influenced by the likes of Dead Space and Silent Hill, Cronos: The New Dawn is a fresh new survival horror game by Bloober Team set in a post-apocalyptic world. Playing as the Traveler, your goal is simple: track down a number of important people and travel back in time to 1980s Poland in order to collect their essence. The reasons for doing so, however, are unclear.
In any case, while your goal is simple, the fact that you’ve got to traverse a world occupied by grotesque monsters that can feed on the corpses of others to grow even more powerful makes it much more arduous. And Cronos: The New Dawn isn’t a game that throws an abundance of resources at you. In fact, with no difficulty settings, those who don’t like a challenge might want to sit this one out. With its intriguing premise and tense encounters, however, survival horror fans will be in their element.
Read our review of Cronos: The New Dawn
9. The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
We love Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures Anthology – that’s why you’ll find not one but two of them on this list of the best horror games on PS5. The most recent entry in the series, The Devil in Me, might just be our favourite one yet, though, finding players checking into a hotel full of terrifying traps, all set up by one seriously unhinged owner.
Featuring impressive performances by Jessie Buckley and Paul Kaye, The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is yet another cinematic outing by Supermassive Games, although there are more gameplay elements than ever before. What really stands out, though, is how your choices and actions shape the fate of the game’s protagonists. To get everyone out alive you’ve really got your work cut out for you.
Read our review of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
10. Still Wakes the Deep
Developed by The Chinese Room, Still Wakes the Deep is a tense and atmospheric narrative-driven experience that will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Putting you in the shoes of an offshore oil rig worker, being called to the office by an angry boss soon becomes the least of your worries when something terrible is unleashed from the deep. In an effort to survive you’ll have to battle your way through the rig, encountering hazards and grotesque monstrosities along the way.
While Still Wakes the Deep isn’t perhaps the scariest game on this list of the best horror games on PS5, its realistic visuals, brilliant sound design and incredible performances from its cast all leave a lasting impression. It’ll particularly resonate with fans of body horror: if you love The Thing, you’ll love this.
Read our review of Still Wakes the Deep
11. Resident Evil Village
Okay, so Resident Evil Village is perhaps more of an action game with horror elements than an outright horror game, but it truly does have its moments. When you’re not being pursued by werewolves or humanoid creatures with weapons grafted to them, you’re sneaking through the dungeons of a vampire-infested castle, or exploring a swamp where you never feel safe. Needless to say, while Resident Evil Village won’t have you terrified for the duration of its running time, it will at least have you on the edge of your seat.
What might have you terrified though, is Resident Evil Village’s Winters’ Expansion DLC. Adding in a new chapter called Shadows of Rose, here you play as Ethan’s daughter as she embarks on a horrifying yet captivating journey to try to rid herself of her magical powers. There are some truly scary moments – rivalling those found in the house filled with dolls in the main game.
Read our review of Resident Evil Village
12. Luto
If you love P.T. you need to play Luto. It’s as simple as that. This first-person horror game puts you in control of someone who inexplicably can’t leave their house. Of course, you’ll do everything you can to try, though as you seemingly go through loops, you’ll soon begin to question what’s real and what’s not.
Thanks to its realistic visuals, you’ll constantly be on the edge of your seat with Luto. Though it has to said that it’s not the scariest of games. Instead, it’s more of a thought-provoking experience which deals with some heavy themes. On top of all that, it’s also very clever, with some tough puzzles to solve and multiple interesting twists and turns. And so, with it being so intriguing and compelling, you’ll likely push on until you see its credits roll.
13. Tormented Souls 2
The original Tormented Souls was a bit of a diamond in the rough for survival horror fans, and while this sequel still isn’t quite on the level of Silent Hill or Resident Evil, it’s very enjoyable. Tormented Souls 2 pretty much continues where the last game left off, though you don’t really need to have played it to enjoy this follow-up.
Playing as a woman called Caroline Walker, you’ve travelled to a place called Villa Hess with your younger sister for a bit of a rest, as well as hopefully getting some help with some issues that she’s been having. Things soon go awry, however, with your sister stolen away. Cue a journey through various locations within Villa Hess, which is now full of grotesque monsters. Ultimately, it’s a typical survival horror adventure, complete with fixed camera angles and puzzles galore. You can even play with tank controls if you wish. Only the clunky combat lets it down a little.
Read our review of Tormented Souls 2
14. Dying Light: The Beast
Starting out life as DLC for Dying Light 2 before becoming its own game, Dying Light: The Beast is undoubtedly the best entry in the series yet. And despite allowing you to turn into an actual beast at times, giving you the power to tear even the most arduous of foes to shreds, it’s the scariest of them all, too.
You see, you can’t be a beast all of the time, and the zombies you’re up against here are not only more ferocious than ever, but more numerous, too. And so, getting from A to B is always a tense and unpredictable affair. Anyone familiar with the series will know that it’s when the sun goes down that Dying Light really kicks things up a gear, though. Doing anything at night is truly terrifying thanks to limited visibility and the emergence of Volatiles, powerful creatures that are both fast and sturdy, making you push your parkour skills to the limit if you wish to survive.
As well as being a fun action game, then, Dying Light: The Beast provides moments of terror that make it a must-have for horror fans.
Read our review of Dying Light: The Beast
15. The Casting of Frank Stone
From Supermassive Games, developer of The Dark Pictures Anthology, Until Dawn and more, comes The Casting of Frank Stone, a game set in the Dead by Daylight universe. You don’t need to be familiar with Dead by Daylight to enjoy this cinematic adventure, however. And if you’re like us, you might find it to be one of Supermassive Games’ best releases yet.
After a brilliant intro, The Casting of Frank Stone puts you in control of a group of characters and, as ever, their fate is in your hands. As well as guiding characters through a range of environments, you’ll have to make dialogue choices and complete stressful quick-time events, your choices and actions ultimately deciding who lives and who dies in this sordid adventure. Needless to say, the stakes are high, and you’ll be glued to the screen every step of the way.
One of the best horror games on PS5, this isn’t something you need to play alone, either; get some friends around and you can each take control of one or more characters, passing the controller around as necessary.
Read our review of The Casting of Frank Stone
16. The Chant
The Chant might not exactly be the scariest horror game on PS5, but it’s certainly one of the best. Particularly so if you’re a fan of old-school survival horror games. Developed by Brass Token, it absolutely nails the feeling of a 90s survival horror game, wrapped up in more modern packaging.
In The Chant, you play as Jess, a young woman who has been coerced into attending a spiritual retreat on the remote Glory Island. Before you even begin, the words “spiritual retreat” are enough to send shivers down your spine. Lo and behold, a whole cosmic nightmare unleashes on Glory Island, and it’s up to you, as Jess, to fight your way through it. There’s combat, cinematics, a gripping narrative some excellent atmosphere and just about everything you’d expect from a survival horror. Don’t miss this one.
17. Project Zero/Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
If your idea of a great horror game involves spooks and spectres rather than zombies and other grotesque monsters, you might want to check out Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, also known as Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse depending on where in the world you are. Originally made for the Wii, it’s now found a home on the PS5, and despite its age it still provides some genuine scares.
In Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, you’ll take control of numerous protagonists across a range of environments, though their stories are all linked. There are multiple ways to deal with your ghastly encounters here as well, including using a special flashlight, but for the most part you’ll be fending off apparitions with a camera, waiting until just the right moment to take the most powerful shots. The only thing that lets it down a little is its clunky controls.
Read our review of Project Zero / Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
18. Little Nightmares II
Is Little Nightmares II a prequel or a sequel? After completing it we’re still not sure, but one thing is for certain: it’s destined to become a horror classic.
Combining puzzling and platforming, with a bit of combat mixed in for good measure, Little Nightmares II will likely be a refreshing and unique experience for most. There’s a constant feeling of dread throughout; while there are plenty of scares, the game’s most heart-pounding moments are undoubtedly when you’re being pursued and must escape.
Read our review of Little Nightmares II
19. The Quarry
As if terrifying players with its Dark Pictures Anthology games wasn’t enough, Supermassive Games has been working with other developers to deliver scares as well. The Quarry isn’t part of the Dark Pictures Anthology, but it shares the series’ sentiments: you’ll take control of a group of characters and fight to keep them alive. This time, the action takes place in a summer camp, where a group of camp counsellors have been forced to stay an extra night. Turns out a lot of stuff can go wrong in a night spent somewhere you’re not supposed to be.
With a star-studded cast including David Arquette and Lin Shaye, The Quarry is a tense, heart-pounding journey that’ll keep you invested just like any of the best Hollywood horror films. The best part of all is that you get to influence the outcome.
20. Dead by Daylight
Multiplayer and horror traditionally aren’t genres that go together very well. That was before Dead by Daylight hit the scene, however. Since then, there have been many asymmetric horror games that have gone down rather well. Dead by Daylight is still the king of them all though, and thankfully it’s available on PS5. In each match you’ll either be in control of a relentless killer or one of four survivors. Of course, the aim of the survivors is to not get caught. But that’s easier said than done, especially when the environment changes every time you play.
While survivors play from a third-person viewpoint, giving them more awareness of their surroundings, the killer plays in first-person, getting them closer to the action. Those that really get into Dead by Daylight and don’t mind spending some money will find that there are a wide range of well-known killers available, too, from franchises such as Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and even Scream. So, if you like horror and multiplayer games, chances are you’ll absolutely love Dead by Daylight.
