Xbox Game Pass isn't just one of the best deals in gaming, it's also a hub for horror that can instantly provide some of the most chilling frights imaginable on console and PC. With hundreds of games to choose from, a fair number of entries from the horror genre were bound to creep in and lurk in the shadows of the subscription service, biding their time until they can strike your download queue.
So which horror games are the best on Game Pass? We've gone through the entire catalog, lost several expendable interns, and emerged with these terrifying tales of interactive fun that you can sink your teeth into.
Between new releases such as Scorn and A Plague Tale: Requiem and older titles like The Evil Within 2 and Inside, there are a bunch of great horror and horror-adjacent games available for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. With Halloween right around the corner, it's the perfect time to play some spine-tingling games.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
There's a lot of shockingly good horror to uncover in A Plague Tale: Requiem, but like the best slices of horror, the game is a strong reminder that people are the biggest monsters around. Even if you're not too fussed with medieval misery, Requiem's signature rat technology that can spawn thousands of the vermin in a stage is bound to leave you with a cold feeling in the pit of your stomach.
Read our A Plague Tale: Requiem review.
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
2010's Alan Wake is a slow-burning descent into dark stories and the power of words, but its spin-off American Nightmare puts the meta-narrative on the backburner. Instead, this game is a more action-packed romp where you have to navigate a timeloop of danger in a remote location, staying on your toes for the danger that lurks around you. It'll definitely spike your adrenaline levels, and it's a perfect game for a short 'n sweet experience.
Read our Alan Wake's American Nightmare review.
Alien: Isolation
We've had plenty of Alien games over the years, but Alien: Isolation is arguably the only one that captures the unique sensation of spacebound terror born from some of the most hideous monsters to ever grace the silver screen. A screen-accurate dive into a universe of corporate greed and perfect killing machines, Alien: Isolation will keep your pulse pounding as you navigate each dangerous corridor within its galaxy of terror.
Read our Alien: Isolation review.
Amnesia series (Amnesia Collection / Amnesia Rebirth)
The franchise that launched the careers of a thousand screaming YouTubers, the Amnesia series is still shockingly good with its horror design. Jump scares and surprise twists, creepy levels enhanced by disturbing sound design, and a spooky atmosphere were all combined in these various games to create a benchmark for horror that helped elevate the genre.
Read our Amnesia Rebirth review.
Back 4 Blood
Teamwork makes the dream work in Back 4 Blood, and with four friends locked and loaded for a zombie apocalypse, this horror game is creepy and exhilarating. A spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead designed by veterans of that series, Back 4 Blood makes smart changes to the formula and keeps the action challenging as you hunker down and make mincemeat of the jogging deceased.
Read our Back 4 Blood review.
DayZ
A long-running zombie sandbox, DayZ has improved over the years to offer one of the most unique multiplayer experiences around. It has an admittedly steep learning curve, but if you can get over it, you'll find a terrifyingly charming sandbox where the walking dead are the least of your worries.
Dead by Daylight
It's not easy being the victim of a horrific monster that defies mortal comprehension, especially when you're playing as a plucky survivor trying to avoid that fate, but at least Dead by Daylight gives you a chance to flip the script on that setup. Whether you're stepping into the shoes of a slasher icon or avoiding an early demise, years worth of fine-tuning and progress has made Dead by Daylight one of the best multiplayer horror games on shelves today.
Read our Dead by Daylight review.
The Evil Within 2
An underappreciated gem, The Evil Within 2 holds nothing back when it comes to pants-ruining scares. A vast improvement on the original, this sequel is a chilling tale that knows exactly when to give you a breather, and when to dial up the intensity for an unexpected shock to the system.
Read our The Evil Within 2 review.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
There's a lot of stuff out there to be rightfully afraid of, but nothing's scarier than your own mind turning on you. Ninja Theory's first Hellblade game is a shocking exploration of how fragile sanity can be, wrapped up in a thrilling action package, and genuine sincerity for mental conflicts that has to be seen and heard to be believed. Wear headphones while playing this one to get the full effect.
Read our Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice review.
Immortality
Helmed by Sam Barlow, Immortality's FMV scares slowly sneak into your mind, infesting your thoughts and cleverly subverting your expectations in surprising ways. A mystery game that's scarier than you'd imagine it to be, it combines brilliant performances, high-quality design, and big budget ideas together to create a shocking narrative blockbuster.
Read our Immortality review.
Inside
Inside, the second game from Limbo developer Playdead, doesn't scare you with violent monsters or unexpected jump scares. It's the atmospheric tone of a malicious and immense world that you explore where the real scares can be found, as the idea of being stripped of your individuality is a fear that everyone can understand. Throw in a haunting soundtrack, captivating design, and a chilling tale of oppression, and you've got all the ingredients for a good (and frightening!) time.
Read our Inside review.
Prey
Trust no one, trust nothing, and definitely start running the second you see a coffee cup shaking violently. Prey is pure digital paranoia, a game dripping with retro-futurism style and enemies who can strike at anytime. You'll never know if you can trust your own eyes, and by the time the end credits roll on this sinister slice of insidious design, you'll be paranoid of your own surroundings in the real world.
Read our Prey review.
Scorn
If a good dose of body horror has been recommended by Dr. Cronenberg, then Scorn is the perfect medicine for anyone looking to explore a revolting world of bio-mechanical nastiness. Scorn doesn't rely on jump-scares to send a few chills down your spine, but the constantly unnerving atmosphere, creepy design, and repulsive creatures will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Read our Scorn review.
Secret Neighbor
Carrying on from where the nerve-wracking Hello Neighbor left off, Secret Neighbor adds a new twist to that game's formula of a nigh-unstoppable antagonist: Betrayal. It's hard enough to avoid being turned into a hood ornament by the mysterious murderer stalking a house that you're trapped inside of, but with a teammate ready to stab you in the back, you'll need eyes in the back of your head.
Read our Secret Neighbor review.
Signalis
Old-school suspense that's reminiscent of PlayStation-era classic games such as the first Silent Hill, Signalis uses top-down 2D pixel art to striking effect when you're forced into fight-or-flight scenarios. It's the atmospheric department where this game truly shines, and combined with its clever puzzles, gripping story, and horrifying reveals, it's a terrific mix of nostalgic horror and modern ideas.
Read our Signalis review.
SOMA
Don't think of SOMA as merely a science-fiction Amnesia, because this heart-stopping masterclass in terror goes the extra mile to create a new sense of dread. It has an enigmatic story that'll keep you glued to your screen, and with bloodcurdling terror waiting in the dark for you, it creates meaningful and well-earned frights 20,000 leagues under the sea.
Read our SOMA review.
This War of Mine
Feeling more uncomfortable than ever because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia, This War of Mine is horrifying because of its realism. A peek into the desperate measures that people will take to escape conflict, This War of Mine accurately portrays haunting decisions, the fear of enemy forces, and the heartbreak of encountering other survivors.
Read our This War of Mine review.
Undertale
Undertale is a 2015 2D RPG, and seven years later, it's still hard to explain exactly what it is. Whatever your interpretation of this game is, one key takeaway is its strange atmosphere that feels weird, wrong, and disturbing. It's a cult-classic of a game, and the only way to know why it earned that status, is to experience its creepy world for yourself. Undertale is unsettling and unforgettable.
Read our Undertale review.
The Walking Dead (Telltale series)
Telltale's Walking Dead games created a benchmark for narrative games when each chapter rolled out. Grisly and loaded with choices that had an actual impact on the story told, the tale of a zombie apocalypse also looked fantastic thanks to the art direction that mimicked the comic books perfectly. Full of hard decisions, shocking outcomes, and genuine thrills, these games will keep you hooked to your screen for hours.
Read our The Walking Dead review.
We Happy Few
Ready for a more psychedelic trip down a groovy rabbit-hole? We Happy Few throws you into a world that feels like an Austin powers film if it was directed by David Lynch. It's a mod scene-influenced trip through a police state that is happy to clobber you with daysticks and happy pills in order to preserve the status quo. Creepy and disturbing when the drug-fueled veil of a dystopian society has fallen, We Happy Few is a bleak tale of misfits in an imperfect world.
Read our We Happy Few review.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.