As Halloween begins to creep around the corner, players are diving into their favourite horror games, either to relive their nightmares or to share them with others.
Some players use the season as an excuse to find lesser-known indie games, admiring the work of these independent creators and encountering fresh scares along the way.
The Dark Souls franchise has spawned an entirely new genre of games, and these indie titles are some of the best.
Some indie horror games, like the infamous Five Nights at Freddy’s, take off in the spotlight and become household names.
Others are practically hidden gems, with some stories flying under the radar and remaining unnoticed. That doesn’t mean they aren’t deserving of love, though, since some of these horror games are more terrifying than AAA titles.
For fans of indie games, fans of horror, or for players that are simply in a scary mood, here are some underrated indie horror gems.
The game follows the player, a prisoner manning a Submarine in an ocean of blood, with the only objective being to take pictures at certain coordinates in order to earn their freedom. The premise is simple enough in that regard, but one massive question looms in the deep: are you truly alone?
The horror of this game is in the uncomfortable silence, where the only sounds are the rumble of being underwater, the switches and controls of the submarine, and on occasion, something that doesn’t sound quite right.
In trying to navigate the tense, underwater landscape that only seems to produce more questions with each picture, players uncover terror that has yet to be replicated. It’s a deeply unsettling experience that makes the anticipation for Markiplier‘s adaption all the more exciting.
9 The Glass Staircase
A VHS Zombie Horror Epic
Puppet Combo is known for creating retro-style horror games inspired by horror films, creating an experience that is equal parts scary and nostalgic.
The Glass Staircase, a love letter to the classic Resident Evil and Italian zombie movies, follows four different servant girls as they are picked off by a monster, one by one. The monster isn’t seen until the end, and players progressing the game have to ensure the girls’ survival while they uncover the mystery of its origin.
It’s an underrated gem in the Puppet Combo library, pulling a lot of key staples from old PS1 horror games. The ambiance and music are well managed and maintained, making the game feel like a lost classic. It’s a wonderful game for fans of Halloween and of the horror genre.
8 Ikai
Atmospheric Japanese Folklore and Superstition
Fans of Japanese folklore and mythical horror will be thrilled to know that Ikai will happily deliver on their desires.
The game follows the protagonist Naoko, a Shinto shrine maiden (called a “Miko” in Japanese) that has to protect the shrine grounds from yokai and other ghosts. Taking place in Feudal Japan, the game is teeming with superstitions.
Japanese horror as a genre tends to prominently feature spirits and ghost stories, and Ikai is no exception. It’s a very moody and atmospheric experience that best displays how it feels to be haunted.
It’s tense, it’s anxiety-inducing, and unsettling. Unfortunately, the jump scares can be pretty cheap, but the atmosphere is scary enough to more than make up for it.
7 Darkwood
Genuine Survival Horror
Released
August 18, 2017
Engine
Unity
ESRB
m
How Long To Beat
19 Hours
One of the most common and horrifying fears for human beings is the fear of the woods, and Darkwood takes that concept to a horrifying new angle. By focusing on hunting/gathering and boarding up a shelter for survival, this indie game cemented itself as a fan-favorite.
The monsters in this game are horrifying and unsettling; it’s definitely not ideal for players to be caught by them. The story is strange, and the delivery is very well done.
The focal point for the horror in this game comes from the tension and atmosphere. The monsters are horrific, sure, but the gameplay centres around avoiding them at all costs, which adds to the anxiety of looming darkness.
There’s something distinctly terrifying about being alone in the woods and struggling to survive, knowing a deadly monster could appear any minute.
An uncomfortable and uncanny feeling comes with being in a school after hours. It becomes a liminal space in that regard, unsettling anyone who lingers around in the area.
Detention, developed by Red Candle Games, utilizes that space. Taking place in 1960s Taiwan during the White Terror, this 2D horror game is just terrifying. It implements elements from this historical period alongside Taiwanese (and by extension, Chinese) religion and mythology, constructing a unique horror experience.
Combined with wonderfully dark storytelling, Detention is a must-play for horror fans.
5 FAITH: The Unholy Trilogy
An 8-Bit Nightmare Experience
Systems
Franchise
Faith
Released
October 21, 2022
Developer(s)
Airdorf Games
Publisher(s)
New Blood Interactive
Engine
GameMaker
ESRB
t
How Long To Beat
6 Hours
For some, horror that centers around religion might not be as effective as something more grounded in reality. FAITH: The Unholy Trinity, however, doesn’t struggle with this notion.
The stories follow the disgraced priest John Ward after his failed attempt at an exorcism. The overall story spans three total games, all as excellent as the last.
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The game takes on a unique, 8-bit style in all elements, including sounds, rotoscoped animation, and synthetic voice-acting. There are plenty of references to the Satanic Panic of the 80s, a clear inspiration for the story’s tone.
Apart from having an effective, unsettling horror and creepy monster design, the story of FAITH is fantastic. It highlights all the human elements of religious horror, and it’s something that other demonic possession stories should take a page from.
4 The Convenience Store
Liminal and Paranormal Japanese Horror
Chilla’s Art is a Japanese indie developer known for making retro, PS1-style horror games, including the well-known games Parasocial and The Closing Shift.
The Convenience Store, however, stands out as one of the more terrifying and underrated entries. The game follows a college girl working nights at her local convenience store, the strange interactions she has with customers, and the even stranger things happening in her store.
Fans of Ju-On (The Grudge) will be thrilled with this game, as there’s a similar ghost story in the store itself. The scares are littered with supernatural terror and Japanese superstition, making for a one-of-a-kind indie experience.
3 Lost in Vivo
A Claustrophobic Panic Attack
Systems
Released
October 5, 2018
Developer
KIRA
Lost in Vivo is a terrifying psychological horror game that deserves more love for effectively managing claustrophobia.
When the player’s service dog is forced down a sewer drain during a storm, the game takes a stark shift, represented by the other characters and monsters that can be encountered along the way.
Heavily inspired by the classic Silent Hill games, Lost in Vivo feels like a slow suffocation. The tone is like a snake, slowly constricting around the player’s throat — it’s a horrifying story with equally horrifying visuals. The pacing and atmosphere is genuinely scary, pulling staples that Silent Hill always did so well.
For players who want a game that feels like a genuine panic attack, Lost in Vivo is an excellent experience for terror.
2 The Mortuary Assistant
Fear of the Dead, Death, and Dying
Indie Games
Adventure
Simulation
Systems
Released
August 2, 2022
Developer
DarkStone Digital
Publisher
Dread XP
Engine
Unity
ESRB
m
How Long To Beat
2 hours
Fear is subjective, which is why the horror genre is so hard to tackle effectively, especially in a video game that gives players complete control over the outcome. It’s difficult to create something that would scare basically everyone who plays it — but The Mortuary Assistant is terrifying.
Humans are already uncomfortable around death and corpses, and this psychological horror game takes that biological fear and expands upon it.
The protagonist is an aspiring mortician named Rebecca, and the story follows her terrible first night on the job. Despite the premise, the game is surprisingly challenging, with multiple things to keep track of and manage, and multiple endings based on the player’s actions.
A lot of the scares in this game are in the player’s peripheral vision, which is a terrifying detail on its own. The horror throughout the game is incredibly effective, making it an excellent choice for the season.
1 Devotion
A Layered Family Tragedy
Systems
Released
February 19, 2019
Developer(s)
RedCandleGames
Publisher(s)
RedCandleGames
Engine
Unity
ESRB
m
This underrated gem is nothing short of a masterpiece, unfortunately and unfairly caught in a storm of censorship and criticism. Because of this, the game had been taken down from Steam and other websites for some time.
Devotion, developed by Red Candle Games, is an incredible story following the Du Family in 1980s Taiwan. It’s a tragedy of regret, grief, desperation and despair, layered and interwoven with itself to tell the family’s deeply depressing story.
Players have to solve puzzles to unwind the mystery hidden in plain sight, with tons of symbolism and tension along the way. It’s a game that isn’t talked about outside its brief controversy, but it deserves to be played and adored.
It’s an incredible story with horrifying visuals that would be an amazing experience for anyone with the privilege of playing it.
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