10 Scariest Games Set in Space

How someone imagines space and interstellar travel is always interesting. While some find it interesting and adventurous, others consider it a vast pool of darkness and deathly silent. You never know what’s lurking in the deep dark place that’s called space.

Games like Starfield and No Man’s Sky capture the adventurous aspect of space. There are some games that portray the true terror of being in space. Whether it’s the invasion of aliens on your spaceship or exploring an abandoned planet in the middle of nowhere, this list has something for everyone.

10 Returnal

Roguelite And Horror Combined

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a bad dream you can’t wake up from? Welcome to Returnal as Selene, a space explorer who crash-landed on a mysterious alien planet with nothing but dangers surrounding her.

Every time you die, you start right back at the crash, but the world around you changes, getting weirder and more dangerous. It’s the classic roguelike troupe we all know and love.

The game keeps you on your toes, throwing intense battles, an eerie atmosphere, and tons of mystery your way. Each run feels like a fresh nightmare, and honestly, you’ll be hooked on trying to break the cycle.

9 System Shock

Cyberpunk AI Terror

Step into the world of System Shock, where you’re up against an evil AI named SHODAN who’s not too happy to see you. You’re stuck on a space station crawling with twisted mutants, killer robots, and a lot of bad vibes.

Your mission? Survive and somehow stop SHODAN’s twisted plans before she turns the universe into her own personal playground.

8 Pollen

Titan’s Eerie Mystery

Pollen won’t make you jump from your seat with jump scares or scary monsters, but it is enough to make your skin crawl in the vast emptiness of space. You are left alone in a seemingly abandoned research station, located on Saturn’s moon of Titan.

What makes the game so haunting is the creeping sense of dread that really starts to build up as you get further in and learn more about what happened to the missing member of the crew.

The atmosphere is palpable, with creaking lights and that feeling that something is just a little off. It’s the perfect kind of space horror for those who love the slow, psychological burn that leaves you questioning if you’re alone out there, or not.

7 Dead Space 2

Shoot the Limbs!

Sequel to the beloved Dead Space;Dead Space 2 takes you right back into the action with the same horror theme but with a more emphasis on action.

You continue the story of Isaac, who finds himself in a massive space station called The Sprawl, where the Necromorph outbreak has once again unleashed its nightmarish horrors.

A gripping blend of action, suspense, and eerie atmosphere, Dead Space 2 ramps up the intensity, bringing new weapons, enemies, and challenges that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

As Isaac battles his inner demons and the relentless Necromorphs, players are in for a thrilling sci-fi horror experience that feels both familiar and terrifyingly fresh. If you loved the first Dead Space game, you’re bound to love its sequel.

6 Prey

Space shape-shifting terror

Think of Prey like waking up on a space station, only to find out everything wants to kill you—including your coffee mug.

You’re Morgan Yu, and you quickly discover that aliens called the Typhon have turned your floating home into their playground. Oh, and they can shapeshift into pretty much anything. No big deal, right?

This game keeps you guessing, jumping at shadows, and checking twice before picking up a chair.

The eerie atmosphere, clever puzzles, and tons of ways to fight back make Prey a wild, heart-pounding adventure. Just remember: trust nothing, not even the stapler.

5 Moons of Madness

Cosmic Mars Madness

Moons of Madness is like a creepy space ride that went off the rails and never looked back. You play as Shane Newehart, just your average engineer hanging out on Mars—until things start getting seriously weird.

Trailblazer Alpha, a research outpost, was constructed on Mars when Orochi Corporation decoded a message from an intelligent life source on the planet.

Shane Newehart, while carrying out routine maintenance operations on the outpost, begins to experience strange occurrences.

Nightmares, visions, isolation, and paranoia plague Shane’s mind as he tries to navigate the supernatural elements while trying to understand what’s real and what isn’t.

The enemy encounters are mild at times, but there are a few chase sequences, jump scares, and horrific figures that will keep you engaged with the game.

4 Doom 3

Hell Invades Mars

The year is 2145 AD, and hell has broken loose on the Mars Research Facility. A gate to hell has opened, spawning demons on Martian soil. These demons have started massacring humans working in the facility, turning them into zombies.

You are the only one with the guts to chainsaw these demons and zombies in half (literally). You take the role of the iconic Doom Guy, tasked with a mission to locate a scientist, and to achieve that goal, you’ll cause mindless chaos and slaughter.

Unlike the other entries in the series, Doom 3 leans more on the horror aspects as opposed to the old hack and slash. Most of the game takes place in dark and dreadful close quarters, with demonic spawns charging at you from all directions. All in all, it’s a perfect blend of action and horror.

3 We Went Back

Time-loop Terror

As you wake up from a cryogenic sleep, you quickly find yourself in complete isolation in the seemingly abandoned lunar space station. With the exit locked and you unaware of what happened at the station, you traverse the claustrophobic corridors of the space station to look for clues.

But with each loop around the facility, the world ominously shifts and degrades around you. As you navigate this shifting world, you feel some ungodly presence lurking in the shadows, and escaping the station begins to feel like the most difficult challenge in the world.

2 Alien: Isolation

Xenomorph Hide-And-Seek

Based on the film franchise of the same name, you play Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley in Alien: Isolation and let’s just say, things aren’t looking great when you end up on a space station with a Xenomorph that clearly skipped breakfast.

This isn’t your typical shoot-’em-up; this game is all about staying alive while one of the scariest movie monsters of all time hunts you down and, trust me, it can be terrifying.

Not to mention, it’s not just the alien you have to worry about—malfunctioning robots, panicking survivors and a creaking station keep you constantly on edge. You’re ducking into lockers, holding your breath, and praying that the beeping motion tracker doesn’t suddenly spike.

It’s intense, it’s nerve-wracking, and it’s the kind of game that makes you question why you ever thought space was a cool place to be.

Alien: Isolation is available on PS Plus, and is undoubtedly one of the best horror games on the subscription.

1 Dead Space

The OG Space Horror

Dead Space is widely regarded as one of the best space horror games out there. While there is a remake version of the game, the old one fits the retro horror vibe quite well. Despite being old, the game still holds up with its great story and immersive gameplay.

Of course, the remake has better graphics and is modern, but I would still recommend checking the old one out to see why it was so good.

You start the game as Isaac Clarke, an engineer with his crew, investigates a distress signal from a planet mining vessel. You find out after reaching the vessel that terrifying creatures infest it.

The goal revolves around fixing the ship and reuniting with your girlfriend. However, this becomes increasingly difficult as danger lurks in every corner.

With the dead crew members revived as monstrous Necromorphs, Isaac tries to survive the onslaught. Tormented by hallucinations and terrifying monsters, a simple evacuation and rescue mission quickly becomes a struggle for survival.