Summary

  • The article provides a list of horror games suitable for beginners that offer a mix of classic, indie, and legendary titles.
  • The Resident Evil franchise is a great starting point for beginners, with Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 2 Remake being highly recommended.
  • Games like Limbo and Phasmophobia offer a less scary experience for beginners, while Amnesia: The Dark Descent and SOMA provide thought-provoking narratives.

If you're new to the hᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚorror gaming scene, you might not be sure where to break into this somewhat intimidating genre. Suspenseful moments and prospective jumpsc𝔉ares might deter you from giving horror games a whirl. Not to worry; we've got you covered.

Related
168澳洲幸运5开奖网: 10 Ma🍨scot Horror Games 𒀰Like FNAF

Like it or not, Five Nights At Freddy's created a subgenre that earne꧟d lots of popularity ever since. Here are so🅰me similar titles.

Here is a horror starter pack for newcomers, including a touch of the classic, the indie, and the legendary that ought to stand you in good stead as you enter the dark underbelly of gaming. There is no reason a beginner to horror games should dread immersing themselves in one of these titles. Horror offers players some of the most impactful and visceral experiences when it comes to playing video games. Read on if you want to k🍸now where to begin your horror journey.

Updated November 11, 2024, by Branden Lizardi: This has been a great year for horror fans. But top-tier horror like Alan Wake 2 and the Silent Hill 2 remake might not be the easiest thing for a newcomer to get into. Do you know what game is both fantastic AND easy to play? Still Wakes The Deep. We've added it to the list just in time for the holiday season.

19 Still Wakes The Deep 🌟

A screenshot from Still Wakes The Deep. A strange blue glow spills out through a doorway into a room cluttered with the remains of a party.

Released
June 18, 2024 🎃 🅰
ESRB
M For Matur🍸e 17+ Due To Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Use of Tobacco, Strong Language
Developer(s)
✨ The Chinese Room 😼
Publisher(s)
🌳 Secret Mode 🉐
Engine
Unreal En꧙gine 5
OpenCritic Rating
Strong

In Still Wakes The Deep, you play as an electrician aboard a Scottish oil rig. But after drilling a bit recklessly, ༒the rig is invaded by a supernatural, Lovecraftian presence. You have to traverse the crumbling rig, finding ways to stay alive long enough to be rescued and escape from the mutated creatures and unnatural forces.

What Makes this game so perfect for newcomers is how direct everything is. There's no open world to explore, no inventory systems to manage, or stꦇats to track. It's a linear experience with a linear design. Your goals at each step are clear, so there's little room for gen🍒uine confusion. To have such an engaging horror experience be so easy to play is a blessing.

18 Inside

A boy joins a line of mindless zombies in a dark building from Inside.
4.5/5

Released
𝓰 June 29, 2016
ESRB
ꦐ M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence
Developer(s)
Playdead
Publisher(s)
Playdead
Engine
Unity
Platform(s)
PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS
How Long To Beat
3 Hours
X|S Optimized
No
File Size Xbox Series
ꦺ 2 GB (November 2023)
Metascore
93

Horror can come in many forms, one of the less common forms is the 2D platformer. Inside is a 2.5D narratively driven platformer, following the story of a young boy that sneaks into a myterious facility in the middle of nowhere. You delve deeper and deeper inside the facility, solving environmental puzzles and discovering the da𝕴rk secrets that lie inside.

Inside won't jump scare you or make you scream in terror, but it tells a haunting, sci-fi horror story in a beautiful and indirect way, letting you piece together the clues from the world around you. With a low level of d🥀ifficulty, a forgiving save system, and a shorter than average play time, it's a great way to introduce someone to the more cinematic and artful kind of horror that exists in the gaming world.

Before Inside, the developers also developed another 2D platforming horror game called L🦩imbo. We talk about Limbo further down the list.

17 🎃 Lethal Company ℱ

An Average Crew In Lethal Company

Released
♛ October 23, 2023
ESRB
t
Developer(s)
Zeekerss
Publisher(s)
Zeekerss
Engine
Unity
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer ꦜ 𝄹
Number of Players
1-4
Steam Deck Compatibility
Playable
Platform(s)
PC
How Long To Beat
8 hours
Steam User Rating
97%
How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)
29 hours

Okay, just hear us out. Firstly, anyone who says that Lethal Company isn't a horror game has clearly never been jump-scared by 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:a sudden Coil-Head attack. The simplistic graphics that make you feel like 🐷a grainy plastic helmet is over your eyes might trick you into thinking this game isn't as terrifying as its darker moments can be. But rest assured, when you're clomping down an empty hallway and something surprises you around a corner, graphical fidelity will be the last thing on your mind.

Secondly, despite the frights, Lethal Company is a hilarious game, making it a prime entry point for anyone who is new to horror games and leery about the terror part of it all. As you and your frie෴nds stumble through gray facilities looking for profitable trash, the quick deaths, cut-off yelps, and derpy sprint motions cushion the fear in a layer of humor.

Available on PC, Lethal Company is just an all-around approachable game, with easy-to-learn mechanics and a heckin' enjoyable gameplay loop. The laughs𒈔 and scares you'll share sit comfortably side by side, making this a recent addi꧟tion to our list of best horror games for beginners.

16 Left 4 Dead 2 𒁃 🐽

The cast of characters at a dock in Left 4 Dead 2.

Released
November 17, ✨2009
ESRB
M for Mature: Bloo𝔍d and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
Developer(s)
Valve
Publisher(s)
Valve
Engine
Source
Multiplayer
🌸 Local Co-Op, Local Multiplayer꧃, Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
Number of Players
🥂 2 (Local Co-Op), 4 (Online Co-Op) 🤪
Split Screen Orientation
Vertical Or Ho🍎rizontal 🌄
Steam Deck Compatibility
Verified
Platform(s)
PC, Xbox 360, Linux, macOS
Metascore
89

Horror is made more palatable when you have a troupe of frie🐷nds with you. At least one other entry on this list showcases how a multiplayer offering can make a horror title easier for beginners. You're an ounce more immune to the scares when your buds are acting silly around you.

And when it comes to Left 4 Dead 2, friend hilarity is just the tip of the iceberg in making it a fantastic horror game for beginners. Though hearing a Witch cry in the distance is stre💯ss-inducing, Left 4 Dead 2 is more about fast-paced action as you and your friends race to achieve a variety of objectives before reaching the next safe room. Yeah, a horde of zombies can freak you out, but you're not getting P.T.-levels of scared, if you know what I mean.

It's been years since Left 4 Dead 2 came out at this point, but even though the game is old, it's aged like wine. The exhilaration of escaping a horde, the thrill of fear at encountering a special zombie, and that feeling of being overwhelmed are perfectly balanced with the cooper✅ative nature of the game. If you haven't played Left 4 Dead 2 yet, you've got a solid starting poin𝓀t waiting for you just around the corner. Just like an errant Jockey.

15 🐎 Resident Evil 4 Remake

leon and ashley in resident evil 4 remake
via Capcom
5.0/5

Released
🤪 ♐ March 24, 2023
ESRB
🌠 M for Mature 17+ due to Blood 🎀and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Developer(s)
Capcom
Publisher(s)
Capcom
Engine
RE Engine
How Long To Beat
16 Hours
Metascore
93
PS Plus Availability
N/A
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

Any horror game fan who calls themselves a "horror game fan" knows about Resident♍ Evil 4. It was the game that revolutionized the genre by introducing more action elements to the gameplay, maintaining a balance between grippingly suspenseful moments and arcade-like stylings, making quick-time events an integral part of the experience. However, as time wore on, the original 2005 title showed its age, with a few clunky controls and a remarkably frustrating "companion" system.

Enter the 2023 remake. Following close upon the heels of the Dead Space remake, RE4 does exactly wh💟at its compatriot did: keep the things that worked, polish what needs polishing, and sprinkle in a few new aspects that highlight the game's strengths instead of detracting from them.

Though you can up the difficulty to make it one heck of a challenge, the Resident Evil 4 remake is beginner-friendly in multiple ways. Firstly, despite being part of an established series, it tells a mostly standalone tale that's easy to get drawn into. Seco🗹ndly, with its main focus on combat and how you upgrade Leon's weapons, RE4 is more concerne🦩d with crafting a thrilling action experience with survival elements. And lastly, it's an iconic game, and if you're new to horror, you can't go wrong with the classics.

14 🧸Choo-Choo Charles

Choo-Choo Charles: An Encounter With Charles On The Tracks

Choo-Choo Charles is an indie horror game that barks worse than it bites. Screenshꦉots of the demonic train engine Charles hurtling toward you might make you think this game is all about terror, but there's a satisfying layer of humor to the whole experience that makes this a thrilling yet approachable game for a beginner.

Charles has been terrorizing a remote island with his presence, so your character is brought on to hunt him down. You meet various NPCs who give you the most straightforward side missions ever played in exchange for scrap that 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:you can use to upgrade you🤡r own train ඣride, all to prepare for the final confrontation with Charles. These side characters are where most of the fun comes from as they're all hilariously voice acted, and their 🅘requests range from mildly to wildly absurd.

Seriously, there's an NPC called "The Pickle Lady" who tasks you with finding her secret jar of pickles in her pickle cave after she loses her pickle key. The outlandish nature of the story and quests, hꦗowever, add to Choo-Choo Charles' charm. You won't regret giving this indie game a whirl as it provides a steam engine's worth of laughs alongside actually tense encounters in equal measure.

13 Carrion

Titular Carrion And 4 Scientists
168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Carrion
Platformer
Action
Indie Games
Puzzle
4.0/5

Released
July 23, 2020 ▨
ESRB
m
Developer(s)
Phobꦇia Studios
Engine
MonoGame
Platform(s)
Switch, Xbox One, PC
How Long To Beat
5 Hours
OpenCritic Rating
Strong

What better way to play a horror game than as the monster that everyone is afraid of? Carrion is an indie title where you play as this pixela🃏ted, bloody tentacle monster intent on escaping an underground laboratory. Along the way, you slaughter the scientists and security forces that want to keep you caged up.

Carrion leans more toward puzzle than horror, but that makes it a great starting point for anyone who wants to just dip their toe into the genre rather than plunge themselves into pure fright. As the hideous c꧒reature terrorizing everyone else, you're doling out the horror rather than being on the receiving end of it.

There won't be any mad dashes for escape or frantic quick-time events you need to s♔ucceed on in order to survive. You can just calmly solve a few murderous puzzles, complete this relatively short title, and then happily proclaim you've played your first horror game.

12 BioShock

Big Daddy and Little Sister in Rapture from BioShock
BioShock
10.0/10

Released
♕ August 21, 2007
ESRB
m
Developer(s)
ꦆ ﷽ Irrational Games
Publisher(s)
2K Games
Engine
havok, unreal engine 2.5, unr🗹eal engine 3, vengeance engine
Franchise
BioShock
Platform(s)
PC, PS3, Xbox 360
How Long To Beat
12 Hours
Metascore
96
PS Plus Availability
🐈 Premium (Remastered) ꧙

A raging debate could be had aꩵbout whether or not BioShock counts as a horror g🍬ame. Some might say that it's more of an action game or RPG since your main character is so well-equipped with upgraded weapons by the end of the game. However, given that a horror game is meant to scare players first and foremost, counting BioShock as one of the genre seems like a safe bet. Little Sisters are basically genetically modified children who stick needles into corpses in order to recycle ADAM in the sea slugs implanted in their bellies for crying out loud. That's horrifying.

Related
168澳洲幸运5开奖网: 13 Best Immersive Sim Games

Welcome 𒁏yourself to the Circus o𒅌f Values with this list of the best immersive sims of all time.

That said, the more action-oriented nature of BioShock makes it a palatable h🍸orror experience for beginners. You're not entirely defenseless, and the environment of Rapture is one of the most engrossing settings in video game history.

You can expect to be thoroug🌜hly diverted by the narrative while also retaining a feeling of suspense as you traverse the leaking, shadowed halls. Not only is BioShock a great stepping stone to experiencing the horror genre, it's one of the classics.

11 ꧃ Until Dawn 🅠

The main characters of Until Dawn from left to right: Emily, Michael, Matthew, Sam, Beth, and Ashley.

Released
🐷August 25, 2015
ESRB
M🏅 for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
Publisher(s)
Sony
Engine
Decima
Platform(s)
PS4
How Long To Beat
8 Hours
PS Plus Availability
Extra & Premium ✅ ♍
OpenCritic Rating
Strong

When you're playing Until Dawn, it can fee🍒l like you're pla♔ying an interactive movie. Gameplay consists of either choosing between one of two dialogue options, walking around and picking up objects, or trying to successfully complete some quick-time button presses. But what makes Until൲ Dawn a fantasti🥃c horror game for beginners is not just the fact that it models campy horror movies of yore.

It also makes room for your mistakes with its story. Instead of dying and having to start from a checkpoint over and over again, Until Dawn inc💙orporates your fails into the story. So if you trip up and get a character killed, it's just the way the plot rolls!

Sure, that might stress you out a bit more, but if you really think about it, it jus🌳t means you're making your current playt🍰hrough canon.

10 🀅 Resident Evil V▨illage

Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters in Resident Evil Village

Released
May 7, 2021
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violenceꦇ, Strꦚong Language
Developer(s)
Capcom
Publisher(s)
Capcom
Engine
RE Engine
Cross-Platform Play
ps4,ps4,xbo🔯x one, pc ♈
Cross Save
yes
Steam Deck Compatibility
yes
How Long To Beat
10 Hours
X|S Optimized
yes
Metascore
84
PS Plus Availability
N/A
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

Though certain entries in the Resident Evil series are known for their high difficulty, Resident Evil Village steps away from that tradition by providing a relatively breezy horror experience (give or take a couple of tough sections). It is easier that its original forebears (th🧜e first two games in the series) and infinitely less scary than its direct predecessor (Resident Evil 7 Biohazard).

Instead, Village feels like a watered-down, spiritual successor to the ever-popular Resident 🤪Evil 4. Several facets from that classic see their return, including an emphasis on action rather than jump scares and a friendly merchant who keeps popping up everywhere to sell you🌌 things.

Though perhaps this would not make a great first experience for someone new to horror games, it would definitely be a great second horror game after your initial outing. You can tell that Capcom really tried to strike a balance between 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:making a chilling horror game and creating an experience that anyone can enjoy. And they honestly did a ꧒pretty good job at that⭕.