Highlights
When it comes to constant excitement and engrossing mystery in games, there's nothing better than horror. While horror games used to be mostly produced by companies like Capcom and Konami, the past decades showed us that indie developers are a force to be reckoned with in the genre.
Whether it be the relatively small budgeted turned triple-A giant Outlast or the Taiwanese hidden gem Detention. There are so many to choose from, but today we're going to rank some of the best, based on their Metacritic scores. In the interest of allowing these games to put their best foot forward, we'll be using their highest Metacritic scores, as most of the titles listed herein received separate scores for each of their platform iterations.
Updated August 01, 2023 By Matthew Mckeown: Indie horror games will always be better than big blockbuster productions. There's a lot of terror a small team can fit into a short experience and some Indies have absolutely nailed it lately.
There are too many to name them all, with the quality often varying wildly between them, so it can be hard to find a gem within all the chaff. But the critic darlings are worth checking out at the bare minimum, so with that in mind, here is an updated look at the best Indie horror games according to Metacritic that are out now.
My Friendly Neighborhood (82 - PC)
Muppets have always been a little off-putting, and the team behind My Friendly Neighborhood are definitely aware of this. Developed by the Szymanski’s, this puzzle-filled indie horror game is reminiscent of early Resident Evil meets Poppy’s Playhouse with a healthy dollop of fun ribbing on iconic muppet shows like Sesame Street.
You play as Gordon, an unfortunate repairman that’s been sent in to disconnect the antenna that’s been broadcasting episodes of the show from a now-abandoned studio complex. Twisting halls filled with wandering, psychologically unstable puppets await and unless you subdue and tape them up, those creatures simply reappear to antagonize and throttle you to death. Sitting on a well-earned 82, My Friendly Neighborhood isn’t doing a lot that’s different, but it’s definitely got some good ideas.
Dredge (84 - Switch)
A single-player fishing game from Black Salt Games, Dredge is a spooky pixely Indie game that's made a lot of ripples when it splashed onto our screens. After waking up on strange shores after a monstrous encounter with an underwater Leviathan, your task is simple, figure out what’s going on whilst trying to leave these eldritch waters.
There’s plenty of strange and twisted creatures to pull up from the depths to sell at market, but those channels and estuaries are far from safe. Hostile mutant fish prowl beneath the waves and unless you’ve been upgrading your boat as you go along, it won’t be long until you’re turned into fish food. With multiple endings, a satisfying score of 84, and multiple platforms to play on, Dredge has set itself apart as a fantastic and frightening adventure fishing game.
Layers Of Fear: Legacy (80 - Switch)
Layers of Fear is a series that’s been around for a while but they’re always popular since Bloober Team seem to know their way around horrifying imagery and unsettling storytelling. Now you can take that terror on the go with Layers Of Fear: Legacy on the Nintendo Switch.
You play as an unwell painter that’s trying to piece together his big masterpiece in a twisting tale that reveals the dark side of obsession and the impact it can have on a family. Legacy also takes it one immersive step further by implementing the Switch’s hardware to include motion and touch-screen controls. Overall it’s an interesting and unique port that went down well with critics as it scored a respectable 80 on Metacritic.
Tormented Souls (79 - PC)
A surprisingly satisfying indie horror game from PQube, Tormented Souls wears its inspirations proudly on its sleeves. Fans of Resident Evil and Silent Hill will find themselves right at home here as they uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of twin girls at Winterlake.
After waking up in a bathtub in a rundown building, it’s up to investigator Caroline Walker to get out of there alive. Combat is evenly paced and methodical, and there are plenty of puzzles to solve and twisted monsters to take down. Sitting on a score of 79, if you enjoyed that 90’s era of classic horror, then you’ll like Tormented Souls.
Prodeus (84 - PC)
Though it may look like another Boomer Shooter-esque game, Prodeus from Bounding Box Software is anything but. The retro looks are only aesthetic as the gameplay is fast, frantic, and very modern. Feeling more akin to Doom or Strafe, Prodeus is a nonstop action-packed FPS horror game with a lot of guns and even more gore.
There’s an arsenal of powerful weaponry to pick up and use to paint the walls with excessive amounts of monster blood. Plus, with their dismemberment system, you can watch your foes fall apart under a hail of gunfire in a rather satisfying way. To further add to the chaos, Prodeus comes with four-player co-op, 16-player deathmatch, a map editor, and a plethora of other multiplayer modes to sink your teeth into. With a score of 84, Prodeus is one worth picking up.
Barotrauma (81 - PC)
Crew a sub with your friends and dive into deep-sea terror with Barotrauma. An underwater nightmare world is what awaits and there's always something huge and hungry waiting to take a bite out of your boat. As long as everyone is performing their roles there shouldn't be any trouble, but it never takes long for things to go wrong.
There are a ton of missions and tasks to try as your crew makes their expeditions deeper into the depths. Everyone has a role and their own mechanics to worry about as you cruise along below the waves, and there's always something to do. Though there's a steep learning curve, it's beloved by many and the critics enjoyed it enough to give it a well-earned 81.
The Last Case Of Benedict Fox (70 - Xbox)
A mind-bending tale that's oozing in eldritch indie horror, The Last Case Of Benedict Fox is a descent into interdimensional madness and murder. Dark rituals and secretive organizations are what awaits in this Metroidvania-style game.
We follow Benedict Fox, a detective that plays host to a demonic parasite that helps him explore the minds and memories of the victims in his case. Twisted dream worlds and unknowable entities lurk just beyond the veil and it's into that realm that you'll find yourself going often. Elaborate puzzles, demon-based combat, and a grim tale lurk at the heart of this tale. Though it sits on a Metacritic score of 70, it still offers a satisfyingly spooky experience for those that take the plunge.
The Mortuary Assistant (74 - PC)
It's a lonely time being a mortician according to Darkstone Digital, but in the silent halls of the mortuary, you won't be by yourself for long. There's a demon hidden amongst your collection of corpses and you'll need to find out where they are before it's too late. The demonic parasite also switches hosts each time you play, so you'll have to make sure your clues are correct or you'll end up in the furnace instead of them.
The investigation mechanics are pretty in-depth and there's some fun detective work to be done when it all works. To make sure things are kept nice and tense the demon you're hunting will also start to mess with you as the game progresses. With haunting figures, hallucinations, voices, and worse lurching out of the darkness when you least expect it. Sitting on an Indie Game of the Year Award and a Critic score of 74, The Mortuary Assistant is a superb scary game.
Cultic (79 - PC)
A classic boomer shooter with plenty of pixelated style. This FPS horror game from Jasozz Games throws you right into the action as you tear apart an insidious cult with a colorful collection of weapons in a visceral action game.
Released in chapters, the first part is currently available with a follow-up planned for release in the near future. Each fight can be approached in any way you like, from subtle and slow with traps and sticking to cover. Or guns blazing and Michael Bay explosions everywhere. The hordes and places you'll visit are equally diverse and the pace never lets up. It's sitting on a solid 79 with critics and it's already carved out a niche for itself.
We Were Here Forever (81 - PC)
A sinister puzzle game that imprisons you inside the dark and foreboding Castle Rock. With no clue how you got there and a labyrinth of tasks and twisting passages waiting for you below, it's a tough time trying to escape this mountaintop fortress.
Thankfully you're not alone as this game is co-op focused, so you and your parka-wearing pal will have to work together to find the exit and escape this strange realm. There's a lot of unique problems to solve that will really test your communication skills and ability to problem solve, so make sure you bring along something you work well will. With a satisfying score of 81, We Were Here Forever guarantees a good time with the right friend.
Signalis (80 - PS4)
What can only be described as a love letter to classic horror, Signalis by rose-engine is a must-play for any fan of the horror genre as a whole. It’s a classic survival horror set in the far-flung dystopian future, where you play as Elster, a technician looking for their lost dreams.
The art style is very retro, and its overall story is compelling enough that it keeps you pushing further and further into the facility and its many horrors within. There’s references galore for those familiar with the horror genre, but it’s not required knowledge for those that didn’t grow up around the original Resident Evil and early Silent hill era. With a critic score of 80, Signalis is quickly becoming quite the Indie Darling in the horror community.
Choo-Choo Charles (57 - PC)
Developed by one person, and despite being a bit rough around the edges, Choo-Choo Charles is one indie horror game that turned into quite the internet phenomenon. Set on a small isolated island, your goal is to eliminate the resident demon train. There are NPC missions to complete, a train of your own to customize, and a brief but interesting story to follow.
It’s had a mixed reception from critics, but it garnered a lot of fan appeal as various plushies, fan animations, and other memes have popped up around the game's release. Even though it’s not exactly breaking new ground, it’s a great example of how something simple and weird can become an overnight success.
Weird West (81)
Gunslingers, Ghouls, Lovecraftian nightmares, Lawmen, and more are what awaits in Weird West’s blending of classic Western action and dark supernatural horror. Developed by WolfEye Studios and pushed out under the Devolver Digital umbrella, Weird West caught a lot attention pretty quickly.
From the cell-shaded art style, to the isometric gameplay that really allowed the devs to stretch their creative legs and really nail the game's creepy atmosphere, it was a hit right out of the gate. The story bounces between different characters to keep things fresh and there’s a unique tabletop approach to exploration that scratches that RPG itch. Despite a few flaws, it’s still sitting on a critic score of 81, so it’s a solid action horror game to try out.
Vampire Survivors (91 - PC)
Another solo-developed title that just absolutely exploded onto the indie scene, Vampire Survivors is already on a lot of folks best-game-of-the-year lists for a reason. This super simple arcade wave-survival game gives you a simple task, survive for 30 minutes against big waves of monsters. That’s it.
It’s a slick, fast, and surprisingly complex gameplay loop that can hook you in for hours if you let it. The enemy variety is large, the weapon list long, and there’s a solid selection of characters to use that all come with their own unique buffs, abilities, and build options. Plus, it’s incredibly cheap and new content like levels and new characters is regularly being dumped in. With a Metacritic score of 91, Vampire Survivors is an Indie horror game that’s the perfect time-killer.
Ravenous Devils (74 -PC)
If Sweeny Todd was turned into a business management game, then you would get Ravenous Devils. Created by Bad Vices Games, it’s a unique and gruesome take on the sim genre that has you managing two businesses at once whilst building up a high body count of victims.
Gameplay is split between two characters, Percival and Hildred. Percival manages a Tailor Shop upstairs where clients looking for sweet new threads can be brutally murdered before old Percival shifts them downstairs through a trap door to Hildred who turns these bodies into meals for her pub's customers. Though the story is pretty short, it’s a fast-paced loop that can be pretty cathartic as you manage both body disposal and a successful business.
Scorn- Critics (72 - Consoles)
A Geiger-inspired gorefest, Scorn had a choppy reception at launch but since the smoke cleared it seems it's a solid horror game. It’s mainly a puzzle game with spooky survival elements, what sets Scorn aside is its glistening anatomical architecture and unapologetic attention to detail in its body horror.
It wears its inspirations on its sleeve and with some absolutely stomach-churning locations and moments, plus combined with its visceral bioweapon reload animations, Scorn is quite the assault on the senses. With challenging puzzle mechanics and skin-crawling creatures to contend with, the stygian nightmarish imagery of Scorn is sure to stay with you long after the credits screen.
Cult Of The Lamb (89 - Switch)
If an adorable eldritch roguelike is your jam, then grab your sacrificial dagger and load up Cult of The Lamb. This roguelike dungeon crawler meets management sim is a spine-tingling blend of terrors from beyond reality and cutesy Animal Crossing-styled characters.
No run is the same and there are a lot of unique ways to run your little group of Zealots. Members can be sacrificed to gain more power and there's a plethora of hysteria-inducing monsters to cut through for helpful rewards. A critical success as far as the critics are concerned, Cult of The Lamb is an Indie horror game worth putting on your radar.
Devil Daggers (83 - PC)
A fast-paced roguelike FPS by Sorath that quickly garnered a cult following, Devil Daggers is a simple yet spectacular shooter that’s great for cathartic short sessions of violence. Armed with magic daggers, your goal is to survive as long as you can from the endless hordes of hell.
There are a number of unique enchanted implements to unlock and murder monsters with and there are 13 gruesome hellspawn, so there’s a decent amount of enemy variety. Some of the designs are absolutely nightmarish and they have a leaderboard setup where you can compete with friends or other online players to see who can last the longest. If you’re looking for a pretty challenging horror game to blow off some steam, then Devil Daggers is highly recommended.
Forgive Me Father (72 - PC)
Inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Forgive Me Father is a dark retro shooter with an eye-catching comic book style and a fantastic approach to creature design. Every twisted and grotesque creep thrown your way is unique and there’s an eye-watering array of weapons and skills on offer to blast apart these hordes of unholy abominations.
Featuring a dynamic Madness mechanic that alters your experience and two heroes with their own skill trees, there’s a lot of variety in how your adventure will play out. The gameplay is fast-paced and each realm you visit throughout your journey is twisted and instantly memorable. With a suitable score of 72 from Critics, Forgive Me Father has quickly become a cult-classic Indie Horror game.
The Excavation Of Hob’s Barrow (81 - PC)
For those looking for a slow-burning tale of intrigue, mystery, and otherworldly horror, The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow might be what you need. Set in a quiet rural town of Victorian England, Cloak and Dagger Games brings you a narrative that’s deeply connected with old English folktales.
There’s a subtle air of Lovecraft's Colour Out Of Space throughout this point-and-click adventure game. And it wraps you up in its deep and dark setting pretty quickly as you start to dig beneath the seemingly picturesque town and its odd inhabitants. You can never quite pin down where the plot is going to go next, plus it keeps the tension at a subtle smolder so you’re always just on the edge of letting your guard down before the next unsettling thing happens.