Top 5 Best Horror Games on PC

From Phasmophobia to Visage to The Cat Lady, here are our picks for the best horror games on PC.

PC is the evil lab where new horror games are grown and tested. Some of the greatest modern horror games are word-of-mouth hits and some of the most popular horror games of the last decade began as PC exclusives.

To that end, we’ve selected the top 5 horror games you can play on PC right now. While some of these aren’t exclusive to PC, they either got their start on the platform or live and breathe there. Some of these are horror classics that have influenced countless imitators, while others are still hidden gems that deserve to keep you up at night. Here are our picks for the 5 best horror games on PC.

5.Pathologic

Pathologic was ahead of its time when it was released way back in 2006. Set in a mysterious town beset by an unknown plague, Pathologic combines horror and mystery for a truly unique experience. Choose one of three player characters who must survive for 12 days while uncovering the mystery of the ‘sand plague.’

Each day, new quests will be available that will take characters one step closer to the truth. But be warned, because these quests will only be available on a specific day, and once it passes it’s gone for good.

Pathologic and its sequel Pathologic 2 truly excel at atmosphere. While jump scares are a bit few and far between, the overwhelming sense of dread will linger through your entire playthrough, and your time in Pathologic will burrow in your mind for much longer.

4. Phasmophobia

Phasmophobia came onto the scene like a bat out of hell. Four players can join up as amateur ghost hunters, armed with tools like night-vision cameras, holy water, and radios. As an early access game, there are still plenty of technical kinks to work out, but the core premise works exceptionally well. Maybe that’s why so many Phasmophobia-likes have popped up on Steam in recent months.

You’ll wander through haunted homes and abandoned prisons, calling out for spirits from the beyond. Gather enough clues and you can try and successfully identify what kind of ghost is haunting that location. Deduce correctly for a nice payday.

As the clock ticks, the chances of running into a ghost increase, and so does the danger. Nothing beats that moment when you suddenly see your friend twist and contort from getting got by one of Phasmophobia’s many evil spirits as you all scramble to the exit for a hasty escape

3. Chilla’s Art Games

Chilla’s Art is the name of an indie dev team formed by two brothers in Japan. Since 2018, the duo has released over 15 micro horror games on Steam priced at just a couple of dollars. While these games might only be a few hours long, they pack a horrifying punch.

Every Chilla’s Art game is a unique experience but they’re typically played in the first-person and are centered around a mundane experience that quickly escalates into something terrible. One of the most well-known is The Convenience Store, where players take on the role of night-shift convenience store employee. As players go about their night, restocking items and checking inventory, creepy happenings such as strange customers, unexplained noises, and other horrifying encounters begin to intensify as the night goes on.

With so many Chilla’s Art Games to choose from it’s hard to recommend just one. But with such a low barrier to entry, pick a few and you’re guaranteed to have a good time.

2. Puppet Combo

Babysitter Bloodbath, Power Drill Massacre, and The Night Ripper... No, these aren’t forgotten grindhouse films from the ’80s, but rather delightfully gory and downright terrifying games created by solo indie horror developer, Puppet Combo.

Via Patreon and itch-io, over 20 games in the past decade, all of which offer no shortage of intense and unforgiving moments. Whether you’re escaping from a serial killer while babysitting, taking part in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a psychotic nun in a boarding school (in the aptly named Nun Massacre) or controlling a park ranger on a cold and stormy night while something stalks them from afar, Puppet Combo wholeheartedly embraces its PS1-style, VHS horror roots in every game.

Dire situations, sleazy companions, and unrelenting killers make each and every one of Puppet Combo’s games an unforgettable nightmare.

1. Visage

When Konami canceled Silent Hills in 2015, a slew of spiritual successors and games heavily influenced by the Silent Hills’ playable teaser came out. This includes Sad Square Studios’ first game, the psychological horror Visage.

Set in the 1980s, you play as Dwayne Anderson, a resident of a large home that is being tormented by the supernatural as he tries to find a way out of the house and learn more about what is causing all the paranormal activity in his home.

As you explore the mostly dark and quiet house, supernatural entities will taunt you by breaking light bulbs, turning on/off lights, and slamming doors. This constant barrage of sensory terror, combined with trying to maintain Dwayne’s sanity, makes Visage one of the more challenging horror games released in recent years. It’s a trial and error game, but your patience is rewarded with a fascinating story, and plenty of jump scares.

While it may not be Silent Hills, the legacy of Konami’s unreleased game courses through the veins of Visage while also maintaining its own identity.

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And there you have it! Those are our FOG's top 5 horror games on PC. Disagree with the ranking? Think another entry should have been on the list? Let us know in the comments.