25 Best Free Horror Games of All Time

These games really give new meaning to the phrase "cheap scares".

Projekt Kat | The Best Free Horror Games

Being involved in video games these days, there is one universal horror – the price of a new release. If you can get past practically emptying your wallet, you then have to worry about the gamble of whether or not the game will be any good. You know where that’s not a concern? Free horror games.

I say leave the horror to the developers and give your wallet a break. With the following best free horror games, you can immerse yourself in truly terrifying games without any concern for buyer’s remorse. Note that all of these free horror games are available on PC, whether that’s through Steam, Kongregate, itch or another platform.

 

The Best Free Horror Games

25. Poppy’s Playtime

Poppy's Playtime
Poppy’s Playtime

Developer: MOB Games
Publisher: MOB Games

Poppy has a surprise for you. And no, you’re not going to like it.

An abandoned toy factory is the perfect setting for a horror game, and MOB Games sends players into the heart of a derelict facility haunted by its very creations. Blood-splattered floors warn of the terrors that lie ahead in this free two-part experience.

The game impedes your path with some very basic and easy-to-solve puzzles because it really just wants to scare you. The first jump in the initial chapter became iconic overnight, justifiably spurring YouTube videos, Twitch moments, and TikToks. And that was just one of many frights that await the bravest souls.

Download on Steam

 

24. Fears to Fathom – Home Alone

Fears to Fathom - Home Alone
Fears to Fathom – Home Alone

Developer: Rayll
Publisher: Rayll

Ever get that creepy feeling that you’re not home alone when you, in fact, should be home alone? Fears to Fathom – Home Alone plays on that fear with a brief but enjoyable free horror game. The first episode, which is the only one available as of October 2022, features 14-year-old Miles, who’s simply trying to enjoy lasagna and a quiet night. Unfortunately, someone’s looking to enjoy it with him.

What starts as an innocuous night at home turns into a fight for survival. Every choice you make puts Miles either closer to escape or nearer to his stalker’s grasp. The tension is high, and you can bet you’ll be checking every dark corner of your house after finishing Home Alone.

Carson House is the next chapter in Fears to Fathom, and we can expect that to deliver the thrills just as well as Home Alone did.

Download on Steam

 

23. Projekt Kat

Projekt Kat
Projekt Kat

Developer: Leef6010
Publisher: Leef6010

Released on Itch.io and Steam, Projekt Kat: Paper Lily Prologue isn’t your typical horror game. It’s laid out as a story-based RPG experience, where the puzzles are what stand between you and one of multiple endings. The titular Kat receives a golden letter and sets out to uncover the mystery behind it. Of course, that’s always easier said than done.

Players control Kat, navigating complex puzzles that have more than one solution and outcome. You’ll either build friendships along the way or remain a bit of a loaner. Either way, don’t expect to make it to the end without a few good scares.

Projekt Kat may be a bit more subdued than the horror games we typically highlight, but disturbing imagery and a fair amount of blood make it just unsettling enough.

Download on Steam

 

22. Dead Frontier II

Dead Frontier 2
Dead Frontier 2

Developer: Creaky Corpse Ltd
Publisher: Creaky Corpse Ltd

Everyone begging for a Resident Evil: Outbreak remake should pay attention to Dead Frontier II. Unlike most online zombie shooters, Dead Frontier II focuses on atmosphere and slow pacing, to capture that iconic survival horror vibe. Players will scour desolate environments, searching for supplies while battling an endless horde of the undead.

The game tends to feel like a marriage of State of Decay and DayZ, with a heavier emphasis on teamwork. Dead Frontier II is PvP, so expect to meet a few antagonistic players as you search for supplies and survivors and bash away at shamblers. Set in a surprisingly large open world for a free game, Dead Frontier II offers plenty for players to do during their quest for survival.

It may not be Resident Evil by a long shot, but it can definitely help fill that void left by a complete lack of Outbreak follow-ups.

Download on Steam

 

21. Deceit

Deceit
Deceit

Developer: World Makers
Publisher: World Makers

The idea of a multiplayer game set in The Thing universe is something we sadly may never see, but some games adopt that sense of distrust to keep things interesting. For Deceit, being weary of your teammates is the whole core experience of this free online multiplayer.

Players join a match as either an Innocent trying like hell to survive this monster-ridden world or an Infected looking to eradicate humanity. The catch? No one knows who the Infected individual is, meaning players need to carefully choose who they spend their time with. A wrong decision can spell the end of an Innocent while being too obvious can expose who the real threat is.

Deceit is a fun concept that works very well to cause discourse and chaos in a horror game that tests your instincts.

Download on Steam

 

20. Port of Call

Port of Call
Port of Call

Developer: Underdog Games
Publisher: Underdog Games

Not every horror game has to throw a ton of jump scares and frightening monsters at you. Sometimes, it’s the slow burn. That eerie sense that something isn’t right, and that those around you seem to be from another age.

Port of Call starts with the amnesia trope, but things get a whole lot more unusual there as the unknown protagonist finds themselves surrounded by unusual people and an old man with an anger problem.

The deeper you get into this narrative-driven adventure, the more you uncover your secrets and few things about the passengers joining you on the mysterious ferry. Port of Call’s unique artstyle is part of its unsettling charm, as each character is twisted and deformed in some way. This is the type of free horror game you think about sometime down the road and recall just how uncomfortable it made you.

Download Port of Call on Steam

 

19. Dagon: by H.P. Lovecraft

Dagon game
Dagon game

Developer: Bit Golem
Publisher: Bit Golem

Slap H.P. Lovecraft’s name on a property, and you have yourself a game players will flock to. Make the price tag free, and you’ve increased your audience tenfold. Case-in-point: Dagon, a visual novel and atmospheric adventure that sends you deep into the unusual mind of Lovecraft.

Dagon, a horrifying sea-beast of Lovecraftian lore, is in the spotlight of this relatively quick narrative experience. Players will get to know Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos as this original story faithfully adapts Lovecraft’s classic cosmic horror. All the twisted fiends of the sea you’d expect from a Cthulhu story are there, tucked away in the visually impressive world.

To further immerse yourself in Dagon: by H.P. Lovecraft, Bit Golem adapted the visual journey to VR, allowing you to meet the humanoid fish-creature face-to-face.

Download Dagon on Steam

 

18. Unfortunate Spacemen

Unfortunate Spacemen
Unfortunate Spacemen

Developer: Deep Field Games
Publisher: Deep Field Games

Imagine if John Carpenter’s The Thing was adapted into a video game and took place in space. That’s Unfortunate Spacemen. There are one of two roles to take in this quirky online misadventure – one of the titular spacemen that have no idea what’s coming to them or the shape-shifting fiend that aims only to eradicate the crew.

Unfortunate Spacemen tests the limits of teamwork and friendship as players are unaware of who the hidden monster is. Equipped with clever abilities like Burrow and Decoy, the monster can go an entire game without being spotted – especially if they use their wiles to turn their human counterparts against one another.

Though the game is hilarious, especially in the right lobby, it’s still uncomfortable as you never know who’s going to break into their monster form and start gnawing away on your body. For those who want games like Among Us with a bit more of an edge.

Download Unfortunate Spacemen on Steam

 

17. The House in the Woods

The House in the Woods game
The House in the Woods game

Developer: Minigoliath
Publisher: Minigoliath

There are few things worse than being lost in the woods, your direction impossible to gauge. We’ve seen the psychological effects in movies like The Blair Witch Project, upon which this free horror game is based.

When your friend vanishes in the middle of the night, you’ll set out into the depths of the forest to find them and unwillingly uncover sinister secrets. Disturbing imagery is made even more frightening seen through the slightly blurry visuals, which only serve to enhance this spooky trek through the woods.

There’s not much to The House in the Woods, but it’s enough to keep you at the edge of your seat throughout the short horror adventure. You’ll see things you can’t explain and experience things you don’t understand on a take of Blair Witch we didn’t know we wanted.

Download The House in the Woods on Itch

 

16. Wrong Floor

Wrong Floor
Wrong Floor

Developer: N4bA
Publisher: N4bA

Do you suffer from a fear of elevators? Well, Wrong Floor is definitely not going to help as it plunges players into the basement. The dark space is inhabited by an unwelcoming host who wants nothing more than to make you a permanent fixture in his dwelling.

Wrong Floor is quick and to the point, wasting no time in showing players the absolute horrors that await down the winding corridors. It’s a simple concept that plays on the very real fear of being stalked, watching, and pursued.

If you enjoy backtracking with only your flashlight to guide you, then Wrong Floor should definitely find its way onto your playlist.

Download Wrong Floor on Itch

 

15. The Static Speaks My Name

The Static Speaks My Name
The Static Speaks My Name

Developer: The Whale Husband
Publisher: The Whale Husband

The name alone is terrifying, but The Static Speaks My Name is less a game designed to scare than it is to leave you questioning mortality and your life’s choices. The morose game focuses heavily on the concept of suicide as you follow a man during his last night alive. It’s jarring, it’s themes are uncomfortable, and you will need to listen to an hours worth of cheery music afterward.

The Static Speaks My Name is creepy as you realize just who you’re controlling and slowly unravel the insanity of his world and the perception of it. The ten-minute game effectively gets under your skin, something that outwardly scary games often can’t do.

Download The Static Speaks My Name on Steam

 

14. Cube Escape: Paradox

Cube Escape Paradox
Cube Escape Paradox

Developer: Rusty Lake
Publisher: Rusty Lake

It’s the tenth in the Cube Escape series, but may also be the one that will stick with you the most. Paradox is a unique crossover of a movie and a video game that sucks you in with unusual imagery, a zany story, and puzzles that will drive you mad. But in an entertaining, “I can’t put this down,” kind of way.

Players follow the perilous journey of detective Dale Vandermeer, who wakes up in an unknown room, trapped at the hands of a memorable foe. Can you solve the series of puzzles needed to save Vandermeer from a grisly fate?

Paradox is a strangely attractive game with imagery brought to life via handmade paintings by renowned artist, Johan Scherft. Bob Rafferty and David Bowles provide the vocals, which is an impressive cast for a game that doesn’t come with a price tag.

Download Cube Escape: Paradox on Steam

 

13. We Were Here

We Were Here game
We Were Here game

Developer: Total Mayhem Games
Publisher: Total Mayhem Games

Okay, to be candid, only the first episode of this frozen quest is free, but it’s a fulfilling experience that won’t leave you dissatisfied.

Trapped in a mysterious castle, the world outside frozen over, you have only a walkie-talkie and a voice to guide you. Hindered by challenging puzzles, you’ll be joined by another player – either someone you know or a complete stranger – in this co-op mystery.

If you’ve played Myst, you’ll see the inspiration come through with punishing puzzles that will require you to work together. Overcome your obstacles, and you may just escape your atmospheric prison. We Were Here won’t outright terrify you, but the haunting visuals are sure to keep you on edge.

Download We Were Here on Steam

 

12. At Home Alone Final

At Home Alone Final
At Home Alone Final

Developer: SkyLineGames
Publisher: 0Cube

You won’t be setting up clever traps to thwart off dastardly villains in this free horror romp. Instead, you’ll relive your childhood, that first time you were left home alone and were left scarred by the psychological horrors that unfolded.

In At Home Alone Final, you play a young girl left home alone. What antics will she get herself into when her mother is at work? As the day progresses, things get incredibly weird, especially as unusual people start appearing at your doorstep.

It’s not the longest interactive adventure you’ll ever play, but it’s one that will stick with you as you unravel the mystery of what happens when you’re At Home Alone.

Download At Home Alone on Steam

 

11. Imscared – A Pixelated Nightmare

Imscared
Imscared free horror game

Developer: MyMadnessWorks
Publisher: MyMadnessWorks

Ivan Zanotti isn’t a household name. At least, he wasn’t. Not until he introduced Steam users to Imscared – A Pixelated Nightmare.

Just as the name implies, Imscared is set in a pixelated world, where unspeakable horrors await around every corner. Those horrors, though, aren’t your usual gruesome monsters or brain-eating zombies. Like Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, they toy with your mind. What’s scarier than a towering behemoth of a foe? How about a BSoD that makes you think your computer has crashed?

That’s just the start of how Imscared toys with its players. What’s most impressive is that Ivan brought this free horror delight to life using only Game Maker 8, FL Studio, and MS Paint. Sure, it’s not flashy or that great to look at, but Imscared is a delightful game to add to your horror library.

Download Imscared on Gamejolt

 

10. Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle

Friday the 13th Killer Puzzle
Friday the 13th Killer Puzzle

Developer: Blue Wizard Digital
Publisher: Blue Wizard Digital

It’s not quite the setting you’d expect to find Jason Voorhees, but everyone’s favorite campground killer fits in fairly well in this horror puzzler. Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle captures the gory whimsy of the popular film series.

Guide Voorhees across more than 100 puzzles spanning the serial killer’s theatrical adventures. You’ll play as various versions of the hulking fiend across memorable environments, like the classic Camp Crystal Lake and the Grendel of Jason X. With a limited number of moves, it’s up to you to get Voorhees to his next prey.

It’s quite the gruesome puzzler that remains faithful to the popular horror franchise, complete with unique kills that even Mrs. Voorhees can be proud of.

Download Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle on Steam

 

9. Ultimate Custom Night

Ultimate Custom Night
Ultimate Custom Night

Developer: Scott Cawthon
Publisher: Scott Cawthon

Growing tired of playing through the same Five Nights at Freddy’s games over and over? Wish you could really take control of the animatronics that stalk Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria? Ultimate Custom Night gives you that ability in the greatest mashup since Super Smash Bros. Well, for the horror community, at least.

Ultimate Custom Night features over 50 animatronics from the long-running series, and they’re yours to place and customize as you wish. Build your own world of nightmares by assigning a difficulty and choosing which animatronics you want to go up against. In Ultimate Custom Night, you’ll face every hazard and impediment featured throughout the series, including managing heaters, A/C, power generators, and laser traps.

As the name implies, it’s the ultimate Five Nights at Freddy’s experience, especially for those that have mastered all of the main games and are looking for an ample challenge.

Download Ultimate Custom Night on Steam

 

8. Cry of Fear

Cry of Fear game
Cry of Fear

Developer: Team Psykskallar
Publisher: Team Psykskaller

Whether you tackle it alone or with friends, Cry of Fear is going to pull and violently tug on your nerves.

In the dark of a cold Scandinavian night, Team Psykskaller sends you on a quest for survival. Monsters approach from the shadows as you maneuver through the deserted town, looking for answers behind the unstoppable nightmare. Play through the campaign to unlock different endings and score helpful unlockables that will send you back to Scandinavia for another evening of terror.

Originally built as a Half-Life mod, Cry of Fear has evolved into its own full-length horror experience. Along with the challenging solo mode, there is a co-op campaign for up to four players and 12 custom campaigns that highlight the game’s modding support.

Download Cry of Fear on Steam

 

7. Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion

Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion
Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion free

Developer: Lag Studios
Publisher: Lag Studios

Not every horror game has to leave you shivering in the corner. Sometimes, it’s nice to enjoy a playful game, so long as it’s enjoyable. Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion may be vibrant and cartoonish, but it’s a delightfully cute free horror game that gives you a break from the relentless scares of more serious titles.

Well. Temporarily, at least. At its core, Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion is just as nervewracking as your favorite horror titles. It sets you up with a false sense of security that cardboard skeletons are all you’ll have to fear. Then, things take a turn for the worst when the real horrors of Spooky’s come to light.

Lag Studios created a two-tier horror game that sends you through classic horror settings, all on the run from the true monstrosities of Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion.

Download Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion on Steam

 

6. No More Room in Hell

No more Room in hell game
No More Room in Hell

Developer: No More Room in Hell Team
Publisher: Lever Games

It’s one of the most iconic lines in zombie history – When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth. Spoken by Ken Foree in both iterations of Dawn of the Dead, it’s a fitting title for the zombie romp developed by the No More Room in Hell Team.

Crafted from Half-Life 2, No More Room in Hell throws players into an infected world where the undead reign supreme. Survival isn’t just a matter of avoiding the extended arms of the shambling corpses. It’s about working together in this zombified co-op experience. Wield a host of weapons, including a chainsaw, and fight through hordes of the undead.

Unlike most zombie games, in No More Room in Hell, being bitten is a death sentence. As the virus courses through you, it’s your choice whether or not to tell your teammates and accept your fate, or keep them in the dark and become a potential danger to them later.

No More Room in Hell is completely free to play, making it a must-play for any fan of zombies, teamwork, and free things.

Download No More Room In Hell on Steam

 

5. The Last Door

The Last Door Game
The Last Door Game

Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Phoenix Online Publishing

Very few games need to be visually stunning to be effective. The Last Door proves this with a mesmerizing journey filled with gruesome terrors, all depicted in a rather bleak pixelated world.

Death surrounds you as you set forth on a quest to stop an ancient evil from emerging. Solve puzzles, interact with a host of unusual people, and avoid becoming a victim of the darkness spreading across Victorian England in this episodic horror mystery.

You may quickly hop onto Steam to download The Last Door and cry foul as it’s not free. I’m not a liar, though, as you can play the first season on several Flash-based websites, including Kongregate. While maybe not as ideal as playing on your favorite device, The Last Door doesn’t require much to be enjoyed, so the browser version is just as effective.

Play The Last Door on Kongregate

 

4. Lurking

Lurking game
Lurking game

Developer: Justin Ng Guo Xiong
Publisher: Justin Ng Guo Xiong

Turn up the volume, plug in your headphones, and get ready for a horror experience sure to stick with. Lurking is a sound-based game that engulfs you in darkness and sends you exploring using audio pulses. Every pulse you generate illuminates the world in white outlines, giving you just a glimpse of your path.

Complicating matters are villains of darkness that respond to every noise you make. As you explore the world of black, an asylum rampant with deadly escaped patients, you’ll have to tread carefully, or else you’ll draw them closer to your position. Surviving requires patience and care to only make the noises necessary to progress.

Lurking also converts sounds picked up by your microphone, so be sure to play in a quiet room to avoid alerting the things that stalk you in the dark.

Download Lurking on Gamejolt

 

3. Doki Doki Literature Club!

Doki Doki Literature Club
Doki Doki Literature Club

Developer: Team Salvato
Publisher: Team Salvato

Not all is as it seems in the Doki Doki Literature Club. Coerced to join by a friend, you try to make acquaintances with the other members – but something just doesn’t seem right. Doki Doki Literature Club! starts off as an innocent visual novel revolving around the titular club, but once its members start to show their true colors, things get incredibly weird.

The horrors of Doki Doki range from subtle to eerie as the club and your relationships fall apart around you. Nothing is as it seems as game starts to corrupt and you’re left questioning what’s part of the experience and what’s your computer going haywire.

It’s a clever free horror game that will leave you feeling uncomfortable and creeped out, maybe even a little untrusting of those you’re closest with. If you want to support the devs, check out their console port on platforms like the PS5.

Download Doki Doki on Steam

 

2. Slender: The Eight Pages

Slender The Eight Pages
Slender The Eight Pages

Developer: Parsec Productions
Publisher: Parsec Productions

Everyone’s favorite creepypasta comes to life in Slender: The Eight Pages. It’s a simple experience that’s sure to send chills down your spine as you explore isolated woods and abandoned buildings in search of the titular eight pages. Hot on your tail is the towering and mysterious Slenderman. While you can run, it’s impossible to hide from Slender as you collect more and more pages.

Slender: The Eight Pages starts with a slow burn, but the more you collect, the more active Slenderman becomes. When your screen distorts and your speakers blare an unsettling noise, you know he’s not far behind. Equipped with only a flashlight, can you collect all eight pages before becoming part of Slenderman’s collection?

You’ll want to play this one with the lights off and the sound turned up to get the most out of the ambient noises and dim lighting.

Download Slender on IndieDB

 

1. SCP – Containment Breach

SCP indie horror game
SCP indie horror game

Developer: Joonas Rikkonen
Publisher: Joonas Rikkonen

You know the individual SCP files and recognize that they’re nothing you want to come face-to-face with. Yet, in SCP – Containment Breach, you’re trapped in the depths of the SCP Foundation’s research facility in the midst of an outbreak.

Around every corner lies something scary, something that’s looking to slaughter, maim, devour, or infect you. Can you escape the facility without falling victim to the terrifying fiends once contained within?

There are two versions of SCP and the most recent upgrades the visuals so you can see what’s about to kill you in pants-destroying clarity. SCP-173, SCP-106, and SCP-096 are just a few of the cretins once secured within the foundation’s facility. If you can escape them, you may just make it topside alive.

Download SCP from official site

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