Whether you squeal in delight at a scary game, or run and hide behind the sofa, there’s no getting away from it: horror is one of the most popular genres.
As it’s been around a good number of years now, there are plenty of great horror games on PS4, ready to try and raise your heart rate regardless of how easily you scare. Here at GameSpew we never tire of them; we are always on the hunt for games that will terrify us, or at least put us on edge. But what are the best horror games on PS4?
We’ve decided to put our experiences to good use. So, if you want to know what are the best horror games on PS4 you’ve come to the right place. Peruse this list and you’ll discover the scariest video games that the PS4 has to offer. Why not pick one or two of them up to play… unless you’re too scared?
Related: The Best Multiplayer Horror Games (2022)
Want to support GameSpew? If you decide to try any of the games on this list, please consider buying them through our Amazon links, included below each entry. It won’t cost you anything extra, but we’ll get a small slice of the purchase.
1. The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
The latest game in The Dark Pictures Anthology – and the last in the first season – is, in our opinion, the best. This gruesome tale of a serial killer follows a documentary film crew as they set about making a feature about H. H. Holmes, a murderer from the 19th century cited to be ‘America’s first serial killer’. He’s a real person alright, butThe Devil in Meplays loosely with his legend, leaning heavily into rumours and speculation about Holmes. It doesn’t matter, though, because it makes for one of the best horror games we’ve played on PS4 in some time.
Whether you’ll have any survivors after finishingThe Devil in Me is down to your actions. That’s right: like other games in The Dark Pictures Anthology, your choices and success at QTEs dictate who lives and who dies. This is the most complex and dynamic game in the series yet, and your actions really do make a huge difference.
Read our review ofThe Devil in Me
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2. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Its sequel, Resident Evil Village, might be out now, but we still think Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is scarier. It completely rebooted the Resident Evil franchise by returning it to its true horror roots, borrowing many a convention from popular horror films and games of the past. There’s a stench ofEvil Deadin there, a taste of Texas Chainsaw Massacreand an air ofCondemned, butResident Evil 7is a masterpiece in its own right.
You play as Ethan Winters, a man who winds up at the home of the Baker family as he searches for his wifewho went missing three years ago. All is certainly not as it seems though; within minutes of stepping through the door and being reunited with Mia he find himself being attacked by her and her “family”. From start to finish, Resident Evil 7 is pure nail-biting terror; without a doubt it’s one of the best horror games on PS4 – if not of all time.
Read our review of Resident Evil 7
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3. Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 makes zombies scary again, and that’s quite an achievement. This remake of the PlayStation classic goes beyond expectations, delivering a horror experience that’s familiar in the right ways yet also unpredictable, exciting and fresh. Anyone that’s played the original Resident Evil 2 will find themselves enjoyably toyed with, while those that haven’twill just enjoy this remake for what it is: a great horror game.
Zombies are plentiful and are harder to put down than ever, creating tense moments as you explore Raccoon City Police Department and its surrounding areas. But of course, there are bigger foes for you to worry about as well, including the mysterious Mr. X who seems to tirelessly pursue you as you go about your business.
Resident Evil 2 has everything: romance, intrigue, action and horror. It’s not just one of the best horror games on PS4, it’s one of the best games on PS4 full stop.
Read our review of Resident Evil 2
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4. MADiSON
If you’re after pure horror, you need to play MADiSON. Simply put, it’s the scariest game we’ve played in years. The game starts with you on the backfoot: taking control of just a boy, it’s clear that something is wrong. Your dad is furious with you, and you’re trapped in a dark room. First things first, you need to make an escape. But when you do, you start to unravel a story that is truly chilling.
Devoid of combat, MADiSON is a game all about facing your fears and solving puzzles. As you make your way through your grandfather’s house, you’ll encounter many obstacles blocking your path, and you’ll need to put your thinking cap on in order to solve them. Your camera comes in handy too, with the polaroid pictures you take sometimes displaying what your eyes can’t see. It’s not a long game, but with scares aplenty and lots of atmosphere, you’ll be on the edge of your seat every step of the way. Needless to say, this is undoubtedly one of the best horror games on PS4. It’s even more impressive considering this is thefirst gamefrom developer Bloodious Studios. We can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
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5. The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2, just like its predecessor, is one of the best action-packed examples of survival horror games that shouldn’t be missed.
Playing as ex-police detective Sebastian Castellanos, you’ll find yourself questioning reality as you move from one harrowing situation to the next, forced to face off against a bevy of grotesque creatures. Whilst you’re fairly well-armed and quite capable of instantly dispatching some foes if you can creep up on them though, The Evil Within 2 can still pile on the scares when it wants to.
It’s scarier than the firstEvil Within,managing to unsettle you in more ways and question your sanity even more. With twists around every corner, if you’re looking for the best horror games on PS4, you can’t go far wrong withThe Evil Within 2.
Read our review of The Evil Within 2
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6. Blair Witch
Based on the seminal horror film franchise, Bloober Team’sBlair Witchmight just be one of the scariest games of this generation. In it, you take on the role of Ellis, a former police officer who’s heading to the infamous Black Hills Forest near Burkittsville to search for a missing boy. There’s more than a nod back to the original found-footage film here, and the legend surrounding the forest means you’ll be nervous before you even start.
It has atmosphere in droves, keeping you on the edge of your seat. And, unlike other horror games, Blair Witchdoesn’t rely on an overuse of jump scares to get your adrenaline pumping. That’s not to say there aren’t a few moments to catch you out, though. Needless to say, if you’re looking for the best horror games on PS4, then you don’t get much better than Blair Witch.
Read our review of Blair Witch
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7. Until Dawn
Perhaps the ‘Telltale Games’ of horror, Until Dawn is a narrative-driven scarefest that tells the story of a group of friends spending a weekend in a house atop a remote mountain. You see, one of their friends died there the year before, and so they decide to reunite in her memory. Unfortunately, their friend wasn’t the first, and they won’t be the last person to die there, either.
Until Dawnis all about making choices, and how you play will depend on the outcome of the story. Perhaps nobody will die; perhaps everyone will. It’s all in your hands. Only one thing is for certain: no matter what choices you make, it’s going to be one hell of a scary ride. Despite its age,Until Dawnremains one of the best horror games on PS4.
And, if you’ve got PSVR, it’s also worth picking upThe Inpatient, a horror game set in the same universe asUntil Dawn.
Read our review of Until Dawn
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8. Observer
Observer may seem unassuming enough from the outside, but rest assured that this unique cyberpunk sci-fi horror story packs one hell of a punch.
You take the role of the titular Observer, Daniel Lazarski, a detective who has the ability to hack into people’s minds with the perplexing Dream Eater device. But it’s through hacking into the minds of those he encounters that Daniel’s perspective of the world begins to skew and warp until even reality can’t be taken as a certainty. Eventually things get very scary indeed.
Stripped down, Observer doesn’t try to overwhelm you with a flashy vision of the future, but a more terrifying one that pulses with cyberpunk ideology the entire time. If you’re interested in anything cyberpunk or psychologically terrifying, then Observer is the perfect horror game to play with the lights turned off.
Read our review of Observer
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9. Alien: Isolation
Based on the popular movie franchise,Alien: Isolationstands out from the other games on this list because it’s not filled to the brim with monsters and terror. Rather, there’sjustone monster that’s terrorising you: the alien.
Alien: Isolation‘s scare factor comes from its tense atmosphere as you carefully peer around corners, wondering where the alien is going to come from. You never feel safe, and you’re always on the edge – and that makes for a fantastic horror experience. If you have a like for tense, nail-biting scares, then this is one of the best horror games on PS4 that you’ll find.
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10. Kholat
On the night of 2 February 1959, a group of nine hikers mysteriously met their demise on Kholat Syakhl in the Ural Mountains in Russia. Discovering that the tents they had erected had been torn from the inside out, investigators surmised that they had been trying to escape from an imminent threat, although the injuries sustained by the unfortunate hikers left them perplexed as to what that threat could have actually been.
Narrated by the legendary Sean Bean, Kholat has you retracing the steps of the nine ill-fated hikers in an attempt to discover once and for all what actually happened to them. In doing so however, you’re set to place yourself in similar peril. With no way to defend yourself, you’re going to have to rely on your wits and your map reading skills to see Kholat through to its chilling conclusion. Its eerie setting and suspense-filled story makes this one of the best horror games on PS4.
Read our review of Kholat
11. Soma
From Frictional Games, the developers of Amnesia,Somais a game with survival horror elements in the same, terrifying vein. You play as Simon Jarrett, a man who finds himself in an underwater research facility with no idea how he got there or why. It’s up to you to unravel the mystery as you play, and as always, along with a story to find, there are plenty of scares waiting for you around every turn.
It’sSoma‘s creepy atmosphere more than anything that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There’s no combat to be found, so a clever mix of stealth and puzzle-solving is employed in order to progress. Freaky human-like robots and a very oppressive environment make Somastand out as one of the best horror games on PS4, and you really shouldn’t miss it.
Read our review of Soma
12. Outlast
Although one of the oldest games on this list, Outlaststill remains one of the best horror games on PS4. Put in the role of Miles Upsher, an investigative journalist, you’re sent to a run-down psychiatric hospital to find out what’s going on. Overrun with psychotic patients, everything is far from stable, and armed with only a camcorder, it’s your job to delve deep into the hospital and uncover its secrets.
Outlast‘s lack of combat makes the game only more tense; when monsters are close, your only option is to run and hide. You’re entirelyvulnerable, and that makes for some truly brilliant horror moments. Along with its sequel, Outlast 2, which is also well worth picking up, it’s without a doubt one of the scariest games you’ll play.
Read our review of Outlast 2
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13. Layers of Fear
You’re neverquitesure what’s happening inLayers of Fear. Perhaps you’re in a really haunted house, or perhaps the protagonist is slowly losing his mind. Perhaps it’s a little bit of both. Either way, it makes for a genuinely scary experience. Despite its developer, Bloober Team, moving on to releaseBlair Witchand the upcomingThe Medium, Layers of Fearis still one of the best horror games on PlayStation 4.
Making your way around the seemingly empty home of a painter, you’ll solve puzzles and discover clues, helping you piece together the story. You’ll soon find that you’re not entirely alone though; there’s plenty of things lurking around corners ready to scare the bejesus out of you.
Read our review of Layers of Fear
14. Amnesia: Collection
The Amnesia series has made quite a name for itself by successfully scaring the living daylights out of those brave enough to play.
All three titles in the Amnesia: Collection share the same basic gameplay template; finding yourself in a dark environment in which things don’t seem quite right, you need to explore, solve puzzles and maintain your sanity while evading the occasional grotesque creature.
Played from a first-person viewpoint with no means of defending yourself however, each game provides a horrifically tense experience that can easily cause you to jump out of your seat. If you’re looking for the best horror games on PS4, thenAmnesia: Collection on PS4 is certainly a must-buy.
Read our review of Amnesia: Collection
15. Home Sweet Home
Rooted in Thai mythology,Home Sweet Home places you in the shoes of a man called Tim. Tim’s wife has gone missing, and so of course he’s doing all that he can to find her. But the further you get into Home Sweet Home the more you think Tim should just go home, grab a whiskey and put his feet up, because boy there’s some freaky stuff going on. His wife would understand, surely.
Home Sweet Home‘s gameplay is fairly simple. You wander around, sometimes finding your progressed blocked by simple puzzles. Every once in a while though, you encounter a paranormal entity that requires you to do some sneaking. If you’re seen a chase ensues, and unless you can find somewhere to hide in time you’re likely to find yourself dead.
It’s the set-pieces and more unusual encounters that we’ll not say too much about because of spoilers that make Home Sweet Home a horror game worth playing through. It might not be a big budget classic, but it certainly delivers on the scares, making this one of the best horror games on PS4.
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16. Infliction: Extended Cut
Taking obvious inspiration fromP.T.,Infliction: Extended Cutsees you exploring a house from the first-person perspective. Things seem rather normal at first – but dare to look away for just a second, and you’ll find everything changing around you. While you’ll find yourself trekking around the same rooms time and again, the game messes with you in clever and unexpected ways, forever keeping you on your toes.
There’s little action or adventure to speak of inInfliction; its gameplay consists of you exploring the house – and a few other areas – as you attempt to dispel an evil spirit. But it packs in a whole load of atmosphere as you do. It’s tense and creepy from start to finish, and you’ll struggle to put down until you’ve finished. That alone makes it one of the best horror games on PS4, despite its indie roots.
Read our review ofInfliction: Extended Cut
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17. Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
We weren’t fans of the ending ofLittle Hope, the second entry into Supermassive Games’ Dark Pictures Anthology, but the story leading up to it had us on the edge of our seats. Following four students and their professor stranded in the eerie town of Little Hope after their bus crashes, you’re never quite sure what’s waiting for you around the corner.
The narrative blends modern day with scenes from 17th century witch trials, with characters moving between one age and the other. There are plenty of hair-raising moments to keep you on the edge of your seat, and the excellent acting and presentation makes you feel like you’re controlling your own horror movie. A duff ending lets it down somewhat, butLittle Hopeis still one of the best horror games on PS4.
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18. Little Nightmares 2
Little Nightmares 2 might be one of the most unique and creative takes on the horror genre that we’ve ever played. A platform-adventure game, it’s not the typical type of game you’d expect to find on a list of best horror video games. But here it is: taking control of a young fellow called Mono, it’s your job to guide him through an oversized world filled with terrifying imagery and even scarier monsters.
There are some truly scary scenes, including some heavily reminiscent of Silent Hill. One of the stand-out moments from the game sees you sneaking through a room filled with mannequin-like nurses that only move when you’re not looking at them. It’s hair-raising stuff, and you’ll love every minute. We certainly did.
Read our review ofLittle Nightmares 2
