Ever since theResident Evilgames skyrocketed to popularity in the 1990s, the horror genre has been a mainstay in video gaming. Every year, the gaming industry pumps out a wide variety of horror games for fans to play, ranging from unnerving indie titles to blood-soaked big budget affairs. 2021 was a particularly strong year for the horror genre, with even more variety in the kinds of horror games available than usual.
There were many high quality horror games launched in 2021, though 10 in particular stand out as especially worth checking out for fans of the genre. Brand new IPs, long-awaited sequels, and new entries in some of the most popular horror game franchises of all time are represented here, and so horror game fans of all kinds should be able to find something that interests them out of the 2021 lineup.
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Here are the best horror games of 2021. Keep in mind that this list is in alphabetical order and not ranked by quality.
Chernobylite
Chernobyliteis a science-fiction survival gamewith a healthy dose of horror elements, tasking players with exploring the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in search of their missing fiancee. Players take on the role of Igor Khymynuk, who has to gather supplies, craft items, and fight off enemies to survive.Chernobyliteallows players to make important decisions that can completely change the course of the game, all the while dealing with armed opponents and supernatural monsters.Chernobylitehas earned some comparisons to theSTALKERfranchise, and so fans of those games may also want to give it a look.
Little Nightmares 2
The originalLittle Nightmaresgame turned heads for its striking art style, terrifying creature designs, and brooding atmosphere.Little Nightmares 2features all that and more, with even creepier enemies, disturbing scenes, and heart-stopping scares.Little Nightmares 2is a puzzle/platformerwrapped in a grotesque horror package with a story that will stick with players long after the credits roll. And better yet, it’s much more polished than its predecessor gameplay-wise, making for an overall more enjoyable experience for horror game fans.
Mundaun
Out of all the horror games released in 2021, one that deserves some recognition for its unique art style isMundaun.Mundaunfeatures an interesting “sketchbook” art style that makes it look completely different than most other games and really helps it stand out in terms of its visual presentation. As far as the story and gameplay go,Mundaunstars Curdin, who is investigating the mysterious cirumstances surrounding his grandfather’s death. Players exploreMundaun’s sketchbook worldwith a first-person view, solving puzzles and confronting enemies.Mundaun’s puzzles are especially tricky, but anyone that’s able to overcome them will find a visually-striking horror game that’s definitely worth checking out.
Resident Evil 4 VR
Resident Evil 4is generally considered one of the best action-horror games ever made, earning widespread critical acclaim at the time of its original release in 2005. SinceResident Evil 4launched in 2005, Capcom has re-released the game on numerous occasions, porting it to PS2 with extra content, bringing it to the Wii with well-received motion controls, and producing an HD version for more modern consoles. However, the latestResident Evil 4re-release may very well be the most ambitious and worthwhile to date.
PlayingResident Evil 4 VRfor the Oculus Quest 2is like playingRE4for the first time all over again. The virtual reality version of the beloved game swaps its innovative third-person, over-the-shoulder camera for a first-person view, putting players directly in Leon S. Kennedy’s shoes as he squares off against all kinds of monstrosities in his quest to save the president’s daughter.Resident Evil 4 VRis an accurate recreation of the original game in terms of story beats and general gameplay, but the jump to VR allows players to interact with the game world in a fundamentally different way, completely changing how puzzles feel and how combat works.
Gameplay-wise,Resident Evil 4 VRis one of the standout horror games of the year, and one of the best virtual reality games of 2021 as well. And it’s set to become an even better experience as time goes on. It’s been confirmed that a free update dropping in 2022 willadd The Mercenaries game mode toResident Evil 4 VR, so fans have that to look forward to next year.
Resident Evil Village
2021 marked the 25th anniversary of theResident Evilfranchise, and so lucky fans were treated to multiple new releases in the series. Not only didResident Evil 4 VRdrop in 2021, but so too didResident Evil Village, the direct sequel toResident Evil 7and a tremendous horror game in its own right.Resident Evil Villagepicks up whereResident Evil 7left off, following the lives of Ethan Winters and his wife Mia as they attempt to raise their baby daughter. However, Ethan and Mia’s lives are turned upside down when Chris Redfield and his squad break into their house and seemingly kidnap their daughter.
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This leads to Ethan finding himself in the titular “village,” a rural European area that just so happens to be populated by werewolf-like monsters and a group of extremely powerful beings. The headlining creature Ethan squares off against isLady Dimitrescu, an abnormally tall vampire who has quickly become one of theResident Evilfranchise’s most popular villains. Lady Dimitrescu really stole the show inResident Evil Village, but there are plenty of other horrific monsters for players to contend with as well.
Returnal
Housemarque has consistently put out high-quality shoot ‘em up games for years, but it takes things to the next level withReturnal.Returnalwas one of many timeloop gamesthat released in 2021, but its take on the gimmick is decidedly more disturbing than most. InReturnal, protagonist Selene finds herself stranded on a hostile alien planet full of relentless and deadly creatures. Selene is able to acquire a variety of weapons and other items to give her an edge over these beasts, but one wrong move and she can die.
When Selene dies inReturnal, she simply returns to the beginning of the game, trapped in a loop where she can never leave the planet. Being stuck in a strange world without even being able to escape through death is upsetting enough, but Selene also has to contend with her inner demons and explore a creepy house.Returnalis all action gameplay-wise, but the game certainly has enough psychological horror elements to still appeal to horror fans.
Scarlet Hollow
Interactive visual novels may not be for everyone, but one of the better visual novels released in 2021 wasScarlet Hollow. Developed by Black Tabby Games,Scarlet Hollowis technically in early access at the time of this writing, with two out of seven episodes currently available (and episode 2 having released in 2021, which is whyScarlet Hollowqualifies for this list). But even though horror fans can’t get the fullScarlet Hollowexperience just yet, what’s there is already excellent.Scarlet Hollowhas players investigating a supernatural mystery and unearthing the secrets of the titular Appalachian town Scarlet Hollow, and it will leave players hooked and anxious to see where the story will go next.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
Ever since rising to fame withUntil Dawn, Supermassive Games has been putting out similar horror gaming experiences with itsDark Pictures Anthology. Each installment inThe Dark Pictures Anthologyhas improved on the previous one from a gameplay standpoint, withThe Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashesthe most polished of the bunch so far. Thecelebrity guest star in this installment is Ashley Tisdale, who plays Rachel King, trapped in an ancient underground temple in the midst of the Iraq War.The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashesretains the co-op gameplay of its predecessors and once again allows players to change the course of the story based on their choices, giving it a decent amount of replay value in the process.
The Medium
Bloober Team has made a name for itself in the horror gaming space as a studio to watch, delivering well-received horror games like theLayers of Feargames and theBlair Witchvideo game adaptation. Most of Bloober Team’s horror game efforts have stuck with a first-person viewpoint, but the studio stepped outside its comfort zone withThe Medium, an ambitious next-generation horror game that takes its cues from classic horror titles likeSilent Hill.
The Mediumuses classic horror game elements like somewhat-fixed camera angles, exploration, and puzzle solving to create an experience that is both familiar and new at the same time. Its main gameplay hook is that the protagonist can exist in two different planes of existence at once, which factors into enemy encounters as well as some of the game’s puzzles.The Mediumwas an Xbox Game Pass day one gameat the time of its launch and is one of the only horror games released to date that’s only playable on PS5 or Xbox Series X, making it one of the first true next-gen horror experiences out here.
Tormented Souls
Many horror games have attempted to replicate the style of 90s horror hits like the originalResident EvilandSilent Hill, but few have actually been successful at it.Tormented Soulsis one of the better attempts at this, delivering an experience that should greatly appeal to old-school horror game fans.Tormented Soulshas players exploring a spooky hospitalas one Caroline Walker, who is investigating the disappearance of two young girls, and finds herself face to face with all kinds of unspeakable horrors.
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