Summary
Horror games have become a ubiquitous part of the gaming industry, pitting players against the stuff nightmares are made of, such as zombies, eldritch beings, mutated monsters, andghosts. While the former has been stealing the spotlight lately in Capcom’s steadyResident Evilreleases, there are plenty of games involving the latter that are deserving of love.
Ghost-hunting gameshavehaunted the gamingscene since the early 2000s with releases such asLuigi’s MansionandFatal Frame,demonstrating the versatility developers could bring with their own take on spirits and how to oust them.
Updated July 09, 2025 by Mara Cowley:The colder months have truly rolled in now, but for those still looking for a little tingle down their spine, why not check out a ghost game or two? While not all titles define themselves as horror, these games still contain restless undead spirits, and not all will be friendly.
So saddle up, grab your proton pack or camera obscura, and take on theseghost hunting games, which have been updated to include more scarily good titles that are sure to haunt the memories of players.
August 28th, 2021
Platform(s)
PC
Though still a work in progress,Obsideois a game with great potential. It is another4-player co-op gameabout using information on hand and evidence to determine what type of spirit haunts the property, and how best to banish it. Playing the roles of priests with all the equipment they should need, they are well-equipped. But are the players brave enough to survive what awaits them?
Rather than relying on context clues littered around them, players will need a more head-on approach to unveil the identity of the undead intruder. They need to witness its appearance, and exactly how it manipulates the surroundings, forcing them to confront the terrifying entity if they have any hope of succeeding.
May 15th, 2014
Hoping for a happy trip of rest and relaxation, a group of students instead find themselves in an old ghost town that is far from the picturesque getaway they were hoping for. But it only gets worse when they realize this place might be a literal ghost town. It now rests on the shoulders of Linda Meilinda to fend off the spirits, uncover the secrets, and see what destiny has in store for her.
Similar toFatal Frame, the player’s only means of defense is her smartphone or digital camera she can use to investigate or defend herself against the ghosts. Tapping into some terrifying parts of Indonesianmythology,DreadOutis a ghost game unlike most others that players have experienced.
FMV gamesare rare, especially in modern-day titles, but games such asAt Dead of Nightare keeping this genre well and truly alive. Adding this live-action element to horror games elevates the heights of horror, especially given the fantastic performance given by all the actors, particularly that of Jimmy/Hugo Punch, the main antagonist.
In contrast to most ghost-hunting games, the playable character Maya uses a box to track down and communicate with the spirits trapped inside the hotel, who have all fallen victim to Jimmy. The spirits provide hints to Maya to help her uncover more about Jimmy in hopes of escaping his machinations.
When it comes to hunting down ghosts, there are none more qualified than the Ghostbusters. Not only content with busting ghosts in movies, they also have appeared in video games to hunt down and bust those pesky spirits.
Based loosely on the movies, players take on the role of the Rookie, the latest recruit in the Ghostbusters team, seeking out paranormal activities and entities. Armed with a proton pack, players can live out their wildest Ghostbusting dreams by weakening and then capturing the ghosts. With a full-story campaign to play through, there is plenty of ghost-hunting goodness to enjoy.
January 7th, 2022
For this ghost-hunting title, players should gather their bravest friends, asGhost Exileis an experience too terrifying to go it alone. Armed with equipment, basic knowledge, and a can-do attitude, one to four intrepid ghost hunters will enter haunted premises and try to piece together what the entity is exactly.
Similar to other online ghost-hunting games, players will use specialized equipment to identify the type of ghost it is and then use that knowledge to perform an exorcism that will rid the domicile of the ghost. Theseelements of mysterygiveGhost Exilean added layer of depth to make it even more exciting for its players.
For those who are afraid of stepping into the boots of paranormal investigators, fear not.Phasmophobiaallows players to bring up to three friends with them to the various haunted locations available and aid them in their investigation so they don’t have to brave it alone.
Witha rich variety of terrifying ghosts to encounter, multiple maps with varying themes and sizes, and an entire arsenal of ghost-hunting equipment,Phasmophobiais a fantastic multiplayer game and an excellent ghost-hunting game that provides genuine scares. Players must make use of their equipment to figure out which type of entity is haunting the location while managing their dwindling sanity and trying to survive deadly ghost encounters.
Set in the neon jungle of modern-day Tokyo,Ghostwire: Tokyois an inventive and original game that brings hauntings and possessions to public open spaces rather than hidden away in remote locations. The player is given control of psychic and paranormal abilities to exorcise the spirits that are haunting the streets and possessing the bodies of others.
Unlike the majority of ghost-hunting games,the protagonist is also supernatural in naturethanks to the abilities they need that level the playing field, and although some spirits look terrifying in appearance,Ghostwire: Tokyoplaces more emphasis on action and adventure rather than horror.
Another foray into ghost-hunting multiplayer is the more recentMidnight Ghost Hunt,an online game that invites players to suit up and boot up with friends. It sets itself apart fromPhasmophobiawith its more unique graphics style, the way players interact with ghosts, and the fact it’s a symmetrical multiplayer game pitting 4 hunters against 4 ghosts.
The objectives of both sides are simple. The hunters must confront and defeat the ghosts, and the ghosts must defeat the powers. Hunters are given a head-start as the ghosts can only hide and weaponize the environment, but at the stroke of midnight, the ghosts gain powers that can even the playing field or even tip the odds completely in their favor.
A monolith among mid-2000s horror games,F.E.A.R.brought one of the most terrifying entities from horror games in the form of Alma, a spirit that assumes the form of a young girl with pale skin and long black hair, akin to Sadako fromRinguor Kayako fromJu-On,all of whom are relentlessly terrifying.
FE.A.R.straddles the line between horror and action, pitting the players against the members of a private military that have been tapping into paranormal powers and unleashing a new, devastating power they could not contain. Though most of the game will see Point-Man killing members of the group responsible, Alma will surface on occasion to terrify the player with her frightening appearance and oppressive powers.
July 15th, 2021
For gamers who want a similar experience toPhasmophobia,Ghost Exorcism Incshould satisfy that itch, as it has players conducting investigations of areas rumored to be hotbeds of paranormal activity, infiltrating these areas, gathering evidence, and then successfully performing an exorcism.
Players can choose to brave the maps solo, granting them additional lives to make up for them playing alone, or play with up to three friends to storm them as an organized group. They must find up to four clues to uncover which of the 8 variants of entities it is and then dispatch the entity. With several different modes, such as exorcism only or rescue,Ghost Exorcism Incis a fun and engaging experience that is sure to keep players coming back for more.
