No other medium can pull off bone-chilling horror quite like video games. That might come off as a hot take at first, but upon close examination, it’s easy to see why. The best horror games place you right in the shoes of the protagonist and force you to face hellish nightmares.
You also receive barely any time to get your bearings since these games task you with finding a way out immediately. The specific brand of horror also varies from title to title, often ranging from the most horrifying anomalies tucked away in dark corners to subversive scares that lull you into a sense of security before shaking you to the core.
The past few years have been great for the genre, and if you’re looking for recommendations, here’s our list of the best PS5 horror games to play in 2025.
1. Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Developer(s): Capcom
- Release Date: 24 March 2023
This entry was a toss-up between Resident Evil 4 (2005) and its faithful remake from two years ago. While the original holds up surprisingly well to this day, Capcom’s modern reimagining of one of the best games of all time takes the cake for several reasons. In it, you step into the tactical gear of Leon S. Kennedy once again as he arrives in a rural Spanish village in search of the President’s daughter. The events that ensue are equal parts thrilling and terrifying, with the one-man mission devolving into an all-out war with a religious cult.
As mentioned earlier, the remake is great for many reasons, chief among them being the reworked combat. Not only are the core mechanics well-executed, with every shot offering satisfying feedback, but the arsenal of weapons is also bigger and more extravagant. The same praise can be extended to the melee controls, as Leon can roundhouse kick his way through a horde of zombies or target individual enemies for a devastating suplex.
The game presents so many diverse scenarios for players to tackle without slamming the brakes on the narrative’s tempo, a remarkable achievement in itself. If you have never played Resident Evil 4 before, don’t starve yourself of an amazing experience any longer.
2. Dead Space
- Developer(s): EA Motive
- Release Date: 27 January 2023
Originally released in 2008, Dead Space wowed audiences with its unique brand of sci-fi, claustrophobic horror, which remains just as captivating in the remake. Set aboard one of gaming’s most iconic locations, the USG Ishimura, the game sees starship engineer Isaac Clarke skulk through dimly lit corridors and metallic halls on a mission to uncover the mystery behind the station turning into a derelict ruin. Flickering lights and the ominous glow of computer screens serve as the only sources of illumination, while the station remains deathly quiet most of the time.
This uncomfortable silence gets interrupted by the scampering of dangerous Necromorphs out of nowhere. These disfigured creatures can drop down from the ceiling, break through vents, or surprise you by bursting through glass windows. And the only way to take them down? “Cut off their limbs.”
Dead Space gets our thumbs up due to the creativity baked into its setting, weapons, and combat system. It’s gory, tense, atmospheric, and spine-chilling, with audio design that is so unnerving that you might be forced to put the game down for a bit. We can only hope that the sequel also receives the remake treatment.
3. Silent Hill 2 Remake
- Developer(s): Bloober Team, Konami
- Release Date: 7 October 2024
Silent Hill 2 (2001) is universally known as one of the finest horror games ever made. The title is revered to such a degree that even its faults and technical limitations are heralded as accidental additions to the haunting atmosphere. So, imagine taking on a remake project as Herculean as this and nailing it in almost every way possible. Well, that’s exactly what Bloober Team has managed to do.
The Polish studio went beyond simply updating the visuals and fixing the combat, and instead demonstrated a deep understanding of the game’s themes and the intentions behind its story beats. As a result, the character redesigns are simply perfect, and the expansion of the original levels helps flesh things out in a meaningful way. While the OG soundtrack was already sublime, returning composer Akira Yamaoka reworked the OST from the ground up for the remake, breathing new life into the sonic landscape.
To sum things up, Silent Hill 2 will scare you in so many different ways before you get to its jaw-dropping conclusion. This is not a game for the faint of heart, something that is exemplified by the expression on James Sunderland’s face whenever you reach a save point — the guy looks like he just wants to be put out of his misery.
4. Alien: Isolation
- Developer(s): Creative Assembly, Sega
- Release Date: 6 October 2014
Created as a continuation of the iconic 1979 Ridley Scott movie, Alien: Isolation is easily the best piece of media attached to the license, trumped only by the original film. The game caught everyone by surprise at launch, and it took years before its genius was universally recognized.
The first-person title is essentially an intense game of cat and mouse that wonderfully captures what the movie was all about. In it, you play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, who boards a derelict space station to learn more about her mother’s whereabouts. Unfortunately for her, the facility has been ransacked by a relentless Xenomorph, who’d love nothing more than to tear you into pieces. That’s not all of your troubles, either, as you’ll also come across malfunctioning androids and duplicitous crew members who can be just as dangerous as the titular Alien itself.
The secret sauce that makes Alien: Isolation so memorable is the incredibly intelligent Xenomorph AI. It doesn’t operate on your standard NPC logic, as the devs went above and beyond to make the monster truly menacing. It’ll learn your hiding patterns, double-check rooms, and even tank through damage after it experiences the heights of your firepower. Its supreme intellect is paired with invincibility, and the ability to kill you on sight creates a feeling of hopelessness few other games can manage. You can easily find the game on sale for as low as $5.99, which is a bargain for one of the best horror games on PS5.
5. Alan Wake 2
- Developer(s): Remedy Entertainment
- Release Date: 27 October 2023
On a surface level, Alan Wake 2 (Review) is a slick third-person, survival horror title featuring two protagonists with intertwined stories, who you can freely switch between at any time. It continues the tale of eponymous writer Alan Wake, as he pieces together the final draft of Return, his latest book, in an effort to escape the mysterious Dark Place. The core gameplay loop is filled with over-the-shoulder combat and intricate puzzles that have you writing scenarios on the fly to change the events around you.
All this might sound pretty standard at first, but as you dive deeper into the game’s story, you’ll likely be flummoxed by its narrative complexities and stylistic motifs. Alan Wake 2 is a deeply meta narrative story that runs circles around itself, forcing the player to unknowingly relive events again and again until they’re finally able to break the case. I’ll refrain from spelling things out any further for the sake of spoilers. But I’m happy to say that the game displays Remedy firing on all cylinders, be it the original OST, the neo-noir elements, or simply the stellar visuals.
Genre-bending experiences like Alan Wake 2 come along very rarely, making it a must-play for fans of survival-horror or even third-person action games in general.
6. Resident Evil 7
- Developer(s): Capcom
- Release Date: 24 January 2017
Resident Evil 7 was a bold new frontier for the legendary franchise, both in terms of the setting and the new first-person perspective. Naturally, players approached the title with skepticism, but these doubts eventually turned into critical acclaim. I was similarly blown away by the title, and it remains, in my opinion, the scariest Resident Evil game yet.
RE 7 wastes no time in getting started as our protagonist is viciously assaulted by his wife, who was presumed dead, before getting his hand chopped off and being abducted by the menacing figure of Jack Baker. After regaining consciousness, the player is forcibly initiated into the twisted Baker Family and fed a disgusting slug for good measure. All these events happen in just the first hour of the game, and things only get crazier from here on.
Despite the transition to first-person gameplay, the game feels inherently Resident Evil. Just like the original trilogy, there’s a strong emphasis on survival as the frightening family will constantly be on your tail while you’re solving puzzles and uncovering story beats to get out of this nightmare. Boss encounters are also just as punishing, and resources are similarly limited. All of this means that you’ll never feel comfortable throughout the game’s duration, which is something only the best horror titles can achieve without opting for broken mechanics.
Resident Evil 7 is sure to please all fans of the genre, regardless of their affinity for a specific kind of spooky.
7. Mouthwashing
- Developer(s): Wrong Organ, Critical Reflex
- Release Date: Coming 2025
Mouthwashing is easily the smallest game here in terms of runtime, yet it has the highest potential to leave you scarred for weeks. Developed by Wrong Organ, this indie horror title burst onto the scene last year and gathered plenty of acclaim on Steam, with the devs eventually announcing a forthcoming port for the PS5 scheduled to release in 2025.
The game is set on board a freighter spaceship called The Tulpar, which suffers a catastrophic crash right at the beginning. The events that follow can only be described as a surrealist nightmare that blurs the lines between reality and hallucination.
Despite clocking in at just over 2 hours for full completion, Mouthwashing manages to delve into themes such as suicide, addiction, jealousy, subterfuge, and sexual assault. The core gameplay mostly involves walking around in the first-person perspective, interspersed with basic puzzle solving. Normally, this loop could prove to be bland, but Mouthwashing is anything but. Its small cast of characters is incredibly well-written, and the atmosphere it creates is so bleak and intentionally subversive that it’s impossible to predict what the game has in store for you next.
This unpredictability is also partly because of its unique narrative structure. The game will unceremoniously take you from flashbacks to months in the future, abruptly moving on to the next story sequence before players have even come to grips with the previous one. For all these reasons and more, I highly recommend giving Mouthwashing a chance when it finally lands on the PS5.
8. Resident Evil 2 Remake
- Developer(s): Capcom
- Release Date: 25 January 2019
Resident Evil 2 Remake is so good that it sparked a remake trilogy, which brought two more classic RE games to modern consoles. The first remake of the trilogy set the bar for the rest as it rebuilt the original from scratch while preserving its most important elements.
The game moves away from tank controls and fixed camera angles to a third-person perspective coupled with an over-the-shoulder combat system. It also recaptures the vibe of wandering around a zombie-infested police station perfectly, including all the strange puzzles you could ask for.
The combat at the heart of the game feels more satisfying than ever in the 2019 remake. Weapons are nice and crunchy to use, partly due to the tactical dismemberment system that sees zombie parts tear off after receiving constant damage. And for those looking for spooks, things don’t get much scarier than hearing the hulking footsteps of Mr. X reverberate through the room as you frantically attempt to complete a puzzle. RE 2 Remake goes on deep sales every two months or so, and for those prices, it’s a must-play.
9. Still Wakes The Deep
- Developer(s): The Chinese Room
- Release Date: 18 June 2024
Speaking of creative settings, Still Wakes The Deep is a Lovecraftian nightmare set onboard a barely functional oil rig in the middle of the ocean. You play as Caz McLeary, an electrician on the vessel who’s about to have the worst day of his life, and that’s before the horrors even begin. In just the first 20 minutes, our protagonist unfurls a letter from his wife, who sounds like she wants a divorce. He is then reprimanded by his abusive boss before subsequently being fired. This is followed up by a parasitic spiral opening up beneath the rig, which slowly consumes his friends and threatens to capsize the vessel itself — Just your standard Monday morning at work.
Still Wakes The Deep remains just as tense and scary throughout the rest of its 4-5 hour runtime. It also features no combat, leaving you practically defenseless against the tendrilled monstrosities that were once your co-workers. The game’s first-person perspective furthers your immersion as every flooded corridor appears increasingly claustrophobic. So, if you’re all about atmospheric horror, Still Wakes The Deep should be right up your alley.
10. The Evil Within
- Developer(s): Tango Gameworks, Bethesda
- Release Date: 14 October 2014
Directed by legendary game maker Shinji Mikami, The Evil Within is a solid iteration of the Resident Evil formula, which manages to capture the franchise’s essence without being derivative. Players take the role of Sebastian Castellanos, a police detective, who’s called in to investigate a mass murder at a local hospital. Events transpire, including a seismic earthquake that levels the entire city, before our protagonist and his partners are sucked into a psychological nightmare.
This alternate plane of reality harbors all sorts of dangerous enemies who will attack you on sight. Aside from being terrifying to look at, some of them are also notoriously tanky. Resources are scarce, so you’ll spend a lot of time rummaging around in search of bullets and crafting materials, which creates a constant sense of desperation. Outside of this loop, the game features many action-driven setpieces, some of which are incredibly creative. While its visuals and combat mechanics felt a bit dated even by 2014 standards, The Evil Within remains an excellent horror title, especially for players looking for alternatives to Resident Evil.
11. Five Nights At Freddy’s
- Developer(s): Scott Cawthon
- Release Date: 8 August 2014
If you’ve never played the point-and-click horror game that spawned a billion-dollar brand, then this is your invitation to do so immediately. While every FNaF title is worth checking out at least once, the original remains the scariest in my opinion. You play as the nighttime security guard for Chuck E. Cheese…err, I mean Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a pizza joint for kids. While the restaurant has no human presence after hours, it is populated by four animatronic animals who are allowed to wander freely.
As it turns out, these furry friends have homicidal tendencies, and if you don’t stay vigilant at all times, they will stuff your mutilated corpse into a mechanical suit. To prevent this, you’ll need to manage a barebones power supply to strategically close doors and flash lights whenever one of the animatronics gets a little too close to the security room. Each level in the game gets considerably harder, culminating in a nightmarish final night that you’re likely to fail countless times. Don’t let its FNaF’s age deter you from one of the best PS5 horror games on the market.
12. Until Dawn
- Developers(s): Supermassive Games, SIE
- Release Date: 25 August 2015
Until Dawn is a classic ’70s Slasher flick except in video game form. From the premise to the star-studded cast, this could’ve easily been a low-budget Hollywood production that eventually garnered a cult-following. But fortunately for players, it went the video game route instead and cemented its status as one of the best horror games available on PS5.
The plot reads like a standard B-grade horror movie setup, centered around a group of carefree teens who go vacationing in a cabin in the woods. Their interpersonal tensions are clear to see, ranging from fractured friendships to exes with unresolved issues. All the tension comes to a head when characters start disappearing and eventually succumb to gruesome deaths. As they struggle to make sense of what is happening, players are forced to make increasingly difficult choices that can have brutal consequences. All this makes for an interactive experience that is riddled with tropes and predictable jump scares but still packs plenty of surprises.
The game recently received a visual uplift for the PS5, so if you can find it on a discount, I highly recommend snagging it over the PS4 version.
13. Phasmophobia
- Developer(s): Kinetic Games
- Release Date: 18 September 2020
Initially released into Steam early access, Phasmophoia quickly found success as a Twitch hit thanks to its co-op focus and unique premise. The game lets players form a group of four and take on audacious contracts that have them skulking around haunted homes and abandoned prisons in search of a ghostly presence. The objective is to simply identify the supernatural being instead of trying to capture it, meaning that your squad is defenseless if the entity decides to embark on a murderous rampage.
Nothing beats the first time you hear your buddies screaming at the top of their lungs when confronted by a Revenant, or the dread that overcomes you on seeing their bodies twist and contort before succumbing to a premature end. Unlike every other game on this list, Phasmophobia isn’t just about the spooks. You’ll frequently find yourself laughing along with your friends while trying to digest the sheer ridiculousness of what’s unfolding on the screen. If you’re looking for a horror game to experience with your buddies, it doesn’t get much better than Phasmophobia.
14. Outlast 2
- Developer(s): Red Barrels
- Release Date: 24 April 2017
The sequel to Red Barrel’s 2013 horror classic, Outlast 2, applies its predecessor’s formula to an even scarier location, ditching the dingy mental asylum in favor of the Sonoran Desert. Just like the first game, players take the role of an investigative journalist armed with a camcorder. On this occasion, the protagonist is forced to delve deeper and deeper into the affairs of a religious cult, with matters taking a turn for the worse almost immediately.
Outlast 2 is all about psychosocial torment. Don’t get me wrong, the game still features its fair share of gore and religious extremism. But above everything else, it manages to induce a strong sense of desperation at all times. The lighting, or lack thereof, plays a significant role in this, ensuring that players are caught off guard by patrolling enemies frequently. This, coupled with the character’s limited movement, can be extremely disorienting, which actually works in favor of the experience. If you aren’t afraid of some oppressive horror, Outlast 2 carries scares worth a few sleepless nights.
15. Amnesia: The Bunker
- Developer(s): Frictional Games
- Release Date: 6 June 2023
The Amnesia franchise has a rich history of claustrophobic horror games that have helped define the genre and inspire other titles. Amnesia: The Bunker successfully builds on this legacy with yet another petrifying experience set in the midst of World War 1.
Just like the name suggests, the game takes place within the confines of a dimly lit bunker, which could run out of power at any time and plunge into complete darkness. This doesn’t bode well for our protagonist, Henri, who’s trapped in this narrow space with a grotesque behemoth known only as The Beast. With just one way out of the bunker, players must navigate this stone-walled labyrinth using the humble tools at their disposal, all while staying out of the sightlines of the hulking monster.
The core premise works extremely well for Amnesia’s depressing and unnerving brand of horror. And just like Alien: Isolation’s Xenomorph, The Beast learns from your patterns and adapts accordingly, further raising the difficulty ceiling.
And that rounds out our list of the best PS5 horror games to play in 2025. What did you make of the list? Do you disagree with any of our rankings? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
