Over the last decade, indie horror games have become some of the biggest viral success stories in gaming. With the rise of social media and streaming platforms, theseunique horror gameshave found large audiences, with some becoming successful mainstream franchises.
While the big names in horror, likeResident Evil, continue to release popular titles, the indie scene offers unique gaming experiences that push the genre to exciting new places. Indie horror games have far smaller budgets than the larger studios, sure, but their originality shines through. These are games made with passion and creativity that move the horror genre forward, introducing new mechanics and monsters that can quickly become the new icons of horror.
This first-person survival title helped indie horror games gain wider recognition, with its emphasis on atmosphere and simple gameplay mechanics. Much likeAmnesia: Dark Descent, players only have access to a flashlight that has a limited battery life. The goal is to find eight pages, scattered throughout a dark forest, while avoiding Slender Man.
The game is based on aninfamous Creepypasta— a viral horror story shared online. The story of Slender Man quickly gained traction in online communities, with people expanding on the lore, creating new stories and content.Slender: The Eight Pagestook this story into new interactive areas, becoming a cult hit for horror fans. The character of Slender Man has become a staple of horror gaming, with this original title standing as a benchmark for the many short indie horror experiences that came after.
Phasmophobiaquickly became a popular hit and spawned countless clones, looking to capitalize on its innovative gameplay and viral success. This immersive horror game allows up to four players to work together in various haunted locations. In each location, a randomly spawned ghost will appear, and it is up to the players to discover what type of spirit it is — before the spirit is able to kill them all.
The game is filled with a creepy atmosphere. Random events will occur during a playthrough, from lights turning off, doors closing, and ghostly whispers. Players must find evidence of the ghost using different tools available to them. Proximity chat also plays a big role in the game, with the ghosts actually reacting to players’ in-game speech.Phasmophobiais theperfect game to play with friends. It found a huge following through its success on Twitch, with people loving the puzzle-solving elements in the game and how they mixed with its tense atmosphere.Phasmophobiahas led the way in indie multiplayer games, with many developers now attempting to recreate its viral success.
Limbois a critically acclaimed side-scrolling puzzle game in which players control a small boy trapped in a monochromatic nightmare as he searches for his lost sister. Giant, unsettling creatures lurk in the shadows, while environmental hazards block the way forward. The game features no combat, with players needing to solve various deadly puzzles to progress deeper into the haunting world.
Limbo’sbleak atmosphere and addictive gameplaymade it a hit with fans and critics alike. It paved the way for small-scale indie horror games such asLittle NightmaresandBramble: The Mountain King, as well as its spiritual successor,Inside.Limboremains one of the most original indie horror games available and is a must-play for fans of the genre.
Five Nights at Freddy’shas become one of the most popular horror franchises in the modern industry, withseveral sequels and even a movie adaptation. This original release was an innovative twist on the traditional point-and-click adventure game.Five Nights at Freddy’stakes place in Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza restaurant, where the night security guard is starting his shift.
What should have been a normal night, turns deadly when the animatronic characters come to life and go on a murderous rampage. The game is set within the control room of the restaurant, where players control doors, lights, and cameras to stop enemies from getting in. The game became a cult hit and was instrumental in highlighting the creativity in the indie horror scene. It has spawned many sequels and become one of the most recognizable franchises in horror gaming.
Amnesia: The Dark Descentbrings players into the mysterious castle, Brennenburg, filled with foreboding corridors, deformed monsters, and dark mysteries waiting to be unlocked. Players control Daniel, a man suffering from self-inflicted amnesia who is being hunted by the Shadow. As the game progresses, players will uncover more information on the dark experiments going on in the castle — and Daniel’s role in it all.
Amnesia: The Dark Descentis one of the scariest horror games ever made andset a benchmarkfor all survival horror. It pushed the genre to new places by providing players with no weaponry and only a temporary lamp to light the way. In the game, darkness is the biggest enemy. While monsters haunt the many corridors of Brennenburg,Amnesia’sinnovation comes with its dive into psychological horror. The longer players stay in the dark, the more twisted and scared Daniel becomes. This creates a constant sense of tension. As supplies dwindle and darkness closes in, the game feels claustrophobic and dares players to proceed further.
