Psychological Horror Games
Table of Contents
The line between reality and nightmare blurs in these unsettling psychological horror games. Immerse yourself in haunting narratives and disturbing imagery.
PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR GAMES
Psychological horror games delve into the depths of the human psyche, aiming to unsettle and disturb players rather than relying solely on jump scares. They often feature unsettling environments, mind-bending puzzles, and a gradual descent into madness.
The focus is on creating a sense of dread, isolation, and paranoia, manipulating the player’s perception of reality and blurring the lines between the real and the surreal. These games frequently explore themes of mental illness, trauma, and existential dread, leaving players questioning their sanity and the nature of the world around them.
11F
11F is one of those psychological horror games that may appeal more to those who appreciate bizarre concepts. Don’t get me wrong, the game is scary and full of horror. Jump scare and psychological horror elements are all there. However, there are lots of weird scenarios and they are crafted beautifully.
Scripted and sporadic scenarios trigger videos that interrupt gameplay. These videos feature strange people and places doing or performing odd things. You must decipher their meaning but there are always enough clues to help figure out their significance.
Exploring the building reveals many rooms with unique properties that tell a story. It’s like having short stories that all connect to the main storyline. You’ll have a general idea at the beginning of the game but the whole concept comes together impactfully at the end.
ADAM: LOST MEMORIES
The proposed storyline for Adam: Lost Memories initially captured my attention. The game description states that the game is made based on unfavorable childhood experiences. The storyline explores trauma, anxiety, and depression stemming from child abuse.
The game description from Steam states, “Fear in real life is not from zombies that want to eat your brain, or the ghost that came back from the after-life to open your fridge while you slept. True fear is when you cry in the corner of your small room for some food and water. When you are constantly shamed and humiliated for years and can’t see the end of it. I want you to feel this type of terror because this is what child abuse is, and I think more people should talk about it.”
Adam: Lost Memories was made by one developer and published by AdamDubiGames. The game does have some minor issues but they are not game breaking. The storyline, environment, atmosphere, horror, and everything else about this game is worth a watch or playthrough.
FRACTURED MIND
Fractured Mind isn’t a full game yet, but the demo is so remarkable that it deserves a spot on this list. The gameplay is similar to P.T. where the room repeats but subtle changes take place over time or through each iteration. The difference here is you are contained within a subway car that repeats. This helps create a sensation of claustrophobia.
The storyline is haunting and the psychological horror aspects are shocking. Some of the horror sequences are downright terrifying. The speaker system repeats “You are a goddamn murderer” with “MURDERER” strolling across the information screen. Throw in some blood, random frozen people, monsters, and more, and you’ve got yourself a cocktail of terror.
I hope that the finished game provides a similar experience. Psychological horror games like this don’t creep me out as much as this one too often. I’ll update this portion of the article once the full version of the game is complete and I’ve played it. In the meantime, watch or play the Fractured Mind demo.
IN THE FACADE WE TRUST
Twists and turns pretty much sums up In The Facade We Trust. You are stuck in a loop with two entities that give you hell. One is a stalker that won’t leave you alone and the other is a creature that invades your space. Both of them have motives you need to navigate as you progress. The choices you make will ultimately lead to one of two outcomes.
There aren’t many gameplay mechanics. You explore and trigger progress through notes, keys, or dialog. The lack of gameplay elements is made up through horror and storyline. Some creepy moments rattle the bones. You can mix in a few jump scares, too. The story is good and unfolds nicely.
TEN BELLS
Unique to this list is Ten Bells. Primarily an anomaly video game, the psychological horror elements are too powerful to ignore and can be felt as soon as you start the game.
You are stuck in an old English pub. The object is to find anomalies as you loop through the pub. What makes this anomaly video game unique is the presence of the bartender, barmaid, and the anomalies that slowly reveal the storyline buried within the pub and its employees. The tension is heavy from the start, as soon as you enter the pub, and it never lets up.
There is so much to love about Ten Bells and I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything. Either watch the playthrough or play the game yourself but only if you are interested in anomaly video games.
THE INN-SANITY
The Inn-Sanity will make you question your sanity and wonder if you have gone insane. Fans of psychological horror games will find many aspects of what we like about these types of games. There are puzzles, mysteries, and tough choices. The Inn-Sanity is unnerving and scary, too.
You check into a hotel and things are strange right from the start, most notably from your character. He can’t see people’s faces, he says strange things to himself, and he seems anxious. Once you get to the hotel room, all hell breaks loose. Everything unfolds from there and the journey to the end is quite a ride.
I found The Inn-Sanity to be a pleasant surprise. It’s not perfect and there can be some bizarre moments but the horror, storyline, and mysteries make The Inn-Sanity a fantastic experience.
RECOGNIZABLE TITLES
The following psychological horror games are recognizable by the vast majority of gamers. They are good games and worth checking out if you haven’t already. I did not include them in this list because my focus here has been on obscure titles.
PLAYLIST
SCREENSHOTS
AS I SEE IT
The psychological horror games on this list are obscure but worth investing time in if you enjoy the genre. They may not be as polished as titles backed by multiple developers or larger studios but I believe these titles deserve recognition. Maybe one day I’ll have to move some of these titles to the recognizable titles list you see above.
SUGGEST A GAME
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CHANGELOG
- 11/19/2024 – Original Post
- 02/19/2025 – Added In The Facade We Trust