5 Horror Games to Play if You Loved Backrooms

Backrooms is a hit film that adapts director Kane Parsons’ web series to the big stage. Of course, the movie is only the tip of the iceberg for the expansive world of The Backrooms, which is itself an offshoot of the liminal space aesthetic. The good news for fans of Backrooms is that there are dozens of similar games to dive into if you want to get a better idea of what the genre has to offer. These games might not always look like Backrooms, but they will all scratch that same itch.

Videos by ComicBook.com

Here are five great horror games to try out if you loved Backrooms. The list is presented in alphabetical order, so don’t pay much attention to the rankings.

5) Escape the Backrooms

Escape the Backrooms is probably the closest this list gets to the film. There’s another game I’ll talk about later that uses a similar aesthetic, but this 1-4 player co-op will instantly remind you of the hit movie. Here, you play as a researcher exploring several different unique levels, each based on different Backrooms creepypasta. You’ll have to learn how to survive each area and deal with the various hostile enemies.

Like many popular horror co-op games, Escape the Backrooms features proximity voice chat, helping build the tension as you can’t stay in constant communication with your friends. This one has become a massive hit on Steam, and the developers recently launched it on consoles, making it easier than ever to step inside this unsettling world.

4) Subliminal

Let’s get this out of the way: Subliminal is a gorgeous-looking game thanks to its best-in-class lighting. You’ll almost forget you’re supposed to be scared while walking around some of these environments on good hardware. Thankfully, the developers are quick to remind you that this is a horror game.

In fact, Subliminal uses that same lighting to constantly keep you on your toes. If you shine your light on an environment, it might change everything. Shadows warp to become something truly terrifying. Making it even scarier, Subliminal slowly starts to rot around you, taking you to places that might feel familiar, only to surprise you with something horrific. It’s much more puzzle-based than some of the other games on this list, which means it’s not for everybody. However, if you’re down for that, you’ll have a spookily great time.

3) The Complex: Expedition

The Complex: Expedition is decidedly more lo-fi. This story is told through the viewpoint of a VHS camera as you and your team head into The Complex, a world inspired by The Backrooms, but not technically connected to that intricate lore. Unfortunately, things quickly go wrong, and you’re left on your own trying to find your way out of this twisting, seemingly infinite maze.

What’s neat about The Complex is that there are several different endings to uncover, giving this one plenty of replay value. Plus, develop pgWave also put out The Complex: Found Footage a few years earlier, which isn’t quite as beloved, but still offers fans another great avenue to dive into The Complex‘s story.

2) The Exit 8

The Exit 8 starts in a relatively normal-looking subway station, but it quickly dovetails into one of the strangest games you’ll ever play. Locked inside an endless underground passageway, you need to quickly assess each situation and appropriately react, or you’ll find yourself in big trouble.

Exit 8 is also a relatively short game, with most players finishing it in under an hour. If you fall in love like so many other players, the sequel, Platform 8, is also quite good, and the upcoming Strange Shadow seems promising. Heck, there was even a movie adaptation in 2025, which performed pretty well critically and commercially.

1) Pools

Pools is another gorgeous-looking walking sim, but this one relies almost exclusively on atmosphere for its horror. You’re exploring six different chapters, each of which will only take you about 30 minutes, so don’t expect to be inside Pools‘ universe for long. Still, it’ll be an experience you won’t forget.

This is a game you’ll have to see to the end, even if you need to take a few breaks before getting there. It is so oppressive and unsettling that you’ll constantly be afraid of what’s around the next corner. Even if I tell you there’s nothing there, you won’t believe me because the developers at Tensori are masters at building tension.

It’s even better in virtual reality. There, you’re fully immersed in the world, making Pools even more terrifying. It’s pretty incredible what the team was able to put together without adding any real monsters or creepy notes to build a story. If you have access to a VR headset, be sure to check this one out.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!