5 Upcoming Horror Games That Will Frighten You To Your Core

Horror games have the best atmosphere. Dystopian landscapes, haunted mansions, and a variety of settings allow developers to shock us. Classics like Resident Evil, Amnesia, and Silent Hill did horror best, but now the torch has been passed down. Newer horror games have taken that same formula, but implemented better gameplay, visuals, and storytelling techniques. Now, there are numerous subgenres of horror, including survival-horror, action-horror, psychological-horror, and more.

Plenty of promising horror games are coming out within the next year or two. Bloober Team’s upcoming Cronos: The New Dawn is like Dead Space but bigger and more action-packed. Silent Hill is also returning with a new mainline game after thirteen years. So much horror goodness is on the way, and here is a brief look at some that will surely terrify you to your core.

The Sinking City 2

A supernatural flood has overrun the city of Arkham. As the protagonist, you must learn why and how you can stop it. The Sinking City 2 is a pure detective storyline, but since monsters are heavily featured in the game, there’s a lot of melee and ranged action as well. The Sinking City 1 implemented an investigation system in quests. Players always had to find a set number of clues, and depending on how many you had found, you’d be given additional routes, lore, and endings for the quests. 

However, The Sinking City 2 has ditched mandatory investigative work as a progress blocker. Instead, The Sinking City 2 is narrative-driven, carrying itself only on its Lovecraftian setting, combat, and story. The investigation system is still present in the game, but now finding clues and putting two and two together is optional. 

If you do investigative work, you’ll find hidden secrets, rewards, and potentially better endings to quests. The Sinking City 1 had mixed reviews. The clunky combat and repetitive investigation system ruined the experience for some. Thankfully, its sequel addresses both issues. So now, there should be nothing else holding gamers back from diving headfirst into the floods of Arkham.

Tormented Souls 2

Fixed camera angles used to be how horror video games were done. Resident Evil did it best back in the day, but with modernizations in gameplay, this became outdated. However, the 2021 horror indie game Tormented Souls brought the fixed camera style back, and now its sequel is trying to do one better. Tormented Souls 2 picks up right after the story of the first game. Caroline turns to the supernatural for a cure to her sister’s ailment. This search soon leads her to a town full of mysteries and monsters.

Tormented Souls 2’s visual fidelity is on par with AAA games. The environmental art is clean and gloomy. The fixed camera angles are complemented by the art and the various haunted locations visited throughout. Scripted events make for good horror storytelling. That’s done through enemies giving chase and moments where you have to face grotesque creatures in grim hallways. 

Tormented Souls 2 is beautifully made, should tell a good tale, and makes you reminisce on the classic 2000s horror titles. There’s a good chance Tormented Souls 2 will fly under most people’s radars. You should wishlist it now, especially if you’re a fan of earlier Resident Evil games.

A.I.L.A

A.I.L.A is a first-person horror game with photorealistic visuals. It’s running on the Unreal Engine 5, so the graphics are crystal clear and crisp. In the game, you’re playtesting A.I.L.A., a program that can simulate fictional horror stories tailored to each user. But as time goes by, the experiences begin to feel real.

As far as the setting goes, there will be multiple horror scenarios, not one single storyline. But all the different segments will share the same themes, like survival horror and psychological horror. Trailers also show gameplay to be intense. Quick reflexes are necessary, and there is a focus on melee fights and shooting. 

Other than that, puzzle solving and jump scares will be a big part of the game. A.I.L.A. is currently scheduled to arrive in 2025, and if that ends up happening, you’ll be in for one of the scariest games of this year. 

Silent Hill f

Silent Hill is one of the pioneers of video game horror. The series was popular in the 2000s but slowly started fading away towards the end of the decade. However, today, the critical acclaim of the Silent Hill 2 remake has put the series back on the map. After thirteen years, Silent Hill is finally returning with a new mainline entry: Silent Hill f.

Silent Hill f is set in the fictional town of Ebisugaoka, Japan, in the 1960s. The narrative follows Hinako Shimizu as she navigates the town, encountering monsters in the process and surviving on her own. Of course, Ebisugaoka is consumed by the signature fog the series is known for. 

From looking at the trailers, the enemy design is creepy, the environments unsettling, and the atmosphere haunting. Silent Hill f possesses all the hallmarks of a great horror game. But more than that, it’s a new mainline entry in a series considered by many as the pinnacle of video game horror. So if Silent Hill f is anything like its predecessors, you’re in for one hell of a ride.

Cronos: The New Dawn

After the dreadfully delicious Silent Hill 2 remake, Bloober Team is staying the course and following up with Cronos: The New Dawn. Most of humanity is left deformed as monsters in the aftermath of an apocalypse. Players, assuming the role of the Traveler, a soldier sent back in time to 1980s Poland, must rescue people of interest.

Related: All 12 Mainline Resident Evil Games, Ranked

The art style of Cronos is dystopian with horror elements. The level design is linear, like that of Dead Space, albeit the environments are larger, complex, and more detailed. Bloober Team’s games usually focus a lot on narrative storytelling. That’s still true for Cronos: The New Dawn, but it’s also just as much action-intensive. 

Melee combat features brutal stomps, and ranged combat will let you spill the guts of creatures with pistols and shotguns. And of course, with guts comes a lot of gore. Enemies creep up behind you in each encounter. Jump scares are abundant. Every nook and cranny is a haven for monsters. With every trailer, Cronos: The New Dawn looks more and more promising. Given Bloober Team’s track record, this is shaping up to be another horrifically appetizing outing.