The Best Horror Games Of 2023
Justin Wood
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This year was a truly outstanding year for horror games. From Alan Wake 2 to Dredge, we have seen some remarkable releases in the space this year. So, with the end of the year coming up, we’re counting down the top 10 horror games of 2023!
10. Resident Evil 4 Remake
Available on Ps4/5, Xbox Series, PC, and iOS
Capcom has been on an interesting trajectory. Between some stellar remakes and excellent new additions to the mainline series with Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village. With this continued hot streak, it was no surprise that Resident Evil 4 Remake would be outstanding. The only reason It is on the bottom of my list is that while it is scarier than its predecessor, it still follows the predictable Capcom formula. With Resident Evil, the further you get into the story, the more action-based it becomes, and it drops the overall scariness presented to the players up front.
9. El Paso Elsewhere
Available on PC and Xbox Series
El Paso Elsewhere is like if Max Payne, Bloodrayne, Blade and Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas were all mixed together. It all plays out like a drug-filled rampage, but there are some critical moments in El Paso Elsewhere where the music hits just right. The slaying of vampires is in full swing early on, which catapulted it into my list. Check out this trailer for its song-style choice. If this trailer does it for you, go pick it up.
8. My Friendly Neighborhood
Available on PC
Mixing Resident Evil gameplay loops, children’s television show aesthetics, and an interesting approach to violence commonly seen in the genre. My Friendly Neighborhood was one I found myself plowing through on Steam Deck while on an airplane. It’s engaging, comical, and, at times, downright spooky. It doesn’t hurt that I was able to show my kids the game because there isn’t really any blood or gore. This is a great entry point for younger people into horror.
7. Dead Space Remake
Available on Ps4/5, Xbox Series, and PC
When Visceral Games first debuted Dead Space, it was a genre-defining classic with some mild pacing issues and clunky controls. It was nearly everything a Resident Evil 4 in space could be. The remake we got earlier this year fixes all those issues. While on the surface, it looks like a shot-for-shot remake of the first game. Dead Space Remake adds some subtle nuances to elevate its gameplay and story to the next level. With an almost metroidvania exploration system added, it was a great way to shake things up and keep the fans guessing.
6. Sons of the Forest
Available on PC
What was possibly one of my most anticipated releases this year, Sons of the Forest surprised me with its incredible evolution of systems from the first game. Not only in its excellent free-build mode but also in how it changed how the survival systems worked or even how they added companions. The day-to-day gameplay, with the cannibals on the island, is outstanding. I was initially worried because guns bring the threat level down. However, Endnight still managed to keep things terrifying even in the middle of the day with how they brought new variants out after certain vital moments or day thresholds. With 1.0 releasing early next year, I look forward to another reason to sink hours into it.
5. World Of Horror
Available on Ps4/5, Switch, and PC
Some may think this is a cop-out as early access was released a few years ago, but the full release of World of Horror brought it to consoles and, with it, a whole bunch of new content. It still plays as a detective, point-and-click horror adventure game, and I dig the hell out of it. Its Junji Ito art style, randomization, and replayability make the game’s rogue-like nature easy to manage and surprising every run. Usually, with each run, you unlock new things that could happen on subsequent runs. Mostly, that art style, though, is creepy and horrifically dark. This one isn’t for the faint of heart.
4. Dredge
Available on Ps4/5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC
Talk about a surprise. During a preview period for Dredge, I was left wanting more from it. But as time passed, I couldn’t stop thinking about Dredge. Then, when it released, it had its teeth sunk into me. It’s been a long time since I’ve played a game that much, and I just enjoyed the fishing and gathering of it all. It is wrapped around a Cthulu-esque world with horrors waiting for you at night, which is just icing on the cake. While I have yet to dive into the DLC, that’s my plan over the holidays. Even if it is just more Dredge, I would be delighted with that.
3. Killer Frequency
Available on Ps4/5, Xbox Series, Switch, PC, and Meta Quest
Talk about a game made specifically for me. Killer Frequency has an impeccable art style, with a more minimalistic approach to gameplay at the beginning. As you help save townspeople from the sadistic killer on the loose, the game really expands itself to be something worth seeking out. It doesn’t hurt that you get to play disc jockey between calls. But there’s something that makes your heart jump into your throat as you guide people over the phone through a multitude of situations where one small mistake could get them killed. Killer Frequency is among the best in a year filled with excellent horror releases.
2. Lethal Company
Available on PC
Lethal Company is a weird one. While it’s an online cooperative experience all about the horrors of corporations, you find yourself doing the same tasks repeatedly. There is something so visceral and unforgiving about the monsters roaming the worlds. I looked at Lethal Company from afar for a while, laughing at the TikToks. But once I found a reliable crew that would be willing to play, we put a disgusting amount of time into it. In a year where there are horror games aplenty Lethal Company sticks out as the best cooperative horror experience. Even after several hours, there are still screams and scares every time we play.
1. Alan Wake 2
Available on Ps4/5, Xbox Series, PC
Surprise, surprise. Alan Wake 2 quickly takes the year for horror in my mind. It excels at everything it attempts. Even some more slowly-paced walking in the woods found moments of horror and excitement. The pacing of the story and gameplay loops are incredibly tight and refined, but it’s the moments of shock and awe that had me clamoring for more from the second the game ended. Herald of Darkness also shows how Remedy has stepped up the genre when it comes to AAA story and music integration. Alan Wake 2 is an incredibly well-thought-out and developed horror game, and I can’t wait until we get more news on its DLC.
There is it! So many good horror games came out this year that it was tough to nail down and place this list. If 2024 is anything like 2023 when it comes to unique, boundary-pushing horror, then we are in for another fantastic year. Be sure to check out the rest of the year round ups from Dread Central while you’re at it!
Dread Central and DreadXP, publisher of My Friendly Neighborhood, are owned by the same parent company Epic Pictures.
Categorized:Editorials
