The Best Horror Games You Can Play For Free On Steam

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This obviously works out pretty well for players too, effectively ensuring that there are always plenty of new free-to-play games just waiting to be discovered on Steam. Fans of horror games are particularly spoiled for choice in this regard, as there’s an ever-growing number of fantastic free-to-play horror games on Steam. Below are some of the very best ones.

After Hours

It may be a little rough around the edges in places, but what After Hours lacks in polish, it more than makes up for with atmospheric excellence. The game can be unnervingly spooky at times, thanks in large to the thought and meticulous attention to detail that went into designing its setting and its excellent use of sound.

Like many other free-to-play horror games before it, After Hours takes place in an abandoned hospital. Players must explore and escape the derelict facility, while simultaneously being stalked by the mysterious creature that resides there. Stealth and silence will be key for those hoping to survive, though, even then, nothing is guaranteed.

Alien Swarm

Despite now being more than a decade old, Valve’s fantastic top-down shooter Alien Swarm remains just as enjoyable as ever. The game even features cooperative multiplayer, which is something of a rarity in the free-to-play market. Of course, given the size and stature of the developer, this perhaps shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to players.

Alien Swarm doesn’t contain jump scares, nor does it rely on shocking imagery like some of the other great free-to-play horror games on Steam, but it can still be pretty scary when an alien swarm begins to close in around the player’s position. In that sense, the game does an excellent job of creating tension while simultaneously rewarding players for their efforts with satisfying power-ups and weapon drops. For those in the market for a good horror shooter, it’s definitely worth a look.

Alpha Polaris: A Horror Adventure Game

The point-and-click adventure genre has seen something of a resurgence in recent years, though it could perhaps be argued that it never really went away in the first place. Released just in time for Halloween of 2015, Alpha Polaris: A Horror Adventure Game is a solid example of a post-2000 point-and-click adventure and boasts an excellent story, thought-provoking puzzles, and an art style that perfectly suits the genre.

Those who are accustomed to cheap thrills and jump scares will likely come away disappointed, as this is a game that seeks to shock its players through immersion, atmosphere, and suspense. It burns pretty slowly in that respect but does so with a surprisingly bright flame considering the limited resources available to the Finnish studio that developed it. Anyone who enjoys Lovecraftian horror will find a lot to like here, though players with an aversion to polar bears might want to sit this one out.

Ann

Inspired by some of the great RPG Maker horror games of yesteryear, Ann is arguably one of the most well-presented free-to-play passion projects on Steam. It looks and sounds fantastic and blends together high-quality animation and traditional 2D sprite-based gameplay to surprisingly good effect.

The game’s storyline is nothing to write home about aside from a few interesting beats, but the gameplay more than makes up for this. The puzzles are a lot of fun and the chase scenes have a lot of potential, though the latter are often held back a little by the game’s poor controls.

At Home Alone Final

As the game’s title might suggest, At Home Alone Final was in development for quite some time before the current version was released at the beginning of 2022. The end result is a game that ends up being a lot more spooky than it is terrifying, though it still very much warrants its placement in the upper echelons of the free-to-play horror game genre.

The juxtaposition between the cutesy and colorful art style and some of the dark themes and imagery explored throughout the game works remarkably well and helps to amplify the creepiness to ridiculously high levels. Granted, it is a little slow to get going, and the translation is a little sketchy in places, but neither of these things should be enough to detract from the game’s otherwise overall excellence.

BABBDI

Located in a forsaken district on the outskirts of a sprawling megalopolis, the town of BABBDI perfectly encapsulates the concept of strangeness. Its desolate streets and the humanoid creatures that reside there are wonderfully unsettling, while the town’s many hidden encourage players to explore it more deeply despite the ever-growing sense of dread.

The goal of BABBDI is a simple one, with players just needing to find a way to escape, yet this is far from a simple game. Yes, there’s no combat in the traditional sense, but then nor are there many limitations when it comes to exploration. Everything just comes together perfectly, making this not only one of the best free horror games on Steam but one of the best free Steam games period.

Cry of Fear

One of the most popular horror games of all time thanks to its unique combination of Silent Hill and Half-Life, Cry of Fear is objectively one of the better free-to-play games around. The game boasts a triple-A adjacent experience, with an 8-hour campaign and multiple ending scenarios, on top of a co-op experience and diverse modding community that satisfies anyone left wanting more.

Cry of Fear takes the premise of Silent Hill’s otherworld and puts it into a first-person survival shooter. While the addition of heavy weaponry feels like it might dampen the horror experience, the game still manages to do a fantastic job of making the player feel helpless, with limited resources and unsuspecting scares hiding around every corner.

Cursed

Most people have probably never heard of Disaster Squad Productions’ Cursed trilogy, which, in truth, is a real shame. The three point-and-click games are full to the brim with passion, and although they rarely end up being scary despite the many horror themes and motifs that can be found throughout them, this doesn’t make them any less enjoyable for players.

It’s always nice to see an indie developer improving with each new game and this is very much the case with Cursed. Not only do the visuals improve from game to game, but so too does the gameplay; painting the picture of a developer who is gradually mastering the tools of their trade. It will be interesting to see what comes next now that the trilogy has been concluded.

Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft

Described by its creators as “a 3D narrative experience in madness,” Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft is one of the most immersive free-to-play horror games on Steam. At least it is when played in VR mode, anyway: a feature that most indie devs could only dream of implementing in their titles, especially those that are being given away for free.

As the title might suggest, it’s one of many games inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft and can be played with or without a VR headset. The whole thing can be completed in under half an hour, but the atmosphere presented within this visual novel will likely have players returning whenever they find themselves in the mood for another spooky boat ride.

Dark Deception

Dark Deception is a little bit like Pac-Man, only with pink shards instead of tiny yellow balls and terrifying monkey bellhops replacing all the ghosts. The giant maze that players are forced to navigate is equally intimidating, with the rundown hotel providing no safe havens in which players can hide to catch their breath.

It’s perhaps that last detail that makes Dark Deception such a great free-to-play horror game, as players are forced to remain on guard for the entire duration of their playthrough. Knowing that one of the evil monkeys could be lurking just around the corner is really quite frightening, as too is being chased by one only to find the path ahead blocked off by another.

Dark Fracture: Prologue

There’s still no word on when exactly the full release of Dark Fracture will see the light of day, but, if Dark Fracture: Prologue is anything to go by, it looks set to be one of the better free-to-play first-person horror games on steam. The visuals and audio combine to provide a delightfully disturbing atmosphere, while the thought-provoking puzzles contribute just the right amount of challenge.

Classed by the developer as a stand-alone game, the prologue is designed to give players just a little taste of what they can expect in the full release. It has its own spooky story and does an excellent job introducing the main character Edward while simultaneously easing players into the dark depths of his tortured mind.

Deathly Stillness

According to its creator, Deathly Stillness was never intended to be an officially released game. It was thrown together in just 17 days and is meant to serve as a tutorial of sorts for other game creators. That hasn’t stopped tens of thousands of people from downloading and enjoying it though, with the title now one of the best free horror games on Steam when it comes to positive review scores.

As per its own description, Deathly Stillness is “a boring third-person shooter with no plot.” As more established franchises like Dead Rising have shown though, there’s nothing boring about tearing through zombies with powerful weapons and this is something that the free-to-play Steam game does exceptionally well. There are some pretty decent character customization mechanics on offer too, though the real fun is in the gameplay.

Deceit

Some of the more recent changes made to Deceit have arguably cheapened the overall experience, but that’s not to say that there isn’t still a lot of fun to be had with this asymmetrical multiplayer game. Developer Baseline has done a great job balancing the gameplay, ensuring that controlling one of the infected is just as fun as playing as a survivor and vice versa.

The mysterious setting in which the game takes place gives off an incredibly sinister vibe, while the blackout periods that punctuate the end of each zone really crank up the tension. Everything tends to happen incredibly quickly too, forcing players to think on their feet, particularly when faced with an infected in their terror form.

Dissonance

Atmosphere alone can go a long way toward creating a great horror game, as evidenced by Dissonance from Resonance Studio. To be clear, that’s not at all to say that atmosphere is the only thing that the game has going for it, but the abandoned research facility in which the game takes place is definitely one of its strongest assets.

The way that different gadgets need to be used when faced with different creatures forces players to think their actions through, though the short windows that they’re given to do so make the experience a lot more exhilarating. Both mechanically and visually it is a fairly simple game, but one which manages to draw its players into its SCP-inspired world incredibly effectively.

Doki Doki Literature Club

A late addition to the YouTube horror fad, Doki Doki Literature Club became an instant classic as its unassuming facade of “raunchy fan-service visual novel” quickly broke down into something a lot more disturbing. For fans of Japanese horror cinema, Doki Doki is comparable to a supernatural take on Audition’s shocking romance plot.

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The game doesn’t rely on shock factor to get by, however, and is an intriguing experience for those looking for more psychological horror media after the recent surge of Silent Hill-inspired games. Critics and players alike have praised the game’s refreshing take on visual novels, a genre that’s become more or less the modern equivalent of dollar-store romance novels.

Entropy: Zero 2

Released in August of 2022, Entropy: Zero 2 is a free Half-Life 2 mod, boasting new enemies and weapons, an overhauled combat system, and full Achievement support. It allows players to command squads of soldiers as they explore the mysterious Arbeit Communications facility in an attempt to capture Dr. Judith Mossman.

The mod was developed by Breadman and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback since going live on Steam. Though strictly speaking it may not be a free-to-play game in its own right, it really may as well be given the huge number of people who already own a copy of Half-Life 2.

Estigma

All things considered, Estigma is a relatively straightforward title with a simple yet satisfying gameplay loop - even if it doesn’t look like it is at first glance. At its core, it’s a little reminiscent of Pac-Man, only in this game, everything can (and likely will) kill the player at every opportunity that it gets.

Players are unlikely to spend more than a couple of hours with Estigma, though, for the price, that still seems like pretty good value for money. The visuals really are quite striking throughout and the fast-paced gameplay has the potential to really get the heart racing.

Flesh Water

With a name like Flesh Water, prospective players can probably get a pretty good idea of what to expect from Euphoric Brothers’ free-to-play horror game even before they start playing. Once they do, they’ll be controlling a worker at a pet feeding company as they prepare food for a client who is more than just a little out of the ordinary.

Throwing together a slap-up meal for a mysterious aquatic monster may not sound all that fun on paper, but there’s a sense of dread lingering throughout the entirety of the short indie title that manages to keep the heart racing from start to finish. At around an hour in length, it is a relatively short game, though it does feature four different endings for those who just can’t get enough.

Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator

Since the release of its first installment back in mid-2014, Scott Cawthon’s Five Nights at Freddy’s has grown into one of the most well-known and most-liked survival horror series around. With books, spin-off games, and even a movie in the works, it’s so much more than just a jump scare simulator these days and is well worth checking out for fans of the horror genre.

Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator is one of two free FNaF games on Steam and is well worth the price of admission or lack thereof. The title is a business simulation gaming with players put in charge of their own pizza restaurant and continues the story of Michael Afton, who also appears in FNaF 3 and Sister Location. There’s plenty of lore for fans of the series, but the gameplay alone should be enough to satisfy those who are new to the franchise.

Ginkgo

The magic needle mechanic in Ginkgo is incredibly cool and really helps to set the game apart from some of its peers. It also allows the developer to throw in some incredibly unique puzzles, which often require players to think out of the box in order to solve them. That’s far from all that the game has going for it though.

The East Asian influences that inspired the game contribute their fair share of fantastic monsters and also have a big impact on the game’s setting. The sound design is excellent too, although this is all let down somewhat by a few bad glitches here and there. For a free game though, this is perhaps to be expected.

Grimm’s Hollow

Despite first being released back in 2019, it took a little while for people to really start to notice Grimm’s Hollow. These days, however, the game has thousands of positive reviews on Steam, with many players praising its fantastic narrative, engaging gameplay, and thought-provoking themes amongst other things.

It’s a horror RPG that, at a glance, at least, is a little reminiscent of Undertale and the Clock Tower series, though it’s far shorter than either of these when it comes to length. That’s not to say that it feels rushed or anything though, and, considering it’s a free-to-play game, the amount of content that’s on offer is actually quite impressive.

He Needs His Medicine

The incredibly basic visuals on display in He Needs His Medicine might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but they still do an excellent job of creating an atmosphere. There’s nothing basic about the voice acting, however, which is surprisingly good for a free-to-play game.

It’s a very short game but features six different endings which encourage multiple playthroughs. What little story there is happens to be incredibly well-written too. Controlling the protagonist is intuitive enough, although some may feel that it, and the game itself, is a little too easy and so those looking for a challenge might be better served elsewhere.

High Entropy: Challenges

High Entropy: Challenges is a bit like a cross between Portal and some of the more recent Deus Ex games, with players able to use a combination of puzzle-solving and stealth to avoid falling victim to the game’s killer robots. Of course, much like the latter, they can opt to go on a shooting spree instead, but this arguably sucks a lot of the fun out of the experience.

The design of the robots may not be all that scary, but the prospect of being caught by one of them can still be quite a frightening one, particularly if players are nearing the end of one of the game’s fifteen levels. The puzzles aren’t all that challenging though and the levels are thankfully quite short, so it’s well worth checking out regardless of one’s skill level.

HorrorVale

HorrorVale is a little reminiscent of Undertale, though is a lot more spooky than the Toby Fox classic. Built using RPG maker, the game is chock full of unique and interesting characters, with plans for no fewer than 31 party members for players to find and recruit. Despite its horror themes, it’s not particularly scary, but its unique combination of quirkiness and terrible puns makes playing it incredibly enjoyable all the same.

Unfortunately, the game remains in early access at the time of writing, with only one of its four planned chapters available and no release date announced. The developer did put out an update video in April of 2022 though, confirming that work on the game’s second chapter is all but completed and that the team has already begun working on Chapter 3.

I Frog-ot

Rather than sticking to the tried and tested horror formula, a lot of indie developers have been taking a very different approach these days. On the surface, their games are cute and innocent, but this all starts to change pretty quickly once players begin to dig a little deeper. I Frog-ot is one of these games, managing to perfectly capture this concept while piling on as many frog-based puns as possible.

The game tells the story of Diego: a wizard who turned himself into a frog and then frog-ot how to change back due to a rather nasty case of am(phibia)nesia. At just thirty minutes, it’s a very short game, but one that will likely leave a lasting impression on players. There’s even a bit of replay value too thanks to the game’s multiple endings.

Lake of Voices

Visual novels may not be as immersive as certain other video game genres due to their largely linear nature, but they can still be incredibly enjoyable when done correctly. Lake of Voices is an excellent example of this, with the game’s creator GB Patch Games playing to the strengths of the medium to tell what is ultimately both an interesting and ominous tale.

Like in any good choose-your-own-adventure-style game, the decisions that players are faced with can at times have dire consequences for the story’s characters. In that respect, it feels a bit like a low-budget Dark Pictures Anthology game, yet there’s a certain charm to the visuals that just can’t be found in the crisp graphics of the Supermassive Games series.

My Friend is a Raven

In bereft land, the raven cries, and with it comes a calamity that wipes the world. My Friend is a Raven is a short adventure with visually striking hand-drawn graphics and sees players controlling Lutum: the last survivor of a devastating plague that has ravaged the world and left humanity on the brink of extinction.

As Lutum, the player returns to their old apartment in search of a sickened raven who tells the truth about why the calamity has come. The game features intriguing puzzles and an enticing and atmospheric story that unfolds between four different endings, all of which center around the apocalyptic setting.

My Sticker Book

It may not be an out-and-out scare-fest like some of the other great free horror games on Steam, but My Sticker Book still packs in a decent amount of psychological horror elements into what ends up being a relatively small and short package.

The game tells the story of a young girl who can’t sleep and decides to head downstairs to get herself a glass of water. The things she encounters on her way to the kitchen are far from terrifying, but the ominous atmosphere should be more than enough to keep players on their toes.

No More Room in Hell

Released on Halloween back in 2011, No More Room in Hell still holds up fairly well today and continues to receive semi-regular updates. At first glance, it might seem like just another zombie survival game, but it’s one that’s full of character and, thanks to its eight-player co-op, is a lot of fun to play as well.

Some may find the art style to be just a little too generic to be truly scary, but the feeling one gets when they find themselves surrounded while short on ammo is universally terrifying regardless. With a sequel currently in the works, now is a great time to check out what No More Room in Hell has to offer; if only to prepare oneself for what’s soon to come.

Our Way Down

Those old enough to remember Newgrounds will likely get a real kick out of Our Way Down. The animation and art styles are incredibly similar to the ones used to create some of the site’s most prominent creations, although the game’s brief yet captivating storyline still manages to feel unique. At its core, it’s a walking simulator, but there’s a lot more to it if one takes the time to scratch away the surface.

The game’s music does an excellent job of creating atmosphere, while its dark themes are both perplexing and unsettling at times. Those who enjoy it may also want to check out the demo for We Don’t Die here, a game from the same developer that’s scheduled for release in late 2023. Both will require a fair amount of reading, though neither is likely to disappoint.

Perfect Vermin

Perfect Vermin places a sledgehammer in players’ hands and tasks them with exterminating all of the vermin in an empty office block. It’s not quite as simple as that though, as the vermin in question are a little more than just rats and mice. Players are able to destroy pretty much every single appliance and piece of furniture in the office, which can help make the game feel just as cathartic as it is unsettling.

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Though incredibly short, the game is thoroughly enjoyable and features a surprisingly well-fleshed-out story for a game that, on the surface, can appear as though it doesn’t have one. It can be a little confusing at times and a lot of it is left up to personal interpretation. That’s arguably all part of the game’s appeal though, and will likely prompt a replay or two for those who want to fully wrap their heads around what they’ve just played.

Poppy Playtime

Released in late 2021, Poppy Playtime quickly began attracting attention among fans of Steam horror games. However, it wasn’t until the game went free-to-play in May of the following year that its popularity really exploded. Now, the game’s antagonist Huggy Wuggy is arguably one of the most recognizable figures in modern gaming, and for very good reason.

Poppy Playtime does an excellent job of building suspense and lulling players into a false sense of security. When Huggy Wuggy does finally appear though, the tone quickly changes, with players having to flee from the big blue experiment or risk facing a terrifying fate. It reallly is great and is hands down one of the best free horror games on Steam.

Project Kat - Paper Lily Prologue

Like many of the other free-to-play games on Steam, Project Kat - Paper Lily Prologue is a relatively short one, though what it lacks in length, it more than makes up for through its fantastic puzzles and beautiful presentation. It can also be pretty scary at times too and offers plenty of replayability thanks to its many different endings.

Everything about the prologue is lovingly crafted, with multiple art styles employed and fantastic music and sound effects throughout. This all bodes well for those who plan on picking up the game’s first chapter when Paper Lily eventually releases, although there’s still no word on when exactly that will be at the time of writing.

Propagation VR

Given how heavily most horror games rely on atmosphere and immersion to scare their players, it’s a little surprising that there aren’t more of them with VR support. After all, what better way to scare the crap out of players than by placing them slap bang in the middle of a waking nightmare? Propagation VR does exactly that, and, as fans of the title will no doubt attest, it’s an incredibly effective method for ending fear and involuntary bowel movements.

Though the game’s combat is somewhat limited in scope, there’s a surprising amount of variety when it comes to enemies and locations, which helps to keep things feeling fresh. Of course, the near-constant threat of being torn apart by undead monsters also helps in this respect and demands that players remain alert and on guard at all times. The game even offers two-player co-op support via a paid upgrade, though having another person at one’s side arguably makes the experience a lot less scary.

Samsara Room

Samsara Room is a little unusual when compared to some of the other great free-to-play horror games on Steam. Its bright and vibrant color palette helps to lull players into a false sense of security, though this is regularly shattered by weird and unexpected moments that will leave players scratching their heads.

At its core, Samsara Room is just like any other escape room-style game, but it sets itself apart through the sheer strength of its puzzles. Some players may find these puzzles to be just a little bit too challenging, but those looking to really exercise the old gray matter should be more than happy with what the game has to offer.

SCP: Secret Laboratory

There are plenty of SCP games to choose from, the majority of which are free to play. Unfortunately, not all of them are worth playing even if there’s no real cost involved. This is far from the case with SCP: Secret Laboratory, however, as evidenced by its 100,000+ “Very Positive” reviews on Steam.

Northwood Studios’ solitary stab at making a Secure, Contain, Protect game really couldn’t have gone much better. It looks great for a 2017 indie game and the multiplayer elements are incredibly well thought out. Despite being almost four years old, it still has a pretty healthy player base too, meaning that there shouldn’t be too many long waits to get into a game.

Shrine I & Shrine II

The Shrine games will be immediately recognizable to first-person shooter fans as modern Doom clones with a stylistic twist. The games follow Doom’s inspirations, bringing players into a retro gothic Lovecraftian world filled with eldritch enemies and arming them with a diverse arsenal to dispatch them.

However, despite the obvious similarities, Shrine and its sequel offer far more than the average Id Software clone. The games feature hand-drawn graphics with colorful environments and surreal enemies, which really helps them to stand out among the crowd. Those who enjoy them may want to check out Vomitoreum from the same developer, though this will set them back a few bucks.

Slender Threads: Prologue

Though nowhere near as prominent as it was back in the eighties and nineties, the point-and-click genre has seen something or a resurgence in recent years. Slender Threads is so far shaping up to be yet another fantastic addition to the genre, thanks to its intriguing story and charming art style. Players shouldn’t let the latter fool them though.

If the prologue is anything to go by, Slender Threads is going to be a pretty violent game, with blood and gore playing a somewhat central role. It’s more than just shock value though, with the developers also able to create real moments of tension at times, thanks in large to the dark and daunting atmosphere that smothers the town of Villa Ventana and its residents.

Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion

Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion starts off as an adorable haunted house simulator and ends up as a genuinely disconcerting walk through 1,000 rooms of terror. A good amount of the initial audience thought this would be yet another joke game that deployed cheap mechanics over clever ones, but SJSM is actually a labor of love on the developers’ part, and it shows.

An HD “Renovation” is also available on Steam for a higher price, and fans of the original will be happy to see higher resolutions, 3D fixes, VR support, and several other requested features from the game’s early access days. For everyone else though, the free-to-play version should be more than adequate and is well worth a look.

The Backrooms Game FREE Edition

The Backrooms Game FREE Edition is far from the first Creepypasta to be turned into a video game, but it is one of the better attempts at doing so. As per its inspiration, the game sees players clip out of reality and into the titular Backrooms: an endless series of dank and dusty rooms with damp carpet, drab colors, and no natural light. In fact, at first glance, it appears that there’s not that much of anything, with players left to wallow in their own thoughts as they trudge from empty room to empty room until the madness starts to set in.

From time to time, players will run into a mysterious being that roams the 600 million square miles of randomly generated rooms. They may not encounter it in every playthrough, but, when they do, it can actually be pretty terrifying. For a game developed by just one person, The Backrooms Game FREE Edition deserves an awful lot of praise, and, for fans of Creepypasta-inspired video games, is definitely worth checking out.

The Complex: Found Footage

Another free-to-play horror game centered around the iconic 2019 creepypasta, The Complex: Found Footage sees players exploring the backrooms through the lens of an old VHS camera. This grainy Blair Witch-style experience is one of the more mysterious walking simulators out there and will likely leave players with plenty of unanswered questions once all’s said and done.

It’s one of those games that is able to draw players right in with its incredibly impressive visuals. The grainy effect adds a lot to the experience and really helps to sell the concept to players. Whether or not it’s really that scary is perhaps a matter for debate, but few could question the abilities of developer IsarL when it comes to creating a tense atmosphere.

The Designer’s Curse

Within the first paragraph of the Steam description, readers are informed that “this was made by a 15-year-old.” They shouldn’t allow this to shape their perceptions, however, as this quickly becomes more of a bragging point than an indication of what the game has to offer.

The Designer’s Curse actually has quite a bit of renown, with composer Mikko Tarmia (of Amnesia and Soma fame) on board, and a lot of genuine nods to other classic works like Penumbra in terms of gameplay and visuals. The story and puzzles are also well-thought-out, and the whole package becomes a lot more impressive when remembering the person responsible for it was half the age of most industry beginners.

The Devil Haunts Me

Lum, a developer gaining quick traction in the horror community for its stylistic top-down survival horror games, released its first game in 2018 to much acclaim. The Devil Haunts Me is a short survival game about accruing resources and exploring the forests around the player’s home while uncovering dark tidings between the trees.

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As players go about their routine, gathering wood, water, and food for the day, secrets begin to reveal themselves in the forests. These secrets, while enticing at first, begin to make the forest much less inviting as the game goes on, and it soon becomes apparent that something else in these woods has an agenda, and the player is little more than an intruder on this land.

The Normal Thing

The Normal Thing is a little strange in places and some of the puzzles can be a little confusing too. Even so, it remains an incredibly charming game thanks in large to its main protagonist. Players control a dog who wakes up in the middle of a haunted forest with no memory of how he got there. He remains surprisingly upbeat though, even in spite of his perilous position.

The game plays a little like a classic point-and-click adventure, though players are able to move around freely with the WASD buttons as well. The story is well thought out and offers an interesting twist at the end, while the general gameplay loop provides more than enough variety to help keep the game feeling fresh.

The Peresmeshnik

The rise in popularity of narrative-driven adventure games has had a huge impact on the video game industry in recent years, with many players now expecting an engrossing story as part of the overall gaming experience. This, in turn, has made it possible for games like The Peresmeshnik to find an audience, though Sean Arnold’s choose-your-own-adventure title remains one of the most underrated free-to-play horror games on Steam.

It’s a text-based title that places players on a Soviet frigate in the dark depths of the ocean. Their choices will shape the narrative that unfolds around them and may well decide the fate of some or all of the ship’s crew. The visuals are basic, but the overall experience is top-notch, with multiple endings available for those who just can’t get enough. This bodes well, as the game can be completed in under one hour.

The Room Syndrome

The Room Syndrome isn’t a horror game in the traditional sense, nor does it feel the need to rely on jump scares to evoke a reaction from its players. What it does do, however, is summon genuine feelings of uneasiness that will accompany players throughout the game and linger with them long after they’ve finished with it.

This is accomplished not only through the game’s excellent investigation into the effects of isolation but also through the chaotic atmosphere that the developer was so expertly able to craft. Considering the simplicity of the game’s ASCII-like art style and its classic point-and-click mechanics, this really is an impressive achievement.

The Static Speaks My Name

Sometimes, there’s nothing quite as scary as the dark thoughts swirling around inside one’s own mind. This can be especially true for those suffering from depression and mental illness; something that’s explored in great depth throughout the fantastic free-to-play psychological horror title, The Static Speaks My Name.

As with most other free-to-play titles, it’s a relatively short game when all’s said and done, yet still manages to evoke a wide range of emotions in its players during that brief window. Given the heavy nature of the subject matter, it may not be for everybody, but for those looking for a unique take on the horror genre, The Static Speaks My Name ticks all the right boxes.

The Supper

To be completely fair to the developer, all of Octavi Navarro’s games (Midnight Scenes, The Librarian) are worth playing for the same reason as this one. Navarro, in his time as a creator, has become famous for his “short but sweet” approach, further appealing to adventure game fans with a classic point-and-click style.

The Supper is a grisly, atmospheric short focused on the “darkest side of the human soul.” As the protagonist collects ingredients and begins cooking up a delicious feast for her distinguished guests, players will unwind to a deeper and more provoking story than one might expect from such a simplistic premise.

Tiny Bunny

Saikono’s Tiny Bunny is a non-linear visual novel composed of five episodes, the first of which follows Anton after his family moves to a desolate village in the Siberian forests. Anton, while acclimating to the new environment, begins to witness and involuntarily participate in a chain of disturbing happenings as his nightmares begin to meld into a dark and twisted reality.

Tiny Bunny features beautiful hand-drawn frames, a haunting original soundtrack, and an immersive story reminiscent of classic folk tales and supernatural crime thrillers. With the first two episodes already out, and the remaining three on the horizon, now’s the time to hop onto this gripping horror narrative.

Trick & Treat

Trick & Treat is an incredibly well-put-together RPGMaker game that promises players a light-hearted Halloween adventure. They’ll be controlling a witch named Charlotte and her young maid Amelia, who eventually find themselves trick or treating at a cursed mansion full of thought-provoking puzzles and dangerous traps.

None of the puzzles found throughout the game are too challenging, nor are the horror elements particularly graphic either. That said, there is still quite a bit of blood and plenty of jump scares, so it’s probably not a great game for young kids. With multiple endings available, there is a certain degree of replayability too, though most will probably have had their fill after a single 90-minute playthrough.

Ultimate Custom Night

Though the Five Nights at Freddy’s games are by no means expensive, the majority of them don’t quite fall into the free-to-play category. There is one, however, that does fit the bill and it’s one that features no fewer than fifty of the series’ terrifying animatronics for players to pit their wits against.

Those who have never played a FNaF game should prepare themselves for a barrage of jump scares, as well as some unsettling imagery. With enough practice, players can shield themselves from the frights as they learn how to master the many scenarios on offer in Ultimate Custom Night, but when they start out, they’re likely to make plenty of fatal mistakes.

Unfortunate Spacemen

Before Among Us took the multiplayer gaming crowd by storm, New Blood’s Unfortunate Spacemen was akin to The Thing as an online party shooter. Now, the more fitting description taken on by the developers is “Among Us with guns.”

Using other titles to describe the game arguably does it a bit of a disservice though, seeing as Unfortunate Spacemen had been around in Steam’s early access for quite a while before finally releasing in 2020. While the game is entirely free-to-play, it also features quite a few fun cosmetic options for fans who want to pitch in a little more support to the development team.

Video Horror Society

Granted, Video Horror Society may be a little rough around the edges, but no more so than one might expect from an ambitious free-to-play asymmetrical multiplayer game that’s still in the early access phase. Released in July of 2022, the game has the potential to be one of the best of its kind and already provides a fantastic option for those growing tired of Dead by Daylight.

At its core, VHS serves as a love letter to classic eighties horror, managing to evoke feelings of fear as well as nostalgia. More balancing work needs to be done as the game moves forward and it could do with having a few more monsters in order to make the role feel more varied and worthwhile, but there’s still fun to be had here even before these changes are made.

We Went Back

Set in an abandoned space station, the feelings of isolation evoked by We Went Back really help to enhance the experience and contribute a lot to the game’s terrifying aesthetic. The pacing is incredibly slow, which may not be to everybody’s tastes, but this does help to crank up the tension quite a bit.

For an indie game, everything looks fantastic and there are plenty of small details that help to add to the game’s authenticity. Like a lot of other free games though, it is relatively short, coming in at just under an hour in length. The time-looping mechanic is really cool, however, even if the monster that stalks the player throughout the ship is a little lackluster.

Without a Voice

The bright and colorful visuals in Without a Voice might suggest otherwise, but the experience that it has to offer is very much a harrowing one. The game confronts players with some pretty grizzly images throughout its runtime, while also forcing them to confront topics that some may find to be very uncomfortable.

Even so, this unique little visual novel is well-worth exploring, even if it doesn’t fall directly into the horror game bracket. It can be completed in under an hour and features some truly inspired writing, with multiple endings available for those who find themselves inclined to replay it after reaching its conclusion.

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