Do you love the sense of dread and the feeling of unimaginable terror while playing a video game? Do you absolutely enjoy turning off the lights in your room at night, turning up the volume and going on a spine-chilling and spooky journey all alone? Then this list of horror game recommendations is for you! Here is our list on some of the best horror games you can play on Xbox One.
Table of Contents
Best Horror Games 2020
We have rounded up the scariest games you can play on Xbox One, in no particular order. Check them out if you dare.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
In the genre of survival horror games, it doesn’t get better than this. It’s a remake of the original 1998 game where the narrative is the same, with two playable characters. A deadly viral bio-weapon called T-virus has wreaked havoc on Raccoon City, turning the citizens into screeching, growling zombies craving the blood of survivors. You will encounter Lickers, Zombie dogs, giant spiders, roaches and many more creepy opponents. In Resident Evil 2, you never know what to expect and as horror game fans, you will definitely not be disappointed!
- Xbox One Release Date: January 25, 2019
- Developer: Capcom
- Publisher: Capcom
Dead Space Series
Dead Space takes the sci-fi genre and gives it a terrifying twist. You take on the role of an engineer named Isaac Clarke who needs to single-handedly fight and defeat necromorphs (basically space zombies). The Dead Space involves a LOT of ghastly monsters who might keep you up all night. Killing them is not as easy as a headshot – you must keep attacking and eventually dismembering them to really kill them. These beasts aren’t slow, so you better prepare yourself for a crazy battle full of disgusting necromorphs heading your way.
Dead Space 1, 2 and 3 are available on Xbox One’s backward compatibility library.
- Initial Release Date: October 14, 2008
- Developer: EA Redwood Shores
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Yet another winner from the Resident Evil franchise is Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The anxiety-inducing anticipation, the paranoia and the scares, you will find all this and much more in this game. You play as Ethan Winters who is searching a dilapidated house for his missing wife. Little do you know that the fungus in the decrepit house can actually turn into a humanoid called the ‘Molded’
You will find vile and sinister enemies in the Baker family who give a much-needed relief from killing monsters, while still managing to send a shiver down your spine. In many ways, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard has revolutionized the survival horror genre giving you one of the best horror gaming experience.
- Xbox One Release Date: January 24, 2017
- Developer: Capcom
- Publisher: Capcom
SOMA
The horror begins when you find yourself in an abandoned underwater research facility filled with a bunch of machinery who think they are human. Here’s the problem – you don’t have any weapons. Players are bound to feel anxious while awaiting the next intense scare. You will find more elements of psychological horror than the usual fare in SOMA. Exploration, stealth and puzzle-solving forms a major part of your journey as Simon, the protagonist who doesn’t know how the hell he got there.This immersive sci-fi horror game is thought provoking, philosophical and emotionally disturbing which proves to be the perfect combination for a scary game.
- Xbox One Release Date: December 1, 2017
- Developer: Frictional Games
- Publisher: Frictional Games
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is an indirect sequel to The Dark Descent, another stellar horror game. This game will have you questioning your bravery as you hesitate to climb that ladder, walk through that corridor or open that door. You don’t know what will welcome you with open arms and that’s where Amnesia hits the bulls eye. Tension will grip you as you progress in this game while it slowly unravels the mystery. In this story, you are Oswald Mandus, a super rich industrialist and butcher wondering what has happened to your twin sons. Gradually you will encounter shocking twists, grotesque manpigs and dark realities. It’s one of the true gems in the world of horror games, giving many sleepless nights to gamers worldwide.
- Xbox One Release Date: August 31, 2018
- Developer: The Chinese Room
- Publisher: Frictional Games
Alien: Isolation
A list of horror games is incomplete without the mention of Alien: Isolation. It’s haunting, scary and engrossing. Set 15 years after the events of the film ‘Alien’ (1979), this sci-fi horror game puts you in the shoes of Amanda Ripley (who is Ellen’s daughter). She embarks on a journey to Sevastopol, a Seegson Corporation space station to find closure about her missing mother. Once you end up on the space station, you realize that things are not as easy as they seemed. Menacing androids and aliens lurk in this space station, waiting to devour you.
- Xbox One Release Date: October 7, 2014
- Developer: Creative Assembly
- Publisher: Sega
Little Nightmares
Little nightmares is exactly what it promises – a dark and whimsical nightmare. The story revolves around a little girl named Six who is trapped in a strange location called the Maw. You are constantly filled with a sense of dread as you guide this little girl dressed in a yellow raincoat to safety from despicable creatures. With just a lighter, she stealthily moves ahead as you solve puzzles for her. It’s creepy, twisted and different.
- Xbox One Release Date: April 28, 2017
- Developer: Tarsier Studios
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Observer
Observer is one of the best psychological horror games on Xbox One. The game follows the story of Daniel Lazarski, who is a detective known as an Observer. His special skill? He can hack people’s minds to interrogate them and uses augmented vision to investigate his suroundings. Invasive but intriguing. It’s futuristic cyberpunk theme and visually stunning graphics set it apart. The memories, the fuzzy realities and the warped hallucinations work in tandem to create an unsettling landscape that’s hard to get out of your head.
- Xbox One Release Date: August 15, 2017
- Developer: Bloober Team
- Publisher: Aspyr
Layers of Fear
Layers of Fear is yet another psychological horror offering from the makers of Observer. In this terrifying game, the player takes control of an insane painter trying to complete his masterpiece. Through flashbacks, puzzle-solving and other paranormal events, you will discover the reason behind his madness and the wicked horrors that exist in his twisted environment. If you like to experience jump scares, this game has plenty of them. With a wonderful graphical style and sound design, this game is sure to haunt you for days after you finish the game.
- Xbox One Release Date: February 16, 2016
- Developer: Bloober Team
- Publisher: Aspyr
The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2 is a sequel to the 2014 video game, The Evil Within. You take on the role of detective Sebastian Castellanos who must rescue his daughter from a simulated town called Union, where she’s being used as the Core. Sebastian ends up entering the Union only to see it being infiltrated by monstrous beings and a serial killer. The Evil Within 2 gives you a massive space to explore where you can find ammo, crafting material and side objectives. The game is full of frightening surprises, scary revelations and unknown threats ready to pounce on you.
- Xbox One Release Date: October 13, 2017
- Developer: Tango Gameworks
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
These are our top picks for the best Xbox One horror games! Make sure to check out all our updates about the latest survival horror release Resident Evil 3 Remake.