Games have certainly come a long way in setting the perfect stage for creepy folks and nightmarish terrains alike. Whether it’s last gen, new gen or remakes from gen’s old, these 15 games for the PS5 offer a rich variety of horrifying backdrops and are sure to make your skin crawl, but in a good way.

15. Chernobylite (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5)

Chernobylite - Launch Trailer | PS4

If you’re looking for that old school vibe on an old school disaster, Chernobylite brings that and more. Taking place years after the infamous Chernobyl catastrophe, Chernobylite invites players back to the scene to discover a world of insane and extra-terrestrial anomalies.

If you’ve ever wanted to see the aftermath of the nuclear disaster, this is as close as you’re gonna get in this horror/survivor FPS that weaves you through eerie radiation zones while dangerous bandits try to hunt you down. While not revolutionary in game design, stealth and action are super gratifying as you take down enemies and ramp up your stats as the days turn long.

14. The Medium (Xbox Series, PC, PS5)

The Medium - Gamescom Launch Trailer | PS5

No doubt great at establishing atmosphere, The Medium puts you in the thralls of, well, a medium, who can commune between two worlds, the world of the living and of the dead.

The game is set in a Polish backdrop where you explore the abandoned buildings once home to communists. What’s innovative here is the ability to play in both worlds simultaneously via split screen and solving puzzles of the dead as you trek through the spooky “otherworld” and unravel some mind bending mysteries that you’re sure to never forget.

13. Returnal (PS5)

Returnal - Gameplay Trailer | PS5

If Alien met Groundhog Day, you’ve got Returnal. You play as an astronaut who crash lands on a planet that is, of course, infested with all sorts of wild aliens ready to destroy you.

This is a great blend of horror/survival with classic Action/RPG where combat is fast and fun but leaves you at the edge of your seat, making sure you get it right before being “returned” to the beginning of the game. There’s plenty of good backstory and collectibles to find as you trek through this strange world all by your lonesome. Good luck.

12. Control (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5)

Control Ultimate Edition - Launch Trailer | PS5 

Remedy has done it again with this new IP and it lives up well to what they’re known for. You play as Jesse, a telekinetic searching for her lost brother in the Federal Bureau of Control, a secret agency that investigates supernatural phenomena.  

Rather than vampires or zombies, you’re dealing with trippy, ghostly and celestial forces trying to thwart your search at every turn. While not quite your classic horror, the empty halls of the bureau are eerie enough to make your hairs stand as you duck and weave through phantom enemies and uncover juicy secrets the bureau have been hiding. Happy hunting.

11. Dying Light 2 - Stay Human (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, PC PS5)

Dying Light 2 - Stay Human Accolades Trailer

If the nighttime already makes you squeamish, this game may not be for you. You play as Aiden, a pilgrim in a post-apocalyptic world 15 years after a zombie outbreak.

In this intense, first-person, search mission, zombies can pop up at any moment and leave you squashed in their hordes if you’re not quick on your feet. The world of Villedor is a huge, open sprawl which can actually make things more intimidating. You’ll definity know how Will Smith felt in I Am Legend after this hair-raising adventure.

10. Visage (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, PS5)

Visage — Release Gameplay Trailer

This is a nightmare come to life. You play as Dwayne who has been plopped in a desolate, suburban home and you have know idea how you got there. Now you have no choice but to explore this dank home in search of answers.

What makes this game particularly scary is that it constantly reminds you how you are not the one in control as the game leads you to where it wants you to go. You’ll unravel puzzles and learn more about the begotten soul who once resided there. Not a fun time to be alone. Or are you?

9. Metro Exodus (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, PS5)

Metro Exodus - Launch Trailer I PS5

This game is definitely not for the faint of heart. Metro Exodus has you trekking across a post-apocalyptic wasteland ravaged by nuclear war where wildlife have been replaced by mutated monsters lurking in the dark.

Stealth and upgrades are a rewarding experience as you refine your character through all of the creature encounters you’re bound to run into. When you’re heart is not pounding after bludgeoning a demon to death, there’s a rich world to explore and interesting characters to interact with.

8. House of Ashes (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, PS5)

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes - Launch Trailer | PS5, PS4

If Tomb Raider met The Descent, you’ll end up with a game like House of Ashes. You play as five military men and women who get sucked into an ancient, Sumerian temple during an earthquake. 

House of Ashes definitely knows how to build tension and play on your sense of dread. Just the act of turning a corner will leave your heart scampering from beyond your chest. You'll have to dig lower and lower to the earth until you come across the greatest monsters known to man and you’ll have nothing but your wits and courage to get you out.

7. The Last of Us Part II (PS4, PS5)

The Last of Us Part II - Enhanced Performance Patch | PS5

The story may be controversial among the fanbase, but there’s no denying that The Last of Us Part II is one hell of an immersive and horrific experience. You play as Ellie on a vengeful hunt across the dilapidated streets of Seattle.

This game definitely keeps you on your toes as you weave through broken walls and floors where the infected are sure to be lurking. You’re never safe, and you have to make sure you’re well stocked and perfecting your aim lest you join the infected, or end up somebody's dinner. That revenge better taste sweet after this bitter road trip.

6. Subnautica (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5)

Subnautica Gameplay Trailer

There’s nothing like a deep, black ocean and the prospect of losing your breath that will raise your anxiety levels to unprecedented heights. You are stranded on an alien planet, forced to dive through the planet’s ocean to establish some kind of habitable order.

This is where beauty and horror commingle in one intoxicating experience. You’ll be forced to take on sea creatures, big and small, and craft resources to make sure you’re always prepared for the next fight. This is not a passive game, remember to keep your eyes and ears open at all times else you’ll end up in a place much worse than a whale’s belly.

5. Demon’s Soul (PS5)

Demon’s Souls – Launch Trailer | PS5

Whether you’ve played the original or are a newcomer, this remake of Demon’s Soul delivers everything that made the original so memorable. A great fog has come over the kingdom of Boletaria and it is up to you to survive in this new, demon-infested world.

Like most fantasy games, there is a heap of lore to be discovered and a lot of opportunity to enhance your character to strengthen you against the darkness that has enveloped your kingdom. Honestly, what’s scarier than a dragon though? Maybe not your typical horror villain, but beat him and you’ve basically conquered fear itself.

4. A Plague Tale: Innocence (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5)

A Plague Tale: Innocence - Now in 4K UHD | PS5

In this intimate, story driven experience, you play as a sister trying to survive and protect your younger brother from a plague in Victorian times. This game hits home as you are no warrior or master hunter, but a young girl with minimal weapons, training and a one hit kill.

You, of course, are forced to become a fighter to protect your young brother and the game fills you with enough heart that you’ll actually feel compelled to do so. If you like Victorian aesthetic, you’ll definitely feel immersed in this wrenching tale of survival and war.

3. Resident Evil 2 (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, PS5)

Resident Evil 2 - Launch Trailer | PS4

Capdom did right by their fans by updating the 1998 classic in all the right ways. You pick up the guns of Kennedy and Claire who need to escape Racoon City after a biological weapon transformed its citizens into vicious, man-eating zombies.

This is the exact adrenaline rush you’d hope for from a Resident Evil title and this remake did not disappoint. Gunplay is nicely refined for modern players and the atmosphere really sucks you into the dread of our two leads. Whether you want to plow through the zombie hordes or sneak past to prevent a heart attack, RE2 is more immersive than ever for both old fans and new. 

2. Little Nightmares II (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5)

Little Nightmares II - Gameplay Trailer | PS4

Oh, it’s not the nightmare that’s little… you are! Little Nightmares II follows up from the events of the well received Little Nightmares and you are once again thrusted in an environmental frenzy of danger and darkness.

This takes classic platform gaming and imbues it with your worst nightmares, pun intended, for one hell of a ride. You’re gonna need your stealth skills for this one as anything that blinks is out to get you. Once you’re able to move past your beating heart, you can also appreciate the game’s haunting beauty.

1. Resident Evil Village (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, PS5)

Resident Evil 8: Village - Official Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Showcase

Capcom brings it again with their latest installment of the Resident Evil franchise. You play as Ethan searching for his lost daughter in a derelict village, full of both atmosphere and the wicked. 

Be sure to explore as resources are quite rewarding. While combat is heavy, Village doesn’t shy away from playing on some psychological thrills, filled with baddies that will make you cringe in all the wrong ways. One part of you will want to run while another will keep going to uncover what is quite the compelling mystery. This one will be remembered for the ages.

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