Nothing does horror quite like games – and these 12 best Xbox horror games are proof of that. Movies and books alike both lack the interactive element that makes horror games so terrifying. There’s a stark difference between watching Ripely hide from a Xenomorph and being forced to hide from one yourself.
You get that – and that’s why you’re here. You need to satiate that horror appetite, and we’re here to serve up a buffet.
Resident Evil Village
Release Date: May 7, 2021
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, Nintendo Switch
Resident Evil Village does horror better than any of its predecessors. Sure, it doesn’t have the same kind of skin-crawling claustrophobia as Biohazard, but it does blend that genre of horror with others, resulting in a more complete, and terrifying, package.
You’ll be playing as Ethan Winters, a man looking for his missing daughter. Ethan finds himself in a village tucked away in Eastern Europe. Of course, everything goes south upon his arrival, with a strange infection tearing through the town, and the Four Lords of the region hunting him down. Over the course of your journey, you’ll experience everything from psychological to body horror, so your fear is always fresh.
Alien Isolation
Release Date: October 6, 2014
Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Android, Nintendo Switch
Ridley Scott’s beloved Alien IP has had a rocky history when it comes to video game adaptations. There have been some absolute duds to come out of the series, but Alien Isolation is not one of them. This stealth horror has you take control of Ripley’s daughter and have to survive in a space station while being hunted by a sole Xenomorph.
The beauty of this game’s horror is in the Xeno’s AI. There’s only one instance of the Xenomorph on the map at any given time, and it’s got some of the most advanced AI we’ve ever seen in a game to this day. You’ll find yourself holding your breath in real life as you hide, praying it slips past you, and you will be hiding – a lot.
The Quarry
Release Date: June 10, 2022
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
If you were sifting through this best Xbox horror games list looking for something classic, The Quarry is it. This interactive-story game puts you in the shoes of nine teenage counselors as they try to survive their final night at summer camp.
This spiritual successor to Until Dawn will pit you up against supernatural creatures and humans alike, in a variety of horrific scenarios that seem almost lifted directly from a screenplay. As an interactive story, The Quarry doesn’t offer the same kind of open dread and suspense as, say, Metro Exodus. However, it does do classic horror justice and is a must-play for fans of the genre.
Dead Space
Release Date: January 27, 2023
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
This one of gaming’s greatest horror series of all time – scary Xbox games or not. The terror of the original Dead Space has been enhanced with the remaster. Improved visuals and sound design do wonders not just for the game’s performance, but also for your resting BPM while playing it.
Dead Space sees you step into the shoes of Isaac Clarke, a crewman aboard a USG repair ship. While investigating a distress call, the crew of the ship is attacked by creatures developed from mutated human corpses. Isaac is left isolated, alone to figure out what’s going on and how to save his crew.
The Dark Picture Anthology: House of Ashes
Release Date: October 22, 2021
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
This is another interactive story, this time following a group of special forces soldiers on the hunt for WMDs at the close of the Iraq war. It’s a unique premise for a horror game if nothing else. At the beginning of the game, your squad is ambushed, creating sinkholes that plunge you and your team deep into a mysterious ancient temple.
What follows is a bizarre tale of aliens and vampires, but one that’s terrifying nonetheless. Perhaps the House of Ashes’ biggest strength, and one of the reasons we consider it one of the best Xbox horror games of 2023, is how much impact your decisions have. There are multiple endings, and over 60 death scenes for the cast of five. The amount of bang you get for your buck with this game is stellar – making it well worth a purchase.
The Evil Within 2
Release Date: October 13, 2017,
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Bethesda-published The Evil Within is one of the better-known modern horror series – because they’re straight up some of the most scary Xbox games around. Realistically, I’d like to clump both games into this entry because both of them are honestly worth playing if you’re looking for some survival horror scares.
The Evil Within games are linear narrative experiences. They’re broken up into chapters, with you trying to survive against whatever horrors each one throws at you. You’ll be fighting said horrors in an old-school 3rd person style using whatever guns and melee weapons you have at your disposal. The Evil Within is an exemplary example of classic survival-horror done right.
Alan Wake Remastered
Release Date: October 5, 2021
Platform: PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch
The original Alan Wake debuted in 2010. For a game to get a remaster over a decade later is rare, but it’s a testament to just how stellar of an experience Alan Wake is. This is another narrative-driven game, except it conforms to a third-person action-adventure style of gameplay over the telltale style of The Quarry.
Alan Wake is a troubled writer and desperate husband. The game follows his story as he searches for his missing wife. Over the course of his investigation, he discovers pages from a horror book that he seems to have written, but with no recollection of it. That’s a horror hook if ever one existed.
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus
Release Date: September 22, 2017
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Doki Doki Literature Club is a hidden gem. It’s the epitome of psychological horror, making it one of the best Xbox horror games right now. You wouldn’t expect that from its cheery demeanor, though. That’s very intentional, as behind the facade of a fun, heart-warming visual novel/dating sim lies a terrifying secret.
You’ll be pulled in by this game from the moment you boot it up. The less you know going in – the better. Ideally, you wouldn’t even know this is a horror game to begin with, but that’s not really an option. Doki Doki pulls no punches once it starts to pick up, and you’ll know exactly when that is. Trust us.
Metro Exodus
Release Date: February 15, 2019
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia
In years past, the horror of Metro came from its damp, cramped underground environment. Exodus swaps that out for the large expanse of post-war Moscow, but that doesn’t make it any less terrifying. The vastness of the open world just serves to make your brief forays into the underground all the more intense. The range of horror here could give most scary Xbox games a run for their money.
When you combine that very real horror with the existential dread of a survival game, all built on a massive semi-open world, you end up with an unforgettable experience. Running out of bullets is deadlier than any creatures you might come across out in the wild, and that’s a terrifying thought.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch
Resident Evil is perhaps the greatest horror franchise in gaming history. The fact that this list is topped by the most recent installment is a testament to that. RE Village stands on the shoulders of giants, though, and those giants are Resident Evil 1 and 2. While the former has been remastered for modern systems, RE 2 has had the luxury of an entire remake.
The Resident Evil 2 remake is exactly what you’d expect it to be – a classic horror experience. Your main appeal here as a horror fan is the inclusion of the Tyrant. This is a roaming walking horror that’ll relentlessly chase you through the game. The Tyrant is the first iteration of the Resident Evil staple that would go on to see RE Biohazard and Village soar to such heights and is just as scary as those game’s roaming antagonists.
Dead by Daylight
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, Nintendo Switch
Dead by Daylight isn’t your typical horror game. It’s a PvP experience that splits players into two groups. One player plays as a killer, while the others all play as survivors. The killer’s job is to, well, kill the survivors and feed them to this Lovecraftian horror entity. The survivors, on the other hand, will be moving around the map repairing generators in order to escape.
That’s a simple premise for a fun, thrilling horror game, but Dead by Daylight is so much more than that. Players are able to customize their loadouts for both being the killer, and being a survivor. What’s more, there are unique killers to pick from – many of which are pre-existing, established horror villains. You can play as anyone from Pin-Head to the Demigorgon, making DbD the perfect homage to horror history.
Scorn
Release Date: October 14, 2022
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC
Pretty much every single entry in this best Xbox horror games list has been a classic horror experience in some way, shape, or form. Scorn isn’t. Instead, its primary horror comes from a style that you typically don’t see as a horror game’s primary attraction – gore.
Scorn is brutal in its visuals, which are laid atop the bizarre and disturbing environments of the game’s world. You’ll be exploring said environments through a first-person camera, so you’ll always be right up in the action. Beyond that, Scorn is more combat-heavy than a lot of survival games – so if you’re looking for a slow thriller, this isn’t really it.
Conclusion
Those were the 12 best Xbox horror games ranked for 2023. There are a handful of incredible games that didn’t make this list – so don’t burn us at the stake for not including your favorite. Let us know in the comments if we made one such horrible mistake, and why you think your favorite deserves a spot. You might convince us; you never know.
