PlayStation

The 15 Best PS5 Horror Games

Published

1 year ago

July 5, 2023

What are the 15 best PS5 horror games?

If you’re reading this in the dark, you may want to turn on the lights because today we’re taking a look at the best ps5 horror games!

There are a lot of games on the PS5 in this genre, some are truly terrifying from start to finish.

These definitely aren’t for the faint of heart, but if you’re a fan of dark stories, these are the horror games you should check out.

The 15 Best PS5 Horror Games

We’ve rounded up the best games in the horror genre based on reviews and ratings from reputable sources around the web.

This has allowed us to find only the most nail-biting and terror-inducing games that you can play on the PS5 right now.

Get ready to sleep with the lights on because here’s our list of the 15 best PS5 horror games:

15. The Callisto Protocol

Kicking off our list, we have The Callisto Protocol, a horror action game that was published for the PS5 in 2022.

Considered the spiritual successor to the Dead Space series, this game follows the story of Jacob Lee, who is sent to a moon prison facility to fight infected prisoners.

One of the best PS5 third-person games, this game is as much about combat as it is about figuring out the dark secrets of the Callisto moon facility.

There are a series of levels that players can explore while necessary resources and fending off the infected.

While this game failed to meet sales expectations, receiving mixed reviews due to launch day performance issues, the horror elements have been praised by critics nonetheless.

Callisto Protocol definitely nails the unsettling horror atmosphere perfectly, and once you face your first infected, you won’t want to play with the lights off.

14. Dying Light 2

Dying Light 2 Stay Human was released for the PS5 in 2022, and it immediately received praise for its combat, parkour system, and open-world environment.

As an action RPG survival horror game, Dying Light 2 is all about staying alive during the zombie apocalypse.

Following the story of Aiden Caldwell, players can navigate through the open city using a variety of parkour moves, which include over 3000 unique animations.

While combat is mainly based on melee, there are also long ranged weapons, such as crossbows, spears, and shotguns, that can be used as well.

Like the first game, zombies will become sluggish during the day and absolutely terrifying at night.

Throughout the game, players can also meet numerous factions and make choices that fundamentally change the state of the world.

This is definitely one of the best zombie games you can play on the PS5, though you may only want to play it during the daytime!

13. Dead By Daylight

An asymmetric multiplayer survival horror online game, Dead By Daylight is a one-versus-four experience that pits four survivors against a killer.

The person playing as the killer must hunt down the survivors and impale them on spikes in order to appease a dark force known only as The Entity.

Meanwhile, the survivors must work together to try and start multiple generators to open a gate that will allow them to escape the area.

Alongside the game’s characters, others from franchises, including Attack on Titan, Left 4 Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Silent Hill, have been added.

If you’re playing as a survivor, this game is particularly horrifying because instead of trying to outwit an AI, you’re running from another person who’s constantly hunting you down.

That said, if you’re planning on being a killer, you’ll want to check out the DBD Killer Tier List so you can effectively hunt down those poor survivors!

What’s more is that every type of killer comes with a unique power, including invisibility or faster speeds, making it even tenser.

This is the type of game that will definitely keep you awake till daylight since, after playing it, you will probably be too terrified to sleep!

12. Observer: System Redux

This psychological horror game was expanded for the PS5 in 2020, and it follows a detective known as the Observer, who can hack into the minds of the people he interrogates.

Played from a first-person perspective, this game allows players to control Daniel Lazarski, the Observer, who can use his augmented vision to interact with the world.

The story follows Daniel after he receives a call from his estranged son, Adam, only to find a decapitated corpse in Adam’s apartment.

Players then must then unravel the mystery of what happened, which takes them deep into the underbelly of Krakow, Poland, where things get dark quickly.

In System Redux, more story content has been added, as well as enhanced visuals that make it stand out on the PS5.

A beautifully unsettling fusion of cyberpunk sci-fi and horror, this game was highly praised for its intense gameplay and consistent scares.

If you’ve ever felt that Cyberpunk 2077 could use a terrifying murder mystery, this is the game for you.

Just make sure to play it with headphones to get the most out of the binaural audio effect that really makes the whole game very unsettling.

11. DARQ: Complete Edition

Darq is a puzzle-solving platformer and psychological horror game that follows a boy named Lloyd, who is trapped inside a lucid dream.

Players control Lloyd inside his dreamworld, which he can manipulate the physics of to get to new locations.

However, Lloyd has no way to defend himself against enemies, so players must utilize stealth or take advantage of the physics system to stay alive.

In the Complete Edition, two additional levels have been included, as well as all of the DLC content that was originally released on the PS4 and Xbox One.

The new levels that are included also introduce new gameplay mechanics and puzzles that are more challenging than anything available in the base game.

Although it begins with a simple premise, the greyscale dreamworld and unsettling ambient sounds make it really easy to get creeped out.

This game does a really good job of making you feel pure and helpless terror, which makes it a must-play for any fan of quality horror games.

10. Alan Wake Remastered

Alan Wake, released in 2021 for the PS5, follows the titular thriller novelist as he tries to find out the truth behind his wife’s disappearance.

Taking place in the town of Bright Falls, Washington, as Alan, players begin experiencing events from his latest novel, something he can’t remember writing.

As a dark force starts taking over humans, animals, and objects, players have to fight for their lives as they try to unravel the mystery.

The game itself is split into six chapters, with an additional two being added via DLC that continues the story.

In this remaster, all episodes, including those from the DLC, are featured, and the visuals have been upgraded to make them sharper for the PS5.

This game has been praised for its pacing, environment, and chilling storyline that keeps players engaged from beginning to end.

On a lighter note, because the original game was illegally downloaded so often, a feature was added so that Alan would wear an eyepatch if the game was pirated.

9. The Quarry

This 2022 interactive horror drama gives players control of nine teenagers who must survive the night at Hackett’t Quarry Summer Camp.

However, instead of gathering around the campfire with smores and ghost stories, players have to survive an onslaught of supernatural creatures and violent locals.

Throughout the game, players can make a number of decisions that impact the story’s plot, ending, and character development.

Created to be a spiritual successor to Until Dawn, this game is divided into ten chapters, as well as a prologue and epilogue.

Due to the branching nature of the story, there are a total of 186 different endings that are dependent on choice, performance during quick-time events, and the number of clues found.

Once the game is completed for the first time, a Death Rewind mechanic is unlocked that allows players to undo the deaths of three characters in any game thereafter.

There is also an online and local multiplayer mechanic where players can vote on important decisions and go through the game together.

This easily makes it one of the best multiplayer PS5 games for those who are looking for a nail-biting good time.

8. The Persistence Enhanced

The Persistence is a survival horror game that was initially published for PlayStation VR in 2018.

In 2021, the Enhanced version of this game was released for the PS5, and it allows players to experience it without needing a VR headset.

This game challenges players to stay alive aboard a doomed space colony ship that has been overrun with mutated clones.

Stealth is highly encouraged throughout the game, though players do have access to weapons, including a taser gun and a gravity gun.

The goal is to reactivate the ship’s stardrive in order to escape, but to do this, players have to complete tasks on each of the ship’s four procedurally generated decks.

There is also a companion app for iOS and Android devices that allows up to four players to directly impact the game, making it either easier or hard for the person playing.

The Persistence Enhanced is one of the best horror games you can play right now on the PS5, especially if you’re a fan of sci-fi.

7. Little Nightmares 2

Released in 2021, this game is a prequel to the first, and it follows the character of Mono, who needs to work with Six, the prior protagonist, to survive the Pale City.

A puzzle platformer, Little Nightmares 2 takes place in a 2.5D world, but unlike its predecessor, Mono is not helpless and can fight back against smaller foes.

Throughout the game, players have to solve a series of puzzles in order to make progress, many of which involve using both characters.

All of the absurd horror from the first game remains, and each level presents its own unique terrifying obstacles.

Although it isn’t filled with jumpscares like some horror games, it is the constant unsettling atmosphere and monstrously exaggerated enemies that keep you on edge.

Little Nightmares 2 certainly lives up to its name, though the nightmares you’ll get from playing it will be anything but little.

6. Martha Is Dead

A fantastic psychological horror game, Martha Is Dead, was released for the PS5 in 2022, and it is set during the latter half of WWII.

In German-occupied Italy, players meet twin sisters Martha and Giulia, though as the fighting intensifies, Martha turns up dead one day.

As Giulia, players have to deal with the trauma and fallout surrounding her murder, and finding the truth means going down some dark paths.

Entwining the horrors of war with folklore, this game is as enthralling as it is terrifying, even though no grotesque monsters are hunting you down.

Instead, it is the darkest parts of humanity that make this game so haunting, and some parts can even be extremely difficult to watch.

It is definitely not for the faint of heart, and the subject matter it deals with is both provocative and emotional.

5. Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!

Doki Doki may feature one of the best shy anime girls, but it is anything but a jaunty Japanese dating simulator.

Designed as a visual novel, this game follows a high school student who joins the literature club with the assistance of his childhood friend.

Players are then given the option to pursue three of the four girls in the club romantically, and at the start, everything seems normal.

However, when this game gets dark, it doesn’t hold back, and its non-traditional plot features multiple endings and many unlockable cutscenes that depend on player choices.

While initially only playable on the PC, the expanded version of the game, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus, has made it available for PS5 players.

This expanded version of the game comes with high-definition graphics, six new side stories, 13 new music tracks, and an in-game virtual desktop that tells a unique story.

Doki Doki Literature Club Plus is another game that tackles some dark subjects, so make sure you’re ready for stuff to get heavy if you decide to play.

4. The Medium

The Medium is another psychological horror game, and it gives players control of Marianna, a medium capable of traveling to the spirit world.

Being able to switch between worlds is used to help solve puzzles, though Marianna’s psychic abilities can also be used to attack hostile entities.

After receiving a mysterious phone call, players are sent to an abandoned communist-era resort where numerous spirits reside, including something called the Maw.

This kicks off a dark mystery that is both horrifying and fascinating from start to finish, and things only get more disturbing as you uncover more secrets.

What really makes this game stand out is its use of the DualSense controller, which provides immersive haptic feedback, unsettling audio, and lightbar reactions.

Everything in this game is meant to unnerve you, and the thrills keep coming, giving fans little solace even after the game is done.

3. The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes

The third installment of the Dark Pictures Anthology, House of Ashes, follows Man of Medan and Little Hope.

Like the prior games, House of Ashes follows the story of five playable protagonists with a narrative that is influenced by choices the player makes.

There are several choices that will significantly influence the trajectory of the game, leading to various endings that can cause any number of the protagonists to die.

House of Ashes is centered around a group of Americans working for the Armed Forces and an Iraqi Republican Guard member who all fall into a subterranean temple.

Together they must cooperate to try and stay alive while vampiric creatures hunt them at every turn.

Regarded as the best game in the Dark Pictures Anthology, House of Ashes balances horror with a good number of touching moments between the characters.

It does a good job of making all of the characters interesting, so it is easy to get invested in their survival while you struggle to keep them all alive.

2. Dead Space Remake

A remake of the original, which was one of the best Xbox 360 games of all time, this is a classic in the genre and a must-play for horror fans.

Dead Space follows the story of Isaac Clarke, an engineer assigned to a mining ship that has gone silent.

When he arrives at the station, he quickly learns that it has been infected by creatures created from mutated human corpses, which kicks off this survival horror aspect of this game.

As Isaac, players have to fight to stay alive and rescue what little crew remains while also unraveling the mystery of what happened.

This remake also comes with a New Game Plus mode, which adds an alternate ending that expands the story.

The Dead Space Remake was praised for its gameplay improvements, including its new audio system that really brings the horror to life.

Upon its release in January 2023, it became the second best-selling game of the month, only falling behind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

1. Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village tops our list of the best horror games on the PS5, and for good reason!

A survival horror sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, this game follows Ethan Winters as he searches for his daughter in a village filled with mutated creatures.

While it maintains many of the survival horror elements that the best Resident Evil games are known for, it has a greater emphasis on action and combat.

The game’s setting is an immersive Eastern European village, and the primary enemies take the form of werewolf-like beasts.

However, there are also a number of far worse horrors lurking around the village that players will have to deal with before the game is over.

The hyper-realistic graphics help make this game even more terrifying, and critics have praised Village for its variety of gameplay and diversity of horror elements.

Even if you’re not a hardcore fan of the series, Resident Evil Village is a perfect horror game to play on the PS5, so long as you don’t turn off the lights!

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the 15 best horror games on the PS5 and maybe found a new one to terrify yourself with!

The horror genre can be hard to get right, but each of these titles manages to balance the scares with engaging gameplay perfectly.

Although we don’t recommend it, if you’re feeling brave, you can always try playing these games in the dark. Hopefully, you’ll fare better than we did!

Here’s a quick recap of the 15 best PS5 horror games: