Best Horror Games 2023

Published on 8th September 2023 by Jimmy Bennett

![](https://cdn.media.amplience.net/i/frasersdev/residentevil4remake-db "Best Horror Games 2023)

It’s been another stellar year for horror games, with 2023 providing plenty of scary games perfect to get stuck into in time for Halloween. Horror game fans will have been delighted with a series of great horror games across Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo, with more on the way before the year is out. There’s also been a mix of single-player and multiplayer horror games, perfect for all fans of the genre, whether you prefer playing alone or with friends.

Here, we’ll break down our top picks for the best horror games in 2023, including what we think are the scariest games of the year.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

One of the best multiplayer horror game to have been released this year, just like the 1974 masterpiece this game has come out of nowhere and made a huge impact. While games like Dead by Daylight have popularised a 1 vs 4 system, where 1 plays the killer and 4 play as survivors, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre mixes this up, with an innovative 3 vs 4 system.

The game is incredibly faithful to the original movie, authentically recreating locations such as the Sawyer house and Gas Station. Players will enjoy a tense game of cat and mouse as the survivors attempt to escape the residence while Leatherface and the rest of their family do their best to track and kill them. These mechanics will make for plenty of organically suspenseful moments, as the teams vie to complete their objectives.

If you’re looking to party up with your friends and play some scary games together, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is our pick for the best multiplayer horror game in 2023.

Dead Island 2

If you’re looking for more of a co-op horror game where you and your friends can team up against hordes of enemies, Dead Island 2 will scratch that itch. The much-anticipated sequel to the original game, Dead Island 2 can be played either as a single-player game or with friends in a co-op mode, opening up a world of gameplay possibilities as you make your way through a zombie infest L.A.

Dead Island 2 gives you the choice of playing as 6 different slayers, each with their own skill sets, personalities and affinity for different weapons. This adds in a wealth of replayability, especially when you add in the game’s deck-building skill system. Combined with the amusing tone of the game mixed with some truly frightening moments you have a game that ends up being a great time.

If you’re looking for a horror game in 2023 that will entertain as much as scare you, Dead Island 2 is one of the best to have released this year.

Dead Space

Tonally the polar opposite to Dead Island, the Dead Space remake is full of non-stop dread and jumps as Isaac Clarke struggles to survive in the modern update of the original classic. Step into the derelict spaceship that is the USG Ishimura and prepare to face untold horrors in this truly scary horror game. You’ll need your wits, and a handy plasma cutter, to survive this adventure.

The Dead Space remake retains so much of what made the original so scary. However, with much-improved visuals and sound design, this game is more terrifying than ever before. It also helps that there are some fantastic quality-of-life changes that will remove any of the immersion-breaking moments modern players may have felt playing the original game.

Dead Space is not for the faint of heart, possibly being the scariest horror game of 2023 and a great choice for those looking to really push the limits of their bravery.

Resident Evil 4 Remake

If you’re a lover of zombie-themed horror, 2023 has been your year. Alongside the already mentioned Dead Island 2, Fans finally got the Resident Evil 4 Remake they had so desperately been wanting. Updating what is seen as one of the greatest survival horror games of all time must have been daunting, but Capcom excelled themselves, delivering the definitive version of a classic horror game.

The story of Resident Evil 4 largely remains unchanged in this remake. Leon S. Kennedy, no longer a cop but now a government agent, is sent to a remote town in Europe with a special mission to rescue the President's daughter. Along the way, he’ll encounter a new virus that turns people into horrifying monsters, who will stop at nothing to kill Leon.

Resident Evil 4 is a non-stop thrill ride, filled with equal parts high-octane action and pulse-stopping terror. For many, it’s not just one of the best survival horror games of the year, but of all time.

Aliens: Dark Descent

Taking horror to the tactical level doesn't make Aliens: Dark Descent any less scary. Putting you in charge of a squad of highly trained marines, this Alien horror game places you in command of a group of survivors who crash-landed on a planet that is growing gradually more infested. It's up to you and your team to try and purge the infestation and save the survivors in your group.

Don’t be fooled by thinking that the top-down view of the game will make it less frightening. When the motion sensors start beeping and you can see hordes of Xenomorphs heading your way, there can be no doubt that this is an out-and-out horror game. Brute force alone won't be enough to keep you alive either, with a never-ending horde of aliens forcing you to rely on strategy to outmanoeuvre them.

Probably the best thinking man or woman's horror game in 2023, Aliens: Dark Descent will challenge your nerves and your brain as you think of a way to survive overwhelming odds.

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle

The second game in the breakout indie Daymare series, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a nostalgic homage to the survival horror games of the 1990s, but refined for a new generation.

Scour your way through a military research centre that has become overwhelmed by lethal enemies. You’ll utilise a range of technologically advanced weapons in order to stay alive. At the same time, you’ll uncover clues to what has caused the mystery you are facing and unravel the secrets of the facility. Grab your weapons, use your wits and stay alive.

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a great throwback to a bygone era of horror games and a great pick for anyone looking for a scary game to play in 2023.