What are the best horror games on the PS4? Horror games have always been a favourite of mine. Many nights as a child were spent half under the bed covers playing the original Silent Hill on my old PlayStation. Luckily, over the years the horror genre is still going strong at now the PS4 is a little older it has a quite large range of horror games!
What makes a horror game scary is its atmosphere. A lot of games try and fail with jump scare after jump scare & sadly they are usually lacking in the ‘feel’ of what a horror game should be. Jump scares are good when executed well (Remember the licker in Resident Evil 2’s interrogation room!?). The ideal horror game needs to be a mix of great gameplay, excellent sound design & great enemy design & not only rely on jump scares.
This is my list of the best horror games on the PS4. This is a personal list and I am sure there will be many favourites that I will have missed out. Please let me know below!
BEST HORROR GAMES PS4
OUTLAST
Outlast is one of the most terrifying horror games on the PS4. Outlast is first-person horror adventure, You play as a reporter that has stupidly became trapped in this old derelict psychiatric hospital (Spoiler: It’s not empty).
Outlast has an unsettling atmosphere, although the story is not much to write home about. Outlast makes great use of jump scares and gets them right, some moments are truly terrifying and took me by surprise. Much of the game takes place through the viewfinder of your trusty camcorder in night vision mode.
Gameplay wise you’ll be running, hiding and walking very slowly trying to anticipate the next jump scare!
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of Outlast here!
RESIDENT EVIL REMAKE
Resident Evil HD Remaster is a remastering of the Resident Evil that came out originally on the Gamecube, that was a remake of Resident Evil that originally came out on the PlayStation 1 (If that makes sense!).
Resident Evil is probably the grandfather of most modern survival horror games and it’s great to see how well the game holds up! The graphics and lighting effects really do the game justice. Also, I was really impressed at how the gameplay didn’t feel dated and the mansion felt absolutely huge. Now Resident Evil 2 is out I am sure a lot of people will be picking up this remaster to see what all the fuss is about. There is nothing quite as terrifying as those fixed camera angles!
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of Resident Evil HD Remaster here!
SOMA
Sci-fi survival horror (One of my favourites!). Soma doesn’t rely on fast-paced action and jump scares to solidify itself as a great horror experience. Soma takes elements from Dead Space and Bioshock series. You explore an underwater research facility and things get unsettling from the get-go as the machinery in the underwater facility begins taking on human-like characteristics.
There is some action in Soma but, it mainly keeps you tense and immersed through the use of puzzles and stealth. Soma has received positive reviews for its atmospheric setting and engaging thought-provoking story. If you like a slower paced exploration-based horror experience then this is for you.
UNTIL DAWN
In Until Dawn you play as a cast of teenagers who foolishly thought it would be a good idea to have a mini break inside an old lodge. As to be expected eventually, they’re being hunted by a psychopath that’s decided they all must die (Typical, eh?).
What makes Until Dawn unique is that it’s more of an interactive movie (think Heavy Rain… or Fahrenheit). You switch between the eight characters you’re forced to make choices that significantly alter the story’s ending. It makes for interesting multiple playthroughs to see how each of the ill-fated teens meet their demise.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of Until Dawn here!
WHITE DAY
I’ve been a fan of White Day since the 2001 original. In this Korean survival horror game, you play as Hee-Min Lee, a high school student who gets trapped along with his schoolmates inside Yeondu High School, a haunted school! You’ll have to solve puzzles and even face some ghosts in order to escape.
The atmosphere is something akin to Project Zero (Fatal Frame in the US) mixed with a lot of classically-styled survival horror puzzles.
A must-have for any survival horror fan.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of White Day here!
ALIEN: ISOLATION
The Alien game that fans of the film series have been waiting years for. Alien Vs Predator (The old ones on PC) was very good but lately, the Aliens franchise has been a little lacklustre. This game remedies that and captures the feel of the movies. Survival horror where you could die at any moment: I like it!!
The “Alien” is done very well and is as terrifying as when you saw it in the original movie. In fact, it’s probably far more terrifying as you are in control and ultimately it is you who is hunted.
Very tense, very atmospheric and very….. well Alien I guess!
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of Alien: Isolation here!
THE LAST OF US REMASTERED
Originally released on the PS3 now updated with Remastered graphics and a silky smooth 60fps for PS4. The Last of Us was one of the best horror games of the previous generation. The main selling point of this game is the engrossing story which is fantastic. I won’t spoil anything but, the world has gone to shit. You have to survive with traditional and improvised weapons killing fungus mutants in the post-apocalyptic world.
The whole feel of the games just works and gets extremely tense at times, especially with the enemies know as clickers (Trust me you will see!).
Many publications gave this a solid 10/10 and I can see why! Highly recommended.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of The Last of Us Remastered here!
RESIDENT EVIL 2
Resident Evil 2 remake surprised me with just how good a job Capcom did. Remaking one of the best survival horror titles must have been no easy task but, they pulled it off! They took one of the best horror games in history, perhaps, even the best of all time and rebuilt it from the ground up.
The game captures the feel of the PlayStation original while expanding on a few elements and all the additions work! Also, the game looks great on the PS4.
True Resident Evil survival Horror is back!!
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of resident evil 2 remake here!
DOOM
Less of a horror and more of a fast-paced demon slaughtering simulator. DOOM needs no introduction, the original was instrumental in solidifying the first people shooter genre. This reboot is true to the original with a modern touch.
You play as the Doom Marine / Slayer / Angriest Man in the Universe, you single-handedly take down the forces of hell both on Mars and eventually in hell itself.
The gameplay is fast-paced, just like the original, very gory, like the original & just good fun! (also like the original)
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of DOOM here!
PREY
PREY is like a spiritual successor to System Shock. You are aboard a space station, The Talos-1, which has tons of its own character.
You really do get a feeling of being alone whilst slowly working your way through the corridors of the Talos.
The first time you encounter a mimic is sheer panic, as the names suggest they can mimic things. The mimics can turn into pretty much anything and be hiding there in plain sight, this can lead to some intense moments, second-guessing everything!
The atmosphere alone makes the game very tense and I would personally class is as one of the most enjoyable single-player games on the PS4.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of PREY here!
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul, in my opinion, is the most terrifying PS4 VR experience currently available. One of the most notable things about the game is that is built exclusively for VR. This makes a change from most VR game trend of current games being ‘ported’ to VR and results in one of the best horror VR experiences I have encountered to date. Lost Soul’s environment is super realistic which definitely helps with immersion.
If you have seen any of the movies you will roughly know what to expect here. The game doesn’t hold your hand and this only goes to add to the tension as you explore the house around you.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 VR copy of Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul here!
YOMAWARI MIDNIGHT SHADOWS
Yomawari: Midnight Shadows is a uniquely stylised 2D horror game from Nippon Ichi Software. The game is a sequel to the original Yomawari: Night Alone which was released on the PSVITA.
The game has you following Haru & Yui after they decide to take a trip to watch fireworks. I will leave it at that as I have a full review of both games you can check out here for Nintendo Switch.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of Yomawari: Midnight Shadows here!
Resident Evil 7
I put off playing this as I originally was highly sceptical about Resident Evil 7. After Resident Evil 6 I was worried that one of my beloved franchises was ready for death, Thankfully, Capcom pulled it off! First-person and survival Horror is something I don’t usually put together, but, it really works here.
The isolated feel of the Baker house and enclosed environment almost draws parallels with the Spencer mansion from the 1st game. Even though the perspective has shifted, there is no doubt this is still Resident Evil. The family aspect of the game was a really fun scenario to explore and I after playing I immediately ran through all the DLC. If you have not played this I recommend you pick up a copy ASAP. It really does make for one of the best PS4 horror games & also, one of the best VR experiences on the PS4.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of Resident Evil 7 here!
The Binding of Isaac : Afterbirth +
What makes The Binding of Isaac one of the best horror games on the PS4? The premise of The Binding of Isaac is absolutely horrific, don’t let the cutesy art style fool you. Based on the Biblical story of the same name The Binding of Isaac, his mother strips Isaac of everything he has and is about to be sacrificed by her (She believes she’s doing the work of God). Luckily Isaac manages to escape to the basement where he will have to best numerous monstrosities through the randomly generated roguelike dungeons.
The game is a multi-directional shooter much like Smash TV, however, you use Isaac’s own tears as projectiles to do damage. This is the kind of game you can play endlessly due to the random factor.
I highly recommend you grab a copy of The Binding of Isaac as not only is it one of the best horror games around its also one of the best roguelike games.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of The Binding of Issac here!
BLOODBORNE
With Bloodborne, From Software have taken their famous Demon’s/Dark Souls formula and have applied it to a Victorian setting with heavy doses of Lovecraftian horror.
Bloodborne is, in my opinion, the best video game depiction of Lovecraft’s ideas. A theme of madness runs through the plot, cosmic horror and some of the enemies are incredibly terrifying. Playing as a hunter on the night of the hunt, you have to slay the beasts that roam around the Gothic city Yharnam.
The bosses in Bloodborne are some of the most memorable moments I have ever had in a video game! I am really hopeful for a Bloodborne 2 at some point.
You can check out & pick up a PS4 copy of Bloodborne here!
What do you think is the best PS4 horror game? I am sure there is a TON of games I have missed out. Is there any I should pick up that I have not mentioned in this list? Please let me know!
Great list along with some NOSTALGIA (resident evil 1 what a game) Whiteday sounds interesting also
Korean Horror is always different. More suspense rather than straight up action!