Will 2024 compare to 2023 when it comes to killer horror games? Only time will tell, but these ten titles are poised to make a huge splash.
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2023 was a colossal year for horror games, with great titles such as Alan Wake 2, Dead Island 2, Resident Evil 4 remake, and the Dead Space remake being released. Heading into 2024, it looked like another windfall for horror gamers, with a bevy of hidden indie gems and beloved old franchises being revived.
Below are the ten biggest horror game releases for 2024. A couple of the year’s most anticipated titles have recently dropped, a couple more are expected very shortly, and several others have been confirmed for 2024 but have not yet shared release dates. One title, perhaps the most hyped on the list, likely won’t see the light of the day this year, but we can always keep hope alive!
The titles below are listed in order of release date, if known.
1. Outlast Trials
Outlast initially went viral for scaring players to the point of being unable to complete it, with gore, nudity, and outright disturbing plot lines.
Outlast Trails is the franchise’s first foray into the multiplayer online world. In this survival first-person horror, you are thrown into therapy, and if you survive the trials, you’ll complete your revitalizing therapy. This serves as a prequel to Outlast 1 and 2.
Developer Red Barrel really understands how to get under the player’s skin and frighten them into rage quitting. The game was already a huge hit with audiences who received early access in May 2023. Having recently dropped for everyone, the game is receiving rave reviews. It scored a 7/10 on IGN, an 8/10 on GameSpot, and 74% on Metacritic, with 94% of Google users rating this favorably.
2. Alone In The Dark
Initially, a survival horror game released in 1992 by Infogrames, Alone in the Dark was initially a huge hit. It was a detective tale that kickstarted a generation of frights. Unfortunately, bad remakes were released time after time, with the franchise never getting the modern-day retelling it deserves. Fans have had high hopes that the 2024 remake of Alone In The Dark would be resurrected in a way that helps players traverse back into this once-glorious nightmare world.
With David Harbour (Stranger Things, Hellboy) and Jodie Comer (Free Guy, Killing Eve) playing out two protagonists, players can choose the story to follow.
3. Killer Klowns From Outer Space
The classic horror flick from the 80s is wildly popular and has a very dedicated fan base, but it isn’t the first film to come to mind to have a game adaptation. The new multiplayer game invites you to team up online to either fight against the Klowns from outer space or join the Klowns to harvest humans.
This looks to be a vibrant throwback to the 80s, and I can’t wait to dive into it.
4. Silent Hill 2
Easily the most anticipated game of 2024, the remake of Silent Hill 2 promises to join the ranks of the greatest horror games of all time. It has fresh combat teased and gameplay reminiscent of the recent Resident Evil remakes, and fans are excited (and nervous) to find out if it will live up to all the expectations. With a console-exclusive launch for PS5, will the Bloober team capture the atmosphere and unique story that gripped horror gaming?
Silent Hill is a franchise that means a lot to a whole generation since it initially terrified players on PS2. It’s exciting to finally bring it forward to a new generation and deliver nostalgic joy to those who first fell in love with the chilling otherworld in 2001.
Watch the combat reveal trailer.
5. Slitterhead
From the former developers of Silent Hill initially announced back in 2021, Slitterhead is intended to be a combat game with scaring like no other. With shape-shifting monsters that transform into grotesque shells of humans to the captivating cityscapes of central Japan, the game also boasts a badass soundtrack from the god of Silent Hill, Akira Yamoka.
This game will be the studio’s first release, and given the buzz already surrounding the game, it promises to give Bokeh a colossal first you and secure the studio’s bright future.
6. Little Nightmares 3
Little Nightmares is a franchise that, time after time, proves itself to be a great modern-day horror game. With an interesting story following Low and Alone, two characters navigate this dystopian world with puzzles, action, and platform gameplay. Being the first multiplayer online game for the franchise but also with the chance to play single-player with AI, the buzz among fans is high.
Little Nightmares 3 promises innovative creepy designs and an immersive horror game that delves deeper than what’s on the surface.
7. Still Wakes The Deep
An immersive horror, Still Wakes The Deep, is set in 1975 on an oil rig in the North Sea with our protagonist, Caz, trapped trying to find a way to escape. What trapped him there, you ask? Well, of course, it’s a lurking monster tracking him down whilst he also battles against the odds of harsh weather climates.
When the trailer dropped, this survival delivered the promise of atmospheric horror with stunning visuals. This game relies solely on the player’s stealth and puzzle-solving abilities. With claims of this being “The Thing set on an oil rig,” it’s not hard to understand why this game is topping many “most anticipated” lists.
8. The Casting Of Frank Stone
Supermassive Games, known for award-winning games like Until Dawn and The Quarry, pair up with the developers of Dead By Daylight for The Casting Of Frank Stone, a single-player game where the player has to make life-or-death choices affecting the gameplay and the outcomes.
Dead By Daylight is a franchise that still holds a very large fan base. However, after 8 years of being a multiplayer game, this cinematic single-player is a first for the studios. With Frank Stone lurking over Cedar Hills, you play as a group of friends uncovering the town’s gorey legacy. It seems Frank Stone’s actions have scarred the residents forever. With a 2024 release window, this game is at the top of the preorder list for a lot of horror fans.
9. Paranormal Tales
Developed on Unreal Engine 5, this is truly going to be next-gen horror with found-footage first-person perspectives. The game initially drew attention for its hyper-realistic surroundings and characters with a unique use of body cams. Within the game, there are multiple files in which, as the player, you are challenged to survive—inducing anxiety, nervous breakdowns, arachnophobia, and a mass amount of jumpscares.
I truly cannot wait to play Paranormal Tales and experience this first-hand horror.
1o. OD
Developed by Kojima Productions and written by Jordan Peele (Us, Get Out, Nope) and Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear, Death Stranding, PT), that alone should be enough to excite you about OD. But there’s more! Starring Hunter Schafer (Euphoria, Cuckoo) and Sophia Lillis (IT), this game claims to push the boundaries of fear. With promises to push the player to actually OD (overdose) on fear, this is truly going to be a completely new style of gameplaying.
So far, only a slight teaser has been released, but that was enough to ground enough buzz.
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