Scariest Indie Horror Games

We all know indie horror games, monsters, gore, violence. All the good stuff!
The Top Ten
Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Lots of horror games are scary, but Amnesia takes the cake! You can pick up chairs and lots of objects in a very cleverly creepy castle environment and throw them about! Seems like fun, right? But there are very scary monsters in the game - Grunts, Brutes, and Suitors (Brutes and Suitors are quite rare). You can get the free demo, but if you buy the full version, the game is just AMAZING! I recommend getting the full version!

Not only was this game well done in atmosphere and scares, but it was also great story-wise. The story is so deeply written that it really helps drive the game forward. It is so rich in lore and content that many modded games were made as extensions to it, most being full games with their own story. Amnesia was able to create a whole community of creators from its game.

SCP: Containment Breach

What is so great about this game is how much it involves the fans and community. This game has been through many updates and changes, all in response to the fans. Suggestions on what SCPs to add came from what the SCP Wiki fans liked the most, and changes the game had were inspired by what fans of the game liked and disliked about it. I really appreciate how much the creators involved the community.

Ok, I have to admit, this is one of the best indie horror games that is free! You are a test subject, and as you enter the chamber you are told to maintain direct eye contact with a horrible monster. I won't give away a lot. The atmosphere is excellent! It's worth a try!

Five Nights at Freddy's

Back when the first game came out in August 2014, there was no other game like it. It introduced an entirely new concept on how to play a game. I think that was the main drive for its popularity and the desire for so many sequels. It was something that wasn't seen before in any game, and people wanted more of this new thing.

From my personal experience, it's more creepy than scary. The atmosphere gives you an uneasy feeling, and its ideas are creepy too. But the problem with this game is that the jump scares do get old when you play it too often, and the gameplay can be a little repetitive.

Bendy and the Ink Machine

What appeals to me the most about this game is the lore. The characters and the mysterious backstory have so much depth to them. It always leaves room for interesting discussions because everything is left ambiguous. This is similar to the story-building method of FNAF. Everything that happens is subtle and open to discussion. I think that is a big part of what makes the two so popular.

Okay, so maybe it isn't the scariest necessarily, but it is definitely one of the most interesting. The story is very intriguing and mysterious, on a FNAF level. It is also one of the more unique-looking games as well. The style of it is unlike any other from what I have seen. Maybe not so jump-scarey, but certainly atmospheric.

Outlast

What really sets this game apart visually is the night-vision mechanic. Other horror games I know of employed either a flashlight or just relied on environmental lighting, but this one tried a whole new kind of lighting mechanic - and they nailed it. The night-vision looks so good. What's also great about this game is that it has a fully fleshed-out backstory, like Amnesia in many ways. The dark story complements the gameplay quite well.

Believe it or not, this was made by a group that split from big companies to make their own game. So technically, it's an indie game.

Slender: The Arrival

Slender: The Eight Pages was scary enough. It had realistic graphics and implemented the legend of Slender quite well. This game is Parsec Productions, the creators of Eight Pages, upgrading their game with even more resources and technology. The Arrival was made a little over a year after Eight Pages. Parsec Productions now had more experience and, after partnering with another company, more resources and equipment. The Arrival is everything the first game did, done better and with more experience.

The Binding of Isaac

If you are into games with a dark story and lore behind it, this game will please you very much. This game has quite the disturbing atmosphere and a true goth-like setting, all so well done. It is hard to believe that this was made by the same guy who created Meatboy, Edmund McMillen. It is quite the jump from light-hearted to dark and disturbing.

(Side note: Why is there a picture of some cleaning product here? I don't see how this relates to the game in any way. I am utterly baffled here.)

Hello Neighbor

Maybe this wasn't the scariest, the best-looking in graphics, or the most unique. I know it isn't too impressive compared to others. It was created much more simply. Sometimes, though, I like simple games. Sometimes I come to enjoy more casual games like this. Of all the casual games out there, this is one of the best to me. It still has story and mystery to it, and it has been updated numerous times to please fans more.

Cry of Fear

For originally being just a mod for the Half-Life 1 engine (which came out in 1998), the graphics are very good for running on such an old engine. In the game, you'll run into a large variety of monsters, each with a unique appearance. Unlike a lot of other horror games, it doesn't completely rely on jump scares. Sure, they exist, but not completely.

For being completely free, with a campaign that lasts over 5 hours (and there are many custom campaigns to try out, some of which are very good), Cry of Fear is almost certain to have you scared half to death.

SPOILERS: Especially the apartment building at the beginning of the game. The atmosphere, filthy appearance, and ambience are sure to thoroughly creep you out. But there's this one noise that plays sometimes when you're in the hallways - it's the sound of a baby screaming. This normally occurs right before meeting one of the game's many enemies, an oversized baby which thrusts a spike from its head when you get too close.

It's a great game.

Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning

The Newcomers

? Soma

While Frictional Games made Amnesia in a medieval setting, they made this horror game in a sci-fi setting. Just like with Amnesia, the theme of the setting was integrated very well into the horror game.

? Shiver
The Contenders
Imscared: A Pixelated Nightmare

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Imscared is haunting. I won't give away too many spoilers, but here's what it is about. You are a nameless person stuck in a scary house with blood on the walls. The fact that it is actually pixelated, half retro style, is cool!

It's the eeriness and the pixelation that make it scary. I don't know why it's scary, but it just is.

Slender: The Eight Pages

This is one of the most popular indie horror games that is also free to download and play! Many YouTubers and players have screamed in this Slender Man-involved game. Are you brave enough to give it a try?

Very scary game, great to play with friends!

Five Nights at Freddy's 4

Maybe not all the sequels of FNAF were great, but this one is the exception. I say that because this one is so much different from the other FNAF games. First, the cameras were taken away, which wasn't done before in a FNAF game prior to this. Second, you could actually move around, again, something not done in any FNAF game back in 2015. I value this sequel above most others (with the exception of Sister Location) because it didn't reuse the mechanics of the previous games. Instead, it took a whole different approach, and that is what I appreciate about FNAF 4.

Erie

You are a man being chased by a horrifyingly scary mutated lab monster. The atmosphere is brilliant, and you can spray paint whatever you want!

Which

That game is similar to Slender Man because that's a woman with no head who teleports in front of you and chases you like a dog and Slendy! She's very creepy while she's teleporting and she gave me a few jump scares from that!

Which is a scary game that features lots of good scares and a ghost woman. There is an alternative ending, but that's for you to find.

Slender: Haunt

Slender Haunt is the kind of better and even scarier version of Slender! Its 3D graphics and beautiful gameplay make it number 4 on this list!

Doki Doki Literature Club!

They say to never judge a game by its cover. Well, that could not be more true here.

Remember to check the files for an extra scare.

Stalked

Stalked is quite decent, but mostly it involves only walking and jump scares, so it isn't very high on the list. But the jump scares will get you going!

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

This is one of those "pee your pants" games. More antagonists and more spooks than the first!

You thought the original was scary? Wait until you see this one.

Radiation's Halloween Hack

I'll admit, this hack is pretty disturbing.

Sad Satan
The 4th Wall

You can get this game on Windows or Xbox 360, but sadly, you have to pay to get it. It's a great indie horror game if you're looking for a decent scare!

Five Nights at Freddy's 3
Penumbra: Overture

This was the first game Frictional Games made, and it did pretty well in the horror game market. I'd say that is quite impressive for being their first.

Duck Season

This game is remarkably brilliant. It is full of scares, some blatantly obvious and others more subtle. There are multiple endings depending on your choices in the game, and it goes far beyond being just a knockoff of Duck Hunt.

What scared me the most were the subtle changes in the environment, such as something moving outside or items randomly appearing. These details add to the growing suspense that something is very wrong.

Finally, the antagonist appears wearing a mangy dog suit and tries to kill you in the middle of the night. (Playing this in VR scared the crap out of me!) Your mother in the game is also brutally killed, and seeing the blood-soaked kitchen pulls you right out of the illusion that this is a harmless-looking game.

If you're a geek like me, the story's lore is a fascinating twisting road. Theories run amok. This game should be in the top 5.

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