Top-Tier Scary PC Games You Need to Play

Top-tier Terrors: Terrifying Indie Horror Games for 2022 and 2023

gaming aficionados, get ready to raise the stakes on your adrenaline-pumping action, as we delve into some bone-chilling, pulse-quickening indie horror games lighting up the gaming world today! Prepare for an immersive, spine-tingling journey steered by a roster of budding developers, all committed to unsettling our innards as we traverse through their nightmarish creations.

A Haunting Homage: Signalis (2022)

Newcomers to the indie horror scene, Rose Engine, serve up a fresh take on the traditional survival horror mechanics ala classic Resident Evil, infused with a measured dose of psychological horror. Set in a forsaken research facility, players assume the role of Elster, a genetically engineered human searching for her commander and lover within the facility's oppressive environment. Amidst bureaucratic intrigue, classic sci-fi tropes, and eldritch abominations, Signalis tugs at Gordian knots of our deepest anxieties without spoon-feeding players answers. Expertly balancing mystery, exploration, and combat, Signalis stands as a symbol of indie horror's growing stature.

A Chilling Tale: Betrayal at Club Low (2022)

This macabre excursion into the world of dark mysteries and hidden secrets transports you to the sleazy confines of a downtown nightclub with a sinister history. While first impressions might lead you to dismiss Club Low as a straightforward investigation, you soon find yourself ensnared in a tangled web of terror, as the line between reality and illusion blurs. From serene pulp noir aesthetics to soul-crushing, psychological terror, Betrayal at Club Low offers a diverse, chilling survival horror experience. As you uncover the club's gloomy past and uncover the truths lurking in the shadows, prepare to question reality itself.

Cinematic Lovecraftian Chills: Dredge (2023)

Blending the quaint simplicity of a cozy fishing game with the cosmic horror of the Lovecraft mythos, Dredge catapults you onto the desolate shores of a remote island. Your trusty boat, The Dredge, becomes your hub, a sanctuary amidst the dread that surrounds you. Fishing and maintenance of your vessel serves as a reprieve from the heartstopping horror that awaits as you delve deeper into the mysteries of the island and his troglodytic underwater dwellers. Dredge, released on March 31, 2023, delivers a unique blend of genres, setting a captivating, horrifying stage for a gaming experience of epic proportions.

Family-Friendly Fear: My Friendly Neighborhood (2023)

For this third entry into our lineup, we take a drastically different approach to the horror genre. My Friendly Neighborhood, released on July 18, 2023, presents a playful, cult-like world that coins the term "mascot horror." In a not-so-distant suburb, players are tasked with taking down a twisted, cartoonish horde of monsters, all determined to turn this seemingly idyllic community into an unholy wasteland. As you battle these grotesque foes, you'll weaponize familiar household items, craft defensive traps, and decipher clues to locate their lairs. My Friendly Neighborhood seeks to satisfy the broad gamer audience, offering a dark, twisted take on gaming that your parents and kids can both enjoy.

Continuing the Legacy: The Outlast Trials (2023)

Having already made a name for themselves with the terrifying Outlast series, Red Barrels is back with more stomach-churning horror set within the Parker Institute. In The Outlast Trials, players band together to tackle cruel experimental trials conducted by the diabolical Dr. Leonar Martinez. Players can expect the latest installment to deliver more intense environmental exploration and harrowing survival-horror gameplay as they test their limits against unspeakable terrors lurking within the labyrinthine confines of the institute. All while battling against a punishing timer and other players, the Outlast Trials invite you to face the abyss head-on and survive as long as you can.

Gaming enthusiasts eager for a fresh scare should take a closer look at these electrifying indie horror games. We hope they eagerly anticipate the dark journeys that await within the pages of their games. Prepare to continue putting your nerve wrackers to the test and tell us about your eerie experiences!

Our Expert Input:Jody Macgregor - Jody's first computer was a Commodore 64, so he remembers having to use a code wheel to play Pool of Radiance. A former music journalist who interviewed everyone from Giorgio Moroder to Trent Reznor, Jody also co-hosted Australia's first radio show about videogames, Zed Games. He's written for RPS, The Big Issue, GamesRadar, Zam, Glixel, Five Out of Ten Magazine, and Playboy.com, whose cheques with the bunny logo made for fun conversations at the bank. Jody's first article for PC Gamer was about the audio of Alien Isolation, published in 2015, and since then he's written about why Silent Hill belongs on PC, why Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale is the best fantasy shopkeeper tycoon game, and how weird Lost Ark can get. Jody edited PC Gamer Indie from 2017 to 2018, and he eventually lived up to his promise to play every Warhammer videogame.

Fraser Brown - Online Editor
Samuel Roberts
Robin Valentine - Senior Editor
Phil Savage - Editor-in-Chief
Ted Litchfield - Associate Editor
Tom Sykes
Richard Cobbett - Writer, PC Gamer

The unnerving degradation of the environment, a signature trait in the game Signalis, serves as a backdrop to the fight against eldritch abominations, making it purely entertainment for gaming aficionados.
The enticing blend of genres in Dredge, combining elements of Lovecraftian horror with a fishing game, creates an unparalleled racing heart experience for players.
The forthcoming game My Friendly Neighborhood, rather than relying on traditional horror elements, introduces a playful twist with its mascot horror theme, offering a unique RPG fight for all ages.
In The Outlast Trials, players delve into the dark, heavily bet-on trials, surviving against unspeakable terrors and competing against other gamers, ultimately escalating the win-or-die game environment.
Betrayal at Club Low, set in a downtown nightclub with a disquieting past, offers a captivating race through serene pulp noir aesthetics, psychological terrors, and unraveling secrets, making it the perfect game for seasoned horror enthusiasts.
As a symbol of the rising stature of indie horror games, Signalis, underdeveloped by newcomers Rose Engine, shows the power of unsettling environments, meticulously tangling gameplay elements with rich storylines.
For the die-hard Deadpool fans, the immersive, spine-tingling environment in the upcoming indie horror games provides a supplemental source of entertainment, providing a chilling addition to their adrenaline-filled game collection.