As the ninth console generation finally begins to pick up speed, we’re all bound to dig for the best horror games on PS5 sooner or later.
Although third-person action-adventure titles like God of War Ragnarok have been Sony’s first-party bread and butter thus far, terror enjoyers and spook seekers still have plenty to find on the platform.
The Best Horror Games on PS5
Whether you’re a seasoned zombie apocalypse survivor or looking to see what the genre has to offer, the picks below should be more than enough to let you sample the best horror games you can find on PS5 right now.
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Alan Wake 2
- The Last of Us Part I
- A Plague Tale: Innocence
- Dead Space Remake
- Little Nightmares
- Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Although Capcom’s flagship survival horror series has had its stumbles, its recent remakes did successfully manage to breathe new life into older classics while guiding modern audiences towards their unique experiences. Resident Evil 4 Remake takes us through a lot of the original’s locales while pitting us against a ravenous horde of infected Ganados and other nasty monsters.
Protagonist Leon S. Kennedy’s mission to save the US president’s kidnapped daughter takes him through a decrepit village, trap-laden caves, an oppressive industrial area and beyond. Danger lurks around every corner and, while you do gradually get access to increasingly powerful weapons, ammo conservation and resource management are key if you plan to see RE4 Remake through.
Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2 marks developer Remedy Entertainment’s first foray into survival horror territory. A confident sequel whose story takes an appropriately darker turn, it puts the titular character and co-protagonist Saga Anderson through a memorable rollercoaster ride.
Although you’re rarely swarmed by enemies, each combat encounter feels personal, demanding your full attention. As darkness takes over areas, the inability to see much without your trusty flashlight paired with an excellent soundtrack significantly raise tension. Alan Wake 2’s reality-bending narrative is elevated by plenty of that trademark Remedy Entertainment weirdness, comfortably earning it a spot among the subgenre’s heavy hitters.
The Last of Us Part I
The Last of Us Part I tells the story of Joel and Ellie, an unlikely pair struggling to survive in and navigate the ruins of a ravaged civilization. Emphasizing stealth more heavily than its predecessors, the title also features plenty of action in which a steady aim makes the difference between progress and being sent back to the nearest checkpoint.
What ultimately sets Naughty Dog’s title apart from its peers is its emotional storytelling and the way in which Joel and Ellie’s relationship evolves as the two face constant danger from both the infected and their fellow humans.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
Genre purists may want to look away for the next entry on our list of the best horror games on PS5. Although A Plague Tale: Innocence might be more accurately described as an action-adventure game with horror elements, its literal tides of rats instill more terror than many a zombie, skeleton, or other misshapen monstrosities.
Separated from their family, Amicia and her little brother Hugo, must make their way through the plague-stricken kingdom of France. A good part of that involves keeping the hungry, skittering beasts at bay. Sometimes that involves manipulating light sources, but you may need to direct their attention towards fellow humans whose intentions might not be so good. Horror finds its way through A Plague Tale: Innocence and, no matter how safe you are with a torch in your hand, the dark waves that circle around you always wait for the perfect moment to pounce and take a bite.
Dead Space Remake
2023’s Dead Space is yet another example of how to properly remake a classic. The sci-fi survival-horror title looks, sounds, and plays better than ever while taking us through the familiar, danger-filled halls of the USG Ishimura. What should have been a simple repair mission takes a turn for the worse, as protagonist Isaac Clarke soon discovers that he may need more than just a wrench to fix what’s wrong with the mining ship.
The Necromorphs he faces are as terrifying as ever and slashing off limbs with the iconic Plasma Cutter remains gruesomely satisfying. Couple that with epic zero-gravity battles and there are plenty of reasons for both newcomers and series veterans to give this one a shot.
Little Nightmares
In Little Nightmares, you help guide Six, a small child wearing a distinctive yellow raincoat through a mysterious ship inhabited by very unusual denizens. Tarsier Studios’ side-scroller has its fair share of puzzles and platforming challenges, but it’s the misshapen humans you encounter and must often avoid that stay with you even after you’ve seen Six’s adventure to its conclusion.
A pair of hands that shouldn’t be that long, a chef that may be indulging in his own creations a bit too much, and other monsters-that-look-eerily-human stand between you and helping Six escape. Dwarfed by simple objects like chairs and exposing you to different degrees of decrepitude and excess throughout the journey, Little Nightmares’ leaves a lasting mark on the psyche.
Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village make its way onto our list of the best horror games on PS5 thanks to how it takes everything the developer has learned from RE7 and builds on top of it to great effect. Different parts of the world tap into different styles of horror and, whether you’re about to have your flesh carved into by an oversized drill or worried about the shadows around the corner of a house that seems strangely devoid of enemies, you’re always on the edge.
Making use of RE7’s first-person perspective, Village keeps us closer to the action as we use weapons to fend off werewolves, villagers, and vampiric thralls. Coupled with a few elements that harken back to Resident Evil 4, Village blends old and new to great effect, making it one of the best entries in the series.
Now that you’re caught up on the best horror games on PS5, drop by our list of awesome spooky titles you can play on PC.
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