The best horror video games of 2026 to play this Halloween

What will you be playing this Halloween? (IllFonic/Blumhouse Games/Capcom/Metro) GameCentral braves the spookiest of 2026’s video game releases to find the year’s best horror games, which include the latest Resident Evil and two based on beloved movie franchises. With the sun setting later and the air turning crisper, it’s safe to say that autumn is here and perfectly timed for the week of Halloween. And if you’re already huddled underneath a blanket or bed cover, you may as well partake in some fantastically frightening horror video games. We already discussed the renaissance of gaming’s horror genre last year and, so far, it’s proving not to be a flash in the pan, as 2026 has seen a bevy of new releases and remasters. So much so that, in our bid to list the best of the bunch, we really had to whittle down our options to just 10, both from the big name publishers and smaller indie studios. Some we’ve already reviewed, some we missed the first time and have only recently caught up on, but all are guaranteed to make the cold nights a little creepier. One quick caveat: we are strictly focusing on brand new games that launched this year, so no updated re-releases or multiformat ports. Want GTA 6 news? Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week. Crisol: Theater Of Idols PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC Back in July, Spanish developer Vermila Studios laid off staff and admitted it’ll very likely shut down, after lacklustre sales for its debut game Crisol: Theater Of Idols. An absolutely tragic end as Crisol is one of the best survival horror games of the year. Its Spanish setting may draw Resident Evil 4 comparisons, but Crisol’s atmosphere and monster designs are very much its own and it has a neat gimmick where your health bar also serves as ammo for your guns, which ratchets up the tension and demands you play smartly. Reanimal PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC If you’re looking to brave the unknown horrors with a friend by your side, or simply want a spooky alternative to Split Fiction, then Reanimal, the newest release from Tarsier Studios (which made the first two Little Nightmares games), could be the game for you. Admittedly, its puzzles rely a little too much on trial and error, but much like Tarsier’s previous work it boasts some immaculate atmosphere and environmental storytelling, that’s bound to send a shiver down your spine. It’s also currently discounted across digital stores (except for Switch 2 for some reason) to just £26.24. Resident Evil Requiem PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC Perhaps the most obvious inclusion on this list, Resident Evil Requiem isn’t just one of 2026’s best horror games but one of the best Resident Evil games ever, thanks to its two protagonists, Grace and Leon, offering tense survival horror gameplay and schlocky action in equal measure. Some of Grace’s sections are genuinely frightening and while Leon dropping cheesy one liners and roundhouse kicking zombies can feel tonally dissonant, Resident Evil’s always been a bit like this. The Leon Must Die Forever roguelike minigame is also a nice post-launch addition. Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC Although we’re focusing on entirely new releases for this list, we must make an exception for the remake of Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly, which successfully updates one of gaming’s best horror adventures for the modern age. The reworked camera for exorcising ghosts is a bit too powerful for its own good, but there’s a welcome lack of handholding and the scares are on point, all without relying on any gore. The new story elements are a natural fit too, doing a good job of expanding on certain characters without feeling like unwanted padding. Directive 8020 PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC Given there was a near four year gap between this and Supermassive Games’ last Dark Pictures Anthology title, it’s hard to say sci-fi themed instalment Directive 8020 was entirely worth the wait, as it’s probably the weakest of the series and led to a lot of layoffs at the developer. However, so long as you go in expecting a rigidly linear experience, this is an impressive spooky horror game thanks to its The Thing inspired monster and some unexpected story twists. Its Turning Point mechanic is definitely a highlight, allowing you to revisit your choices to see what the alternative outcome would be. Halloween: The Game PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC The latest asymmetrical multiplayer horror game from IllFonic, which made the Friday The 13th and Killer Klowns From Outer Space games, Halloween: The Game is the one to play if you want to spend the season hanging out with friends. You’re absolutely getting an authentic Halloween experience with this one, thanks to John Carpenter’s involvement (he even worked on the music), with one player controlling the unkillable Michael Meyers while four hapless civilians must elude him and contact the police before they’re all picked off. Silent Hill: Townfall PlayStation 5 and PC It may not reach the same highs as the Silent Hill 2 remake or Silent Hill f, but this doesn’t make Silent Hill: Townfall any less of a worthy addition to the series, and bodes well for Konami’s plans to have a new Silent Hill game out every year. It’s admittedly lacking in wholly new ideas (which is a problem Resident Evil Requiem has too) but its portable TV, that lets you track where nearby monsters are, is a welcome gimmick and its attempts at horror are very effective, propped up by strong performances from its main cast. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC For what is the first ever Hellraiser video game, this is an impressively strong and authentic showing. It helps that Clive Barker himself consulted on the story and Doug Bradley reprised his iconic role as Pinhead, who’s as imposing and entertaining as always. The action gameplay is a little ropey, but the use of the Configuration box for puzzle solving and combat isclever and it perfectly replicates the tone and atmosphere of the movies, right down to its excessive but smart handling of sexual themes. Silver Pines PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC An intriguing mix of Metroidvania and survival horror, Silver Pines is a solid debut from indie studio Wych Elm Games and definitely one for fans of Twin Peaks, which has long been a popular source of inspiration for video games. It’s almost like a 2D Resident Evil in how you need to manage your limited inventory, scavenge resources, and solve puzzles while fending off monsters in your search for a missing musician. The rotoscoped animation is also very nice. Tenebris Somnia PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC Although Tenebris Somnia’s most prominent selling point is its high production, live action cut scenes, which evoke old FMV games like Night Trap, this isn’t just an interactive movie. Most of your time will be spent avoiding monsters and solving puzzles in traditional survival horror fare, all dressed up in nostalgically pleasing 16-bit graphics. On Steam, you can grab this game in a bundle with either Silver Pines or last year’s fantastic horror role-player Look Outside. Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. Arrow MORE: Gears Of War ‘hasn’t made any difference’ to Xbox as sales ‘keep getting worse’ Arrow MORE: The Duskbloods officially delayed as Switch 2 line-up for 2027 grows Arrow MORE: Women hurled with abuse, humped and blindfolded at UK theme park horror event GameCentral Get the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week.