- 3 months ago
Sleep is overrated anyway! Join us as we count down our picks for the scariest video games of the 21st century so far. From psychological terrors to jump scares that'll have you throwing your controller, these games defined digital horror for a generation. Which nightmarish experience left you traumatized and sleeping with the lights on?
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00:00Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're taking another look at the scariest games of the century so far.
00:10You might have seen our 20 Scariest Games of the Century video, but since then, we've had countless great horror titles come out.
00:16So, we're turning the screams up to 30.
00:19Number 30 The Forest
00:392018's The Forest really puts the survival in survival horror.
00:42In this creepy first-person survival game, you'll craft, explore, and engage with creepy little weirdos to make it out alive.
00:48After surviving a plane crash, you'll spend the daylight hours building up your camp and fortifying your defenses because at night, you'll have to defend yourself from these same enemies.
01:04Building up a strong camp is just as important as being competent in battle.
01:08The Forest cleverly offers countless ways for you to do so.
01:11It doesn't seem that scary on the surface, but trust us when we say it can get out of hand very fast.
01:17Number 29 The Suffering
01:24A hidden horror gem from the PS2 and original Xbox era, The Suffering is a first- and third-person hybrid game where you take on the role of Tork, a death row inmate.
01:44He's been convicted of killing his ex-wife and two kids, but has no recollection of committing this heinous crime.
01:51The game's writing and subject matter may not have aged super well, but we can't deny that it's one of the creepiest games of that time.
01:57The dark and claustrophobic environments will make your hairs stand on end.
02:12The terrifying Silent Hill-like enemies with blades for limbs are gruesome and hard to kill.
02:16The Max Payne-style combat is fun, and navigating around the dark, bloodstained prison is an experience we won't forget.
02:23Number 28 Fear
02:38Fear First Encounter Assault Recon is a classic first-person horror shooter from the PS3 and Xbox 360 era that has spawned a handful of sequels.
02:45You play as The Point Man, one of the many cloned super soldiers with enhanced abilities dispatched to take on the paranormal threat of Alma Wade.
02:55It perfectly blends high-octane action gunplay with atmospheric horror, doing so in much better ways than more recent horror games like Resident Evil 6.
03:03Alma is an all-time horror game character.
03:14Her few and far-between appearances caused us many a jumpscare throughout our playthroughs.
03:18Number 27 Little Nightmares
03:30Little Nightmares
03:40It may not look it at first glance, since it's a traditional-style 2.5D platformer, but Little Nightmares has its fair share of terrifying moments living up to its namesake.
03:49It's not the most complicated or mechanically focused game, but we can't deny its place among the horror game greats.
03:55There are a handful of moments that prey on specific types of fears and phobias, like creepy dolls and uncanny body horror.
04:08The extremely short runtime, along with its sequel, makes for a game that fans of both horror and puzzle platformers should play at least once.
04:15Number 26 The Mortuary Assistant
04:23We've been blessed, or cursed depending on how you look at it, with an endless supply of indie horror games throughout the last decade.
04:29Games like The Mortuary Assistant offer just a few hours of solid, scary gameplay for great value, and are some of the best horror gaming experiences you can find.
04:50In it, you play as Rebecca Owens, a new graduate fresh out of mortuary school.
05:03She's asked to work the night shift.
05:05As you'd expect, supernatural nonsense begins to happen as she spends the night with her cadaver companions.
05:10The game's mortuary mechanics are somewhat realistic, and like many other horror titles, its puzzle design is top notch.
05:24Number 25 Cry of Fear
05:31Cry of Fear originally started out as a Half-Life mod, and has since become one of the best hidden gem horror games of the 2010s era.
05:38It's a single-player and co-op survival horror game set in an abandoned Scandinavian town, where you'll have to avoid hellish creatures.
05:49It has an emphasis on cinematics, something many quality horror titles have found success with, along with its spooky atmosphere and jumpscares in spades.
05:57Development on the project has unfortunately been halted, but you can still download this great horror mod for free on Steam, and we highly recommend you do so if terrifying vibes are your thing.
06:06If you're watching this video, they probably are.
06:14Number 24 Luto
06:25Luto came out in July 2025, but it's already high up on many horror fans' lists.
06:29It's a slow-moving psychological horror game inspired heavily by PT, where you play as Sam, who's trying to escape from his home and face his traumatic past.
06:38The game's story is told through dark, disturbing notes, journal entries, pictures, and the ongoing narration that subverts your expectations.
06:44There's no combat, no real stakes, and no way to get a game over, but that doesn't mean the game isn't terrifying.
06:50The silent and still figures covered in white sheets are still burned into our brains.
06:55Even though the jumpscares are few and far between, they're some of the most startling we've experienced in any horror game.
07:00Number 23 Visage
07:10Another game heavily inspired by PT, Visage is easily one of the scariest video games ever made, and definitely one of the scariest video games ever made.
07:18And definitely one of the most disturbing.
07:38Sharing some similarities with Luto as well, Visage will have you explore and solve puzzles as you attempt to escape the house you're trapped in.
07:44We'll spare some of its cutscenes and imagery here, since the game deals heavily in murder, but trust us when we say it's violent, disturbing, and masterfully captures the vibe of what you'd expect from a good psychological horror game.
08:04Number 22 Amnesia The Bunker
08:07The Bunker
08:15The fourth game in the Amnesia series, The Bunker takes the timeline back to 1916 during World War I, hence the name.
08:21You play as French soldier Henri Clément as he fights his way out of the titular bunker, all while solving puzzles and evading a new monstrous presence stalking him.
08:29It has the typical amnesia tension and puzzle solving we've all come to know and love.
08:42Just like his predecessors, it is absolutely terrifying.
08:45It'll run you anywhere between four to eight hours to finish, but it's an experience that will stick with you long after you roll credits due to its quality as a game and its pedigree as part of one of the best horror franchises around.
08:55Number 21 Mouthwashing
09:09One of the biggest indie horror standouts of last year, Mouthwashing is best enjoyed going in completely blind.
09:15Without giving too much away, the game is a sort of walking sim sci-fi horror game where its story is told in a non-linear fashion.
09:22It starts after your space freighter is sabotaged and crash lands, leaving the ship's captain in rough shape and to blame for the malfunction.
09:29Throughout its roughly two hour run time, you'll explore the ship, learn about its crew, and experience the narrative, all while it builds good tension.
09:36It's super short, but its puzzles and story make it a standout indie horror title we highly recommend.
09:41Number 20 Slender The Eight Pages
09:59This game helped give rise to the indie craze of the 2010s and proved that video games didn't need massive budgets to be effective.
10:05Like The Blair Witch Project and similar low-budget horror films, Slender does a lot with a little.
10:10The gameplay itself is very simple. You walk through the darkened woods, collect notes, and avoid the creepy Slender Man.
10:24But there's something inherently terrifying about hiding from threats in the dark.
10:28It activates something primal buried deep within the brain.
10:31The game's low-budget aesthetic adds an extra layer of uneasiness, like it was something pulled from the dark web.
10:43Number 19 Soma
10:45A lot of people were wondering what fictional games would do after the brilliant Amnesia The Dark Descent.
10:57The answer was the similar, yet totally different Soma, which concerned sentient robots in an underwater research facility.
11:03Like its predecessor, Soma primarily involved sneaking around enemies and solving puzzles while uncovering the mystery behind your identity and precarious situation.
11:11It also contains a relentlessly unsettling atmosphere.
11:25A unique mixture of Amnesia, System Shock, and Bioshock all rolled into one.
11:29And when all that is combined with the disgusting body horror present throughout the game, you get an experience pulled straight from a nightmare.
11:36Number 18 Senua's Sacrifice
11:56Hellblade is a self-proclaimed independent AAA game from British developer Ninja Theory.
12:01It follows a picked warrior named Senua in her attempt to save the soul of her dead lover from Hela.
12:05And though the story is compelling, it's Senua's Psychosis that really stands out.
12:19The developers consulted with neuroscientists and people suffering from psychosis in order to accurately depict the condition.
12:24And it was this aspect of the game that subsequently received the most praise.
12:28Game critics noted how Senua's Psychosis lent to the game's unsettling horror, such as visions, auditory hallucinations, and even some psychological tricks.
12:36While experts praised the realistic depiction of the condition.
12:39It's scary, but in a deeply tragic and humane way.
12:42Number 17 Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator
12:54By 2017, interest in the Five Nights at Freddy series was waning.
13:00It needed an injection of creativity and invention.
13:07And Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator proved just what the doctor ordered.
13:11This game unexpectedly took the franchise into business simulation, tasking the player with managing and maintaining a fictional pizzeria.
13:17Remember, use your company issued taser to return the animatronic to a neutral state if you feel that it's becoming unstable or aggressive.
13:26You can only use it three times before it begins to damage the animatronic and decrease its value.
13:32While doing so, you must avoid the hostile animatronics that are set loose in the establishment.
13:36It's during this section that some of your business decisions will either help or impede your progress.
13:41For example, accepting sponsorship offers will give your business more money, but will later prove detrimental when loud advertisements play on the computer.
13:48It's a wildly inventive game that horrifically blends business sim with the traditional creepiness of Five Nights at Freddy's.
13:54For most of you, I believe there is peace, and perhaps more, waiting for you after the smoke clears.
14:00Number 16 Inside
14:11Inside is the second game from Playdead, who gave us the brilliant Limbo.
14:16It's something of a spiritual successor, characterized by a similar art style and 2.5D gameplay.
14:21Taking control of an unnamed boy, players explore and traverse a monochromatic dystopian world while avoiding obstacles like security machines and hunting dogs.
14:29Should the boy die, the deaths are often depicted in a surprisingly realistic manner, which lends the game an unexpected grittiness.
14:41The world itself is also deeply unsettling thanks to the art design, general lack of sound, and some incredibly nasty creatures.
14:47Seriously, the huddle has to be one of the most disturbing things we've ever seen in a video game.
14:52Inside isn't so much scary as it is just deeply unnerving.
14:55Number 15 Alan Wake 2
15:05Alan Wake 2 is a horror sequel 13 years in the making.
15:19It was worth every second of patience.
15:21The game picks up where the original ended, with the titular writer Alan Wake getting trapped in the dark place.
15:26Enter FBI agent Saga Anderson, current gen graphics, modern design sensibilities, and you have one of the best and scariest contemporary horror games.
15:34The original game was scary, but the sequel dials it up to 11.
15:46Jump scares may be abundant, but they're well placed and extremely effective.
15:50And adding the FMV acting spliced into in-game cutscenes helps with immersion.
15:54If anything, make sure you play the game for the We Sing section alone. Trust us.
15:58Number 14 Dead Space 2
16:10Now if you want to talk viscerally impacting, let's talk about Dead Space 2.
16:14The Dead Space series is the medium's answer to the scary space stories of old.
16:31Space inherently makes for a terrifying setting.
16:33Not only is it seemingly beyond human comprehension, but there's literally nowhere more isolating.
16:38In short, it really gets the good ol' imagination going.
16:42And not in a fun way.
16:54Add in some Lovecraftian alien things, and some truly disturbing body horror, and you have the living nightmare that is Dead Space 2.
17:00We didn't think it could get much scarier than the first game.
17:04This proved us wrong.
17:06Number 13 Layers of Fear
17:19Developed by the oddly named Bloober Team, Layers of Fear is a psychological horror that takes its cue and
17:35influences from the independent horror titles of the early decade.
17:38More on that later.
17:39You play as a mentally disturbed artist who is trying to paint his masterpiece, but who keeps getting distracted by puzzles and an ever-changing mansion.
17:52Like most psychological games, Layers of Fear places most of its horror within the mind, and forces us to evaluate what is and isn't real.
18:00As such, it asks us to share in the protagonist's surreal experience, even if that's something we don't necessarily want to do.
18:07The persistent jump scares and disturbing visions definitely don't help.
18:19Number 12 Until Dawn
18:21H?
18:22What's it spelling?
18:23Hold on.
18:24How's this happening?
18:25Are you moving it?
18:26Until Dawn is one of the PlayStation 4's most unique exclusives.
18:30It serves as an interactive choose-your-own-adventure style of game, as the choices you make directly impact the story and characters.
18:37The story takes its influence from a wide variety of horror styles, starting as a creepy slasher in the vein of Friday the 13th before transitioning to a more fantastical tale involving Wendigos and Native American curses.
18:48Of course, much of the horror derives from the nature of those stories, but the stress of keeping your characters alive and trying to make the best decisions possible also adds an element of unpredictability that helps keep the game fresh and relentlessly nerve-wracking.
19:07If you were faking it, if you were doing one hell of a job...
19:10I wasn't faking anything!
19:12Number 11 The Evil Within
19:14Being a third-person horror title directed by Shinji Mikami, The Evil Within was bound to be compared to the Resident Evil series.
19:32But while the latter primarily focuses on B-movie thrills like zombies, mutants, and parasites, The Evil Within is far more psychological and disturbing.
19:45Its themes were more in line with Silent Hill than Resident Evil, complete with a troubled protagonist, otherworldly locations, a general nightmarish tone, and a story so bizarre and bonkers it'll have you genuinely questioning the sobriety of its creators.
19:59And who can forget the grotesque enemies such as Quell, Laura, and everyone's favorite, The Keeper?
20:04Its deeply disturbing, but also incredibly rewarding.
20:14Number 10
20:15Criminal Origins
20:25Condemned is basically the video game equivalent of Seven.
20:28You play as an SCU investigator named Ethan, who must study and analyze crime scenes to catch serial killers.
20:33And, much like Seven, the game's setting of Metro is visually dark, seedy, and repressive, almost as if the city is an embodiment of the violence and depravity within it.
20:42As if that's not scary enough, Ethan suffers from visual hallucinations, each episode more unbelievable and deeply unsettling than the last.
20:56The game is a hideous combination of inventive jump scares, unimaginable perversion, brutal melee combat, and surreal visuals.
21:01Condemned isn't played so much as it's lived in and experienced.
21:08Be ready for death, Agent Thomas.
21:10It shall come visiting again.
21:13Again.
21:21Number 9
21:22The Last of Us Part 2
21:24May we just say one thing.
21:34The Rat King can go right to hell.
21:36Like its predecessor, The Last of Us Part 2 involves sections made up of pitch black hallways, distant clicks and screams, and many disgusting visuals.
21:43But it's not just the visuals that make The Last of Us Part 2 so unnerving.
21:46It's the game's general atmosphere.
21:56Unlike its predecessor, there are very few, if any, lighthearted moments to be found.
22:01It's just unending hatred and horrific violence, including the most brutal and realistic death animations we've ever seen in a video game.
22:08Uncomfortable and downright exhausting, this sequel will stick to you long after the end credits roll.
22:23Number 8
22:24Eternal Darkness Sanity's Requiem
22:26This is the one that seeks to do combat with me.
22:35Eternal Darkness is a definite standout within the Nintendo library.
22:38Released exclusively on the GameCube and published by Nintendo, Eternal Darkness was the esteemed publisher's attempt at going mature.
22:45And what a resounding success it was.
22:47Most of the game's scares stem from its sanity effects, a highly unique mechanic in which the game essentially trolls the player.
23:01Some examples include pretending to change TV inputs, fake deleting your save files, clearing your inventory, and disconnecting your controller.
23:08This, of course, was in addition to various character-specific and environmental effects.
23:11The end result is unlike anything seen in a video game before, and it greatly aids in both interactivity and immersion within the story.
23:19Sanity's Requiem will have you questioning your own.
23:22Time is running short, and without me, you are mere flesh and bone. Remember that.
23:31Number 7
23:32Resident Evil 7 Biohazard
23:34A lot was riding on Resident Evil 7.
23:42Resident Evil 5 was considered a bit of a disappointment after the masterpiece that was 4, and 6 was...
23:48Well, let's not talk about 6.
23:51Now taking cues from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Resident Evil 7 came barreling out of the gate, and it did not hold back.
23:56From the unnerving atmosphere of the Baker family residence, alongside disturbing boss battles and gruesome sequences we can't show here, 7 brought the scares, both psychological and visceral.
24:15There may not have been a familiar face in sight until the very end, but this game single-handedly brought the franchise back from the brink of extinction.
24:21Resident Evil 2 only solidified Capcom's miraculous redemption.
24:31Number 6
24:32Alien Isolation
24:34Attention!
24:35Please remain called at the speed to the nearest exit.
24:39We did it! We got an Alien game in keeping with the first movie's tone.
24:43Most Alien titles have followed in the bombast of James Cameron's Aliens, and that's fine.
24:47But a lot of the franchise's fans were clamoring for a more atmospheric and claustrophobic experience in keeping with Ridley Scott's masterpiece, and Creative Assembly delivered.
24:56There are few video games as stressful and anxiety-inducing as this, as you are persistently hunted by the titular alien and left utterly powerless to defend yourself against it.
25:13Yes, there are defensive techniques, but most of your time will be spent cowering under tables or holding your breath in a locker as the alien stomps and sniffs around outside.
25:24We didn't think our hearts could beat so fast.
25:26We may never forgive Konami for what they did to PT.
25:44If you've been living under a rock for the last five years, PT was a playable teaser, hence the initials, for a new Silent Hill game.
25:50This could have been the greatest horror game ever released. Not only was it being directed by Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, but the demo alone was scarier and more impactful than a lot of AAA horror games.
26:02This demo was a masterclass in horror, creating tension like nothing else and cycling through a wide variety of horror styles, each of which were well-integrated and deliriously terrifying.
26:10It's a masterpiece of supernatural horror, and it will never again see the light of day.
26:21Number 4. Fatal Frame 2 Crimson Butterfly
26:24The first Fatal Frame was certainly scary, but Crimson Butterfly is on a whole other level.
26:39This game is quite possibly the greatest representation of J-horror within the video game medium.
26:43The gameplay largely centers around exploring an abandoned village and exercising its ghosts and demons with your magic camera.
26:48The village has a delightfully spooky atmosphere, and the game forces you to literally confront your fears by interacting with the ghosts rather than running or hiding from them.
27:04And while all this is going on, the player's sister Mayu is overcome with some type of malicious force, making the whole thing feel deeply personal.
27:12There's simply no other ghost game like Fatal Frame 2.
27:14Number 3. Outlast
27:36Oh boy, this one gave me nightmares.
27:38Outlast helped define the independent horror surge of the early 2010s.
27:43Developed and published by Red Barrels, this game had you playing as a journalist who travels to a seemingly abandoned insane asylum to uncover the truth about inhumane experiments.
27:56The gameplay is relatively simplistic, as it mostly consists of walking around, running away from enemies, and hiding under beds.
28:02Most of the game's mastery lies in its execution.
28:05It preys on our intrinsic fear of the dark, of being chased and hunted, and of being helpless against an enemy who wishes to do us harm.
28:13It's amazing what Red Barrels managed to do with such limiting gameplay, and it helped revolutionize the way horror games were made throughout the decade.
28:19Number 2. The Dark Descent
28:26The legacy of Amnesia cannot be overstated.
28:29It kickstarted the independent horror craze of the early 2010s, and its gameplay mechanics and general style were heavily copied throughout the decade.
28:46The game has you control a man named Daniel, as he explores a dark and foreboding castle, solves intricate puzzles, and hides from deformed and nightmarish creatures that literally cause him to go insane.
29:05Never Before has a game focused so heavily on sheer survival, and few have made the player feel so alone and vulnerable.
29:11You may begin questioning your own sanity by the time the credits roll, never mind Daniel's.
29:16It's a masterful example of the survival horror genre, and it remains one of the scariest games ever made.
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29:45Number 1. Silent Hill 2
29:48Silent Hill 2
29:57It's certainly worth debating, but Silent Hill 2 may just be the perfect horror video game.
30:02It combines essentially every element of horror into one nerve-wracking package, ensuring that not even the most resilient gamer can come out unaffected.
30:08There are the visceral scares inherent to otherworldly monsters, creepy abandoned towns, and the game's grimy, foggy atmosphere.
30:15From a gameplay and visual perspective, Silent Hill 2 is terrifying.
30:19But then, there's the psychological aspect, including the game's metaphorical use of Pyramid Head, the Bubble Head nurses, and the horrific integration of James' wife, Mary.
30:36The game gets in your head and stays there, forcing you to contemplate and confront its numerous horrors, both real and allegorical.
30:43It's a stunningly effective piece of horror.
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