The 25 Best Horror Games Released in 2016

Updated: 22 Jun 2017 2:26 am
2016 horror games
2016 was a big year for horror games, with more than a few massively popular games being released before the year ended.
girlplaysgames's picture BY: Skylar Black


2016 was a big year for everyone, including the horror genre

2016 was quite a year; a presidential election, the death of several celebrities, and a whole lot of other happenings flooded our newsfeeds from January to December. The same goes for the horror genre; 2016 brought on some horror games that were beautiful, and some that… weren’t. Here are the 25 best games released in 2016.

*Note: This list is not ranked.

25. Pony Island

Pony Island is a deceptively adorable puzzle game created by the Devil himself. Players must solve puzzles and find weaknesses to escape the game.

24. Oxenfree

  • Released on January 15, 2016
  • Platforms: PC, PS4, OS X, Linux, Xbox One, iOS
  • Official Website

Oxenfree follows a group of teens who unknowingly open a doorway into a ghostly realm, with terrible consequences. Players take the role of Alex, and must interact with the environment, make decisions, and solve puzzles to try and escape the ghost's grasp before it's too late.

23. Fear Equation

Fear Equation is a turn-based strategy game in which players take control of a modified freight train that is designed to protect those inside it from a terrible fog that brings their nightmares to life. Players must rescue people, analyze their dreams, and build defenses to protect them from the nightmares they manifest.

22. Duskers

Duskers is a survival horror game that focuses on surviving alone in deep space, while simultaneously trying to piece together what has happened to the universe and wiped everyone else out. Players must pilot drones into abandoned spaceships in order to find materials and information to progress.

21. Corpse Party

Corpse Party is a psychological horror game that takes place in a haunted elementary school, where terrible things have taken place. Players must explore the haunted grounds and find clues to unravel the mysteries before the school's eternal occupants catch up with them.

20. Calendula

Calendula is described as a game that doesn't want to be played. Players must solve various puzzles to try and continue playing the game to its completion, while the game does anything to stop them.

19. Layers of Fear

  • Released on February 16, 2016
  • Platforms: PC, OS X, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
  • Official Website

Layers of Fear is a single player psychological horror game in which players take control of a mentally ill painter obsessed with completing his masterpiece. Players must navigate a constantly shifting Victorian mansion to unveil the process by which the painting is completed.

18. The Town of Light

  • Released on February 26, 2016
  • Platforms: PC (TBA for Xbox One and PS4)
  • Official Website

The Town of Light is an atmospheric horror game based on the story of a woman who revisits an abandoned institution that she was incarcerated in as a child. Players must explore the now-abandoned buildings and unravel the secrets of the woman's time there.

17. DreadOut: Keepers of the Dark

Keepers of the Dark is a small DLC game for the larger DreadOut games. The plot follows the main character, Linda, after she has been pulled into a mirror by her own reflection, ending up in a surreal otherworld that she must now escape.

16. Don't Starve Together

Don't Starve Together is a multiplayer expansion for the popular survival horror game Don't Starve. Players must battle hunger, madness, and various horrible creatures as they collaborate in order to ensure that they don't starve.

15. Dead End Road

Dead End Road is an atmospheric horror game in which the player is placed at the wheel of a car, desperately trying to reach an old woman at the end of the road who can reverse a sinister ritual that has unleashed something terrible that is chasing them.

14. Doom

Doom is a popular reboot of the series by the same name in which players take the role of an unnamed Marine fighting against demonic forces in a colony on Mars. The gameplay features a faster pace and more open-ended levels than its predecessors.

13. Doorways: Holy Mountains of Flesh

Doorways: Holy Mountains of Flesh is an immersive and surreal horror game that takes place in a small village in Argentina that is surrounded by rumors of cannibalism, black magic, and superstition. Players must navigate the environment and discover the truth before it's too late.

12. Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game that positions three players as survivors and one as the killer. Gameplay revolves around escaping the compound, or, if you're the bloodthirsty villain, killing everyone before they can accomplish their goal.

11. Welcome to the Game

Welcome to the Game is a game based within the Deep Web, that legendary portion of the internet in which all sorts of terrible business can be conducted. The player takes the role of an unnamed character who has gained access to the Deep Web, and is challenged with finding 8 keys to unlock an online torture and murder 'Red Room'.

10. The Brookhaven Experiment

The Brookhaven Experiment is a wave-based zombie shooter created for VR. Players must manage their ammo, health, and light source while fighting off waves of twisted zombies.

9. Inside

Inside is an insidious puzzle platformer created by the developers of Limbo. Players take the role of a faceless young boy who finds himself entangled in a sinister government project.

8. Lethe - Episode One

Lethe is an atmospheric first person horror game in which the player explores a frightening and surreal world. Players must explore and interact with the environment while avoiding enemies as they struggle to unfold the origins of the main character.

7. CASE: Animatronics

CASE: Animatronics is a horror game that is very similar to the iconic Five Nights at Freddy's franchise. However, players find themselves with more to do, as they can move freely through the environment and are pursued by the animatronics.

6. The Final Station

The Final Station is a gorgeous indie game that blends a resource management game with a zombie shooter. Players are placed in charge of a train that is apparently hauling important cargo, and must manage the stability of the train and the needs of the passengers, as well as navigating environments outside the train and battling the zombies within them.

5. Event [0]

Event [0] is a creepy first person horror game in which the player finds themselves trapped on an otherwise abandoned spacecraft controlled by an artificial intelligence. They must find clues and solve puzzles to figure out what happened to the rest of the crew and how they are going to get home.

4. Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location

Sister Location is an extension of the Five Nights at Freddy's lore. Players must guard another location, with new mechanics and new animatronics to deal with. 

3. Slayaway Camp

Slayaway Camp is a puzzle game in which players take control of Skullface, an adorable blocky murderer who enjoys slashing camp counselors and generally being a horror movie villain from the 80s. Players must slide the killer around the isometric levels and kill all the inhabitants.

2. Through the Woods

Through the Woods is a horror game based in Norse mythology that follows a mother who is looking for her missing son. Players explore the story of her son's disappearance through reactive narration mechanics.

1. Arizona Sunshine

Arizona Sunshine is an exclusive VR zombie survival game set in a desolate wasteland. Players take the role of a survivor that has caught a snatch of a human voice on a radio, and must now navigate the hordes of zombies and blistering heat in search of other humans.

You may also like:

 

Share this Article:
More on this topic:


Skylar Black
I divide my time between playing games at unholy hours of the night and writing about them; occasionally I allot moments for sleep and refueling.
Gamer Since: 2008
Favorite Genre: FPS
Currently Playing: Kholat, Prey, Graveyard Keeper, Stardew Valley
Top 3 Favorite Games:BioShock 2, Civilization IV, Plague Inc: Evolved


More Top Stories

Horror Games Where You Play as the Killer
7 Horror Games Where You Play as the Killer
Horror Games Where You Play as The Killer Ever fantasized about killing your nosy neighbor or your coworker who steals your turkey sandwich from the break room fridge?  Here are 7 games where you play as the killer. While it may not be as satisfying as gutting Nick from accounting, it is a...
       1 comments
[Top 10] Games Like Outlast (Games Better Than Outlast In Their Own Way)
If you have played Outlast and loved it, here is a list of horror games that can provide you with hours of “fun,” scares, and adventure. Games that can be even better than Outlast according to your preferences :) #10 Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC - 2013...
       0 comments
Games Like The Evil Within
Top 13 Games Like The Evil Within (Games Better Than The Evil Within In Their Own Way)
What Are The Best Games Like The Evil Within?  When The Evil Within released back in 2014, it tapped into the primal fear of all great horror games: The fear of the unknown. An unspeakable evil lurked in the shadows of its twisted world. Vile creatures hounded the player. If you’re...
       0 comments
[Top 15] Horror Game Streamers That Are Fun To Watch
With autumn finally upon us, we exchange sun-filled cookouts and beach blowouts for chilly nights in front of the TV watching your favorite horror game streamer. Streamers enjoy playing horror games for the unsettling sensation of hairs standing on their necks, which can range from unsettling...
       0 comments
Horror, Games, Creepy, PC, Atmospheric, First Person, Third Person, Adventure, Puzzle, Zombies, Monsters, Science Fiction, Action, Surreal
Top 10 Most Anticipated Horror Games in 2017
Brand new horror to look forward to 2016 was a year that saw the release of many amazing horror games. From the bleak and dreary world of Inside to the high octane action sci-fi horror that is DOOM, PC Gamers were treated to a mass of great horror experiences that they will hold on to for a very...
       0 comments
Horror Games with Good Graphics
Top 10 Horror Games with Good Graphics
What Horror Games Have The Best Graphics? Do you like games that make you jump? Tired of horror games with shallow graphics? With horror titles, the more realistic and higher quality they are, the more likely you are to be scared. So, horror games that don’t look good likely not scare you and...
       0 comments
Best Survival Horror Games
15 Best Survival Horror Games for PC
How many of these survival horror games have you played? I really enjoy survival horror games. It’s all the best parts of watching a good horror movie but you’re right in the middle of the action. They always give me sweaty palms. I jump at every little sound with my heart racing. 15) Reborn...
       0 comments
[Top 15] Best Open World Horror Games That Are Fun (Ranked Fun to Most Fun)
Avoid Boredom With These Open-World Horror Games It’s clear to see what makes open-world horror games enjoyable. Exploring a limitless environment can hold your attention for hours of play. No two players have the same experience in an open-world game. The way each player completes their...
       0 comments
Games Like Outlast, outlast alternatives
Top 10 Games Like Outlast (Games Better Than Outlast In Their Own Way)
Let's countdown the best games like Outlast If you enjoyed Outlast, these try out these 10 horror games. 10. Silent Descent Silent Descent Gameplay Convicted of murder, you wish to end it all. Believing that it would ease your suffering. But you were wrong. You...
       0 comments
Come check out some indie horror games!
[Top 10] Indie Horror RPGs To Check Out
The RPG genre is constantly growing, and horror seems to complement the RPG genre better than almost anything. Thrilling combat, a storyline that sucks you right in, monsters that haunt your dreams at night… RPG horror is the whole package. We compiled a list to help you experience all these and...
       1 comments
VR and Horror Games Seems Like a Match Made in Heaven
VR and Horror Games Seems Like a Match Made in Heaven
Every Gamer and Their Mother Is Talking About VR It seems that everyone wants us to believe that VR is the future of gaming. Whether Virtual Reality gaming is here to stay or just a trend is something we will have to wait and see but for now it’s a very intresting subject. Now that the VR is...
       0 comments
scary Multiplayer Games
11 Best Multiplayer Horror Games You Should Play with Your Buddies (Scary Multiplayer Games)
What Are The Best Multiplayer Horror Games? One could argue that we live in a constant state of loneliness. Since we’ll never be able to experience the world the way anyone else does, we will never truly get to share our lives with another person. That’s why we stop thinking about our demise and...
       0 comments
17 Best Horror Games in the World
The 17 Best Horror Games in the World
Horror games are popular across the globe. Get scared. Be masochistic. Or share the love (and sadism) by inflicting the pleasure on your friends. Playing horror games is a global phenomenon, with these 17 Best Horror Games in the World. 17. Resident Evil HD Resident Evil HD...
       0 comments
The best survivor builds in Dead by Daylight
[Top 10] DbD Best Survivor Builds That Are Pretty OP
Tired of falling to the ground after five seconds of starting a chase? Bored of sitting on a hook the whole match? Or maybe it’s your teammates who are holding you down. Well, nothing a proper build can’t solve.    With the recent rework that touched most Perks in the game, choosing...
       0 comments
Best Horror Games
Top 10 Ultimate Best Horror Games to Play in 2019
Here are the 10 best horror games you can play today. 10. Resident Evil 2 Remake Resident Evil 2 Remake gameplay Resident Evil 2 is set two months after the events of the first Resident Evil. It takes place in Raccoon City where the whole city has been infected with an...
       1 comments
15 Horror Games That Were Cancelled (And Why)
The horror gaming industry is probably one of the hardest to develop. Some games seem to be the salvation of horror but for one reason or another were brutally canceled. Here's a list of a few of this treasures that never saw the light. 15. P.T. (A Silent Hill franchise) P.T. was...
       0 comments
psychological horror games
The 15 Best Psychological Horror Games for PC
15 Psychological Horror Games That Will Play Tricks On Your Mind Psychological horror games are massively popular nowadays, with new and unique games coming out every year from every corner of the world. Of course, among this wave of games, there are some that are better than others. Here are...
       0 comments
Games Like Spooky's Jumpscare Mansion
Top 10 Games Like Spooky's Jumpscare Mansion
I’ve been playing Spooky’s Jumpscare Mansion and thought I would share a list of similar game with you kind folks that’ll keep your heart pumping. It’s nearly Halloween time, if you ask a very specific portion of the internet, after all! So, you’re going to need some spooky games! 10. Dark...
       0 comments
Games Like Until Dawn
Top 10 Games Like Until Dawn (Games Better Than Until Dawn In Their Own Way)
Here Are The 10 Best Horror Games like Until Dawn Whether it’s in a scary secluded cabin, or fighting zombies, gamers have their share of spooks and crooks to entertain them. If you like Until Dawn, have a look at these Top 10 Games like Until Dawn for PC. 10. Overkill’s The Walking Dead...
       0 comments
[Top 10] Best RPG Horror Games (Ranked Fun To Most Fun)
What Are The Best Horror RPGs? Roleplaying horror games are an underrepresented subgenre in the gaming world. Mostly because the two separate genres can be difficult to bring together. There's nothing more ego-boosting than an RPG, it's a hunter's paradise. Then there are horror games that have...
       1 comments
Things that go bump in the night...
10 Best Scary Games to Play in 2015
The best scary games, all in one list. Dare you read on? What makes a video game scary? Is it the blood-drenched, tentacled abomination lurking just around the corner? The ravenous zombie shambling towards you? Or is it the sense of powerlessness that comes with finding yourself alone...
       0 comments
Horror Games Without Jumpscares
Top 11 Best Horror Games Without Jumpscares
When people mention Horror Games people often talk about how bad are the jumpscares.  In fact horror games don't even have to include jump scares at all and they will still be a superb example of what a horror game should be. Here are 11 great examples of games that achieve that...
       0 comments
[Top 15] Horror Games That Are Cross-Platform
15. Dead by Daylight - 2016 (PC / PS4 / PS5 / XBOX / iOS / Android / Nintendo Switch)   Join this 4v1 horror game and become one of the 4 survivors or the killer and feast yourself with your friend’s blood. Survivors must escape the killing ground. At the same time, the killer...
       0 comments
rpg horror games
Top 10 Best RPG Horror Games for PC
10 RPG Horror Games To Satisfy Your Need for Roleplaying and Horror Horror games are created with a singular purpose; to scare the ever-living daylights out of the player. The type of game that does this best is the RPG horror game; players are placed directly into the shoes of the protagonist....
       0 comments
Games Like Until Dawn
Top 15 Games Like Until Dawn (Games Better Than Until Dawn In Their Own Way)
You finished Until Dawn! Congratulations! … Now what? Why not try one of these games on for size? From spooky atmospheres to hard decisions that could alter the game, you’re bound to have a fun time suffering from any of these games! 15. Remothered: Tormented Fathers...
       0 comments
Zombie Killing Games
The Best Zombie Killing Games To Play Right Now
Get ready for a zombie massacre in these zombie killing games Simply put, survival horror just ain’t what it used to be. Today, it’s much better. You have a lot more options in terms of how you want to survive the apocalypse, spanning from the wide variety of indie games to “AAA” blockbusters....
       0 comments
The best Hag builds in Dead by Daylight
[Top 5] Dead By Daylight Best Hag Builds That Are Excellent
As you were walking towards a generator, a terrible scream cut through the night. You were so terrified that it took you a while to notice the muddy figure emerge from the ground. The grotesque woman raised her claw-like hand and soon there was only darkness. That’s about how things would go if you...
       0 comments
10 Upcoming Horror Games To Be Released in 2015 and 2016
10 Upcoming Horror Games To Be Released in 2015 and 2016
10 Upcoming Horror Games To Be Released in 2015 and 2016 For some strange reason people love to get scared. For years, the horror game industry has been provided people with the frights and giggles they’ve been wanting. If you’ve never played a horror game before or you’re simply looking...
       0 comments
Co-op Horror Games
Top 11 Co-op Horror Games To Play With Friends
Fight evil with a friend in these coop horror games Who doesn’t like being spooked alone while playing a creepy game like Resident Evil? I don’t. I find it so much more fun when me and my friends can be scared together, and we can yell (not scream because we’re very manly men) in unison. That...
       0 comments
All Five Nights at Freddy's Games
All Five Nights at Freddy's Games in Order (And A Review of Each)
A place where fantasy and fun morph into terror with a simple flip of a switch. With a limited power supply and a set of cameras, players work as the security guard meant to watch over a pizzeria during the night shift. All seems normal until the animatronics begin to move and hunt the player...
       0 comments
scary vr games
Top 10 Scariest VR games
10 Scariest VR Horror Games That Will Send Shivers Down Your Spine Virtual Reality gaming is still in its infancy, however, it has brought an entirely new dimension to video games. VR can be a deeper and more immersive experience and one that you can't replicate on traditional gaming...
       0 comments
best steam horror games, best horror games steam
[Top 15] Best Steam Horror Games We Love!
Are you ready to be terrified? There’s nothing better than the feeling of being scared. The rush of adrenaline as horrific monsters appear from the shadows, the anxiety that remains once the credits start rolling, and the questions that arise as we sit in front of our screens and wonder why we...
       0 comments
Games Like Silent Hill
Top 10 Games Like Silent Hills (Games Better Than Silent Hills In Their Own Way)
Looking for the best games like Silent Hill? Silent Hill is a classic survival horror game from 1999. It has gore, violence, monsters, mystery, and blocky graphics; everything a great horror game needs! Since its debut, horror games have only gotten better: more realistic and more terrifying...
       0 comments
[Top 11] Best Indie Horror Games Released In 2022 (Ranked Fun to Most Fun)
Indie Horror Games of 2022 Horror fans all over the world are obsessed with the movies that make you afraid to sleep later that night. But, sometimes that just isn’t enough. Some of us have a desire to have sweaty palms and our hearts pounding through our chests. Or be afraid to walk through our...
       0 comments
10 Scariest Moments in PC Gaming
10 Scariest Moments in PC Gaming
How Brave Are You? This is what nightmares are made of These are the moments that made you have to get up and change your pants. We’ve all played games that have frightened us, but some scary pc games delivered that extra something that made it hard to sleep for a few days.  This list...
       0 comments
Games Like Granny
10 Games Like Granny (Games Better Than Granny In Their Own Way)
Granny is a first-person POV game where you are to solve a series of puzzles and use stealth in order to escape the house Granny has locked you in with not much more known other than that. She hears every noise you make so you must be careful not to drop anything or even step on a...
       0 comments
Surviva Horror Network Psalm 5:9-13 Playthrough Screenshot
Top 15 Horror Game Youtubers to Watch
Sometimes, you just want to be scared. And sometimes, you want to watch someone else be scared with you. There’s something about watching a good horror YouTube video that can make you feel like you’re getting scared with a pal, and these Youtuber’s help scratch that itch. Whether it’s let’s plays,...
       0 comments
2015, horror, horror games, zombies
Top 25 Horror Games of 2015
2015 seems like forever ago, but the horror games that the year produced have still left an imprint on the present. Of course, as will all games, there are some that are better than others. Here are the 25 best horror games that were released in 2015. The Last NightMary Released on...
       0 comments
[Top 15] New & Upcoming Horror Games of 2020!
  The Roaring Twenties are back, bringing new horror games with it!   While remakes have surfaced over the past few years, bringing better graphics and updated gameplay, 2020 has brought new concepts to the stage, filling the upcoming months with terror, carnage, and delight....
       0 comments
Games Like Resident Evil
Top 10 Games Like Resident Evil
The Best Games Like Resident Evil Resident Evil is one of the most successful and popular franchises in gaming history, even with the latest and seventh installment. The franchise, spanning over twenty years shows no sign of slowing down and revolutionized the first-person shooter zombie game, a...
       0 comments
[Top 17] Best Horror Games For Low-End PC (Ranked Fun to Most Fun)
  Great Low-End PC Horror Games Playing horror games is always an exciting experience. The experience doesn’t get much better than on a PC. Unfortunately, not everyone has a powerful laptop or PC to run them on. So, we’ve put together a list of the top 17 horror games for a low-end PC...
       0 comments
11 Best Indie Horror Games of 2015
Want to get your game published without the hassle of dealing with a big name company? Want to create something that stands apart from the rest? Indie games aim to do just that. It used to be more difficult to create something with a little budget, but with the use of crowdfunding sites like...
       0 comments
Multiplayer Horror Games
Top 15 Best Multiplayer Horror Games To Play With Your Buddies (Scary Multiplayer Games)
Let's Countdown To The Best Scary Multiplayer Games When done correctly, horror games can be just as scary and entertaining as horror movies. It can be pretty time consuming to try and sift through what is good, what’s not, what’s scary, and what stinks. Here is a list of the the top 15...
       0 comments
Horror Puzzle Games For PC
[Top 15] Horror Puzzle Games For PC
What Are Some Good Horror Puzzle Games? Whether you’re into Mascot Horror, tried and true classics of the genre or just looking for something to help you sleep uncomfortably tonight. Here are 15 of the best horror puzzle games on PC   Animal Well The blob just seems like...
       0 comments
A Top 12 list of some of the scariest PC horror game antagonists,
12 Most Horrifying Horror Game Antagonists
How Many of These Horrifying Creatures Have You Encountered?  While we are naturally programmed to fear the creepy and grotesque: horror games regularly captivate a solid audience of players. Outlast 2 has had a few hundred thousand shy of 1 million players on Steam alone, to give you an...
       0 comments
New Horror Games
[Top 15] New Horror Games We Love!
Do you love that adrenaline rush that comes from a good horror game? Or maybe you just love that dark atmosphere unique to the horror genre? Well, this is the list for you! Here are 15 games that have either recently come out or will be coming out in the next six months or so that we love, or are...
       0 comments
Best Horror RPGs
12 Best RPG Horror Games (Get Ready For a Dark Adventure)
What Are The Best Horror RPGs? 12. Call of Cthulhu "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." - H.P. Lovecraft. Call of Cthulhu – Gameplay Trailer Call of Cthulhu is a role-playing survival horror...
       0 comments
[Top 26] Best Co-Op Horror Games (Ranked Fun to Most Fun)
Explore Co-Op Horror Games For extreme horror fans around the world, it doesn’t get much better than hunting for ghosts or avoiding entities. But, there is one thing that will improve any gaming experience. Having a co-op mode brings more fun almost every time.  Hiding or seeking, fighting...
       0 comments
11 Most Played Horror Games in 2015
11. Resident Evil HD Remaster Resident Evil HD Gameplay Trailer Bizarre murders near Raccoon City has prompted an investigation from the S.T.A.R.S. team. After losing contact with the Bravo Team, Alpha Team heads over to investigate.  Soon after, they are forced to take...
       0 comments
Horror Games With Good Stories
Top 15 Horror Games With Good Story
Looking for Horror Games With Great Storylines? When it comes to great examples of creativity within the video game industry, I can't think of a genre more fitting to explore than horror. From first person shooters to jumpscare fest, the entire genre continues to push the gaming industry...
       0 comments