If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had your fair share of heart-pounding moments in horror games. A sudden flash of something terrifying or an unexpected figure popping up on screen are perfect for jump scares. Here are the top horror games with the best jump scares that will leave you checking behind your sofa for days.
10 Best Horror Games That Will Make You Jump
Jump scares - those terrifying moments that make your heart skip a beat - are a staple in horror games. They're often sudden, loud, and perfectly timed to catch you when you least expect it. While some may say they're cheap tricks, there's no denying how effective they are at getting under your skin.
I'll admit it: I hate jump scares. Especially when they’re paired with something creepy flashing on the screen. I still remember the face that appeared in a jump scare I witnessed as a child. It’s burned into my brain forever, and even now, thinking about it makes me feel uneasy. But for those who love them, these games will not disappoint.
Psst. If you don't love them, try my other list for the 10 Best horror games that aren’t too scary.
10. Emily Wants to Play
Emily Wants to Play is a game that takes something as mundane as delivering pizza and turns it into a nightmarish ordeal. You play as a pizza delivery guy, who, at 11pm, just wants to make his last delivery and go home. But when you step into Emily's house to get out of the storm, the door locks behind you, and you're in for far more than you bargained for.
The house is dark, eerie, and, oh yeah - inhabited by a creepy girl named Emily and her trio of dolls. Great. Amazing.
The developer added a jump scare toggle, so if you’d rather not have these dolls popping up in your face, you can turn the jump scares off. But where’s the fun in that, right?
9. Cry of Fear
Cry of Fear offers a different kind of terror - one rooted in psychological horror and the unknown. Set in the cold, desolate streets of Fäversholm, the game leads you through a city overrun by nightmarish creatures as your character spirals into madness. It’s not just about monsters and weapons (though you have both). The game plays with your mind, making you feel powerful one moment and utterly helpless the next.
What makes Cry of Fear so effective is the way it plays with your expectations. It allows you to fight back, but not in a way that makes you feel safe. It builds your confidence by letting you take down enemies with a gun or knife, only to strip it away in moments of sheer terror. The game’s scares aren’t always about sudden jumps; it’s the surreal and often grotesque enemies that truly make your skin crawl. It’s a slow burn that keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s a product of your character’s deteriorating mind.
8. Stay Out of the House
Stay Out of the House is the kind of game that doesn’t just rely on jump scares - it’s got an atmosphere so suffocating that every corner you turn feels like it’s hiding something monstrous. The premise is simple: you’ve been kidnapped by a cannibalistic butcher, and escaping his house is your only goal. Easier said than done.
The game throws you into a tense game of cat and mouse, where the butcher is always lurking, ready to pounce. You’ll hear the eerie creak of floorboards, feel the terror of being hunted, and when you least expect it - BAM - he’s right there, dragging you back to your cage. It’s the kind of jump scare that makes your stomach drop because there’s nothing worse than thinking you’ve escaped, only to be pulled right back into the nightmare.
7. At Dead of Night
In At Dead of Night, you play as Maya, a student who finds herself trapped in a hotel run by the psychopathic Jimmy Hall. Your friends are locked up in the hotel, and your only way to save them is by uncovering Jimmy's dark secrets. Armed with a ghost voice receiver, you’ll communicate with the spirits haunting the hotel, each offering a glimpse into the tragic events that shaped Jimmy into the monster he is.
What sets this game apart is how it merges live-action footage with gameplay, creating an eerily immersive experience. The hotel itself is a maze, filled with narrow corridors and rooms that make it easy to get lost - and that’s where Jimmy thrives. His presence is felt constantly, whether it’s through his voice echoing in the halls or the subtle sound of footsteps around the corner. You never know when he’ll appear, and that’s where the game’s true terror lies.
6. The Mortuary Assistant
The Mortuary Assistant takes you to a chillingly intimate setting: a small mortuary where you, a newly trained apprentice, must handle bodies late into the night. But this isn’t just another day at work. There’s something deeply wrong with these bodies - and with you. The game strikes an impressive balance between atmospheric tension and sudden jump scares, all while keeping you on edge with its oppressive, claustrophobic environment.
What sets this game apart is how effectively it plays with space. You don’t have a sprawling map to explore, but rather the confines of a small mortuary; yet it’s amazing how much terror can be packed into such a limited space. The creepy vibe is relentless, making even mundane tasks like embalming feel like they’re part of a bigger, more sinister game. The jump scares hit hard, but it's the constant sense of dread that really does the work here, making you feel like something could happen at any second.
5. MADiSON
MADiSON is a psychological horror that thrives on unpredictability. The moment you pick up that instant camera, you know you’re in for a terrifying experience. As you take pictures and develop them, you never know when something chilling might appear.
One of the best moments (and worst, if you’re not a fan of being scared out of your mind) is when you encounter Madison Hale herself. She’s a serial killer trying to possess you, and the game takes full advantage of jump scares to make sure her presence is always felt. Just when you think you’re safe walking down a familiar corridor, Madison might suddenly appear in a doorway, or worse - come running at you out of nowhere.
4. Visage
Visage is not your typical jump scare fest; instead, it drags you into a slow-burning nightmare where every step you take is drenched in dread. This game has a knack for making you feel utterly helpless, all while refusing to rely on cheap tricks. Set in a house soaked in the horrifying memories of past residents, you’ll find yourself wandering through hallways haunted by tragedy, trying to piece together the story of the grim events that occurred here.
The atmosphere is suffocating. It’s a constant game of managing your sanity, quite literally. If you stay in the dark for too long, the terror starts creeping in, and you'll soon be scrambling to find a light switch or fumbling with your lighter, hoping it doesn’t run out of fuel. This game builds tension so effectively that when something does happen, it feels deeply personal - as if the house itself is alive and toying with you.
3. Alan Wake 2
What makes Alan Wake 2 so unique is how it uses jump scares in the middle of high-stakes gameplay. You could be in the middle of a tense boss fight or running for your life from shadowy figures when, out of nowhere, the screen flashes with a close-up of a ghoulish face, complete with that awful static sound.
The timing of these scares is absolutely perfect (or perfectly awful, depending on how you feel about jump scares), making sure you’re never fully comfortable, even when you think you’re focused on just surviving.
2. Dead Space Remake
The Dead Space remake brings back one of the most iconic survival horror games in a terrifyingly immersive package. You step back into the shoes of Isaac Clarke, an ordinary engineer thrust into an extraordinary nightmare aboard the USG Ishimura. As you move through the ship’s blood-soaked halls, the Necromorphs - grotesque, reanimated crew members - jump out at you from every vent and shadow, giving you no moment to breathe.
The remake shines in its atmospheric enhancements, cranking up the tension with eerie sounds and beautifully horrifying visuals. The familiar jump scare moments from the original make their triumphant return, and they’re as startling as ever. Even though you’re armed with tools to fight back, the creeping feeling that you’re losing your mind as much as you’re losing your health keeps the stakes sky-high.
1. Outlast
Outlast is one of those games that has redefined horror by reminding us how helpless we truly are. You play as Miles Upshur, an investigative journalist who - like all horror protagonists - makes the questionable decision to explore an abandoned asylum. Your goal is to uncover the dark secrets of the facility and survive long enough to make it out alive.
But here’s the catch: you can’t fight. Your only options are to run, hide, or, well... Run faster. Now, the game is filled with terrifying moments, but one of the most memorable jump scares happens when you think you’ve found a rare moment of calm. After stepping outside and picking up a document by the fence, you turn to head back, only to be greeted by the sight of the Walrider, a terrifying entity that seems to come out of nowhere.
I'm ranking Outlast at number one because it was mentioned multiple times on every Reddit thread I checked for recommendations. This game seriously did a number on people.
Want to read about more horror games at Pro Game Guides? Check out Best Cult-Themed Horror Games and 10 Best scary games to play this Halloween.
Published: Oct 19, 2024 07:55 am