Who doesn’t love a good scare from time to time? Although horror movies and books can easily fill us with the thrill of fear, nothing beats the immersion games offer. It’s that interactive element of horror games that makes them terrifying and it pumps you with adrenaline. If you’re a horror fan and you are wondering which horror game to play next on your Xbox, we got you covered.

In this article, we’ll review the 13 best Xbox Horror games and jump scares you can enjoy right now, and we promise they’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, check out our favorite Halloween video games for more horror-themed fun.

1. Resident Evil Village

The latest installment of Capcom’s famous Resident Evil Franchise, takes place after the events in Resident Evil 7. As with all Resident Evil games, this one is a survival horror game. You’ll be playing again as Ethan Winters, this time stranded in a remote village where he’ll need to fight all kinds of vampires, lycans, and other monsters in order to survive and find his daughter.

Resident Evil Village perhaps gives you fewer weapon options than what RE players are used to, but that won’t diminish the gameplay since you have the ability to upgrade them. But those weapons aren’t enough to keep your fear in check. As you make your way through the Eastern European village the game bombards you with psychological horror.

2. Alien: Isolation

Set 15 years after Ridley Scott’s movie Alien, this game emphasizes avoiding the enemy and surviving. You’ll be playing as Amanda Ripley, daughter of the famous Ellen Ripley, searching for her mother. In order to achieve your goal, you’ll have to rely on stealth mechanics as you progress through the game.

Although Alien video games often fail to satisfy the fans due to game mechanics, this is not the case with Alien: Isolation. This installment in the series is popular due to the Xeno’s AI. You’ll discover that there’s only one Xenomorph on the map at any given time, but it’s extremely dangerous due to the advanced AI behind this game. You’ll find yourself holding your breath throughout the game, hoping you’re hidden well enough that the enemy won’t notice you.

3. Dead Space

Dead Space, the 2023 remake of the game of the same science fiction title from 2008, has managed to capture the same terror that the original game induced, and even enhances it. The visuals have improved and so have the sound design and gameplay. These atmospheric elements amplify the sense of dread you experienced while playing the original title.

Play as Isaac Clarke, a crewman of a USG repair spaceship. You’ll investigate a distress signal and fall into a trap. Isaac is isolated from the rest of the crew and will have to fight a horde of mutated monsters developed from the bodies of fallen humans in order to survive and save his crew.

4. The Evil Within 2

When the first Evil Within game was launched, the fans immediately asked for a sequel, and the developer studio Tango Gameworks delivered. In fact, the rumor has it that Bethesda Softworks will publish a third installment of this game in 2024. For now, we’ll have to satisfy our curiosity by playing the second game in the series.

In this story-driven survival horror video game, you’ll play detective Sebastian Castellanos, who has to rescue his daughter Lily from a simulated idyllic American town, called Union. But the idyll is gone and all the inhabitants were killed. The simulation is inhabited by various monsters and serial killers, all resolved to stop Sebastian from reaching Lily.

5. Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight is a PVP horror experience with a great deal of DLC packs. It’s a multiplayer game where one person plays a killer, while all the others co-op as survivors. The killer has a simple goal: find and kill all the players. Survivors, on the other hand, have to navigate the map and escape by daylight.

This might be a simple premise, but this game is fun, especially when played with friends and loved ones. If you ever wondered what it’s like to be a villain in a horror story, here’s your chance. You can craft your own killer, or play one of the well-established ones from the famous horror stories, such as Pin-Head, or Demogorgon.

6. Little Nightmares 2

If you’re a fan of puzzle games, but still want to experience the chills of a horror atmosphere, consider Little Nightmares 2. This game will make you hide from enemies and escape danger by using your wit. You’ll have to be stealthy and clever, and you’ll have to solve challenging puzzles to complete the levels.

You’re not alone in this endeavor. If you feel stuck, you can call for Six, a secondary protagonist (she was the main character of the first game), to help you solve the puzzles. Both Little Nightmare games are something rather unique on the market, and they quickly became popular. Although cute at times, these games don’t lack a terrifying ambiance.

7. Alan Wake Remastered

The original Alan Wake was published in 2010, but the remaster is ready to raise the hair on the back of your neck. This is a story-driven adventure horror game with a third-person action-packed gameplay style.

Alan Wake is a writer set to find his missing wife. The only clues he has are pages from the horror book he wrote at some point in the past but has no recollection of doing so. The remastered version of this game allows both new and old players to enjoy the improved graphics and gameplay while waiting for the next installment, Alan Wake 2, due to be published in October 2023.

8. Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter horror game, the third installment of the Metro series games based on the famous novel. Unlike the first two games, Metro Exodus follows the protagonist Artyom outside of the cramped Metro lines, and into the open world of post apocalyptic Moscow and beyond.

This new, large space you can explore outside of the metro tunnels, adds a new dimension of terror and urgency. Although the mutated creatures and hostile humans are still your enemies, and the goal of the game is to survive, some supernatural elements from the previous installments, unfortunately, didn’t make it to Metro Exodus. Nonetheless, this installment offers hours of action, horror, and quality storytelling.

9. Scorn

Scorn is a single-player survival horror game that’s considered visual candy by all the fans of visual artists H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. The players will find themselves in a biopunk realm, filled with entities made of both flesh and machines. The environment and the aesthetics are truly unique and unlike anything else you’ve experienced in a horror game.

The goal of the game is to explore different regions of the map, solve puzzles, and survive the hellish monsters. This is an atmospheric first-person horror game that throws you into a nightmarish universe without holding your hand. So you shouldn’t expect a slow burn or a fully developed story with a conclusion.

10. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

If you’re looking for a purely psychological horror, don’t miss Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. This indie AAA game is a mash-up of melee combat, horror, and puzzle genres, and it delivers a truly unique experience. Although released in 2017, which makes Hellblade already an older game, you’ll enjoy its motion-captioned art and masterful voiceover.

In this game, you’ll play Senua, a Pict warrior trying to rescue her dead lover from the Norse goddess Hela. She believes she is cursed as she can hear voices in her head of what she believes are the spirits. But the truth is Senua suffers from psychosis, and her mental illness is where the true terror lies.

11. Prey

Prey is a Sci-Fi shooter horror game that takes place in an alternate universe in which Earth’s government captures and imprisons aliens known as Typhon. You’ll find yourself playing Morgan Yu, a member of a scientific team that researches aliens on board an orbital station. But the Typhon escaped their confinement and Yu needs to leave the station without succumbing to the aliens as their prey.

In this game, you can explore the space station as an open world, but you’ll have to be aware of the constant threat of the Typhon who can shapeshift into anything. Although rare, jumpscares are certainly guaranteed. They’ll use not only physical force against you but also their psychic powers. If you enjoy stealthy gameplay and you want to feel your skin crawl while you’re making your way around the station, this is the game for you.

12. The Walking Dead

The TV series The Walking Dead is a phenomenon on its own. It’s no wonder many studios tried to develop different genres of games based on the story. But the only Walking Dead game that managed to truly display the horror of this post apocalyptic, zombie-infested world is from the developer TellTale Games.

This is a narrative-driven game that tells its story filled with hard choices and dilemmas. Although the choices you’ll need to make during the dialogs will leave a hard impact on you and the beloved characters in the game, the game mechanics are easy. That’s why The Walking Dead is a perfect choice if you’re into story-driven horror games with lots of dialogue.

13. Outlast 2

Take up the role of an investigative journalist, named Blake Lanermann, and try to escape the danger by using your night vision camera. With similar gameplay as the first Outlast game, there’s not much new game mechanics-wise.

Yet this game is a master of its genre as it brings suspense and builds up terror when you’re trying to hide and run away from the deranged sect members. Remember that in this game you won’t be able to fight your opponents. But you’ll find spare batteries for your camcorder, and medkits spread across the map, and you can use them on your way out.

From surviving relentless horrors to uncovering eerie mysteries, these games have demonstrated the power of interactive fear. Whether you’re exploring haunted houses, facing supernatural forces, or unraveling dark secrets, the world of horror gaming holds endless thrills and there’s more to come. So keep an eye open for more future horror games to play on your Xbox.