Resident Evil Village, sometimes referred to as Resident Evil 8, is the second game in the series to take place in the first-person perspective after 2017’s Resident Evil 7. This change was just what the franchise needed to kick itself back into gear. While Resident Evil 7 is a small, intimate horror game, Village is more action-packed and features larger environments.
For anybody looking for additional horror goodness after the credits roll, play any of these games like Resident Evil Village. They range from spine-tingling terror to more action-oriented horror games. There is something about the limited view and more personal perspective of first-person that really elevates the horror in these titles.
19 Alien Vs. Predator
- Available On Atari Jaguar and Atari Lynx
This first-person shooter was marketed as the reason to own the short-lived Atari Jaguar console. In terms of first-person shooters, there was nothing of its equal on consoles. Like its sequels, Alien Vs. Predator offers three distinct gameplay styles. Each campaign puts you in the shoes of either a Space Marine, a Xenomorph, or a Predator.
The game has an extremely dark and dank atmosphere, and the titular monsters are still terrifying, even with the primitive graphics. While Alien Isolation pits you against just one Alien, this game has you going up against a whole group of them.
18 Doom 3 - 2004
- Available on all Xbox Consoles, PC, PS3, PS4, and Nintendo Switch
More than a decade after Doom 2’s release, Doom 3 came seemingly out of left field with a significantly slower and heavier experience than most Doom fans were used to.
Instead of off-the-wall action, you spend a lot of time going through tight corridors, keeping your guard up for whatever might jump out of a corner or ventilation duct. The change polarized fans, and the 2016 Doom reboot returned to the franchise’s fast-paced roots.
17 Soma - 2015
- Available on PC, Xbox, and PS4
Frictional Games developed this first-person survival horror experience. The name may be familiar, as the same team brought us the Amnesia series. While they are both in the same genre, Soma has more of a science-fiction bent since it takes place in a ruined underwater research facility. Though it may draw comparisons to BioShock because of the setting, It is slower-paced, and its terror comes from the creepy atmosphere.
16 Clive Barker’s Undying - 2001
- Available on PC
Clive Barker is a writer and director known for horrific tales like Hellraiser. His name is also attached to numerous video games, including Undying. It plays like a traditional shooter of the time but is soaked in a horror aesthetic.
It is faster-paced than titles like Soma and Amnesia but not quite as fast as Quake or Doom. The game sold poorly, but it would not be the last time the writer worked on a video game. Clive Barker’s Jericho came out in 2007.
15 Dead Island - 2011
- Available on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC
This first-person horror game is fun to play alone, but the real draw is jumping into a campaign with friends online. It almost feels like a slower-paced Borderlands with zombies.
You start out mostly taking on threats with melee weapons but move on to firearms. By the end, you are also fighting humans in addition to the undead. While the game is from multiple generations ago, playing Dead Island with friends online is still extremely fun.
14 System Shock 2 - 1999
The first System Shock is a classic, but people still look back at System Shock 2 as one of the finest first-person horror games ever made. The atmospheric science fiction setting and RPG elements make for a unique experience.
Developer Irrational Games would go on to make BioShock, and it is easy to see the DNA of that classic 2006 shooter inside System Shock 2.
13 Phasmophobia - 2020 (Early Access)
This game is significantly different from everything else on the list. Phasmophobia is a cooperative atmospheric horror game where players enter a house to investigate a supernatural phenomenon. Each time you enter a level, you never know exactly what to expect.
This dynamic gameplay makes it endlessly enjoyable and terrifying. The graphics are quaint, but this only adds to the game’s charm. The ghosts also understand player speech and react to certain words.
12 Layers Of Fear - 2016
- Available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
Bloober Team has released a series of home runs in the horror space, including Observer and The Medium. The latter tried to bring back the classic survival horror gameplay style of the PS1 era. They did something similar to older Silent Hill or Resident Evil titles.
It is appropriate, then, that the studio’s earlier titles are first-person horror, like Layers of Fear and its sequels. The first entry came out in 2016, a year before Resident Evil 7. Like many survival horror games, Layers of Fear takes place in a mansion, and progression is accomplished mostly through puzzle-solving rather than combat.
11 The Forest - 2018
- Available on PS4 and PC
Even more so than Dead Island and Dying Light, The Forest mixes first-person horror and survival elements. You survive a plane crash, but strange mutants on the island you land on have kidnapped your child. Build a shelter and uncover the island’s mystery while locating your son.
There is also cooperative play available, but it still manages to remain unique from other survival games. There is a day-and-night cycle, but exploring in the daytime does not make the game any less scary.
10 Alien: Isolation - 2014
- Available on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch
Unlike many other games based on the Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation pits you against one xenomorph throughout the campaign. You fight other enemies, too, such as androids, but the real highlight of the story is the cat-and-mouse game between you and the iconic creature.
The AI is impressively dynamic, making the xenomorph unpredictable and terrifying. The story follows Ellen Ripley’s daughter after the first Alien film, which is also a nice treat for fans.
It sadly does not look like a sequel to Alien: Isolation will come to pass. That’s not to say games based on the franchise are done, however. Aliens: Fireteam Elite came out in 2021, and more titles will surely come about, even if it is not a direct sequel to Isolation.
9 Condemned: Criminal Origins - 2005
- Available on Xbox 360 and PC
This Xbox 360 launch title was a great way for new console owners to be scared right out of the gate. The first-person action focuses on melee combat. Though firearms are still a part of the arsenal, they always have limited ammunition and cannot be reloaded.
The story follows a cop chasing down a serial killer while also being hunted for a crime he did not commit. A sequel also came out during the same generation, making its way to PS3.
8 Resident Evil 7 - 2017
- Available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch (cloud version)
Resident Evil 6 turned off a lot of fans with its overly bombastic action and set pieces. To bring the series back to its roots, the seventh game changed the perspective to first-person and introduced a new, inexperienced protagonist.
The move worked, and Resident Evil 7 is one of the scariest games of the generation. The whole game is also playable in VR. We recommend playing this before Resident Evil Village, but there is no harm in visiting it for the first time afterward if you still have not.
7 Amnesia: The Dark Descent - 2010
This 2011 survival horror game may prove too much for some. Instead of combat mechanics, players have to contend with a sanity meter, which depletes after being in the dark for too long. Finding light sources is the key to refilling the meter.
There is no combat, so you must run away or find other ways to avoid monsters. Having no real means to defend yourself only further contributes to the terror.
6 Shadow Tower - 1998
- Available on PlayStation 1
This one is a little different from the rest. Shadow Tower is an early FromSoftware game for the PS1, and those familiar with the King’s Field series should already know how it works. It is the progenitor to Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, only played from the first-person perspective.
It is admittedly clunky, even considering the time it was developed, but one can see the atmosphere that would go on to influence the legendary Dark Souls games.
5 Devotion - 2019
Devotion is more of a walking simulator than even the other slower-paced games on this list. There are still plenty of puzzles to solve, so it is not completely free of challenges. Players go through a surreal series of rooms representing different parts of the protagonist’s life.
The game was at the center of a large controversy when certain parts of the audience review bombed it for allegedly offensive content about the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. After two years off marketplaces, it returned in March of 2021 to solid reviews.
4 Blair Witch - 2019
- Available on Xbox One, PC, Oculus Quest, Nintendo Switch, and PS4
Blair Witch has not had the greatest history in the gaming space. Most notably, a trilogy of survival horror titles came out shortly after the legendary film.
The most recent 2018 game faired better, feeling much more like a Blair Witch story. Some complaints were still lobbied toward the gameplay, but the horror and atmosphere were worthy of the franchise’s name. Developer Bloober Team is known for games like Observer and Layers of Fear.
3 Outlast - 2013
Outlast came out early last generation and was even a free PS plus game for PS4 owners within the console’s first year. What better way to see the power of your new system than to be terrified out of your mind?
It mimics the style of a found-footage film. Players are unable to attack and are instead forced to hide from enemies. Being unable to defend yourself from these antagonists makes things way scarier. The game received a sequel in 2017.
2 Dying Light - 2015
- Available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch
Dying Light is perhaps the most action-packed game on this list, but that’s alright with us. It is also playable with up to three other friends, making it a great time for some online cooperative play. Playing with multiple people does not make being chased by swarms of undead any less unsettling.
After beating Dying Light, you can jump into its sequel. The title went through a heap of troubles throughout development but finally came out in 2022. Dying Light 2: Stay Human did not receive as positive a reception as its predecessor, but it will still please any gamer interested in co-op with some friends.
1 F.E.A.R. - 2005
- Available on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3
This game rides the line between action and horror. Even more than a decade after its release, few games have such intense and dynamic gunfights, and the AI is simply incredible.
When not blowing people to bits with a shotgun, you are being stalked by Alma, the mysterious little girl seemingly at fault for the game’s conflict. The main complaint about the game is the repetitive environment, but the gameplay is more than thrilling enough to forgive this fault. Though the title has not been re-released properly, it is finally available on Xbox Series X through backward compatibility.
