2024 has seen some great horror games. From eldritch horrors to a girl with superpowers, to surviving horrific trials and, of course, the release of the highly-anticipated Silent Hill 2 remake. If you’ve been wanting some new scares but aren’t sure what games are hot off the press and perfect to play, this list sums up the best horror games that came out this year. We’ve been spoiled for choice with the games that have been released, especially with titles like Still Wakes the Deep and Silent Hill 2.
For more of our lists of the best games released this year, make sure to check the website regularly, as more lists are released by our team in the final days of the year.
Previously on Wccftech’s Best Games of 2024: Shooters, RPGs, Indies, Fighting
Silent Hill 2 (9/10)
It’s no surprise that we’re listing Silent Hill 2 first. While it performs better on PlayStation 5 than it does on PC, the game is still a great experience and has helped introduce new people to the franchise, as well as provide nostalgia to those who were already deep in the Silent Hill fandom. With the history of Bloober Team, a lot of fans were very nervous about how this game would pan out. However, it turned out to be a faithful remake, with some extra easter eggs from the original that made fans happy with the product they received. Overall, it was an incredibly well-done job, and we can only hope that they will remake the others in the future.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club (8.5/10)
It’s a surprising title to make it onto the list, but this exclusive Nintendo Switch title has been one of the best horror game releases of 2024. The Famicom Detective Club series was first started in 1988, with the original titles getting a remake for the Nintendo Switch in 2021. Fast forward to now, and we have Emio – The Smiling Man. This game felt like it came out of nowhere, but it was also an exciting title for those who managed to play the originals or for those who enjoyed horror in the form of a visual novel. While it may not be everyone’s typical horror cup of tea, it’s definitely worth a shot if you want to feel on edge and creeped out by the atmosphere.
The Casting of Frank Stone (8/10)
The Casting of Frank Stone was a highly anticipated game by fans of Dead by Daylight and was titled Supermassive Games, as this would be the first collaboration between Behavior and Supermassive. The collaboration resulted in a choice-matter horror game based on the world of Dead by Daylight, but those unfamiliar wouldn’t need any prior knowledge of the game. Below is an excerpt from Francesco De Meo’s review of The Casting of Frank Stone.
The story of The Casting of Frank Stone is definitely among the game’s best features, if not the very best. Supermassive Games managed to create a story that, while rooted in the lore of Dead by Daylight’s universe, is thoroughly enjoyable even by those, like myself, who aren’t too familiar with it. The multiple timelines also work quite well, and it is extremely interesting to see how characters have changed over the years.
Crow Country
Crow Country came as quite a surprising hit, as the game set out to be a love letter to original survival horror games from the 90s. It had the same aesthetic as the original Resident Evil and Silent Hill games and somehow managed to provide that familiar feeling of nostalgia while keeping you on edge and fighting for your survival in a horrifying theme park full of monsters. This game also made it onto our list of games to play for Halloween this year, where you can find more horror games to check out if you’re in need of a scare.
Crow Country was released in May and has been a highly successful horror indie game since then. On Metacritic, it has a score of 84 and a User Score of 7.9.
Alone in the Dark (7/10)
Alone in the Dark features a star-studded cast, with David Harbour (Stranger Things, State of Affairs) and Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, Doctor Foster) as the main characters. This title is a re-imagining of the original 1992 Alone in the Dark and is also the seventh installment in the franchise. If you’re a fan of eldritch horrors, this game is something that you’re going to enjoy, as they uncover hideous monsters, horrifying environments, and a lot more terrifying things that will keep you on edge. Admittedly, this game wasn’t as popular with critics and the general audience, receiving a score of 63 on Metacritic and a user score of 7.4. Unfortunately, the studio (Pieces Interactive) was also shut down shortly after the game’s launch due to its commercial performance, deemed unsatisfactory by parent company Embracer.
Community Poll
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Honorable Mentions
If this list isn’t doing it for you, here are some other horror games that were released this year that are great to get stuck into.
- Still Wakes the Deep
- The Outlast Trials
- Slitterhead
- INDIKA
