Immersion is enhanced in horror games that include role-playing game mechanics. Following many hours of searching through these virtual horror RPG games, a few titles that combine real-life terror with character development are highlighted below.
These are not your typical scary games; rather, they are ones that stay with you long after the console has shut down. Keep a reassuring object close at hand in case you choose to explore these unsettling realms.
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bloodborne | 2015-03-24 | Adventure | FromSoftware | |
 | Darkest Dungeon | 2016-01-19 | RPG | Red Hook Studios | |
 | Vampyr | 2018-06-05 | RPG | DONTNOD Entertainment | |
 | The Witch's House MV | 2018-10-30 | Adventure | Fummy | |
 | Mad Father | 2016-09-22 | Adventure | sen | |
 | Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines | 2004-11-16 | Adventure | Troika Games | |
 | Call of Cthulhu | 2018-10-30 | Adventure | Cyanide Studio | |
 | Darkest Dungeon II | 2023-05-08 | RPG | Red Hook Studios | |
 | Carrion | 2020-07-23 | Horror | Phobia Game Studio | |
 | Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance | 2024-06-14 | RPG | Atlus | |
 | Pathologic 2 | 2019-05-23 | Adventure | Ice-pick Lodge | |
 | OMORI | 2020-12-25 | Horror | OMOCAT |
Bloodborne
| Release date: | 24.03.2015 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | FromSoftware |
Bloodborne is a fantastic development by FromSoftware.
You are thrust into the Victorian-era metropolis of Yharnam in this gothic masterwork, where everything has gone to hell.
The streets are teeming with townspeople who have transformed into animals, and when you look closer, you discover that there is some really strange Lovecraftian activity occurring behind the scenes.
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Darkest Dungeon
| Release date: | 2016-01-19 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Red Hook Studios |
A TPK (Total Party Kill) in Darkest Dungeon is an experience few forget.
Overconfidence can lead even the strongest team into a champion-level dungeon unprepared, only to watch in horror as a beloved Plague Doctor succumbs to a stress-induced heart attack after witnessing one too many terrors. And yet, every punishing moment feels unforgettable.
Red Hook Studios crafted something special – a game where a hero’s mental state is just as crucial as their physical health. Wayne June’s narration adds the perfect finishing touch, his deep, ominous voice a constant reminder of impending doom. The chilling warning – “Remind yourself that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer” – lingers long after the dungeon is left behind.
A stress system that makes team mental health management crucial
Permadeath that truly stings—losing a hero feels personal
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Vampyr
| Release date: | 2018-06-05 |
| Genre: | RPG |
| Developer: | DONTNOD Entertainment |
Ever had a dream about being a doctor who’s also a vampire during the Spanish flu epidemic?
Probably not – but Vampyr brings that bizarre scenario to life surprisingly well. Players step into the role of Dr. Jonathan Reid, a respected surgeon who awakens in 1918 London with an insatiable thirst for blood.
The game’s core moral dilemma is what makes it so compelling. As a doctor sworn to heal, Reid is now driven to feed on the very people he should be protecting. Each potential victim has a story, relationships, and a tangible impact on the community. The first time a district deteriorates after feeding on someone, the guilt hits hard. A no-kill run is possible, but facing bosses at level 5 instead of 30? That’s pure masochism.
A morality system that truly bites (pun intended)
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The Witch's House
| Release date: | 2018-10-30 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Fummy |
The Witch’s House is a nightmare come true, despite its cute RPG Maker aesthetic. It quickly changes from being a simple horror experience to something much more complex.
Players assume the character of Viola, a little child attempting to flee a mystery home that is haunted by a witch and has terrible traps. Sounds straightforward, right?
Wrong. The puzzles are devious, the deaths are shockingly graphic despite the simple visuals, and that ending… no spoilers, but the true ending leaves a lasting impact. Even years later, it’s a game that lingers in the mind – an impressive feat for something made in RPG Maker.
Puzzles with disturbingly clever solutions
Jump scares that land despite simple graphics
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Mad Father
| Release date: | 2016-09-22 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | sen |
Another RPG Maker gem that punches way above its weight class, Mad Father puts players in the tiny shoes of Aya Drevis, an 11-year-old girl whose scientist father has some… let’s say questionable research methods.
When the mansion suddenly fills with zombies and other horrors, Aya must figure out what is going on while trying not to become another experiment.
What stands out in Mad Father isn’t just the scares (though chase sequences with a chainsaw-wielding maniac are pretty effective), but the emotional core of the story.
At its heart, it’s about family and how far loyalty should extend when faced with undeniable evil. Aya’s tragic situation makes her easy to sympathize with. Also, wielding a chainsaw as a little girl? Oddly satisfying—therapy material right there.
Chainsaw gameplay that adds real tension
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It’s evident that RPG components give horror games a special dimension after spending innumerable hours clutching the controller in terror. Every threat feels more real when you can build people and become attached to them; the suspense is genuine when a well-developed character is in danger.
The psychological toll of Darkest Dungeon, the narrative-driven horror of independent horror games, and the vicious, blood-soaked combat of Bloodborne all combine fear and player control in ways that are both disturbing and incredibly satisfying. For greater screen vision, of course, make sure to have a light on while you’re playing.