Do you love horror movies? Some might just nod in agreement, while it’s absolutely okay to admit that being scared can actually be quite thrilling. Now, shifting to the realm of gaming, horror games step up to the plate to send your heart racing and make your palms sweat. However, these games do promise an immersive dive into a world of terror, where every noise, shadow, and motion could spell out life or death. And those of you who happen to have an older Xbox One lying around, craving that ultimate horror thrill, consider yourself lucky.
The Graphical Power of the Xbox One
Even though now being a generation older, the Xbox One remains a potent console that can churn out stunning visuals, lifelike physics, and seamless gameplay even by today’s standards. Yes, these aspects enhance your overall experience and dial up the eerie factor while you’re engrossed in horror games. Whether you’re navigating dim spaceship corridors, battling the twisted nightmares of a relentless foe, or surviving zombie-infested urban streets, the Xbox One’s graphics have the power to make you feel truly present.
The Replayability Factor
However, it’s not just graphics that elevate the horror gaming experience. They also bring replayability to the table, thanks to multiple endings, concealed secrets, and alternative paths, ensuring every playthrough delivers fresh jolts. Some Xbox One horror games even offer multiplayer modes, where you can collaborate with or compete against other online players, introducing an extra layer of unpredictability and exhilaration.
So, if you’re looking for some horror games that will keep you up at night, here are some of the best ones on Xbox One:
Among the Sleep
Among the Sleep is an award-winning spooky adventure game where you’re a little kid trying to find your mom after strange sounds wake you up at night. You explore the dark to feel safe.
In the game, you get scared not by fighting but by the creepy atmosphere and exploring. You’re vulnerable and puzzled most of the time. You’re joined by a talking teddy bear named Teddy, a gift from your dad. Teddy’s light helps you see in the dark, but its battery runs out and needs time to recharge.
You’ll be followed by two monsters as you go on: a spooky lady on the first level and a figure in a trench coat on the final level. You can tell they’re coming because things get blurry, noises get eerie, and the lady even sings softly.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Among the Sleep: Enhanced Edition - Xbox One | $35.93 | Buy on Amazon |
The game follows a straightforward path, even though the big environment with many things in the way might make you feel a bit lost. You also have to collect various “memories” from around the house, while avoiding the two apparitions. Overall the game provides a unique premise that’s rarely been explored in gaming, let alone the horror genre. This is definitely worth the try!
Developer: Krillbite Studio
Publisher: Krillbite Studio
Release Date: June 3, 2016
Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer horror game. Imagine a multiplayer horror experience where you can take on the role of one of four survivors or step into the shoes of the killer. The survivors must unite as a team, using their collective wits to outsmart and run from the killer. This killer possesses supernatural powers and an uncanny knack for tracking them, adding to the hurdles of their escape.
The survivors must work on repairing generators, unlocking gates, and finding hiding spots to avoid the killer’s grasp. On the hand, the killer’s goal is to track them down and deliver them to a malevolent entity. Featuring an array of individual killers and survivors, each endowed with distinct strengths, the game provides a range of strategies and tactics to delve into.
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As you play, you’ll discover various maps and situations that change each time.
Developer: Behaviour Interactive
Publisher: 505 Games
Release Date: June 20, 2017
Dying Light
Dying Light is a really intense survival horror game that throws you into a city full of hungry zombies. You play Kyle Crane, an undercover agent on an important mission. Your goal is to get into a quarantined area with one urgent mission: to find a cure for the infection that’s turned everyone in the city into zombies.
The game delivers a seamless fusion of parkour, close-quarters combat, and resourceful crafting, forming a dynamic gameplay experience that unfolds both day and night. Whether it’s navigating the urban landscape with nimble parkour moves or engaging in visceral melee battles, the world of Dying Light challenges your wits and reflexes.
The day-night cycle introduces an extra layer of tension. When the sun goes down, the zombies get fiercer and more dangerous, making things super tense and risky. If you like playing together, this is also a co-op horror game that allows you to join forces with three other players online. This allows everyone to cooperate and stay alive, making the experience even more fun.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Dying Light - Xbox One |
$41.25 |
Buy on Amazon |
Basically, Dying Light puts you in a big world during a never-ending zombie outbreak. Every alleyway, rooftop, and building becomes a potential refuge or battleground, amplifying the sensation of being trapped in a nightmare. As you progress through the game, your ability to stay alive is challenged, and each moment feels thrilling and full of energy.
Developer: Techland
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Release Date: January 27, 2015
Friday the 13th: The Game
Step into the chilling world of Friday the 13th: The Game, a title that’s a clear nod to the iconic horror movie franchise bearing the same name. This game transports fans and movie enthusiasts alike into the spine-tingling universe that has long captivated audiences. It’s a multiplayer marvel where the thrills are plentiful, and the scares are very real.
In a unique twist, players are immersed in a dynamic where one individual takes on the role of the legendary Jason Voorhees, the masked harbinger of doom who haunts and hunts down unsuspecting teenagers at the eerie Camp Crystal Lake. On the flip side, the remaining players embody the counselors, desperately attempting to outwit the relentless Jason and ensure their own survival.
This horror-filled masterpiece isn’t just a single-dimensional experience. It boasts a range of diverse modes and intricately designed maps that faithfully recreate the spine-chilling scenes that fans of the movie series know all too well. However, the game’s intrigue doesn’t stop at its multiplayer dynamics. You can play alone to discover the darker side of the story, giving you the chance to experience things from Jason’s creepy perspective. With objectives rooted in the movie narratives, you get a chance to be the relentless antagonist and drive the terror firsthand.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Friday The 13th: The Game Ultimate Slasher Edition - Xbox One |
$28.93 |
Buy on Amazon |
Friday the 13th: The Game truly encapsulates the essence of the films, evoking a sense of nostalgia and immersion that places you directly within the nightmarish scenarios you’ve watched on the big screen.
Developer: IllFonic and Black Tower Studios
Publisher: Gun Media
Release Date: May 26, 2017
Little Nightmares II
Little Nightmares II is an exciting sequel to the popular first game. It mixes puzzles and platforming with a scary story. Get ready to step into a world where mysterious darkness meets creepy puzzles, all shown with a mix of playfulness and fear.
In this compelling sequel, you step into the shoes of Mono, a young boy who shrouds himself with a paper bag, an embodiment of his vulnerability. So what’s the mission? To navigate and ultimately escape from a warped reality teeming with grotesque and nightmarish creatures. Assisting him on this harrowing journey is Six, the familiar figure in the yellow raincoat—a character that players of the first installment will instantly recognize.
The game’s art style is spooky yet playful, clearly showing the contrast between creepy and magical. The pictures, even though they’re spooky, have a dark attractiveness that will surely stick with you. It’s a world where every shadow might hide danger, and every corner has a mystery to solve.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Little Nightmares II - Xbox One |
$21.21 |
Buy on Amazon |
As the story unfolds, it presents a captivating web of mystery that will surely keep you hooked. Little Nightmares II is more than just challenges; it immerses you in a compelling narrative.
Developer: Tarsier Studios
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release Date: February 11, 2021
Outlast 2
Prepare to be plunged into a world of heart-pounding terror with Outlast 2, the chilling successor to the legendary Outlast franchise—an epitome of horror in the gaming realm. In this scary game, you’ll hold your controller tight and feel tense as you become Blake Langermann, a journalist who likes uncovering unsettling things.
In this installment, the stakes are higher, and the fear is even more palpable. The story follows Blake and his wife, Lynn, as they travel to the empty deserts of Arizona to uncover the mystery of a strange murder. But things get really scary when they end up in a faraway village run by a fanatic group that believes the world is about to end.
What sets this game apart from conventional horror games is its deliberate lack of a combat system. Here, you’ll find yourself bereft of the safety net of traditional firepower. Instead, you have to trust your gut to move through the dangerous place—deciding whether to run, hide, or face a terrifying end. This change makes things even scarier, making you deal with your fears directly, and you need to think smart to stay safe.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Outlast Trinity - Xbox One | $20.15 | Buy on Amazon |
Adding another layer of fright is the night vision camera, your window into the dark unknown. It’s an essential tool for navigating through environments cloaked in darkness, but beware—the camera’s power is tethered to limited battery life. This means every pulse-pounding moment in the shadows carries the weight of dwindling illumination, heightening your vulnerability and immersion.
Developer: Red Barrels
Publisher: Red Barrels
Release Date: April 25, 2017
State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2 is a zombie survival game on Xbox One where you’re not just a lone survivor but also a leader of a group in a crumbling world. While you explore the remains of society, survival isn’t just about you—it’s about preserving humanity.
Set in a zombie-infested world, every move you make could lead to safety or danger. You’re not only battling zombies but also building a resilient group of survivors. This involves scavenging, crafting tools and weapons, fortifying your base against threats, and recruiting new members to your group.
One cool thing about the State of Decay 2 is how it handles death. If a character dies in this tough world, they’re gone forever—no do-overs. This makes every choice you make important, reminding you that each life really matters.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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State of Decay 2 | $34.99 | Buy on Amazon |
You don’t have to play alone; there’s a mode where you and up to three friends can team up online. Working together lets you use your skills and plans to deal with tough challenges.
The game isn’t just about action; it’s about thinking and planning smartly. You need to make decisions like managing supplies and forming alliances, which affect your group’s future. This makes you feel like you’re in charge and responsible for what happens to your survivors.
Developer: Undead Labs
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Release Date: May 22, 2018
The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2 is an exciting follow-up to its earlier version, taking horror to new heights. Created by Shinji Mikami, the genius behind the Resident Evil games, this game offers another terrifying adventure. Just like before, it’s a survival horror game. You’ll play as detective Sebastian Castellanos, trying to save his daughter, Lily, by entering the creepy world of Union. You can view the game from a third-person or first-person view.
There are five difficulty levels: Casual, suggested by producer Shinji Mikami; Survival; Nightmare, for players who liked the challenge in the previous game; Classic, like Nightmare but with limited saves and no upgrades; and Akumu, which is like Nightmare but you die from a single hit.
In The Evil Within 2, maps are bigger, and you can choose different paths to progress. You’ll have a tool called “The Communicator” to highlight objectives, resources, and enemies. It also reveals hints about Union’s backstory. You can freely explore to complete side tasks and find resources, which are scarce. You can fight enemies head-on with guns or use stealth to stay hidden and silently eliminate them from behind.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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The Evil Within 2 - Xbox One |
$18.90 |
Buy on Amazon |
The game includes a crafting system. You gather resources to create things like ammo. Crafting can be done anytime, but using a workbench needs fewer materials.
There’s also a customization system. You can use Green Gel, introduced in the first game, to enhance Sebastian’s abilities in five areas: health, stealth, combat, recovery, and athleticism. You can also customize weapons using parts found in Union.
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date: October 13, 2017
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Edition
The series that made Telltale famous is their version of The Walking Dead. This game brought new life to the point-and-click genre, making it popular again with modern players. The game lets you feel like you’re making choices, even though the main story stays mostly the same. You can’t save all the characters from their tough situations, but how you handle the small decisions gives you a sense of purpose. This makes every choice feel really important, especially with zombies and a viral outbreak in the background.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series has the entire scary adventure series, with all 4 Seasons, 400 Days, and The Walking Dead: Michonne. There are more than 50 hours of gameplay in 23 different episodes. This special collection brings together all four seasons of The Walking Dead, blending the popular graphic adventure game with the well-known comic book and TV series it’s based on.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series - Xbox One |
$24.88 |
Buy on Amazon |
The game is set in a world after a big disaster, where zombies are everywhere. You’ll follow different characters who are all struggling to survive. What you decide in the story is really important – it affects everything that happens. You have the control to decide what will happen to these brave survivors in the end.
Developer: Telltale
Publisher: Skybound Games
Release Date: October 13, 2017
Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a horror game from 2014 that’s based on the Alien movies. It takes place 15 years after the first film and follows Amanda Ripley, who’s trying to find her missing mom on a space station called Sevastopol. The station’s in chaos because there’s an Alien creature running loose, and Amanda has to find a way to escape. The game is all about being sneaky and surviving, so you have to hide from, outsmart, and fight enemies. You get tools like a motion tracker and flamethrower to help.
The game looks like the original 1979 Alien movie created by James Cameron, not the action-packed sequel from 1986. It’s got that retro-future style from the ’70s and runs on a special engine to make the Alien behave realistically and create cool lighting.
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Alien: Isolation goes beyond just recreating the movie’s greatness. It adds a survival mode where you sneak around to complete tasks while avoiding the alien. The gameplay truly pays tribute to the original films, making you feel like you’re part of those iconic scenes.
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: October 6, 2014
Conclusion
Get ready for some seriously spooky Xbox One games! If you’re into intense and thrilling gaming sessions, these titles are perfect for you. Having the best Xbox gaming headsets and a strong heart might come in handy.
And the cool thing is, horror games aren’t a one-size-fits-all deal. Nope, they’re as diverse as your taste in pizza toppings. Whether you’re into slow-burning psychological torment or you prefer your horror served up with a side of high-octane action, there’s a little something for everyone in the world of Xbox One terror.
And hey, if you’re into PlayStation and still rolling with a classic PS4, no problem – we’ve got a list of the best PS4 horror games that’ll make you keep the lights on at night. Have fun getting scared, buddy!
