The horror genre is vast, with many gameplay styles that have resulted in famous one-offs as well as franchises. This has also resulted in various visual styles and settings, such as retro-futuristic horror. This subgenre has carved out a unique niche in gaming, blending nostalgic aesthetics with terrifying possibilities.

While there is nothing wrong with the flashy and conventional versions of the future, as seen in games like Dead Space and Returnal, there is something appealing about seeing sci-fi horror through the eyes of the past. From steampunk action-horror games to survival horror with cassette futurism, some games bring chills and visual thrills.

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8 Best Sci-Fi Horror Games

Sci-fi and horror. Two genres that work together in harmony to create some of the best video games around. Here are the highlight games of the genre.

7

The Invincible

A Slow-Burn Thriller Inspired By A Book

RPG

Action-Adventure

Hack and Slash

Released

November 6, 2023

ESRB

e

Based on the book of the same name by Stanislav Lem, The Invincible is not a horror game in the traditional sense, but there is plenty of fear and tension to be had on the barren alien planet of Regis 3. When a crew of space explorers goes missing on the planet, it’s up to the crew of the second ship named The Invincible to figure out what happened to them.

Similar to games like Firewatch, the game consists of walking, dialogue, and exploring the strange planet with many locations on the planet that are both beautiful and scary. As a result, The Invincible may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but the mid-century sci-fi visuals combined with striking appearance of the alien planet result in a story-driven adventure that feels like a love letter to a lost era of science fiction.

6

Prey

The Space Race Has Never Been Scarier

Released

May 5, 2017

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence

It’s as classic a space horror game can get. Prey focuses on a lone survivor named Morgan stuck on an abandoned space station, surrounded by an alien menace. The Talos 1 station and the architecture are designed to reflect the world’s concept where the Space Race was far more advanced, resulting in an alternate 1958.

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The art deco designs of the Talos 1 station would be almost homey, but every corner has the threat of the aliens known as the Typhon. They can mimic any object, allowing them to hide in plain sight, which makes the first few hours of Prey straight-up survival horror. Even in the later parts of the game, when armed with powerful weapons, it can be tense.

5

We Happy Few

Non-Conformity Leads To Post-War Horror

Released

August 10, 2018

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs and Alcohol, Violence

We Happy Few feels like an extended episode of The Twilight Zone, featuring a dystopian alternate history where the Nazis won World War 2 and people are forced to take a drug called Joy. It compels the user to believe everything is paradise, but in reality, it is a dark and horrific state filled with masked guards who pursue those who do not conform.

The post-war England setting mixes a gothic atmosphere with Teslapunk technology. Combined with the porcelain masks of the people, it makes the world feel nightmare-like. The gameplay is a mix of exploration and stealth, forcing the player to either never be spotted, or to try to blend in with the rest of the population living in a euphoric state.

4

Iron Lung

A Disturbing Exploration Of An Ocean Of Blood

Indie Games

Adventure

Simulation

Systems

Released

March 10, 2022

ESRB

t

Despite taking place in the year 2370, Iron Lung does not feel advanced in the slightest as the titular submarine dives and explores a mysterious planet. Said planet has no water, only oceans of blood. This is unsettling enough, but the player has to explore and find resources with the rusty, 20th century-esque submarine that has no windows, only a camera and a sonar to guide them.

From beginning to end, the short indie horror game keeps building the tension with its droning atmosphere that makes the player scared of the surroundings. Iron Lung even has unsettling lore about a future where an event called The Quiet Rapture caused all stars to just vanish. Now, humanity is desperate for resources, even at the cost of running into underwater monsters.

3

BioShock

Horror And Steampunk Make Rapture An Iconic Setting

Released

August 21, 2007

ESRB

m

The underwater city of Rapture astounded players in 2008 and helped make BioShock a bonafide first-person shooter classic. Part of that has to do with its blend of jaw-dropping midcentury steampunk design, and a fallen civilization where genetic modification caused the denizens of Rapture to go mad and devolve into war with each other.

The different mutants, crazed people, and bizarre creations like the Big Daddies make traveling through Rapture feel like a horror movie. Even with all the guns and superpowers that players can unlock throughout BioShock, it never changes the fact that enemies can pop out of the walls and corners at any time.

2

BioShock 2

Rapture Through The Eyes Of A Big Daddy

Released

February 9, 2010

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

Rather than a copy of the first game, gamers got to experience the world of Rapture again as a Big Daddy, seven years after the events of its predecessor. BioShock 2 shows many of the same horrors with twisted factions battling for control over Rapture, but from a new perspective. Big Daddy fights new monsters like the Big Sisters and the villain known as Sophia Lamb.

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Like before, the scariest parts of the gameplay are in the first few chapters, with most of the horror coming from listening to the demented killers and villains that taunt the Big Daddy. While not as fondly remembered as the first game, BioShock 2 is a strong sequel that tried new ideas and gave a proper ending to Rapture.

1

Alien: Isolation

An Official Sequel To The 70s Sci-Fi Horror

Released

October 7, 2014

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence

It’s a sign of how impressive a game is when it is considered to be official canon to a movie timeline. That is the case with Alien: Isolation. After years of action games, the Alien franchise went back to the style of Ridley Scott’s Alien both thematically and visually, with the technology and environments replicating the 1970s sci-fi look of the film.

Alien: Isolation is pure survival horror, taking inspiration from games like Resident Evil and Outlast as Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, traverses through a damaged space station. The Xenomorph is still terrifying over ten years later due to its experimental AI that learns the more the player progresses through the game, allowing it to stalk and hunt more effectively.

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