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Horror RPGs, where every heartbeat and level counts
Key Takeaways
- Innovative gameplay mechanics – Titles like The Forest of Drizzling Rain and Darkwood introduce fresh, challenging mechanics for horror fans.
- Psychological horror focus – Horror RPGs like Angels of Death and Fear and Hunger deliver intense psychological thrills that go beyond jump scares.
- Unique narratives – Expect gripping stories with multiple endings in games like Grunn and Ib.
- Atmospheric environments – Chilling settings like the haunted theme park in Crow Country and the eerie forest in Darkwood heighten the tension.
Introduction

What are horror RPG games? Well, imagine spooky stories where you’re the hero. You explore creepy places, fight monsters, solve puzzles, and make choices that change what happens next. Each decision could help someone or result in terrible consequences.
In 2024, indie horror RPGs are bringing the heat, challenging conventional gameplay mechanics and creating chilling atmospheres. If you want more indie horror, check out my Top 10 Indie Horror Games with Story-Driven Narratives.
With these games taking the gaming world by storm, offering innovative gameplay mechanics and spine-chilling atmospheres. Here are “10 Great Indie Horror RPGs for 2024” no horror fan should miss this year.
1. The Forest of Drizzling Rain (2022 Remake)

Game Details
Developer: Vaka Game Magazine, Makoto Sanada
Price: Free (Original), $15.99 (Remake)
Platform: PC (Steam)
Description:
The Forest of Drizzling Rain remake of the original game revitalizes the classic horror RPG with updated visuals and deeper narrative elements. The eerie atmosphere is amplified, drawing you into a more immersive and terrifying experience as they unravel the mysteries hidden in the forest.
Expanded Description:
Building on its rich, emotionally charged story, this horror RPG remake introduces additional characters and new storylines that flesh out the dark history of Azakawa Village. You also encounter multiple new endings, some of which delve deeper into the psychological horror that’s been haunting the village for centuries.
Whether you’re new to the series or a returning fan, the reimagined map and expanded narrative give you a fresh yet familiar scare
Gameplay:
Enhanced graphics, sound, and new gameplay mechanics keep the tension high as you solve puzzles and face supernatural threats in a hauntingly beautiful world.
Expanded Gameplay:
In addition to the game’s atmospheric puzzle-solving, you now have access to free-roam segments in Azakawa Village. These open up new side quests and activities, like fishing, that subtly affect the main narrative, offering a layered, non-linear gameplay experience.
With multiple endings and new challenges, every decision can change your fate.
2. Angels of Death

Game Details
Developer: Vaka Game Magazine, created by Makoto Sanada
Price: $9.99
Platform: Available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and iOS/Android
Description:
The game Angels of Death is a psychological horror-adventure game featuring Rachel Gardner, a young girl who finds herself trapped in a building with a serial killer, Isaac “Zack” Foster.
This horror RPG explores themes of despair, survival, and the human desire for redemption, as the two unlikely companions form a pact: Rachel promises to help Zack escape if he kills her once they’re free.
Expanded Description:
The narrative unfolds over four episodes, each introducing new challenges and characters. The floors of the building are controlled by sadistic “angels” who enforce twisted rules on the residents.
Rachel and Zack must face these antagonists as they delve deeper into the building’s psychological trials. The game tackles heavy themes such as death, faith, and the consequences of one’s past, gradually revealing the backstories of both main characters
Gameplay:
You control Rachel and Zack as they navigate through the building’s maze-like floors, solving puzzles and surviving encounters with other characters who seek to stop them.
The gameplay focuses heavily on exploration and puzzle-solving, with you needing to carefully investigate the environment and use both characters’ unique abilities to advance. The pixel-art style in this horror RPG lends itself to the eerie atmosphere of the game.
Extended Gameplay:
As another good note, Angels of Death features multiple endings based on the choices you make, adding replayability and depth to the story. As you advance, the psychological horror builds through dialogue, story progression, and the complex relationship between Rachel and Zack.
This horror RPG also challenges you with morally ambiguous decisions, where the consequences are sometimes unpredictable. The episodic structure provides steady narrative pacing and keeps you engaged as they unravel the dark mysteries.
3. Crow Country

Game Details
Developer: SFB Games
Price: $19.99
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox
Description:
Set in an abandoned theme park, Crow Country takes retro-inspired graphics and elevates them with a rich, haunting atmosphere in this horror RPG. It features unique monster designs and clever puzzles that keep you on edge.
Expanded Description:
The game nails its nostalgic vibe, drawing heavy inspiration from the early 3D graphics of PS1-era horror games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. What stands out is its seamless blend of retro aesthetics with modern horror RPG design, giving you a visually striking yet eerie atmosphere.
As Mara, a special agent investigating a series of strange events, you unravel the dark mysteries hidden in the park while discovering terrifying truths about its original owner, Edward Crow.
Gameplay:
Expect smart survival mechanics, intricate environments, and a story that progressively spirals into madness. For a horror RPG, you will find a lot of the narrative will surprising.
Expanded Gameplay:
Crow Country offers both a traditional survival horror experience and an optional Exploration Mode, which lets you bypass combat in favor of soaking in the deep narrative, a concept horror RPGs are known for.
For those into the former, expect intense moments where you’ll need to manage limited resources, solve puzzles with clever use of your environment, and face off against grotesque monsters with an arsenal of weapons.
The free-roaming camera provides fluid control, a nice upgrade from the fixed angles of its predecessors, enhancing both exploration and combat
4. The Witch’s House

Game Details
Developer: Fummy
Price: $9.99
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4
Description
The Witch’s House is a beloved indie horror RPG that immerses you in a deadly, ever-shifting haunted house. With its eerie art style and unsettling narrative, every room hides potential danger, keeping you on edge.
Expanded Description
Trapped in a house full of deadly traps and shifting environments, you must solve puzzles to survive. The game’s unsettling atmosphere deepens as you unravel dark secrets hidden within its walls.
With multiple endings and chilling twists, The Witch’s House keeps you guessing and returning for more psychological horror.
Gameplay
You navigate the house, solving intricate puzzles while avoiding instant death traps. Each decision affects how the story unfolds, and the game’s multiple endings offer high replay value for fans of mind-bending horror.
Expanded Gameplay
Expect brain-teasing puzzles and hair-raising moments as you explore the haunted house. One wrong move can mean instant death, forcing you to think on your feet. The multiple endings reveal different layers of the dark, disturbing plot, making every playthrough feel fresh.
The story slowly unravels to reveal dark secrets, and the game’s multiple endings add replayability to this psychological horror gem
5. Darkwood

Game Details
Developer: Acid Wizard Studio
Price: $14.99
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Description:
Darkwood is a top-down survival horror game that blends an eerie atmosphere with exploration and resource management. It throws you into a mysterious, hostile forest where they must scavenge for supplies, craft defenses, and survive nightmarish creatures.
Expanded Description:
Set in a nightmarish Soviet Bloc-inspired forest, Darkwood challenges you with its ever-changing, procedurally generated world.
This horror RPG thrives on its unsettling atmosphere, where the line between reality and twisted nightmares blurs as you venture deeper into the woods. Each decision made is permanent, adding layers of tension to the already nerve-wracking experience.
With scarce resources and cryptic lore waiting to be uncovered, Darkwood offers a rich, immersive horror that pushes you to the edge
Gameplay:
With its open-world survival mechanics and procedurally generated environments, Darkwood delivers tense and unpredictable horror without relying on jump scares, focusing instead on psychological terror.
Expanded Gameplay:
The top-down perspective enhances the sense of dread, as your vision is limited to a cone of light, leaving much of the environment shrouded in darkness. This heightens the tension, especially at night, when you must barricade themselves in hideouts to survive until dawn.
Each night brings a mix of eerie quiet and sudden, terrifying encounters with the unknown. Sound design plays a key role, with rustling leaves, distant screams, and creaking doors amplifying the fear
6. Library of Ruina

Game Details
Developer: ProjectMoon
Price: $29.99
Platform: PC, Xbox One
Description:
Library of Ruina is a deck-building horror RPG with a dark, psychological horror atmosphere. You act as librarians battling against guests using a unique turn-based combat system where the library itself is at stake.
Expanded Description:
The game takes place in a mysterious library where guests are invited to battle, only to be turned into books upon defeat, further expanding the library’s collection. These guests aren’t just visitors; they carry the secrets of a dystopian city filled with strange and unsettling truths.
As you gather more powerful books, you dive deeper into the horrific lore surrounding this enigmatic world, seeking the elusive secrets.
Gameplay:
Combine strategic deck-building with visual novel-style storytelling. The game’s oppressive and eerie tone builds up through tactical battles and cryptic lore as you manage your library and its mysterious inhabitants.
Expanded Gameplay:
The core combat revolves around a combination of card-based strategy and dice rolls, forcing you to adapt your decks to outsmart increasingly dangerous guests. With each victory, you gain new pages to upgrade your librarians’ abilities.
The constant challenge of managing resources and outwitting your opponents keeps the tension high, and the consequences of failure are severe—your guests don’t just lose, they’re transformed into more books for the library
7. Fear and Hunger

Game Details
Developer: Miro Haverinen
Price: $9.99
Platform: PC (Steam)
Description:
Fear & Hunger is a dark survival horror RPG where youexplore the depths of a gruesome dungeon filled with brutal traps, unspeakable horrors, and a nightmarish atmosphere. The game’s unsettling tone and unforgiving mechanics create a tense experience from start to finish.
Expanded Description:
Set in a medieval, grimdark world, Fear & Hunger plunges you into a bleak dungeon where sanity, hunger, and survival are constantly at risk. Inspired by classics like Silent Hill and Nethack, the game merges roguelike elements with jRPG mechanics, leading to unpredictable and often fatal encounters.
The harsh atmosphere is enhanced by grotesque imagery and difficult moral choices, leaving you to question your survival at every turn
Gameplay:
With its turn-based combat and dismemberment mechanics, Fear & Hunger stands out for its brutal difficulty among horror RPGs. Resource management, such as maintaining hunger and sanity, is key to surviving the depths of the dungeon.
Expanded Gameplay:
In Fear & Hunger, combat is more than just attacking enemies; you can target specific body parts to weaken foes or avoid dangerous attacks. However, enemies can also inflict permanent damage by maiming your characters, affecting your combat abilities for the rest of the game.
The coin toss mechanic adds a layer of unpredictability, making even saving the game a gamble. With multiple endings, every decision could lead to new, horrifying outcomes
8. Ib

Game Details
Developer: kouri
Price: $12.99
Platform: Available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5
Description:
The Ib RPG game features a 2D adventure horror developed by kouri. Set in a surreal and eerie art gallery, you control a young girl named Ib, who becomes trapped inside while her surroundings transform into a nightmare.
The game emphasizes exploration and puzzle-solving as Ib navigates through unsettling environments to find her way out, encountering strange characters like Garry and Mary along the way
Expanded Description:
Originally released in 2012 as a freeware game, Ib quickly became a cult classic in the indie horror genre. It was praised for its minimalist yet haunting atmosphere, drawing you into a world where art comes to life in disturbing ways.
A remake was released in 2022 with enhanced graphics, new gameplay mechanics, and a remastered soundtrack. The story unfolds in a subtly creepy manner, with tension building as you uncover more about the twisted gallery and its inhabitants
Gameplay:
Ib is a puzzle-heavy adventure that focuses on atmospheric horror rather than direct combat. The gameplay revolves around solving environmental puzzles, interacting with various art pieces, and making choices that influence the story’s direction.
The game features a simple control scheme, allowing you of all levels to enjoy the experience
Extended Gameplay:
With multiple endings based on you choices, Ib offers significant replayability. Each decision can affect the relationships between characters and lead to different outcomes.
The remake adds new puzzles, improved visuals, and features like the “True Guertena Exhibit” and an extra dungeon for you to explore after completing the main story. This horror RPG’s unique blend of psychological horror, pixel art, and multiple narrative branches makes it a memorable experience
9. Sinking City

Game Details
Developer: Frogwares
Price: $39.99
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox
Description:
The Sinking City is a remake of the beloved cult classic, transporting you back into a city gripped by cosmic horrors. The game’s updated visuals, deeper mechanics, and richer narrative breathe new life into this Lovecraftian nightmare, where every corner of the corrupted city teems with danger.
Expanded Description:
Set in the flooded, half-submerged city of Oakmont, Sinking City brings a fresh approach to the 1920s supernatural horror. You embody a private investigator navigating a city plagued by eldritch entities, unraveling mysteries that gnaw at the sanity of its inhabitants.
The remake offers a blend of open-world exploration, detective work, and action combat against nightmarish creatures. The new version enhances not only the gameplay but also the narrative depth, with revamped visuals that make Oakmont even more haunting
Gameplay:
Investigate the eerie city, fend off cosmic horrors, and manage your character’s sanity while solving mind-bending cases. The game merges detective mechanics with psychological survival, creating a unique blend of investigation and horror.
Expanded Gameplay:
The core experience revolves around exploring Oakmont by foot, boat, and even diving suit, investigating eerie phenomena while battling creatures drawn from Lovecraftian lore. The open investigation mechanics allow multiple solutions to each case, enhancing replayability.
Managing sanity is crucial, as uncovering too many disturbing truths can drive the protagonist to madness. With customizable difficulty settings, the game offers a balance between narrative and action
10. Dredge

Game Details
Developer: Black Salt Games
Price: $24.99
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox
Description:
Dredge merges relaxing fishing gameplay with an unnerving cosmic horror narrative. As you explore strange waters and interact with mysterious townsfolk, they uncover dark secrets lurking beneath the surface.
The game’s unsettling atmosphere is heightened by its blend of serene fishing mechanics and gradually intensifying horror.
Expanded Description:
Beneath its seemingly peaceful fishing mechanics, Dredge hides a sinister undercurrent. As you traverse an archipelago in search of rare catches, you begin to encounter aberrant, mutated fish and uncover eerie stories from the locals.
The day-night cycle plays a crucial role, with nightfall bringing madness, dangerous fogs, and sea creatures that challenge your sanity and survival. The game’s ever-present dread builds as the narrative subtly unravels through quests and exploration
Gameplay:
Fishing starts simple, but as the waters become more treacherous and night falls, you must face the terrifying creatures that lurk in the dark. Upgrading your boat, managing sanity, and carefully navigating dangerous waters are essential to survival.
Expanded Gameplay:
The game offers a dynamic mix of fishing and survival horror. While daylight allows for peaceful fishing and exploration, nighttime is filled with dangers like monstrous sea creatures and disorienting fogs. You must also upgrade your vessel and manage a grid-based inventory to maximize your resources.
With over 125 fish species to catch and a variety of equipment to upgrade, Dredge provides a constantly evolving challenge. The madness mechanic, triggered by nightfall, creates a tense experience as you struggle to maintain your sanity and evade threats
Closing Thoughts

From psychological thrillers to supernatural scares, this lineup of indie horror RPGs is packed with heart-pounding experiences that will haunt your thoughts long after you’ve put down the controller.
Whether you’re drawn to the emotional depth of Angels of Death or the eerie exploration in Darkwood, there’s something for every type of horror fan. Each game blends immersive storytelling with fear-inducing gameplay, offering rich atmospheres and complex narratives that keep you coming back for more.
With multiple endings and challenging mechanics, the horror isn’t just in the scares, but in the tough choices you’ll have to make along the way.
So, which horror RPG are you most excited to dive into this year? How do you prefer your scares—psychological terror or intense survival horror? Share your thoughts and comment below!

Nero lives in the United States, delving into indie horror to mainstream games. Armed with a psych degree and a passion for storytelling, he wrote stories and essays published online and in museum catalogs. Besides writing, he also likes sketching and tuning into rock music. Catch his latest posts or follow him across social media.