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The real horror? Online horror games that haunt you offline
Key Takeaways
- Mind-bending horror hits deep – These online horror games mess with your head, making you question reality, delivering more than just surface-level scares.
- Varied gameplay keeps you hooked – From survival horror in Ad Infinitum to puzzles in Illusion Carnival, each game serves up something different.
- Atmosphere is everything – Creepy visuals and sound like in Broken Veil pull you into unsettling worlds where reality blurs.
- Stories drive the fear – Each title weaves chilling narratives, with unreliable protagonists or creepy settings that crank up the tension and keep you on edge.
Introduction

Online horror games have a unique stance for me in horror gaming. At first, I was not quick to jump on the online gaming scene, but after getting into my preteens, I choose to jump in and wondered what took me so long to do this.
I’ve been a console only kid for a long time, playing games like Silent Hill 4: The Room, Call of Cthulu, and F.E.A.R. As a person who enjoys lore exploration and digging into the psychology of characters I was pretty content with console games.
However, after trying out my first online horror game Exmortis, I found myself pulled into its atmosphere and psychological elements int he game. Plus finding the head in the microwave was… interesting. From there, after hitting all my interests, I continued my journey into online horror games.
So, if you’re looking for a psychological thrill that’ll mess with your head, These indie horror gems that support Xbox controller will dig deep into your psyche, blending eerie atmospheres with twisted narratives. If you want more psychological games, check out The Real Psychology of Fear in Indie Horror Games here.
From war-torn trenches to a kid navigating creepy towns, these games serve up mind-bending horrors that’ll leave you questioning what’s real. Whether you’re into survival horror throwbacks or creepy alien abductions.
So, if your looking for some horror games online for free or want to scratch that psychological itch, then buckle up, because things are about to get dark and twisted in my”5 Psychological Online Horror Games”. Ready to get freaked out?
Ad Infinitum
Game Details
Developer: Hekate
Publisher: Nacon
Price: Current price $34.99 with the lowest price being $13.99 during sales
Platform: Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam
Description: Ad Infinitum immerses you in the psychological horrors of World War I, blending historical elements with supernatural frights. The story delves into the tormented psyche of a German soldier struggling with post-traumatic stress and family drama amid the war’s brutal realities.
Gameplay: The gameplay involves navigating between a hauntingly deserted family manor and the terrifying trenches of the battlefield. You face a mix of puzzle-solving and survival horror elements, contending with both human and supernatural threats.
The game challenges you to differentiate between grim reality and nightmarish illusions, offering a unique and immersive experience.
The game’s narrative delves into the mind of a German WW1 soldier who is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and family turmoil. The psychological horror aspect is deeply embedded in the gameplay, where you are forced to question what is real and what is a hallucination.
This stands out among online horror games as it creates a disorienting experience, where the you constantly teeters between reality and illusion.
Illusion Carnival

Game Details
Developer: KiZ
Publisher: KiZ
Price: Free to play
Platform: Available on PC via Steam, supports macOS
Description: Set in a whimsically eerie amusement park, Illusion Carnival introduces you to a dark fairy-tale environment where a lost soul wanders. This 2.5D role-playing adventure game mixes light-hearted comedy with creepy undertones, as you explore fun-filled stages and engage with unique characters.
Gameplay: The game features puzzles, light action sequences, and bullet-hell elements within its carnival-themed stages. You interact with a cast of colorful characters while fending off spirit erosion and uncovering the park’s hidden secrets.
The gameplay is enriched by its stylized visual presentation and character-driven story, making it a captivating experience that blends psychological horror with exploration and puzzle-solving.
You will need to manipulate the environment, solve logic-based puzzles, and use your wits to unlock new areas and progress through the story.
Among horror games online for free, the puzzles are cleverly integrated into the carnival setting, with some involving bizarre or carnival-themed elements like rigged games or twisted illusions.
Echoes of the Living

Game Details
Developer: MoonGlint
Publisher: MoonGlint
Price: Currently not listed, but the game features free demos available on Steam
Platform: Available on PC via Steam
Description: Echoes of the Living draws inspiration from classic survival horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, transporting you to a small European town enveloped in a mysterious fog in 1996. The fog brings and unsettling vibe, unleashing zombies and mutated creatures on the town.
Gameplay: The game utilizes fixed camera angles, creating a cinematic experience reminiscent of 90s horror games. You control either a policewoman, or an ex-special forces soldier, navigating through various dark and grim locations like hospitals and schools.
The gameplay involves solving puzzles, managing limited resources, and engaging in combat with enemies. The atmosphere is deeply immersive, with a strong emphasis on survival mechanics and strategic resource management.
Combat in the game is tense and methodical, requiring you to stay calm under pressure. Whether fighting zombies or more formidable creatures, the enemies in Echoes of the Living are not to be underestimated.
Among online horror games, this game has great immersion. You must carefully aim and use their limited weapons and ammunition wisely. Combat is balanced between action and horror, ensuring that each encounter feels meaningful and nerve-wracking.
Broken Veil

Game Details
Developer: Sinistrum Games
Publisher: Sinistrum Games
Price: To be announced
Platform: Available on PC via Steam
Description: Broken Veil explores a haunting narrative set in a post-Soviet Russian town. You control a young boy that is searching for his own mother through the realistic looking Russian environments. This puzzle platformer intertwines the personal trauma of the protagonist with the eerie atmosphere.
Gameplay: The game incorporates horror elements with 3D puzzle-platforming. The young boy’s journey is fraught with challenges that require not only intellectual solutions but also emotional resilience.
You will navigate through desolate urban landscapes, solve engaging puzzles, and interact with the environment aided by cats that provide assistance in reaching inaccessible areas or solving complex puzzles.
Light and sound play pivotal roles in creating tension throughout Broken Veil. The game’s environments are often shrouded in darkness, requiring you to use light sources strategically to navigate through certain areas.
Combined with the platforming element, each leap across dangerous gaps, and avoiding environmental hazards, adds to the layer of psychological dread.
They Are Here: Alien Abduction Horror

Game Details
Developer: DEKLAZON
Publisher: DEKLAZON
Price: To be announced
Platform: Available on PC via Steam
Description: This first-person horror game plunges you into the eerie surroundings of Grayswood Farm, inspired by popular alien-themed movies like Signs and The X-Files. You assume the role of a journalist investigating strange occurrences..
Gameplay: The gameplay in They Are Here: Alien Abduction Horror is classic and linear, focusing heavily on the narrative. It employs a first-person perspective to intensify the horror and suspense, involving investigation, exploration, and encounters with extraterrestrial beings.
The game is designed to be atmospheric, featuring dark themes and a story-rich environment.
At the core of They Are Here is its narrative, which gradually unfolds as you explore the farm and nearby areas. The story revolves around the strange happenings with the protagonist and you piecing together clues to uncover the truth behind the disappearances.
The story is deeply atmospheric, with a slow build-up of tension that draws you deeper into the mystery. The game’s progression is primarily driven by the investigation, requiring you to pay attention to details and gather information.

Closing Thoughts
From the haunting trenches of Ad Infinitum to the eerie streets of Echoes of the Living, these indie psychological horror games are designed to crawl into your mind and stay there.
With these online horror games, Ad Infinitum stands out with its chilling take on the horrors of war, blending real-life trauma with supernatural fear, while Broken Veil tugs at your heartstrings, and Echoes of the Living plunges you into survival terror.
Each of these online horror games offer something uniquely unsettling—whether it’s survival horror, puzzle-solving, or straight-up psychological dread. If you’re craving horror that goes beyond the surface scares, these titles are worth diving into.
So, which one’s next on your list? Let me know what twisted adventure you’re gearing up for in the comments!

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.