A lot of old and retrohorror gamesare worth revisiting or even playing for the first time despite their age. Some are not even that old, but they are forgotten and overshadowed by franchises likeSilent HillandResident Evil. While the genre is popular as a whole, most horror games are relatively niche and tend to fly under the radar.
Consequently, many highly-rated games are hardly discussed in this day and age. They have succumbed to the merciless flow of time, along with a lack of accessible copies in some cases. Hundreds of titles fit the description, but a fewforgotten horror gamesstick out from the crowd.
In order to quantify “forgotten,” the number of Metacritic user ratings will be considered. If a game does not have any ratings on Metacritic, Steam will be used in its place. To provide some context, 1996’sResident Evilhas 1,295 user ratings on Metacritic; meanwhile, 2013’sOutlasthas more than 77,000 reviews on Steam.
Updated on July 05, 2025, by Mark Sammut:The specifications of eachhorror gamehave been added, including information on their platforms and developers.
Sanitarium, a classic point-and-click adventure horror game, came out in 1998 and was innovative for its time period. Gamers play a man who wakes up from a coma from a car accident in a scary asylum. It’s up to the player to uncover the mystery as to what is going on.
Utilizing an isometric angle, which was starting to go out of fashion in 1998,Sanitariummanaged to blend scares with an intense and well-written story that blurred the line between fiction and reality. While its age is obvious to see, the game is still enjoyable all these years later, and there is even a 2015 mobile port.
Released in 1997,Nightmare Creaturesis perfect for those who like 19th-centuryGothic horror. The game takes place in 1834 in London, and people are mutating into ungodly monsters. Most of the reviews for this game were favorable; however, very few remember it.
The game can actually be pretty difficult, as it has an optional mechanic for an adrenaline bar which causes health to be lost if it runs out. Players are forced to continuously seek out and win battles to keep the adrenaline bar full. In 2000, Kalisto releasedNightmare Creatures 2, which is not quite as good as its predecessor. That said, it has its fans.
This obscure survival horror game came out for the PS2 in 2006. While garnering praise for its story, art, and music,Rule of Roseoverall received a middling reception due to its gameplay. It was also subject to controversy in the UK.
Rule of Rosefocuses more onpsychological horrorthan violence. In terms of narrative, it can be somewhat compared toLord of the Flies,but with young girls instead of boys.Rule of Rosecould be one of the most misunderstood horror games of all time, especially when looking at the initial negative reviews. Getting a copy now is a challenge, as it sells for about 400 dollars and can only be bought second-hand. It is likely due to those prices that this game will only become more and more forgotten with time.
Released originally in Russia in 2008,Cryostasis: Sleep of Reasonis a psychological horror game designed solely for Windows. The game was removed from online stores due to licensing issues, so it is nearly impossible to legally obtain it nowadays unless someone manages to hit a gold mine and find a physical copy.
This first-person title takes place in the Arctic during the early ’80s. The story features time-travel elements and a clever power revolving around infiltrating people’s memories to take over their bodies.
Nocturne’s release dates back to 1999, and its premise has some similarities toMen in Black. Players take the role of a character simply called The Stranger, who works for a secret government organization called the “Spookhouse.” His and his fellow operators' job is to investigate and deal with paranormal issues such as vampires, zombies, and werewolves.
Although certainly rough in places,Nocturnehas withstood the test of time thanks to its fantastic atmosphere and fun story. It is quite difficult though.
Exclusive to the PS2and released in 2003,Ghosthunteris an action survival horror game. The development team took inspiration fromJames Bond, Ghostbusters,andMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Players take the role of Lazarus Jones as he seeks to save his partner from ghosts that he accidentally released from confinement. As a rookie detective, he has to put his skills to the test as a rookie ghost hunter.
In 2003,Ghosthunterlooked pretty great, especially in terms of the spirits' designs and the special effects. The campaign frequently shakes up its settings to ensure players do not spend too much time in the same environments. As far as its gunplay is concerned,Ghosthunteris a product of its time and a serviceable third-person shooter.
For a forgotten horror game,The Sufferinghad pretty positive review scores across the board when it was released in 2004. The project deserves praise for trying something different as it sought to distance itself from horror classics likeResident Evil, Silent Hill, andFatal Frame.Blending horror and action, the game focuses quite a lot on combat, at least when compared to most horror releases.
The game’s themes and story are clever and dive into the death penalty, slavery, racism, and prison culture. The protagonist is a man on death row, and the inciting incident involves a prison being invaded by a supernatural threat. There are three different endings, which depend on the player’s actions.
Released in 2003,Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachitakes place in 1912 and takes obvious inspiration fromDracula. Players head to a castle in Romania where a wedding is set to happen between the protagonist’s sister and a count’s son. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the count and his offspring are not quite human, and they have bad intentions for their new family members.
Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachiis a first-person shooter and a survival horror game. As old as the title has gotten, it has stood up to the test of time in the sense that it is still entertaining to play, even if it does not quite measure up to the best horror games of all time. Players must search the castle to find their family members, a goal that is given an extra twist by having the latter’s locations randomized.
Ubisoft’sCold Fearshares quite a bit incommon with Capcom’sResident Evil 4, which launched just two months prior. Unsurprisingly, the latter completely overshadowed the former, and it is certainly the better overall game. Still,Cold Fearis a decent survival horror title by most metrics.
The story’s protagonist is a member of the United States coastguard who helps a Russian whaler, only to discover some horrid parasite has taken over the crew members and made them zombie-like monsters.
Clive Barker’s Undyingis a first-person horror shooter that primarily got attention due to the involvement of its eponymous writer. A big name in the horror sphere, Clive Barker is a beloved novelist who has also directed and written a bunch of movies, includingHellraiser. The author has tried his hand at a few games, with 2007’sJerichoprobably being the most well-known. However,Undyingis the better overall game.
The story takes place in the 1920s and players take the role of a WWI veteran, Patrick Galloway, who is investigating occult happenings. Despite fading into obscurity,Clive Barker’s Undyingreceived very positive reviews upon release. Unfortunately, the game also sold poorly, so not many horror fans even gave the title a chance.
