The horror genre has been a staple of video games since the earliest years of the medium – and there is a strong reason for that. There is something inherently terrifying about not just viewing horror – as the interactive nature of games make it so that the player is the one actively part of the scare-fest.
PC and consoles have seen their fair share of horror gems over the years – and mobile has now picked up the pace too. There are now more genres on mobile than ever before – and there is plenty to enjoy in the horror genre on Android or iOS devices.
From asymmetrical multiplayers to atmospheric single-player games, there is something for every horror fan on mobile. Here are some of the best games fans of the horror genre shouldn’t miss out on.
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Top 5 extremely effective horror games on Android and iOS devices
Honorable Mentions:
- Telltale’s The Walking Dead
- Distraint
- Thimbleweed park
5) Eyes
Eyes has a relatively simple concept – but its simplicity doesn’t betray the sheer brilliance of its atmospheric horror that is effective on several levels. The game is best experienced with headphones as the sound design is the star of the show as players attempt to scurry away from the unimaginable creatures of the dark.
The game is very reminiscent of games like Outlast which simply arms players with the ability to run away rather than fight. Thus, making for a rather terrifying game of cat-n-mouse as players blitz from one room to the next hoping to throw the creature off their trail.
Eyes is a simple and fun game that has a ton to offer for players looking for some good ol’ traditional atmospheric horror.
4) Dead Effect 2
Dead Effect 2, in many ways, is the spiritual successor to Dead Space on mobile and does well to live up to its absolutely brilliant premise. Dead Effect 2 is more than just “run and hide from big, scary alien” as the game has a rather deep and interesting RPG-style progression system which allows for a ton of player agency in the game.
The game has an interesting story to go along with its impressive visuals and engaging gameplay. A sci-fi shooter at heart, Dead Effect 2 has plenty of cool tricks up its sleeve by allowing players to pick and choose from weapons, skills, and abilities to rank up eventually.
Yet, at no point, are players going to feel overpowered against the terrifying forces of the dark – which is the genius of Dead Effect 2.
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3) Fran Bow
While the list, up to this point, was mostly atmospheric horror, or sci-fi shooters, Fran Bow is the cerebral, psychological one of the lot. Fran Bow is an adventure game that puts players in the shoes of Fran, who must battle her own psyche while uncovering the mystery behind her parents’ disappearance.
A deeply unsettling psychological horror game, Fran Bow might not have severed limbs and grotesque aliens – but it will rob players of sleep for several weeks. One of the most well-crafted and well-paced storylines in the mobile game space – Fran Bow is a true standout in a sea of excellent horror games.
2) Five Nights at Freddy’s
Everyone remembers when their friend brought Five Nights at Freddy’s to a party and left several of their friends scarred for the next few weeks. The game is now available on Android as well as iOS, which guarantees that more players can now enjoy the terrifying brilliance of this internet phenomenon.
Five Nights at Freddy’s, much like Eyes, has a brutally simple concept at its core – but its execution is so flawless – that it rarely ever feels simple. The game is a true masterclass in jump scares in video games as it has plenty of those – but not without good reason.
Five Nights at Freddy’s is like that fun, 80s B-movie horror that you can’t help but keep coming back to – purely because it never stops being fun.
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1) Dead by Daylight
One of the biggest sleeper-hits on PC and Consoles, Dead by Daylight is as fun on mobile as it is on other platforms. The game is an asymmetrical PvP experience that pits 1 terrifying, powerful beast against 4 other players as they struggle to survive or vanquish the enemy.
This 4v1 design against friends makes for one hilariously fun night of gaming – but it doesn’t take away from the sheer terror of it all. When playing with friends, the game can be a casual, fun affair, but when with strangers – the beast could very well be the actual Jason Vorhees coming after you.
The game has a ton of iconic slasher movie villains that players can pick such as Jason from Friday the 13th or even Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street.
