Upcoming horror games in 2023 for PC, PS, XBOX, NINTENDO and MOBILE
Upcoming horror games in 2023 for PC, PS, XBOX, NINTENDO and MOBILE . The most exciting (and terrifying) upcoming horror games on the way in 2023.
With these upcoming PS5 games, new PC games, and upcoming Xbox Series X games the genre shows off just how versatile horror can be. There’s no one jump scare fits all approach. There’s never been a better time to be a horror fan as games continue to push our buttons at the same time we press theirs. Here are the most exciting horror games of 2023 and beyond.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
It doesn’t matter that it’s been released on nearly every generation of console since 2005, this is the Resi remake we’ve always really wanted. Rebuilt entirely in Capcom’s dangerously beautiful RE Engine, Resident Evil 4 Remake looks like it’s going to be a decadent exercise in terror.
There’s been no official mention of any gameplay changes as yet but expect Leon and his blonde curtains’ journey to be somewhat altered for a 2023 audience in the same way as the Resident Evil 2 Remake and Resident Evil 3 Remake. Just don’t touch the merchant, Capcom.
Developer: Capcom
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: March 24, 2023
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood veterans please stand up. Supermassive Games brilliantly horrifying shooter rollercoaster was one of the original PSVR’s very best launch games so a fresh ride into hell is very welcome for the hardware’s sequel.
A whole new story accompanies the terror of this PSVR2 launch title and it’s set in the world of the Dark Pictures games so we’ll be seeing a lot of familiar faces. Rush of Blood was particularly good at escalating scares as horrors clambered into the seat beside you so prepare to be very afraid of what the Supermassive team is going to do with PSVR2’s facial haptics.
Developer: Supermassive Games
Platform(s): PSVR2
Release date: March 16, 2023
Amnesia: The Bunker
An ever present threat? Limited light sources in oppressive darkness? So far, so Amnesia, but don’t let The Bunker fool you. Frictional Games has announced that this will be a very different frightmare.
This desolate WW1 bunker is actually a semi open world, ditching the somewhat reassuring linearity of previous games in the series. Instead, there are multiple solutions to the puzzles that lurk in the darkness and our decisions can entirely change the course of the game. Oh, and of course there’s a noisy dynamo flashlight to crank into action and attract seriously unwanted attention…
Developer: Frictional Games
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: March, 2023
Dead Island 2
Los Angeles. City of sunshine… stars… and oh SO many shuffling undead. It’s been rather a long time in the making – yes, that original phenomenal trailer was released in 2014 – but we finally live in a year where we’ll get to play Dead Island 2.
Over the top zombie slayage is very much the order of the day here with tonnes of spattery variations on a theme of undead murder. The brains in this one might be more literal but this looks like the colourful infected slaying adventure we might need by Spring.
Developer: Deep Silver Dambuster Studios
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: April 28, 2023
Silent Hill 2 Remake
Finally, the disturbingly contorted cat is out of the bag. It has finally been confirmed that Bloober Team is working on a remake of one of the most legendary horror games of all time. Our trip back into the fog will of course try and evoke all of the atmosphere of James’ original journey but one big change is already clear.
For the sake of immersion, there’s now an over-the-shoulder camera to bring us even closer to the horrors lurking in these streets. Errr, thanks? Oh, and it’s tbc for now but apparently the Silent Hill 2 Remake is nearly done so we might not be waiting too long to hear the sound of radio static again…
Developer: Bloober Team
Platform(s): PS5, PC
Release date: TBC 2023
Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
After the success of the Maiden of Black Water remaster in late 2021, it’s no surprise that Koei Tecmo is bringing back even more Camera Obscura-related terror. Mask of the Lunar Eclipse was originally released exclusively on Wii in Japan in 2008 so technically a lot of us will be experiencing it for the very first time. And just as you’d expect, this ticks every terrifying J-horror box.
Creepy abandoned hospitals, weak flashlights, and, oh yes, seas of horrific vengeful spirits that can only be repelled by waiting until the last possible moment to take a picture. Lovely.
Developer: Koei Tecmo
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: March 8, 2023
The Outlast Trials
Trials is Red Barrels’ long-awaited multiplayer addition to the disturbing Outlast universe. The pandemic led to further delays but hopefully we’ll get a concrete date soon as what little we know sounds intriguing if unnerving.
The game is set in the Cold War era as the nefarious Murkoff Corporation perform mind control experiments on unwilling human victims. We have to team up with friends to try and work our way out of the madness. Imagine an Outlast-flavoured escape room and you’ll be on the right green-hued track.
Developer: Red Barrels
Platform(s): PC
Release date: TBC, 2023
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals
Oxenfree 2 is a very different kind of upcoming horror game. Maybe one for the days when you don’t want to have your heart actively lurking in your throat. Five years after the events of the first game, Riley returns to her hometown of Camena to investigate some strange radio signals.
Just like the original, expect brilliant flowing dialogue, a great score, and just enough creepy goings on to tingle your spine but not send you to bed with blood curdling nightmares.
Developer: Night School Studio
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: TBC 2023
Autopsy Simulator
PC building… power washing… lawn mowing.. It was only a matter of time before we got a somewhat medically accurate autopsy simulator. But the interesting thing about this upcoming PC horror published by Team 17 is that it has a story.
If you’ve ever seen the movie The Autopsy of Jane Doe as Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch discover terrifying secrets surrounding the body of a young woman, expect similar creepy goings on here. We play as a middle aged pathologist uncovering strange occurrences as he slices and dices through his day job.
Developer: Woodland Games
Platform(s): PC
Release date: TBC 2023
Killer Frequency
Some games just feel like a tick list of everything we’ve ever wanted from a VR horror experience. In Killer Frequency we’re back in the ’80s and responsible for the graveyard shift at local radio station KFAM 189.16.
But while listening to classic ’80s tracks we start to get calls from the people of the town who have found themselves in their very own slasher movie. Suddenly we need to help them survive the night, all from an analogue neon-hued radio studio.
Developer: Team 17 Digital
Platform(s): PC, Meta Quest
Release date: TBC 2023
Unholy
Creepy children? Check. Horrible masks? Check. Terrifying twisted imagery? Oh wonderful, it looks we’ve got the, err, Unholy trinity of single player horror games. This grim looking experience takes place in both a brutalist post-soviet town as well as the unsettling realm of Unholy itself.
Rather than weaponry, here we use our emotions to battle our way through the world, and we even get to build our own mask to learn new abilities to explore further. Maybe some cartoons afterwards will be necessary.
Developer: Duality Games
Platform(s): PC
Release date: TBC 2023
Terror: Endless Night
You’ll want to put an extra pair of socks on for this one, especially if you’ve already watched the first season of The Terror. This strategic survival stressfest isn’t officially affiliated in any way but in Terror: Endless Night we’re tasked with managing a crew aboard a 19th century ship hunting down the missing HMS Erebus and HMS Terror.
As we too become trapped in the grip of the ice we’ll have to contend with sickness, fuel, starvation, and choose between life and death for the crew. Sadly, those socks probably aren’t going to keep your sanity in check as reality starts to crumble under the stress of it all.
Developer: Unseen Silence
Platform(s): PC
Release date: TBC 2023
The Last Case of Benedict Fox
Neons, murder, metroidvania, and… Lovecraft? Where do we sign up? The Last Case of Benedict Fox looks like a beautiful and disturbing journey sideways through a realm of demons and tentacles. We join the titular Mr Fox in Boston in 1925 as he attempts to solve a grisly murder.
Helpfully, Benedict is apparently bound to a demon companion so can journey into the memories of the dead to see physical manifestations of trauma and emotion. We also seem to handily have some terrifying powers to take on the horrors that lurk there. Going by the tantalising gameplay we’ve seen so far, this is a seriously exciting Xbox exclusive.
Developer: Plot Twist
Platform (s): Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2023
Layers of Fears
The definitely not confusingly titled Layers of Fears is a brand new game from Bloober Team that returns to the worlds of both the original Layers of Fear and Layers of Fear 2. Because adding a 3 would clearly be too easy, the studio is describing this addition to the series as a ‘psychedelic horror chronicle’ that extends over generations.
The heady terrifying heights of the first game have never been reached since but, if nothing else, this looks like a beautiful trip back to these creepy painting-packed hallways.
Developer: Bloober Team
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2023
Redfall
After teasing us by staking out a summer 2022 release date, Arkane cruelly whisked Redfall off into 2023 but if that means more polish on this open world vampire shooter, it’s no bad thing. Bloodsuckers have taken over an island and it’s up to us and a choice of four wannabe Buffys to wipe them out.
We can opt to go it alone or team up with three friends as we’re handed all manner of Nosferatu-slaying weaponry and customisable gear. Truthfully this looks like a bloody good time.
Developer: Arkane
Platform(s): Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2023
Slitterhead
Who needs a new Silent Hill game when one of the brains behind the series is working on fresh scares with an all new horror game? Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of both Silent Hill and Forbidden Siren, is the head of Slitterhead devs Bokeh Game Studio. He’s even hired the foggy town’s composer Akira Yamaoka to terrify our ears as well as our eyes.
We’re not entirely sure of the plot or even how it will play just yet but expect horrifying twisted monstrosities, dismemberment, and sheer terror and you probably won’t be disappointed.
Developer: Bokeh Game Studio
Platform(s): PC confirmed so far
Release date: TBC 2023
Alone in the Dark
‘Reimagining’ is a distinctly 21st century horror term and it’s something we’ve all come to be a little wary of by 2023. But Pieces Interactive’s Alone in the Dark revisit is looking exceptionally intriguing. Rather than a straight up reboot of the original game with a 4K lick of paint, this will have a new Lovecraftian story from SOMA and Amnesia: The Dark Descent writer Mikael Hedberg.
He’ll be bringing in characters, locations and themes from the first 3 Alone in the Dark games to deliver an entirely fresh experience. We’re going to hazard a guess that sanity has something to do with it. Hazard being the key word…
Developer: Pieces Interactive
Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X, PC
Release date: TBC
Silent Hill Townfall
As part of the bumper Silent Hill: Transmission stream, Silent Hill: Townfall was announced as a brand new addition to the series. If you enjoyed the creeping delights of Stories Untold and Observation then you’ll be pleased to know that Glasgow based dev studio No Code are working on this fresh slice of the franchise.
The trailer teasingly didn’t give much away with a man talking over shots of a small pocket television with discussions of punishment and judgement. “It’s a real honour for us to bring a new title to this series that both respects the source material, but also does something a little bit different with it,” creative director Jon McKellan said on the stream. This could be very interesting indeed.
Developer: No Code
Platform(s): TBC
Release date: TBC
ILL
Revealed at the Future Games Show this year, ILL is an ultra gory survival horror with its bloodshot eyes focussed on pure dismemberment. The monsters here are mutated and tentacled creations all intent on making sure that the last thing you see is a collection of flesh so twisted you don’t even really know what killed you.
Even more disturbing, is the fact that you’re hardly going to have any ammo so you’re going to have to get smart about when to engage or when to just hurtle away in the other direction.
Developer: Team Clout
Platform(s): PC
Release date: TBC
Routine
We’re used to long wait times for games after announcements but it’s been ten years since sci-fi horror Routine was originally revealed. The re-reveal trailer shows an atmospheric abandoned lunar base of flickering lights and juddering robotic monstrosities.
Everything looks pleasingly analogue too as weaponry clicks and clacks into place. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another ten years for release but at least we know it will arrive on day one through Game Pass on Xbox Series X and Xbox One.
Developer: Lunar Software
Platform(s): Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC
System Shock
Yes, that System Shock. This full remake of the pioneering 1994 original has been in the pipeline from Nightdive Studios for a long time but we’re almost ready to take on SHODAN once more. Who, speaking of, is played by the same voice actor but, don’t worry, everything else has had a full overhaul and upgrade since the ’90s.
This sci-fi trip is also pleasingly colourful compared to some of the other grim horrors on the way. If you can’t wait, check out the demo available on Steam.
Developer: Nightdive Studios
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC
