Whatever the time of year, it’s always a fun experience to sit down, turn off the lights, and immerse yourself in a virtual world filled with ghosts, psychopaths, and untold terrors. Scaring the absolute hell out of yourself through gameplay is never going to get old, though it’s probably inadvisable if you’re easily freaked out. 

Whether you’re looking for something supernatural to spook you, or you want to run for your life from a deranged psychopath who is out to skin you alive, there’s a horror game out there that will have you on the edge of your seat or leaning to the side despite that doing absolutely nothing to help you see around the next corner. 

If you want some horror games created by indie developers with a passion for the genre, here are 10 of the scariest, spookiest indie horror games either currently available or coming soon. 

Dreamcore

As with any good liminal space game, Dreamcore is not outright scary in a way that involves jump scares or running away from any sort of monsters. Instead, it focuses on the feeling of being irrevocably lost in a strange place that feels eerily familiar, which also somehow manages to feel as though it’s constantly changing around you, even though it never does.

Psychologically speaking, that sense of uncertainty is horrifyingly scary to a certain percentage of people. While some may find this to be a casual and cozy jaunt through a pool complex where you can never find the top of the water slide, others will feel trapped and panicked. That’s the joy of liminal space games, and Dreamcore does this particularly well. 

Dreamcore, developed by Montraluz, was released in January 2025, with the Playrooms update arriving in June of the same year. If you want to dive in, you can go and get the full game now through Steam, or there’s a demo for you to play if you’re unsure whether you can handle getting lost in the Dreampools. 

Shark Dentist

I’m not sure about you, but I can honestly say that sticking my head, hand, or any other body part into the mouth of a great white just seems like a terrible idea. If you agree with me on that point, then Shark Dentist will feel like the ultimate horror game. If you disagree, then I have no idea what to say, but are you okay?

In Shark Dentist, you’re locked in a basement with sharks in need of orthodontic treatment. You’ll need to treat abscesses, cavities, broken teeth, and a whole bunch of other toothy ailments, all while keeping an eye on oxygen levels and making sure the shark is actually anesthetized. If you fail, you risk becoming a snack. 

Announced on July 10, 2025, Shark Dentist is currently in development by Alice Games. You can go and wishlist the game on Steam. 

Look Outside

If you’ve seen Sweet Home, you’ll have some idea as to the premise of Look Outside. Essentially, you can’t leave the apartment building or look out the window, or you’ll turn into a creepy monster. Instead, you’ll need to survive on items found within the building during expeditions, and defend yourself against attacks from anyone who happens to look outside. 

There are over 150 horrifying creatures that you could encounter in turn-based combat moments during your expeditions outside of your apartment, and multiple different endings that you can reach depending on the choices you make during your playthrough. 

Look Outside was developed by Francis Coulombe and was released on March 21, 2025, so you can go and get the full game right now to live through the horrifying experience of life post-cataclysmic event.

Emotionless: The Last Ticket

Listen, I watch a lot of horror movies and have done so since I was about 12, so it tends to be pretty difficult to freak me out. However, throwing me into the dark and eerie setting of an abandoned theme park where supernatural things are happening? That’ll do it, and that’s exactly what Emotionless: The Last Ticket does. 

Except the theme park is just the beginning, and after riding what can only be described as the world’s most horrifying rollercoaster, you end up in some kind of demonic underworld where darkness reigns and every corner feels like it might be your impending demise. This is one of those games that had me leaning to the side to check around corners, even though I know it does nothing. 

Emotionless: The Last Ticket is in development by X1 Games and is set to release during the Fall of 2025. If you want to get a hint of what’s to come and want to yell “What was that?!” a few times, there’s a demo available to download and play through Steam right now. 

Nowhere

There is perhaps no more eerie feeling than being trapped in the woods after dark with no idea which way will get you out. Trees become spooky spectres, the rustling of leaves in the wind starts to sound like footsteps following you, and the darkness seems to press on you from all sides. Nowhere is that feeling condensed into a mystery/horror game. 

In Nowhere, you’re a detective trapped in the woods of Norway as you search for a group of missing tourists. You’ll need to use your detective skills to find clues and evidence, all while trying to contend with the feeling of being watched by the shadows in the treeline. With an emphasis on tension-building rather than outright jump scares, Nowhere feels particularly creepy from the very beginning. 

Currently in development by Midnight Forge, Nowhere doesn’t have a set release date just yet. However, if you want to experience all of the spookiness on offer in the Nordic woods, you can go and download the demo from Steam. 

Becrowned

Becrowned is an absolutely stunning ode to old-school horror games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, throwing you into an asylum-type setting that has terrifying creatures and tension around every corner. It’s dark, creepy, and you’ll need to make critical choices if you want to survive and uncover secrets. 

Navigating the world of Becrowned is a tense and adrenaline-spiking experience, with hidden locations and endless objects to inspect, all of which add to the overall story of the game. You may find yourself wanting to stay hidden in a certain location to avoid facing what’s outside, but avoiding confrontation won’t get you anywhere. 

Currently in development by 13th Street Studio, Becrowned doesn’t have a set release date just yet. However, if you want to scare yourself with this old-school gem, there’s a demo to download from Steam. 

Cecil Hollow

I’m generally not scared of the prospect of aliens. In fact, I’d like to think that if they appeared on Earth, I’d ask them to take me with them just to get off the planet. However, the idea of being alone on a remote farm in Appalachia, where people have mysteriously gone missing and aliens may or may not be responsible, is pretty creepy. That’s the basis of Cecil Hollow. 

Cecil Hollow feels, for the most part, like a detective game. You need to inspect the house and surrounding fields for clues to discover what happened to the owners, which doesn’t seem too scary, right? Wrong. The house is in complete darkness, the sun has set, you’re completely alone, and weird noises can he heard everywhere you go. The psychological horror aspect of Cecil Hollow is what haunts you, despite the threat of aliens. 

Cecil Hollow is currently in development by Immortal Inc., and there is no release date just yet. However, if you want to brave Appalachia and find some clues to recent events, you can download and play the demo through Steam right now. 

Envelope

Envelope is another indie horror game that pays tribute to old-school horror games in terms of both content and graphics. You’re working the night shift in a gas station, and everything’s going as expected, right up until it isn’t. Suddenly, a creepy guy is telling you things that don’t make sense, and you find yourself in the middle of a mystery waiting to be unravelled. 

After that first night shift, you’re sent out into a small open world to get to the bottom of two intersecting stories that merge in a bizarre and unexpected way. Every choice you make will shape the outcome of the game, and certain choices will result in permanent changes to the world around you, changing how future attempts play out. 

Developed by Skaar Game Productions, Envelope was released in full on September 8, 2024, so you can go and experience the full game right now on Steam. Alternatively, if you want to try it out before you commit, there’s a demo that lets you play out the full first night shift. 

Abashed

Abashed is a side-scrolling horror game that centers around a man with psychosis, intent on finding the ‘truth’ behind his missing partner. With his disability, he sees the world in a way that nobody else does, and Abashed features two ‘realities’ that can be explored and interacted with to further the story. 

Filled with puzzles to solve and things to interact with, Abashed feels a little like a point-and-click game, but the emphasis here is definitely on the story and theme of mental health, and how it can change a person’s perception of reality. 

Abashed is currently in development by Supantha Paul and is set for release at some point before the end of 2025. If you want to test the waters and see if you’ll enjoy the full game, you can head to Steam and download the demo. 

Reflections of the Void

Reflections of the Void is a visual novel in which you play a caretaker who is trapped inside a house, taking care of patients every day as instructed by the tablet in your possession. You have the choice between following instructions or going against them, and your choices will make a difference to what happens tomorrow. 

Each of the patients that you encounter has their own personality, and you’ll need to work hard if you want to win them over. Of course, you don’t have to. You can choose to run this house with an iron fist, but you might miss out on romantic interactions or secret dialogue that develops the story and unveils the secrets of the post-apocalyptic world. 

Reflections of the Void is currently in development by a two-person development team, Echo Story Games. There is no release date currently set, although it’s hoped that the full game will be released at some point in 2025. If you want to try it out, there is a demo to play right now.