Things seem to be gradually getting back to normal for many of us as costume parties, haunted houses, and tossing candy to trick-or-treaters are all back on the Halloween menu this October. If you’re looking for an extra fright this spooky time of year though, go no further than these top VR horror games which are sure to send shivers down your spine.
Here’s our top 15 favorite VR games which span the gamut of horror and thriller sub-genres.
With rare exceptions, most of the games below support all major VR headsets, including SteamVR, PSVR and Oculus Quest. We’ll get the platform exclusives out of the way first before heading into the cross-platform titles.
Platform Exclusives
Resident Evil 4 – Quest 2
Fire up the nostalgia train for one of the most beloved survival horror games out there, as Capcom has teamed up with Facebook and Armature Studio to bring Resident Evil 4 (2005) to VR in a big way. Although it’s still not what you’d call a native VR experience, the new first-person viewpoint really works alongside some fine-tuning by Armature to make this a much more immersive and visceral way to enjoy the 15 hour zombie-slaying adventure. The only thing we want out of RE4 now is broader support for other headsets besides Quest 2.
Links: Oculus Store (Quest 2)
Lies Beneath – Oculus Quest & Rift
What bumps in the night must be killed, no question. In this graphic novel-inspired survival horror, you traverse levels delving into the psyche of the protagonist, Mae. Gain a full arsenal of weapons as you battle different monsters, all of them intent on putting a stop to your one-way quest to salvation.
Links: Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – PSVR
Whereas RE4 is all about running and gunning, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard is more on the horror adventure side of things, offering atmospheric frights and plenty of story to experience as you delve into the Baker House Mansion. Even at nearly five years old, this one is still very much worth your time if you haven’t played before. We were hoping for broader VR support when the flatscreen game came to PC, but that never happened.
Links: PlayStation Store (PS4, PSVR)
Half-Life Alyx – SteamVR
You may have a gun and a handy dandy gravity glove to help you, but nothing will prepare you for VR’s preeminent horror shooter, which dumps you into the quarantined zone (sound familiar?) for a zombie-killing good time. It’s worth the $60 bucks, although we’ve seen it on sale for $35 back in March. Maybe something to watch out for when Steam’s Halloween sale rears its head on October 28th.
Links: Steam (Index, Vive, Rift, Windows VR)
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice VR Edition – SteamVR
Hellblade: Senau’s Sacrifice is a frightening action-adventure game that simulates psychosis, which is heightened in VR to such a degree that you’d be forgiven for taking a few breaks. The game’s disembodied voices whisper into your ears and criticize your every move, level geometry mysteriously changes as you look away to accomplish another task, making you question your own sanity. It’s a third-person game that doesn’t so nearly enough for the sake of making it more of a VR-native experience, but it’s so beautiful and well-crafted that we might just forgive it.
Links: Steam (Index, Vive, Rift, Windows VR)
Cross-platform Titles
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
Where other zombie games may have failed to provide a good balance between creepiness and all-out zombie-ganking fun, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners has definitively succeeded. Enter a post-apocalyptic New Orleans as ‘The Traveler’ in this single-player RPG, where you’ll scrounge for parts, craft weapons, and broker deals between waring factions—all while dealing with the truly deadly hordes of ghoulies. Shoot, stab, rest and survive for another day.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index, Windows VR), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
Wraith: The Oblivion- Afterlife
Just because you’re already dead doesn’t mean you’re safe in Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife. Set in a haunted Hollywood mansion that acts as a prison, you use your supernatural powers to unravel the mystery behind why the mansion is chocked full of ghosts. Run, hide, and don’t get caught.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index, Windows VR), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted
The makers of the famous jump scare-tastic Five Nights at Freddy’s, Steel Wool Studios, have done the unthinkable and made a version for all major VR headsets. Keep an eye on the monitors, manage power, and for heaven’s sake don’t blink for a second, because Freddy Fazbear and his possessed animatronic compatriots will definitely going to eat your face.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index, Windows VR), Viveport (Rift, Vive, Index, Windows VR), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
Blair Witch
Franchise tie-in games aren’t always good, but Blair Witch bucks the trend by offering up a story-driven psychological horror game which has been thoughtfully rebuilt for VR headsets. The VR port does have its rough edges, but this dark, bone chilling story will truly force you head first into insanity. Make sure your flashlight is working.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index, Windows VR), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
Red Matter
Take one part Soviet brutalism, two parts puzzle-adventure, mix them up in the low atmosphere of a mysteriously abandoned off-world colony, and garnish with a slice of Cold War espionage. That’s the sci-fi thriller Red Matter in a nutshell. Creepy, unsettling atmosphere and no jump scares.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index, Windows VR), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
Arizona Sunshine
As the years pass us by, it’s amazing how Arizona Sunshine persists as one of the besy co-op zombie shooting adventures out there. Zombies popping out left and right, dwindling ammo—there’s not much more to say about Vertigo Game’s story-driven co-op shooter Arizona Sunshine. Ok, maybe one thing: practice your headshots.
Links: Steam (Vive, Rift, Index, Windows VR), Viveport (Vive, Rift), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
AFFECTED: The Manor
AFFECTED: The Manor is an oldie but a goodie. Essentially a haunted house simulator, in Affected you move through multiple pathways and obstacles on your way through a number of classic horror tropes. Only being able to see by candle light simultaneously adds immersion while detracting from user sanity.
Links: Steam (Valve Index, Windows VR), Viveport (Vive, Rift), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
The Room VR: A Darkmatter
This puzzler lets you step back into Edwardian-era London, 1908. As a detective, you’re tasked with investigating the disappearance of an esteemed Egyptologist where you’ll explore cryptic locations, examine gadgets and uncover an otherworldly discovery which blurs the line between reality and illusion. No jump scares, plenty of puzzles and creepy vibes.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index), Viveport (Rift, Vive, Index), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
In Death: Unchained
Sólfar Studios’ rogue-lite bow-shooter is drenched in gothic horror. You fruitlessly battle against increasingly powerful monsters with your trusty bow, all in service of an achievement-based progression system that advances between sessions, revealing yet more unseen horrors.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
The Exorcist: Legion VR
Broken down into five chapters with their own stories, The Exorcist: Legion VR serves up plenty of demonic entities, exorcism tools, hidden artifacts and atmospheric locations. Less scary and more ominous.
Links: Steam (Rift, Vive, Index), PlayStation Store (PSVR), Oculus Store (Rift, Quest)
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Update (October 27th, 2021): It’s that time of year again, and rejiggered the list with more awesome horror games.
The post 15 Best VR Horror Games to Play This Halloween appeared first on Road to VR.
