Best Xbox Game Pass Horror Games to Play in 2025
Xbox Game Pass has become a treasure trove for gamers of all tastes, but its horror library is particularly impressive. From tense psychological thrillers to heart-pounding survival challenges, the service offers a wealth of terrifying experiences at your fingertips. As the catalog evolves heading into 2025, we’ve curated a definitive list of the absolute best horror games available on Game Pass for PC, console, and Ultimate subscribers.
Whether you’re a seasoned horror veteran or just looking for a good scare, these 14 titles represent the pinnacle of fear on the platform.
Dead Space (Remake)
The USG Ishimura is calling. This stunning remake of the 2008 sci-fi horror classic is a masterclass in atmospheric dread. You step into the engineering suit of Isaac Clarke, an ordinary systems engineer sent to repair a massive mining ship, only to find it overrun by grotesque creatures called Necromorphs. The game’s tension is relentless, built on claustrophobic corridors, chilling sound design, and the strategic dismemberment system that forces you to aim for limbs instead of heads.
- Genre: Sci-Fi Survival Horror
- Why it’s great: A faithful yet enhanced recreation of a legendary game, with modernized graphics and seamless exploration. Included with Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play.
- Scare Factor: High. Relies on body horror, jump scares, and oppressive atmosphere.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Set to be a landmark Day One release for Game Pass, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 promises to immerse players in the unforgiving Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. This open-world survival shooter blends FPS combat with deep horror elements. The Zone is not just filled with rival factions but also mutated creatures and deadly, physics-bending anomalies that create a constant sense of unease. Every expedition into the irradiated wilderness is a gamble, where resource management is just as critical as a steady aim.
- Genre: Open-World Survival FPS/Horror
- Why it’s great: A next-generation experience combining a massive, dynamic world with a truly unique and bleak post-apocalyptic setting.
- Scare Factor: High. The horror comes from the unknown, environmental hazards, and sudden, ferocious mutant attacks.
Amnesia: The Bunker
Frictional Games, the studio that defined modern indie horror, returns with a terrifying twist on its formula. Set in a desolate WWI bunker, you are a French soldier stalked by an unseen, otherworldly creature. For the first time in the series, you have a weapon, but resources are agonizingly scarce. The bunker is a semi-open sandbox of horror, where you must scavenge for fuel to keep the generator running and the lights on—your only true defense against the darkness and the beast that hunts within it.
- Genre: Survival Horror
- Why it’s great: Its dynamic, unscripted monster AI ensures no two playthroughs are the same, creating genuine, emergent terror.
- Scare Factor: Extreme. The constant threat and reliance on sound create a nerve-shredding experience.
The Evil Within 2
As a first-party Bethesda title, this gem is a long-term fixture on Game Pass. You reprise your role as detective Sebastian Castellanos, diving back into the terrifying STEM world to save the daughter you thought you lost. The Evil Within 2 masterfully blends the linear, cinematic horror of its predecessor with larger, semi-open-world hubs. This freedom makes the horror even more potent, as you never know what disturbing creature or psychological trap waits around the next corner.
- Genre: Action/Survival Horror
- Why it’s great: Offers a perfect balance of stealth, action, and mind-bending psychological horror with a surprisingly emotional story.
- Scare Factor: High. Features disturbing creature design and surreal, reality-warping sequences.
Still Wakes the Deep
From the brilliant storytellers at The Chinese Room, Still Wakes the Deep is a first-person narrative horror launching Day One on Game Pass. Set on an oil rig off the coast of Scotland in the 1970s, you are trapped with your crew during a violent storm as something terrifying and unknowable comes aboard. With no weapons and no escape, your only goal is to survive the collapsing rig and the unnatural horror hunting you through its flooded corridors.
- Genre: Narrative Horror
- Why it’s great: Poised to deliver a powerful, character-driven story from a studio known for its incredible atmospheric world-building.
- Scare Factor: High. Focuses on claustrophobia, helplessness, and a gripping disaster scenario.
Lies of P
While primarily known as a "Souls-like" action RPG, the world of Lies of P is steeped in gothic horror. You play as Pinocchio, a puppet mechanoid, fighting his way through the city of Krat, which has been decimated by a plague and rampaging puppets. The Belle Époque-inspired architecture is beautiful yet deeply unsettling, and the enemy designs—from clanking automatons to grotesque alchemical monstrosities—are pure nightmare fuel.
- Genre: Action RPG/Horror
- Why it’s great: Combines challenging, precise combat with a dark, twisted fairy-tale narrative and a deeply unnerving atmosphere.
- Scare Factor: Medium. The horror is more atmospheric and creature-focused than reliant on jump scares.
Scorn
There is no other game that looks or feels like Scorn. Inspired by the art of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński, this is a game about atmosphere above all else. You awaken in a bio-mechanical labyrinth of flesh, bone, and machinery, and must solve intricate puzzles to progress. Scorn is unsettling on a fundamental level, creating a world that feels both ancient and alien. The slow, deliberate pace forces you to soak in every disturbing detail.
- Genre: Atmospheric Horror/Puzzle
- Why it’s great: A truly unique and unforgettable artistic vision that will stick with you long after you finish.
- Scare Factor: Medium. Relies on a pervasive sense of dread and grotesque imagery rather than cheap scares.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
A powerful journey into myth and madness, Hellblade is an experience unlike any other. You play as Senua, a Celtic warrior traveling to Helheim to fight for the soul of her dead lover. The game is a stunningly accurate and respectful portrayal of psychosis, using binaural audio to put the voices Senua hears directly into your headphones. The combat is tense and methodical, but the true horror lies in Senua's psychological struggle against the darkness within and without.
- Genre: Psychological Horror/Action-Adventure
- Why it’s great: A deeply moving narrative combined with innovative sound design that creates an unparalleled sense of immersion.
- Scare Factor: High. The horror is purely psychological, creating an intimate and profoundly unsettling experience.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
For those who prefer their horror with friends, this asymmetrical multiplayer game is a must-play. Based on the iconic 1974 film, the game pits a team of four survivors against three members of the murderous Slaughter family. The goal is simple: escape. But the execution is anything but. It’s a terrifying game of cat and mouse where communication, stealth, and knowledge of the faithfully recreated maps are essential for survival.
- Genre: Asymmetrical Multiplayer Horror
- Why it’s great: Perfectly captures the frantic, desperate tone of the original movie with intense, teamwork-based gameplay.
- Scare Factor: High. Being hunted by other players is a uniquely terrifying and unpredictable experience.
Signalis
A modern masterpiece in the style of classic survival horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. With a striking retro-tech aesthetic, Signalis tells a cryptic and melancholy sci-fi story about a Replika android searching for her lost partner on a desolate, snow-covered planet. You’ll have to manage a limited inventory, solve clever puzzles, and decide when to fight or flee from the glitching, horrifying creatures that roam the abandoned facility.
- Genre: Classic Survival Horror
- Why it’s great: A brilliant love letter to the genre's golden age, featuring a compelling mystery and expertly crafted tension.
- Scare Factor: High. Uses psychological dread, limited resources, and a crushing atmosphere to great effect.
Prey
Developed by Arkane Studios, Prey is a sci-fi thriller set aboard the Talos I space station, which has been overrun by a shape-shifting alien threat known as the Typhon. The game's signature enemy, the Mimic, can disguise itself as everyday objects like a coffee cup or a chair, leading to a constant state of paranoia. Prey is an "immersive sim," giving you incredible freedom to solve problems your own way, using alien powers, clever gadgets, and environmental storytelling to uncover the station's dark secrets.
- Genre: Sci-Fi Immersive Sim/Horror
- Why it’s great: Unmatched player freedom and world-building create a deeply engaging and replayable experience.
- Scare Factor: Medium. More suspenseful and paranoia-inducing than outright terrifying.
SOMA
From the creators of Amnesia, SOMA is a philosophical sci-fi horror game that will haunt your thoughts long after the credits roll. Set in an underwater research facility, the game explores profound questions about consciousness, identity, and what it means to be human. You are completely defenseless against the corrupted robots and biomechanical creatures that stalk the halls, forcing you to use stealth and wit to survive. The real horror, however, lies in its brilliant and deeply unsettling story.
- Genre: Sci-Fi Narrative Horror
- Why it’s great: One of the most intelligent and thought-provoking stories in all of gaming, wrapped in a terrifying package.
- Scare Factor: High. The existential dread is arguably more frightening than the monsters themselves.
DOOM Eternal
While some might call it pure action, DOOM Eternal is undeniably a horror-themed masterpiece. As the Doom Slayer, you are a force of nature ripping and tearing through the armies of Hell. The creature designs are grotesque, the environments are infernal, and the sheer speed and ferocity of the combat create a different kind of tension—the tension of survival against overwhelming odds. It’s a power fantasy set in a heavy metal nightmare.
- Genre: Action FPS/Horror
- Why it’s great: The pinnacle of fast-paced first-person shooter combat, set against a backdrop of epic demonic horror.
- Scare Factor: Low-Medium. You are the monster the other monsters fear, but the demonic imagery is potent.
Vampire Survivors
Don't let the simple, pixelated graphics fool you—Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror thrill ride. This "bullet heaven" game pits your single hero against ever-growing, screen-filling hordes of skeletons, zombies, mummies, and other classic monsters. The gameplay loop is simple: survive, level up, and create game-breaking weapon combinations. It's an addictive and mesmerizing experience that channels the aesthetic of classic horror arcade games.
- Genre: Roguelike Action
- Why it’s great: Incredibly addictive gameplay that costs nothing to try with Game Pass and offers dozens of hours of fun.
- Scare Factor: Low. The horror is purely thematic, providing a fun, stress-inducing challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions About Horror on Game Pass
Q: Do horror games ever leave Xbox Game Pass?
A: Yes. Games that are not owned by Microsoft (third-party titles) are typically on the service for a limited time, often a year or more. First-party games from Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda, like Prey and The Evil Within 2, are generally considered permanent additions to the library.
Q: Is Game Pass Ultimate required for all these games?
A: Most games on this list are available with a standard Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass subscription. However, titles from the EA Play library, such as the Dead Space remake, require a Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Q: Are these games suitable for all players?
A: Most horror games carry a "Mature" rating for a reason. They often deal with intense themes, suspense, and unsettling imagery. It's always a good idea to review ratings and watch gameplay trailers to decide if a particular game is right for you.