Since horror is one of the most popular video game genres, it is easy to find plenty of horror games no matter where one looks. With stellar games made by AAA developers and wide availability on well-known sites like Steam, it is obvious the genre has a strong presence in the industry.
But, with the large number of available titles in the marketplace, the rarer and more niche indie horror games tend to get lost among the rest. Luckily, Itch.io, a website that hosts indie games, has some unique horror titles that players will not find anywhere else.
Jam And The Mystery Of The Mysteriously Spooky Mansion
Rather than a pure horror game, Jam and the Mystery of the Mysteriously Spooky Mansion is more of a comedy game with horror elements. Jam, who is a self-proclaimed detective prodigy, has finally captured their arch-nemesis, Alexandre V. Bann, at an abandoned house. But, Jam hasn't actually figured out what crime he has committed yet, so they must explore the house and find evidence of his crime.
As the player explores the various creepy rooms and solves point-and-click puzzles, they will gather multiple pieces of evidence. Depending on which pieces the player presents to Alexandre, the player will get one of 16 different endings.
0_abyssalSomewhere
Created by the Itch.io "nonoise," 0_abyssalSomewhere is an atmospheric horror game that combines elements from titles such as Silent Hill, Dark Souls, and Angel's Egg. The player begins as an unknown armored humanoid creature who has just woken up in a desolate place. While exploring the dark and empty halls of this abandoned concrete world, the player will slowly learn about the civilization that used to exist and what happened to it.
Although there is combat in the game, the player can choose whether they attack the other creatures or remain ive. These creatures will only attack the player if the player chooses to attack first. Overall, this is a game that players need to experience on their own.
The Night Is Darkening
With an aesthetic reminiscent of old 3D DOS games, such as the FMV game Realms of the Haunting, The Night is Darkening is a science-fiction horror game where the player is on a long journey in a flying ship controlled by a drunken sailor. When the ship crashes onto one of the small floating islands, the player has to explore the island to find a gravity stone to get the ship running again.
As the player explores the small island, they will encounter "angel-blessed refugees," who are being consumed by new powers gained from the "angel war," and a mysterious mansion with ghostly secrets. Despite the short experience, the game tells a full story that leaves an unforgettable impression.
Glitchhikers: First Drive
Released in 2014, Glitchhikers: First Drive is a surreal driving simulator where the player explores the strange liminal space of driving with various strangers at night. During each of the random encounters, the player will have the chance to select different dialogue choices to direct the conversation.
While this game is a fairly short experience, the conversations explore heavy topics about self-identity, the universe, and the meaning of life. At the end of this creepy drive, the player may find themself understanding the world better through these fictional characters. In 2022, a sequel, which is titled Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between, is planned to be released on Steam.
Pillar Of Rust
Although many horror games in recent years explore the psychological horror and despair of a loved one's death, not many games explore the feelings that come from the loss of a relationship. Created by Itch.io developer, "Valerie Dusk," Pillar of Rust follows a woman who ascends a tower as she struggles with post-breakup depression.
Similar to the influential horror video game franchise, Silent Hill, the setting of the game is a physical representation of the main character's mental struggles as she navigates the impossible geometry of the decaying structure. As the player progresses, they learn more about the story and help the protagonist move forward from the past.
Haunted Cities
Even though Kitty Horrorshow's Anatomy is an obscure horror game and yet the developer's most well-known work, they have released many other interesting horror games. One of the other great titles on their page is Haunted Cities, which is the first volume in the Haunted Cities series. Each volume contains several short games that were originally rewards for the developer's Patreon .
If players have never experience's this developer's unique brand of horror, these short vignettes capture the atmosphere and style perfectly. The first game, Pente, has the player explore a strange memorial landmark that eerily changes each time the player enters and leaves the main building. Leechbowl has the player throw packets of blood at the walls of a creepy city. Finally, the last game, Grandmother, makes the player decide which person to sacrifice to a strange creature in the woods.
The Open House
Created by Itch.io developer "corpsepile," The Open House is a horror game that initially pretends to be a simple "open house simulator." A company, known as Northtree Real Estate, has created a way to virtually explore houses on the market, and the player is a beta tester for this new software.
But, as the player explores this house, they soon discover that there is more to this software than what it first appears to be. If they get too deep into it, they may find themselves sacrificing their soul as real estate instead.
You Left Me.
Angela He is a relatively well-known game developer on Itch.io whose indie games are unique because of their incredibly gorgeous art style. While they have made several different games over the years, most of them focus on struggles related to loss, mental health, and relationships. One of the games that focus on all of these reoccurring themes is the visual novel point-and-click surreal adventure of You Left Me.
The player controls a woman who has just woken up in a strange world without any memories. She must regain her memories by exploring the various surreal locations before time runs out.
Gyossait Deluxe Edition
While Gyossait was originally a free flash game that was released on its own websites like Newgrounds, players can now buy the Gyossait Deluxe Edition on Itch.io, which includes the original game plus several other of the developer's other pixelated surreal horror platformers. Similar to Gyossait, these games all manage to take simple graphics and create detailed disturbing experiences filled with plenty of gore, body horror, and creepy imagery.
Besides an early prototype of Gyossait, an unreleased prequel titled Uzaza, and other extra materials related to the game, this bundle also includes three other separate games. Two of them, All Of Our Friends Are Dead and Au Sable, can also be bought separately on the creator's page. All Of Our Friends Are Dead is a platformer shooter with a story that is meant to be left to interpretation. Au Sable, meanwhile, focuses on a red-haired female protagonist who is looking for her sister, Harmonia, in an evil forest.
Night Of The Consumers
Created by Itch.io developer "germfood," Night of the Consumers is a PS1-styled horror game with its own unique art style added into the mix. Unlike most horror games where the horror comes from death or supernatural creatures, this game simulates a type of horror that occurs in everyday life: retail work.
The player is a new worker at a supermarket, and the goal is to restock all the shelves before closing time. But, there are customers everywhere who constantly want to ask the player for help with various tasks. If the player is unable to complete these tasks fast enough, the customers will complain and the player will fail.