The Best Horror Games To Play With Friends

Some horror games on your own can be downright terrifying, but when you’re paired up with a pal, sometimes that need of having to rely on someone in a stressful and scary situation can make things all the more frightening.

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The paranoia of having to rely on someone else to help when it hits the fan can make for exciting and frightening moments and a lot of great multiplayer horror games have caught on to this. There is a plethora of them out there and each one can send shivers down your spine and screams throughout your house. Even though it can often be difficult to find the gold within the huge piles of copy-paste clones, there are some brilliant ones worth checking out. So with that in mind here are some of the best horror games out there to play with friends.

Updated November 23, 2023 By Matthew Mckeown: Halloween may be once a year but there’s always time for spooky horror games. There are tons of them out there in both the Triple-A and Indie scene so you’re pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to getting scared.

But if you’re looking for a good spine-tingling time with your chums then you’re going to have to hunt a little harder. That’s where we come in, we’ve done all the legwork to round up the best scream-inducing titles out there that are worth playing with your mates. So here are some more of the best horror games to play with friends.

Lethal Company

Prove just how much worth you can bring to an uncaring space corporation in Lethal Company. This multiplayer horror scavenger game from Zeekers has absolutely blown up overnight and for all the right reasons. You play as a Scavenger who has to explore abandoned stations on dangerous moons for scrap.

To bring in that sweet cash you and your team will need to scavenge dangerous and deadly worlds for trinkets, trash, and anything valuable that you can sell off for a quick buck. Each world has its own unique threats and you’ve only got a finite amount of time to get that paydirt. Fail to make enough cash and you’ll be tossed out into space. Each session brings something new and since the game is still in Early Access there’s plenty of room left to grow and new things to add.

Cult Of Personality

There are a lot of Imposter games out there and Cult Of Personality does pull heavily from the pool, but it does have a few interesting tweaks to make it stand out. Instead of repairing a spaceship or generators, you play as one of many cultists trying to start a ritual. Think Among Us, but with a big dollop of Eldritch paint.

But, within that group of believers are a few heretics looking to stop the arrival of your local dark god and it’s up to the group to figure out who’s the real cultist and which ones are faking. Possess objects in a Ghost Form to kill other Cultists or complete the Ritual if you’re one of the ‘True Believers’. There’s a lot of anarchy that awaits in Cult Of Personality, so grab a group and jump right in.

Vampire Survivors

Though it initially launched as a solely single-player affair, Vampire Survivors has since added co-op for up to four players at once. Unfortunately, it’s local co-op only, but if you regularly get a group of friends over then it’s the perfect pick for a party.

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Face off against massive hordes of monsters with a 30-minute time limit to do as much damage as you possibly can or at least survive until the end. With multi-player added you can create an unstoppable team, though the new leveling system takes a little getting used to. Ridiculously cheap and totally worth it, Vampire Survivors is an absolute must-play.

SCP 5K

The SCP facilities have failed, and the subjects are loose. This is the theme behind SCP 5K, fresh off a big uplift and rework after its original release didn’t go so well, SCP 5K seems to be doing much better these days. You and your team play MTF members who have to head into a now abandoned SCP facility to figure out what went wrong and contain anything that might’ve gotten out.

There are a number of missions and raids to try out and each mission is procedurally generated so every incursion into a new facility is going to be different. The types of SCP your Fireteam will run into can vary wildly and there are even options for in-depth weapon customization mid-mission. Though it’s still Early Access, SCP 5K is taking a lot of good steps. If you like Milsim Multiplayer games with a lot of horror then check this one out.

Gravewood High

Advertised as an infinitely replayable adventure in a horrible High School from HeroCraft, Gravewood High is an Early Access game with a lot of good signs. Students have gone missing at Gravewood High, the adults haven’t noticed so it’s up to the students to solve the sinister mystery before it’s too late. With a story mode and co-op multiplayer, Gravewood High sells a surprisingly solid spookfest

The biggest fun feature worth mentioning is the game’s AI. Alongside constantly changing levels, the resident Evil Teacher will prove to be a tricky foe as it learns, adapts, and counters your behavior in-game. So you’re constantly feeling challenged and pushed as the game plays out. Plus, it’s free to play and it’s available on mobile, so it’s got some extra benefits to trying it out.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Based on the hit horror classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an asymmetric horror game that took a few notes out of Dead By Daylights playbook and then gave it their own twist. The basics are still the same, a team of Survivors versus the resident mass murderer, one side has to escape whilst the other has to just murder everyone.

Always cathartic, but better with a group of friends that you can terrorize and antagonize as Leatherface, or run screaming from room to room as part of the group of poor victims. Both sides have abilities and tricks to give themselves a winning edge and there’s a lot of variety in the way different rounds can play out.

Remnant 2

A follow-up to Remnant From The Ashes, Remnant 2 took everything that made its predecessor fun and threw a bunch more fun toys and boss fights on top of it. You’re once again hopping across familiar worlds through the Red Crystal to stop the encroaching corruption of The Root.

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At your disposal are a ton of guns ranging from pistols to sub-machine guns, bolt-action and fully automatic rifles as well as shotguns, grenade launchers, LMGS and so much more bizarre boss weapons. There are plenty of side-quests to try, puzzles to solve, and spooky sub-bosses to slay. Plus with co-op up to three players and multiple classes, you can form quite the fearsome fire team.

Deceit 2

A game that will leave you with trust issues, Deceit 2 lets you find out who the real turncoats are in your friend group as you work together and against each other to achieve your goals. Open up to a max of nine players, two within that group are not to be trusted as they do the Game Masters’s bidding.

There’s a deadly ritual you’ll need to escape and that can only be done if everyone bands together. There are puzzles to solve and plenty of ways for the resident Wild Cards to throw things off balance and sow distrust amongst the group. Try and get out of Millhaven Asylum alive, if you dare.

Eresys

An Eldritch Early Access game that’s got some interesting gameplay going on, Eresys is a unique and unsettling couple of hours in a forest filled with H.P. Lovecraft’s best creations. Developed by Ares Dragonis, Eresys puts you and your pals in the role of Cultists as you work together to take on the dark entities lurking in the woods.

There’s a dark portal that needs sealing but first, you’ll need to get past all the monsters lurking in the dark. These clever creatures will learn from their interactions and will start surprising your group in new and inventive ways. Plus, there are also random events to get sidetracked with and plenty of places and spots to explore.

No More Room In Hell

A game that first began its life as a Source Engine Mod, No More Room In Hell quickly became its own thing under the guidance of the No More Room In Hell Team. The hordes are large, there are over 30 weapons to fire including melee and there are dynamic maps and Survival Mode.

It’s a classic that’s aged very well and its infection mechanic that can bring down an entire team from within can add a lot of funny moments and backstabbing within your group of friends. It’s great with a large bunch of friends and best of all, it’s absolutely free.

Death Horizon: Reloaded

Strap on a VR headset and get ready to tear apart those undead hordes in Death Horizon: Reloaded from Horizon Lab LLP. This chilling first-person shooter has you trying to escape the Horizon Scientific Research Labs after an outbreak of a mutagenic virus. Twisted and strange abominations stalk the halls and you’re the only one available for the job.

An action-packed game that features a wealth of interesting and satisfying to-fire weaponry, with some that can be dual-wielded for those ultimate Rambo moments. For that personal touch, there’s also melee weaponry that can smash apart those zombie skulls with ease. Featuring eight distinct game modes and co-op, Death Horizon: Reloaded has a lot of toys to try out.

The Outlast Trials

Another spine-tingling installment in the Outlast series, but this time with a twist. Outlast Trials from Red Barrels brings all the familiar terror of the previous games however now there’s multiplayer. So grab a few mates, because there’s science to be done.

Though it’s still in Early Access, what’s there is worth the asking price. Featuring a series of differently themed trials, each with its own resident psycho patrolling around, it doesn’t take long for things to turn terrifying. A team of up to four can take on Murkoffs challenges for big rewards that can include cosmetics and XP that can be put into unlocking skills and extra benefits. If you’re looking for a solid multiplayer horror experience, then Outlast Trials is worth checking out.

The Highrise

A mostly unknown indie horror gem that’s been circling around the shores of Early Access, The Highrise from Studio Hatch is a game you want to get on the ground floor of. Stuck inside a highrise building, you and a group of friends must work together to gather resources to craft weaponry and tools that will aid in your escape attempt.

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But you’re not alone in there. Skulking around dark corners and nesting in abandoned rooms are strange creatures with heightened senses that seek to turn you into the next item on the lunch menu. They increase in strength the lower you go, so it’s up to your squad to decide how much they’re willing to risk to try and signal for help. It’s regularly updated by the devs, so the game has a lot of life left in it yet.

Forsake: Urban Horror

A little rough around the edges, but Forsake: Urban Horror from Unseen Interactive has some interesting potential and quite the challenge once it gets going. This paranormal investigation game will feel familiar for those that have experienced the likes of Phasmophobia or Demonlogist.

This time around you’re part of a group of Urban Explorers entering one of six abandoned and haunted locations. The goal, exorcise the resident ghoul before it hunts you down. There’s loot to grab that can be turned into cash for upgrades and there are some regular updates lately that have brought more ghosts into the game. A low-cost alternative to your regular ghost hunter game, Forsake: Urban Horror ticks a lot of positive boxes.

Remnant Records

An interesting Early Access investigation game from Noctiluca Studio, Remnant Records sets you and three friends the task of cleansing homes of hauntings. However, it’s not as cut and dry as it sounds.

In order to evict the local spook you’ll need to find clues and objects around each home that relate to the trapped spirit. Each home is procedural, so your investigations and the story they tell will change with each run. There’s lots of unique gear to unlock and a bunch of ghosts to banish to the shadow realm, so it guarantees a night of scares.

Dead Island 2

After shambling around in the doldrums of development limbo for a few years, finally Dead Island 2 has shuffled its way out and onto a full release on multiple platforms. Sticking close to what made its predecessor popular, it provides a multitude of zombie murder options and spooky side-quests and action-packed story to churn through.

Set in LA instead of an island this time, there’s a new cast of Saturday morning cartoon characters to run around as or talk to. With the occasional cameo from fan favorites to keep things close to the original whilst also breaking some new ground of its own. Though the single-player is solid, the mayhem cranks up a notch when you bring in your mates to stomp around the sunny zombie-filled shores and broadways of Los Angeles. The Hollywood Hills have become hell, so break into those Bel Air mansions and stock up on supplies if you want to survive.

Demonologist

Taking some notes from what made Phasmophobia click so well with players, Demonologist takes the tried and trusted method of ghost investigation and throws in some extra hazards to keep you on your toes. The end goal is the same as any other Ghost hunting game, identify the spook causing chaos and banish their backside back to the other plane of existence before they can put you in a terminal chokehold.

Though it’s still in the deep warrens of Early Access, it’s regularly updated, has had a lot of positive reception, and seems to be headed in the right direction by putting its own spin on the familiar and popular poltergeist-busting activities. There’s plenty of tools to give you an edge over the local ghouls, and their cast of resident specters is varied and different enough from other games to make it stand out from the crowd. If you’re in the neighborhood for a new way to get spooked, then knock at the door of Demonologist.

Barotrauma

If you’re looking to destroy friendships, test your teamwork skills or just cruise around under the sea experiencing underwater terror with your friends then Barotrauma is the ship you should be sailing on. This underwater horror game gives you and a crew of your mates the herculean task of running, maintaining, and defending a giant submersible as you explore vast flooded subterranean caverns and tunnels.

However, you’re not alone down there. Pirates, bizarre creatures, and leviathans out of legend all cruise these waters. It’ll take a crack team of submariners to get through all that, so make sure your team is up to the task. There are multiple roles to fill and in-depth mechanics and systems to manage on your sub of choice, so there’s plenty to keep a chatty crew busy. There’s also plenty that can go wrong and it often doesn’t take much to sink your sub to the bottom where it’ll get crushed into scrap metal from the extreme pressures. With plenty of missions and submersibles to try out, there are tons of things for an active crew to chew through.

The Past Within

Part horror game, part co-op puzzler, The Past Within is a perfect little indie darling to drill through with a partner. Reminiscent of the likes of Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes and We Were Here, The Past Within relies heavily on communication and teamwork in between the unsettling atmosphere and skin-crawling scares.

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For example, one screen explores a dilapidated mansion that contains dark secrets, whilst the other breaks into a strange box filled with symbols, buttons, and widgets that have to be deciphered. Alone it’s all nonsense, but together it all starts to piece together a nightmarish and otherworldly story. For those looking to fully immerse themselves in the setting, there’s also an option for VR. A good way to while away the hours with a friend or find out which one of you crumbles under pressure from the ghouls and ghosts plaguing your puzzle-solving attempts, The Past Within guarantees a petrifying time with your pals.

A Day Out

The deep dark woods are full of terrors, so grab a team of your friends and take on these otherworldly abominations in A Day Out. Featuring a range of weird and horrifying cryptids that have crawled right out of the annals of mythology, there’s plenty of creatures for a crew of killers to cut their teeth on.

There’s also gadgets, gizmos, and guns galore to make tracking down each terrifying nightmare beast a little easier. The home hub is huge, there’s plenty of customization options to add your own flare to your field agent and there’s a handy storage area that houses all the nightmare beasts you manage to beat in a living trophy room meets zoo. Good in solo, better in duos, and brilliant as a big group, A Day Out is a trip you won’t regret taking.