Summary
Itch.iois indie gaming’s conservatory. The platform allows developers to have creative control, communicate with their fans directly, and host their games at whatever price point they wish. This has allowed horror developers to thrive on the platform: they can make more experimental games and incorporatesubjects like creepypastathat don’t have mainstream appeal.
However, the site is chaotic at the best of times. A lot of the horror games listed are low-quality imitations of better titles, elaborate jokes, or simply unfinished. Here are the games that challenge that perception; that prove that itch.io can be a haven for horror developers looking to innovate, entertain and - most importantly - frighten their audience.
8Alisa
Alisa is a survival horror success story, proving thatgreat games can be made without corporate backing. After its demo was posted on itch.io, the game was crowdfunded within days. The PS1-inspired title plays like a classic Resident Evil game, set in a life-sized dollhouse. You encounter enemies inspired by childhood toys, fairytale characters, and the developer’s strangest nightmares.
One of the best things about Alisa is the steady stream of patches and quality-of-life updates. The game started out with only the tank controls of classic survival horror titles, but modern controls were quickly incorporated. Years after release, Alisa continues to receive updates and support - allowing survival horror veterans and newcomers alike to enjoy this bizarre adventure.
7Slaughter Me Street 1999
A spin-off to the obscure 123 Slaughter Me Street series, this game is a hide-and-seek thriller. With monsters seeking you out, you have to use stealth to collect relics hidden across the expansive levels. Collecting a relic may activate a new monster or alert them to your presence, so you’re on the back foot no matter what you do.
Slaughter Me Street 1999 is tense and uncompromising: the droning soundtrack and oppressive atmosphere only let up once you’re a monster’s dinner. Throughout the experience, the game makes you feel like you’re being hunted. More than once, you may stare longingly at the exit prompt simply because the game’s so relentless, but those relics aren’t going to find themselves.
Slaughter Me Street 1999 is in ongoing development and is planned for a full release on Steam.
6Crowscare
For a short and sweet autumn-themed experience, Crowscare is your safest bet. A story-driven title, it lets you play as a young boy who isn’t allowed to go out at night. That doesn’t stop him, of course, especially when the witch in the forest seems so nice.
Crowscare manages to be chilling without being overly violent, and it has a heartwarming conclusion if you play your cards right. The entire game can be completed in a couple of hours; it’s charming, cute, and available for free. Just try not to get the bad ending.
5Faith: The Unholy Trinity
Faith: The Unholy Trinity willingly imposes limitations on itself. It looks, sounds and even plays like an old Atari 2600 title. Yet it succeeds because of how compelling the plot is. It isn’t the first horror game to do so: nobody plays Silent Hill 2 or Deadly Premonition for the combat,they play them for the story.
In Faith, you play as a priest who failed an exorcism, trying to make things right. The game is laden with innovative scares, imaginative use of the minimalist visuals, and impressive rotoscoped cutscenes. The story keeps the game grounded without becoming a gimmick-fest.
4The Mortuary Assistant
The Mortuary Assistant is near-miraculous: it feels like a triple-A horror title, yet was developed by just one person. The game places you in the shoes (and gloves) of an embalmer, allowing you to learn how bodies are preserved while encountering supernatural phenomena.
What sets this game apart is its compelling premise. Working in a funeral home is intriguing: while some hair-raising jumpscares are always welcome, the game is best enjoyed for its setting. The story is procedurally generated, so you can have a new experience on every playthrough.
3The Backrooms 1998
In the mid-2010s, most creepypasta started to fade from the public imagination. However, the Backrooms thrived: the concept of endless yellow corridors outside of reality fascinated horror fans and popularizedthe idea of liminal spaces. It also proved to be ample inspiration for indie horror games.
The Backrooms 1998 is one of the most fun. Its found-footage aesthetic and highly interactive world make it immersive, while its clever design makes it terrifying. Instead of having a map, you spray paint the walls to mark where you’ve been. If you turn on the microphone, enemies can use your breathing—and your screams—to find you.
2Fear & Hunger Series
Many of us play RPGs with the assumption that we’re the chosen one. Fear & Hunger is a series where you are most emphatically not. Instead of a hero’s journey or a fantasy adventure, it’s a grim and dark role-playing experience where mere survival is dependent on luck.
The game has garnered a reputation for its unforgiving difficulty, but it’s the kind that keeps you coming back because youhave to.You have to know more, you have to use what you’ve learned, you have to attempt to make it this time. Fear & Hunger is perfectly suited to RPG fans for something different, but be warned: the game is extremely graphic and deals with disturbing subject matter.
1Buckshot Roulette
The horror game that best showcases the itch.io hallmarks is Buckshot Roulette. It has a memorable mascot who’s all teeth, it has a haunted PS1 aesthetic, and it’s innovative. The game takes the form of a tabletop competition between you and the dealer: with various items, you attempt to damage each other using a randomly loaded shotgun.
Luck plays a role, but memorization and judgment are indispensable for you to beat the dealer. Buckshot Roulette isn’t just consistently fun. It’s one of the most novel tabletop games we’ve seen in years. Don’t be surprised if you keep coming back for another round.
