Top 10 Scariest Video Games of All Time

Playing scary video games is one of the easiest ways to get an adrenaline rush.

If you are among those who enjoy having an adrenaline rush or like to have psychological arousal during entertainment, then you will love watching horror movies and playing scary video games. Watching a horror movie can also give you an adrenaline rush, but playing repulsive games takes the experience to a whole new level.

We advise that you play these video games with your lights turned off, or you won't enjoy them to the fullest. If you are a faint of heart and still want to play these spine-chilling games, then you should ignore the above statement, and play these games along with your friends. So, here goes our list of top scariest video games of all time.

Developed by: Monolith Productions
Released in: 2005
Platform Availability: PS3, Xbox 360 and Windows.

This game orbits around a fictional U.S. special forces team named First Encounter Assault Recon (F.E.A.R.) You are a member of F.E.A.R. team, and your main task is to put a check on the supernatural phenomena, Alma―a little ghostly girl in a red dress―the main source of horror in the game.

Your character's supernatural reflexes make the game interesting and fast-paced. Reflex-time, as it is called, slows down the gameplay for a few moments, allowing you to aim and shoot at fast-moving creatures at your normal speed.

You can boost this reflex-time by picking up injections throughout the game. When in reflex-time mode, you will be able to see the distortions caused by a moving bullet in the air, and other animations at super slow motion.

Developed by: Frictional Games
Released in: 2010
Platform Availability: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and OnLive.

The game is based in a dark and haunted castle. Your character has to explore the castle while avoiding monsters at the same time. Unlike other horror survival games, you do not have access to any weapons.

You must flee and hide if a monster spots you, or you'll be killed. Also, your health and sanity is deteriorating. The health and the sanity meter indicate your current state and require you to pay attention to them at all times. The health and sanity can be restored when you are in light, but this increases the risk of being spotted by the monsters.

So, the best strategy is to maintain a balance between being in the dark and well-lit areas. You also have a limited amount of tinderboxes and oil available to light up the candles and lanterns, so use them wisely.

While playing Amnesia, you will see monsters approaching you, but the fact that you have to stay in the dark to stay hidden will keep your heart rate up in the anticipation of being attacked by a hidden monster.

Developed by: Capcom Production Studio 4
Released in: 2005
Platform Availability: PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Windows, Zeebo, Wii Mobile, iOS, and GameCube

In R.E 4, you are a special agent who is entrusted with the task of rescuing the U.S. President's daughter. You will encounter violent villagers and mutants during your journey.

The game is famous for its over-the-shoulder view while taking an aim with weapons. The gameplay gets scary because of the uncertainty about what lurks behind you. Just when you think you have your back covered, you turn around only to find a mutant monster standing just behind you. You need to be quick with your guns, or the mutants will hunt you down.

Developed by: id Software and Splash Damage (Multiplayer)
Released in: 2004
Platform Availability: PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Windows, Mac OX, and Linux.

Doom 3 can be categorized into three main types of genres: Survival horror, sci-fi and first-person-shooter. Most of the action takes place at a remote research facility on Mars, in the year 2145.

The demons are unleashed from hell when the teleportation experiment goes wrong and opens the Gateway to Hell. You play the role of a space marine―the lead character in the game. All the people working in the research facility have been taken over by the demons, and are now zombies.

Zombies will attack you with their hands and other weapons, while the demons will try to kill you using their claws. This sounds like a normal sci-fi game, but here is what makes this game scary: The game has a dark environment, and you have to carry a torch with you to see what lies ahead.

You can carry only a single item in your hand; a firearm or a flashlight. You can either use the flashlight to see what is attacking you, or simply use a machine gun to launch an offensive and attack blindly. The game developers have also used radio transmissions to distract you and get under your skin by inserting the voices of dying humans and demons.

Developed by: Capcom Production Studio
Released in: 2006
Platform Availability: Xbox 360.

This games revolves around the investigation of a zombie outbreak in a small town being carried out by a photojournalist named Frank West―which will be you.

Frank has 72 in-game hours to complete the investigation and other case files. This game may not seem particularly scary to horror survival gaming enthusiasts, but if you don't like gory action sequences and hate zombies to the core, then you will really enjoy this game.

The zombies are weak during daytime, but they become very strong and have glowing red eyes when spotted in the dark. The game's ending is not fixed and varies according to the decisions you take and missions that you fail in. Plan your every move and avoid taking on the zombies in the dark.

Developed by: Remedy Entertainment
Released in: 2010
Platform Availability: Xbox 360 and Windows.

In this game, you play the role of Alan Wake, the protagonist and novelist, who is trying to uncover the secret behind the disappearance of his wife.

Alan witnesses the events mentioned in his thriller novel happen to him in a fictional town of Bright Falls. The scariest part is that he doesn't even remember writing such a novel. He has to combat with the "Taken", which are people consumed by the darkness.

These "Taken" are impervious to all weapons till their darkness is burnt-off by exposing them to light. You first have to use your flashlight to destroy the shield of darkness that protects these creatures, and then use firearms to kill them. Just don't forget to collect the batteries for your flashlight or you're dead!

Developed by: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and Creature Labs (Windows port)
Released in: 2001
Platform Availability: PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Windows.

In Silent Hill 2, you have to find your way through Silent Hill city, which is lurking with demons, and look for your dead wife as well.

The background sound along with dark scenery makes this game emotionally challenging. Clumsy game controls on the other hand add to the chill factor when a monster suddenly appears out of dense fog, and you are still thinking about what to do.

You can defend yourself with two types of weapons―melee and firearms―but it is advisable to not engage with monsters unless absolutely necessary. You also need to solve various puzzles to collect keys to the doors and other obstacles in the game.

Developed by: Monolith Productions
Released in: 2005
Platform Availability: Xbox 360 and Windows.

As the name suggests, the game focuses on finding clues and evidence of a crime. You, as an FBI agent, have to search for a serial killer.

The game plays more attention on melee attacks rather than firearms. The interesting part is that the enemy, unlike the other games, also uses up the ammunition while firing at you. This forces you to kill that enemy immediately so that you get more ammo.

Now, let's get to the scary part. In one level, you are in a school, and you come across little children are crawling up bloodied walls. Such sequences always keep the player on his toes. You might want to skip this game if you are too afraid of the dark and gory scenes.

Developed by: Infogrames
Released in: 1992
Platform Availability: MS-DOS.

It is the world's first 3D survival horror game, you, as a player, are a private detective carrying out investigations in a haunted mansion. The game starts out with you trapped inside a mansion where someone was murdered.

You have to find a way out of that scary mansion infested with zombies and other creepy creatures. You can kill the zombies without weapon, but you can also get rid of them by solving a puzzle. Today, you might not count automatically shutting doors and monsters as scary, but it was one of the most scariest games when it was released back in the year 1992.

Developed by: Playdead and Double Eleven(PS Vita) 
Released in: 2010
Platform Availability: PS3, Xbox 360, Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iOS, OnLive, and PlayStation Vita.

In Limbo, you play the role of a small boy who is searching for his missing sister in the middle of a forest filled with dangerous creatures.

As any other horror game, the gameplay requires you to solve puzzles, but the ghastly grayscale scenery and minimal sound effects really make this game stand out. You are trapped or killed by animals when you solve a puzzle incorrectly.

The gory animation and apparitions might cause a few to quit the game, but you don't give up. It is highly unlikely that anyone will get through a puzzle in the first try as the developer terms the game as "trial and death".

So, these according to me, were the 10 best scariest video games. As is the case with all lists, opinions differ, and if you have anything to add to this list, then please do sound off in the comments.

Now, if you really want to enjoy these scary games, then make sure that your computer has the required hardware so that it can run these games without missing any frames, or you'll miss the element of surprise. So, if you are feeling adventurous and want some real fun, then these video games are worth a shot.