Though it’s true there are plenty of horror and RPG adventures that never intermingle, there are also several exciting hybrids of both genres. And since it’s that spooky time of year, we decided to cover several of the most compelling examples.
These are all games that prominently feature RPG elements such as turn-based combat, leveling up, and, in one case, some ARPG features. They are all also games which have horror themes to varying degrees, with the very spookiest taking the top honors.
So if you love some spine-tingling terror and roleplaying game mechanics, get ready to be scared by this spooky list of the Best Horror RPGs!
10 Call of Cthulhu
Tentacles of Terror
It takes a special team to bring an iconic pen-and-paper RPG into a fully fleshed-out video game world. That’s exactly what we got in Call of Cthulhu, which translated Chaosium’s original adventure into a stylish and creepy digital adventure.
The best part of Call of Cthulhu was the writing, which helps establish the tone and flavor of this unsettling occult descent into madness. There are also plenty of ways to level up PI Pierce and play the game how you prefer.
And if you’re here for the horror, fret not, since there are many very unhinged moments told via cutscene. The only downside is that the game’s side encounters are a bit uneventful, and the level design can be frustrating.
9 Penny Blood: Hellbound
The Roaring ’20s, Indeed
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Publisher |
NatsumeAtari |
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Platform |
PC |
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Genre |
ARPG, rogue-lite |
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Release Date |
December 17, 2024 |
It’s fitting that Penny Blood: Hellbound is on this list, even if it’s an ARPG instead of an RPG. The reason it’s fitting is that many of the same team that gave us Shadow Hearts and Koudelka made Penny Blood: Hellbound, and they’re a team that loves creepy, occult RPG adventures.
The game is set in an ancient temple in the roaring ’20s, and a group of deviants and rascals have to fight their way to freedom, and maybe a few answers in the process. These are the Hellbounders, a group of anarchists with warped personalities and a special set of violent skills.
You’ll surf on blood and fight demonic entities in the game, and even harvest energy from violence. Even better, you can play this bloody, crazy adventure with a friend to really make things hectic.
8 Koudelka
Haunted Monasteries and Ghoulish Fun
It feels like Koudelka is one horror game I can’t escape, as this is one of several lists I’ve written that includes it. I suppose the blame rests with the team behind Shadow Hearts, and their unusual style of game development, which often marries horror and RPGs.
Even though this is an oldie, Koudelka is still a game with gorgeous cutscenes and an unusual setting, at least for an RPG. It’s set in a haunted monastery full of monsters and mystery. Worse, your party members aren’t exactly a merry band, which keeps things tense and unpredictable.
Sure, the combat doesn’t hold up as well, but as someone who’s lived through tank controls in horror, sometimes less responsive controls can be helpful in shaping the horror experience.
7 World of Horror
Black & White Terror
Another game that’s been haunting me ever since I became aware of it is World of Horror. Like Call of Cthulhu, it’s inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, but it takes things in a very different, much more terrifying direction.
And even though it’s all black and white, that in no way makes this turn-based, rogue-lite, horror RPG any less disturbing. You’re tasked with investigating mysterious occurrences as the veil between reality and the lair of the Old Gods is torn asunder.
World of Horror has scares aplenty, and a steady drip of dread the longer you play. Maybe you’ll survive these encounters, or maybe some monster will wear your face as a mask afterward. Throw in 14 playable characters and multiple endings, and you have one long-lasting horror experience that’s sure to creep you out.
6 Omori
Where Did the Color Go?
At first glance, Omori looks like a colorful, charming tribute to the style of Earthbound. And while there are many sparkly, happy moments in the RPG, there also lurks an underbelly of despair and horror that will surprise you.
The game is a sort of twisted magical journey, and the farther you get, the more the cracks into horror start to open up. I don’t want to spoil the underlying premise, but there’s a very sad and dark theme that the game boldly confronts.
Until then, you can enjoy the beautiful animation and turn-based combat. Just brace yourself for the horrors that arrive when you least expect them…
5 Parasite Eve
Just Another Day in Manhattan
If this list were solely based on my own preferences, Parasite Eve would be the winner. This is a game that has stayed with me since it was first released in the late ’90s, and I firmly attest it’s one of the best games ever. But since this list isn’t just about my own tastes, it had to sit lower on the list.
While not a traditional horror experience, the theme of cataclysmic mutation mixed with an ongoing mystery and police investigation is a heady mix. Aya Brea may start as a regular cop, but the deeper you go down this twisted rabbit hole, the more horrible truths she learns about herself.
Luckily, those truths also lend Aya the power to confront the monstrosity that is Eve in real-time combat which features turn-based conventions. Eve uses her mitochondrial powers to mutate more and more creatures into nightmarish beasts, even raising dinosaur bones to assault you. Parasite Eve is a wonderfully dark and twisted adventure, and one that deserves a modern remake.
4 Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones
Cthulhu’s Victory
If you’re surprised to see another game inspired by Lovecraft and Cthulhu, you probably shouldn’t be. After all, those stories are all about losing your sanity in the midst of cosmic horror. In Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones, you wander from Arkham into the Abyss itself and fight against a tide of ancient evils.
Like Penny Blood: Hellbound, Stygian takes place in the 20s, and you can craft your own character from several available archetypes. And though the game is 2D and turn-based, magic here isn’t what you’d expect. It might cost more than energy, and will often warp the user in inhuman ways.
What’s especially neat about Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones is the Belief system, where your perception affects your dialogue choices. Madness can be a boon in the Abyss and offer you options that might not be available to a more sane person. Either way, get ready for an unhinged, creepy, and violent RPG adventure.
3 Withering Rooms
A Victorian Nightmare
Withering Rooms is unique on this list in that it features a 2.5D style and mixes horror, rogue-lite, and RPG mechanics. Every exploration through Mostyn House will be different, but you can always expect to contend with unsettling wraiths and monsters.
Weirdly, Withering Rooms strikes me a bit like a classic Resident Evil in a side-scrolling style. The creatures that wander the grounds are fierce and will do their best to chase and corner you.
Thankfully, death isn’t the end, and you can use magic to give yourself a fighting chance. Get ready for darkened corners, hedge mazes, tombs, churches, and more to traverse in this delightfully dark horror adventure.
2 Fear & Hunger
Dungeon Crawling Horror
While dungeon-crawling RPGs are pretty common, there aren’t many I’ve played like Fear & Hunger. For one thing, this game is exceptionally dark and contends with very adult themes. For another, there aren’t many RPGs where a regular part of combat is dismembering my opponents.
The game also features several different classes and randomized elements to keep the horror fresh and your blood pumping. I especially enjoyed the painterly style of the art, which somehow makes the horror hit that much deeper.
Because the game is also a survival horror, you can expect that Fear & Hunger is quite challenging, and you’ll be dying repeatedly in your quest for victory.
1 Look Outside
Just Survive Somehow
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Publisher |
Devolver Digital |
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Platform |
PC |
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Genre |
RPG, Survival Horror |
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Release Date |
March 21, 2025 |
As a dedicated fanboy of Devolver Digital, Look Outside was one of their most exciting recent releases. Devolver usually tries its hand at every genre, but there haven’t been many survival horror games. The fact that Look Outside married that with turn-based combat and truly horrifying body horror made this an incredible adventure.
The entire game takes place in an apartment building, which might sound tame. At least until you discover an event occurred that transformed everyone who looked outside into grotesque nightmares, and you have to survive long enough for help to arrive.
You’ll have to regularly scavenge for supplies and craft unique weapons to fight back. You might even make friends with some helpful freaks along the way. But don’t get comfortable, because this is a truly challenging and utterly creepy horror RPG that will haunt you long after you play.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
