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Horror games about depression

In these games the horror grows out of a low mind. You play people who have stopped leaving the house, who carry guilt or grief, or who meet others worn down by it, and the monsters, rooms and chores take the shape of that weight. What frightens is how familiar it can feel: the slow drain of will, the isolation, and the thoughts that turn against you.

The top 30 of 32 horror games about depression, ranked by player and critic scores

The 30 best, 2026

  1. Paper Lily key art: Lacie, a blonde girl in a red scarf and white coat, holding a golden letter tangled in red threads PsychologicalPaper Lily - Chapter 1Lacie has stopped going to school and has not left her house in months, and the story starts from that low point. 99% on Steam (8,999 reviews)about 4 hFreePC, Mac, Linux
  2. OMORI key art: a pencil sketch of the boy OMORI's expressionless face on white paper PsychologicalOMORIThe maker warns that it depicts depression, anxiety and suicide, and its hero has hidden from the world for years 97% on Steam (89,115 reviews)20 h or morePaidPC, Mac, Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
  3. Smile For Me key art: a dark figure in a top hat with glowing eyes and a wide glowing grin looms over silhouettes of the Habitat's residents amid swirling vines and flowers PsychologicalSmile For MeEvery resident of the Habitat is a downer, and your job is to find out what would make each one smile. 98% on Steam (1,887 reviews)about 4 hPaidPC, Mac, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
  4. missed messages. key art: May, a smiling freckled girl with pink hair in a white sweater, reaches toward you from a doorway under the game's title Psychologicalmissed messages.Its four endings explore depression, suicidal thoughts and family pressure, drawn from the maker's own experiences. 95% on Steam (11,230 reviews)about 30 minFreePC, Mac, Linux
  5. The Cat Lady key art: monochrome mosaic collage with a pale, hollow-eyed woman's face above the white title, set against dark brick and ruined rooms PsychologicalThe Cat LadySusan is a chronically depressed 40-year-old on the verge of suicide, and the story follows her trying to live with her illness. 94% on Steam (6,330 reviews)about 8 hPaidPC
  6. Buddy Simulator 1984 library art: a repeating pattern of grey pixel-art creatures, robots, animals and objects from the game on a near-black field PsychologicalBuddy Simulator 1984The store warns that the game contains themes of depression and anxiety as well as emotional manipulation. 94% on Steam (3,196 reviews)about 5 hPaidPC, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
  7. Pleh! key art: the hand-drawn white title PLEH! on a black starry sky with pixel-art green, teal and red planets PsychologicalPleh!The story of a depressed game developer; the maker warns it deals with depression, suicide and social anxiety. 94% on Steam (1,368 reviews)about 1 hFreePC
  8. Burnhouse Lane key art: a small girl stands before a giant skeletal hare-like creature beside a dark gabled house in red and grey fog PsychologicalBurnhouse LaneThe store warns of depression and suicide, and Angie begins the story a widow at the end of her rope. 94% on Steam (1,052 reviews)11 h or morePaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  9. Love Angel Syndrome No Signals key art: Ai, a pink-haired girl with a halo and bandaged arms, floats among thin wires above the pink title PsychologicalLove Angel SyndromeYuuna is a lonely shut-in with depressive tendencies, and the makers warn of heavy talk about mental health and depression 96% on itch.io (417 ratings)about 1 hPay what you wantPC, Mac, Android
  10. The Crooked Man key art: David with a frightened face beside a blurred, grinning yellow figure PsychologicalThe Crooked ManJayIsGames notes it explores failure and depression through David, whose fiancee left him and whose mother no longer knows him. 93% on Steam (1,283 reviews)about 4 hPaidPC
  11. Fausts Alptraum key art: an orange-haired girl in a green dress holds a candle against black crayon scribbles, beside a red-coated figure with long lilac hair standing in water PsychologicalFausts AlptraumHer father leaves her sorrow, depression and an old house; grief hangs over the whole story. 93% on Steam (1,268 reviews)about 5 hFreePC
  12. Homebody key art: a killer in a stitched mask and a gloved hand with a knife loom over a blood-spattered Emily and her friends, a house with a lit attic window under a huge moon PsychologicalHomebodySteam warns that it deals with anxiety, OCD and depression through Emily's story. 94% on Steam (747 reviews)about 6.5 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  13. You Will (Not) Remain art: a figure in a long coat and a dog on a white rooftop, in 1-bit pixel art, with huge violet tentacle-like shapes looming over a dark city skyline PsychologicalYou Will (Not) RemainThe makers say it is a story about isolation that deals with anxiety, depression, dissociation and suicidal ideation. 92% on Steam (2,552 reviews)about 45 minFreePC
  14. Disturbed key art: a foggy grey pencil drawing of a stone stairway, with a small pale figure hiding its face in a wall niche Visual novelsDisturbedIts maker says the game was inspired by experiences of depression and addiction, and Von is tempted to lie in bed and wish his problems away. 92% on Steam (1,874 reviews)about 1 hFreePC, Mac, Linux
  15. The Windows Are Gone key art: a dark house with glowing yellow windows among bare teal trees, above a blood-red field under a pale sky PsychologicalThe Windows Are GoneA player reads the title as depression: every window of light that gave you hope vanishes, replaced by a darkness that swallows you. 92% on Steam (610 reviews)about 50 minFreePC
  16. When the Darkness comes key art: a grand piano glowing from inside stands alone in a misty snowfield under falling snow PsychologicalWhen the Darkness comesIts maker made it to illustrate the hardships of depression and anxiety, from their own darkest times 91% on Steam (5,812 reviews)about 1 hFreePC
  17. The Body Monstrous cover: three pixelated bare arms with open and clawed hands reaching across a dark background PsychologicalThe Body MonstrousMany comments on its itch.io page read the monster as a picture of depression and anxiety. 94% on itch.io (370 ratings)about 15 minFreeBrowser
  18. Without a Dawn key art: a dim sun setting over dark water, drawn in tiny brown and orange text characters PsychologicalWithout a DawnReviewers read her as a young woman with anxiety on the verge of depression, haunted by her own voice 92% on Steam (947 reviews)about 45 minPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  19. Cry of Fear key art: a pale, gaunt, tattooed figure with a strap across his back leans a gloved hand on a stained wall beside the game's title PsychologicalCry of FearIts hero, Simon, is a 19-year-old living with depression and anxiety, and the story is shaped by his state of mind. 89% on Steam (88,183 reviews)about 8 hFreePC
  20. Shadow Corridor 2 key art: a carved wooden mask of a laughing old man floating in dark blue haze SurvivalShadow Corridor 2 雨ノ四葩Shigure has lived a life of sadness and means to end it before the story begins 88% on Steam (952 reviews)PaidPC, Switch, PlayStation
  21. Luto store header: the title LUTO in glowing white capitals, one letter per line, on a black background PsychologicalLutoThe store says the despair is fed by anxiety and depression, and warns the game depicts depression and suicide 89% on the PlayStation Store (2,779 ratings)about 5 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox
  22. Paper Cages cover: a pink and navy pixel-art bedroom with a figure asleep in bed, a family photo, a desk and computer, and a cat asleep on the floor PsychologicalPaper CagesA game about mental health whose makers draw on their own depression; each morning chore drains the character's willpower. 88% on itch.io (511 ratings)about 15 minFreeBrowser, PC, Mac, Linux
  23. Day In key art: Rese, with glasses and tired, shadowed eyes, lies on a pillow against a dark scribbled background beside the pink title PsychologicalDay InRese cannot make herself get up or start her chores, and her menu choices read 'I can't do anything'. 96% on itch.io (84 ratings)about 15 minPay what you wantBrowser, PC, Mac
  24. DISTRAINT 2 key art: Price in a white shirt and loose red tie between a hooded old man with a huge pack and a grinning man in a suit, a horned shadow behind them PsychologicalDISTRAINT 2GameSpew's review says it tackles depression and suicidal impulses through Price coming to terms with his guilt. 95% on Steamabout 2.5 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  25. Yuppie Psycho key art: Brian in glasses and a blue suit with blood on his face, behind him the doll-faced Sintra, coworkers with stacks of paper and a red-masked figure holding a bloody dagger PsychologicalYuppie Psycho: Executive EditionThe Steam page lists depression and suicide among the themes of the story. 95% on Steamabout 8.5 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
  26. Don't Let It Out key art: a blonde figure faces a mirror where their reflection grins with eyes closed, in dark teal under the hand-drawn title PsychologicalDon't Let It OutFan wiki writers read the monster as a stand-in for depression and self-harm, and the maker warns of graphic self-harm. 88% on itch.io (174 ratings)about 10 minPay what you wantBrowser, PC
  27. the static speaks my name key art: the title in white glitchy lowercase letters on a pink band, framed by rows of pixel-art palm-tree islands Psychologicalthe static speaks my nameIts maker has said the game draws on his own experiences of depression and obsession, and it follows a suicidal man's last day 81% on Steam (4,454 reviews)about 10 minFreePC, Mac, Linux
  28. The Town of Light key art: painted profile of a young woman with closed eyes, face tilted up, beside a glowing orange asylum building fading into green mist PsychologicalThe Town of LightRenée was committed at sixteen, her records citing depression and a volatile relationship with her mother 79% on Steam (2,839 reviews)about 3 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  29. The Mouth Of The Woods cover: an upside-down sepia shot of a dense winter forest of thin birch trunks PsychologicalThe Mouth Of The WoodsThe diary gives a flat, honest account of depression, and the maker warns of suicidal themes. 96% on itch.io (34 ratings)about 30 minFreeBrowser
  30. Almost plastic, Not Even Real cover: a dithered black-and-white face with a black bar over its eyes, on a deep blue background PsychologicalAlmost plastic, Not Even RealThe maker's content warning names themes of depression, loneliness and childhood neglect. 96% on itch.io (33 ratings)about 18 minFreeBrowser

Short enough for one evening

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17 games

Every game of the kind

More picks

Scores are those players and critics give on the stores and sites named; each game's page says where.

More kinds of horror

  1. Short horror games621
  2. Psychological horror games530
  3. Horror games with multiple endings417
  4. Horror puzzle games341
  5. Survival horror games259
  6. 2D horror games254
  7. PS1 horror games233
  8. Stealth horror games180
  9. Horror escape games164
  10. Surreal horror games145
  11. Horror visual novels137
  12. Anime horror games132
  13. Haunted house games131
  14. Mystery and detective horror games127
Every genre

Where you play

  1. Steam horror games1009
  2. Epic horror games97
  3. GOG horror games270
  4. itch.io horror games592
  5. PC horror games1337
  6. Mac horror games391
  7. Linux horror games261
  8. PlayStation horror games404
  9. Xbox horror games367
  10. Switch horror games317
  11. Mobile horror games188
  12. VR horror games69
  13. Browser horror games236
  1. Scary games1456
  2. Free horror games561
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