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Ritual horror games

In these games someone has drawn the circle, lit the candles or chosen the sacrifice. Sometimes you are stopping a cult before its demon arrives, sometimes you must carry out a rite yourself to banish what is hunting you. The fear is in the procedure: an altar that waits for the next item, a chant you cannot take back, and something listening on the other side.

The top 30 of 87 ritual horror games, ranked by player and critic scores

The 30 best, 2026

  1. Project Kat Paper Lily Prologue key art: Kat, a dark-haired schoolgirl, smiling with her chin on her hand beside a lilac window 2D horrorProject Kat - Paper Lily PrologueKat is at school at night to perform the Golden Envelope ritual to the letter, hoping to debunk it. 99% on Steam (5,945 reviews)about 45 minFreePC, Mac, Linux
  2. Sucker for Love: First Date key art: Ln'eta, a green Cthulhu-like girl with pink hair and bat wings, beside the masked Estir in a yellow dress under cherry blossoms AnimeSucker for Love: First DateEvery date is built on rituals from the Necronomicon, followed step by step in your bedroom; a flawed ritual brings madness and a bad ending. 98% on Steam (3,043 reviews)about 2 hPaidPC, Switch
  3. Inscryption key art: a spiral-eyed bearded man glowing red behind the title, with teal raven and wolf figures on either side PsychologicalInscryptionStrong cards are summoned by blood sacrifice of other cards, laid on the board like an offering. 97% on Steam (150,113 reviews)13 h or morePaidPC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  4. The Coffin of Andy and Leyley key art: a grinning, blood-splattered Andrew with a cleaver and Ashley leaning on him before a coffin with red eyes, surrounded by red flowers and a small crying ghost PsychologicalThe Coffin of Andy and LeyleyRitual murders and human sacrifices are listed on the store page, and the story starts with a satanic ritual gone wrong. 96% on Steam (39,970 reviews)about 4 hPaidPC
  5. Raging Loop key art: Haruaki, a frightened girl in a green jacket reaching out and a white-haired woman, with a black wolf's head with a red eye behind them PsychologicalRaging LoopThe feast is an old village tradition of night killings and daily votes to hang a suspect 96% on Steam (11,565 reviews)26 h or morePaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  6. Detention key art: a schoolgirl in a white shirt and necklace holds a picture frame as stools, a chalkboard, papers and a paper plane fly around her PsychologicalDetentionFood offerings distract the ghosts, and a found sketch speaks of a sacrifice made with the blood of the innocent. 96% on Steam (11,903 reviews)about 3 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Switch, iPhone, Android
  7. Rusty Lake Paradise art: a man in a mosquito mask with insect wings hovers in a bare grey forest above a white rabbit beside a hole PsychologicalRusty Lake ParadiseYou stop each plague by finding the mother's memories and taking part in strange family rituals 96% on Google Play (10,400 ratings)about 3.5 hPaidPC, Mac, iPhone, Android
  8. If On A Winter's Night, Four Travelers key art: a pixel-art steam locomotive with a glowing lamp, its smoke trailing four giant eerie masks through the dark PsychologicalIf On A Winter's Night, Four TravelersIn The Nameless Ritual a bullied doctor turns to the occult and must face the Guardian of the Threshold. 95% on Steam (1,898 reviews)about 2 hFreePC, Mac, Linux
  9. Fear the Spotlight art: a shadowy long-haired figure with glowing eyes looms over two girls standing in flames Puzzle horrorFear the SpotlightThe story begins with a séance held by candlelight to call up the dead students. 97% on Steam (1,336 reviews)about 4 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  10. The Dark Rites of Arkham key art: a detective in a fedora holds a revolver as huge toothed jaws and tentacles loom out of a blue night behind him 2D horrorThe Dark Rites of ArkhamThe opening murder is a ritual killing, and later you have to set up a ritual yourself. 97% on Steam (706 reviews)about 6 hPaidPC
  11. Amnesia: The Dark Descent art: a pale green stone hall in Brennenburg Castle with a carved fountain at its centre PsychologicalAmnesia: The Dark DescentThe baron's rituals coat a strange orb with vitae, a substance taken from people in agony 95% on Steam (35,840 reviews)about 8 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  12. FAITH: The Unholy Trinity key art: a caped man seen from behind faces a huge red demon with many clawed arms in a dark painted scene SurvivalFAITH: The Unholy TrinityScreenshots show ritual circles and sigils, and the cult works to summon a demon. 95% on Steam (9,226 reviews)about 5.5 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  13. CRUEL key art: a hooded, rotting cultist holding a fizzing soda can behind the dripping red CRUEL logo Action horrorCRUELA run begins with your revolver in a chalk pentagram, and the building is cursed by a ritual gone wrong 95% on Steam (1,848 reviews)about 40 minPaidPC
  14. Sucker for Love: Date to Die For key art: Rhok'zan, a goat-headed woman with curling purple hair and a gold collar, among dark leaves AnimeSucker for Love: Date to Die ForEach chapter turns on an occult ritual from the cultists' spellbook, done step by step to summon Rhok'zan. 95% on Steam (1,363 reviews)about 5 hPaidPC
  15. Paper Bride key art: a white-haired ghost in a white robe faces a bride in a red veil and robe who reaches toward it, grey family figures behind her among drifting paper Puzzle horrorPaper BridePuzzles turn on rituals and ceremonies, from the placing of statues to items used in rites 94% on Google Play (60,400 ratings)about 3.5 hPaidPC, iPhone, Android
  16. Paper Bride 2 key art: a hooded figure in red hangs from a wooden frame in a lantern-lit forest under a huge red moon, beside a many-armed statue Puzzle horrorPaper Bride 2 Zangling VillagePuzzles have you string red thread across a bagua diagram and work with talismans, charms and offerings. 94% on Google Play (27,900 ratings)about 4 hPaidPC, iPhone, Android
  17. Sucker for Love: Prelude key art: the pink title on a green heart beside Ln'eta, green-skinned with pink eyes and wrapped in tentacles AnimeSucker for Love: PreludeYou win Ln'eta over by performing rituals from a pink Necronomicon, such as Invoke the Depths and Metamorphosis. 96% on Steam (532 reviews)about 24 minFreePC
  18. Is this Game Trying to Kill Me? key art: a grinning fanged figure in a wide-brimmed hat with round glowing yellow goggles above a dark pine forest EscapeIs this Game Trying to Kill Me?A chalk circle of symbols ringed with red candles is drawn on the cabin floor. 95% on Steam (1,722 reviews)about 3 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  19. Paper Bride 3 key art: a red-veiled bride seated beside a cracked mirror that shows a ghostly woman, as a hand holds out a burning talisman Puzzle horrorPaper Bride 3 Unresolved LoveThe paper bride rite returns, with incense, talismans and a bridal procession at dusk 93% on Google Play (29,438 ratings)about 6 hPaidPC, iPhone, Android
  20. An English Haunting key art: a medium with white eyes breathing out smoke beside a glowing blue ghost, a dark manor and a red-eyed hooded figure behind 2D horrorAn English HauntingOne scene shows hooded figures in a misty forest ringing a skull-masked figure in red and a bound, bloodied man on a standing stone. 96% on Steam (462 reviews)about 6 hPaidPC, Switch
  21. Alan Wake 2 key art: Alan Wake's face looms over a red-lit forest where a small figure stands with a flashlight PsychologicalAlan Wake 2The case that brings Saga to Bright Falls is a string of ritualistic murders. 92% on the PlayStation Store (68,381 ratings)16 h or morePaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox
  22. Rental key art: a small worried grey bunny with big dark eyes holds a lit candle against a black background of scratched lines EscapeRentalTo escape, Umi collects items such as candles and crosses for a ritual 92% on Steam (3,542 reviews)about 25 minFreePC
  23. Flesh Made Fear key art: a red-tinted face in a surgical mask beside a rotting skull and monsters SurvivalFlesh Made FearA cutscene shows a pale stitched figure leading kneeling bodies in a blood-lit occult ritual. 93% on Steam (447 reviews)about 6 hPaidPC, PlayStation
  24. GONE Fishing key art: a hooded angler in a boat holds up a large pike on a misty amber lake, with an Update 1.0 banner SurvivalGONE FishingEach day you sacrifice fish at an altar to the lake beast; a sacrificed heart can even buy back a life. 92% on Steam (2,195 reviews)PaidPC
  25. Creepy Tale: Some Other Place key art: a boy in a flat cap walks through a dark forest toward a giant toothy skull face with glowing eyes 2D horrorCreepy Tale: Some Other PlaceThe kvargs have taken a princess from Martin's world and plan to sacrifice her in a terrible ritual 94% on Steam (667 reviews)about 3 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  26. The Mortuary Assistant key art: a pale, rotting face with a bloody open mouth beside a dark tiled embalming room with a corpse on the table PsychologicalThe Mortuary AssistantThe store page describes occult rituals that you perform to find and banish the demon. 92% on Steam (8,832 reviews)about 1.5 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  27. DEVOUR art: a possessed woman with matted dark hair, black eyes and a wide grin, with other demonic faces in red behind her Co-opDEVOUREach map is won by finding ten ritual items and destroying them at an altar to banish the demon. 90% on Steam (88,464 reviews)about 4 hPaidPC, Mac, VR
  28. Forgotten Hill Mementoes key art: four masked, grotesque townsfolk in old clothes stand in a dark field under a red moon, with a Victorian house and pines behind Puzzle horrorForgotten Hill MementoesIn Run Run Little Horse you lay five items on a pentagram, then put a horse's head in its middle. 90% on Google Play (5,960 ratings)about 4 hPaidPC, Mac, iPhone, Android
  29. FOREWARNED key art: two archaeologists in hard hats with head lamps run with a golden vase and a cat statue as mummies loom behind them in a red-lit tomb hall Co-opFOREWARNEDA ritual in the lowest level of the tomb banishes the Mejai, at the cost of the treasure. 90% on Steam (6,677 reviews)PaidPC, VR
  30. The Building 71 Incident key art: a VHS PLAY screen with the title over a dark corridor lined with candles, in a red frame Walking simulatorsThe Building 71 IncidentA ring of lit candles with a red symbol inside it sits on a classroom floor. 92% on itch.io (474 ratings)about 30 minPay what you wantPC

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18 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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