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Small town horror games

These horror games take place in a small town: a few streets, a diner, a school, a church and neighbours who all know each other. You walk its roads, question the locals and search houses and shops, while something wrong spreads under the quiet surface. The fear comes from the closeness: the town is too small to hide in, the people may be keeping a secret, and help is a long way off.

The top 30 of 112 small town horror games, ranked by player and critic scores

The 30 best, 2026

  1. Scarlet Hollow key art: a frightened blonde young woman in front of a decaying mansion as a veiled figure with glowing eyes reaches toward her PsychologicalScarlet HollowSet in Scarlet Hollow, a small coal-mining town in the mountains of North Carolina. 98% on Steam (5,391 reviews)about 4 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux
  2. Anthology Of The Killer key art: BB, a small pink-haired girl, stands at the end of a line of grotesque cartoon characters, some covered in blood PsychologicalAnthology Of The KillerBlood Of The Killer is set in a quiet country town where severed heads roll down the street. 99% on Steam (810 reviews)about 4.5 hPaidPC, Linux, Mac, PlayStation, Switch
  3. OMORI key art: a pencil sketch of the boy OMORI's expressionless face on white paper PsychologicalOMORIThe real-world half is set in Faraway Town, where a reclusive boy has a few days left before his family moves 97% on Steam (89,115 reviews)20 h or morePaidPC, Mac, Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
  4. Sally Face store header: Sal with blue pigtails and his white prosthetic face, between a long-haired teen and a figure in bloody bandages PsychologicalSally FaceThe murders and what lies behind them cast shadows over Sal's small town of Nockfell. 97% on Steam (30,172 reviews)about 9 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, iPhone, Android
  5. Left 4 Dead key art: a pale infected hand raised against a scratched green background Co-opLeft 4 DeadThe Death Toll campaign crosses a small town and the countryside around it. 96% on Steam (68,570 reviews)about 1.5 hPaidPC
  6. HorrorVale key art: Alice in a witch hat and skeleton face with her green zombie dog, a haunted town and full moon behind them 2D horrorHorrorValeIt starts in the once peaceful town of HorrorVale, where reanimated monsters deliver the mail. 99% on Steam (436 reviews)50 h or morePaidPC
  7. Rena calls out a good morning to Keiichi on a tree-lined village road, with the English text over the scene PsychologicalHigurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.1 OnikakushiKeiichi has just moved to the small rural community and everyone knows everyone. 96% on Steam (6,917 reviews)10 h or moreFreePC, Mac, Linux
  8. Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit key art: a worn yellow rabbit animatronic with glowing blue eyes rising from a ball pit SurvivalFive Nights at Freddy's: Into the PitOswald lives in a small, dull town and moves between his home, school, library and a mill. 96% on Steam (11,018 reviews)about 5 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
  9. Notch - The Innocent LunA key art: a pink-haired girl against a red glow and a green-haired girl in a black choker against pale light, back to back PsychologicalNotch - The Innocent LunA: Eclipsed SinnerSThe store page sets the story in an isolated town of forgotten memories, shaken by a summer of murders. 95% on Steam (3,295 reviews)about 7.5 hPaidPC
  10. Wretched Depths key art: the title logo with a red fish hook, over dark water PS1Wretched DepthsSet in Twin Pines, a remote little town whose people seem strange. 97% on Steam (577 reviews)about 30 minFreePC
  11. Nightmare Frames key art: a sheriff with a revolver, a bearded man holding a film reel and an older woman in a purple dress under bright beams of light 2D horrorNightmare FramesThe search leads to Serena, a small town in northern California with a dark reputation. 98% on Steam (443 reviews)about 8 hPaidPC
  12. The Happyhills Homicide cover: the title in dripping red letters beside the killer's white clown mask with red cheeks and nose 2D horrorThe Happyhills HomicideThe killings take place around the town of Happyhills, from houses and a bar to a motel and a farm. 95% on Steam (2,277 reviews)about 1 hFreePC
  13. Key art of the three leads: a detective with a cigar, John Wade in a cracked, bloodied clown-white mask, and a bearded man in a beanie 2D horrorThe Happyhills Homicide 2: Out For BloodThe whole game is set in the broken town of Happyhills, with levels in its streets, arcade, police station and slaughterhouse. 96% on Steam (791 reviews)about 1.5 hPaidPC
  14. Tales of the Black Forest key art: three anime girls, one white-haired in a kimono, one in school uniform, one with fox ears, before a dark pixel-art station 2D horrorTales of the Black ForestKihara is trapped in Kuromori, a depopulated town where she lived as a child, and must explore its streets, station and shops. 96% on Steam (1,080 reviews)about 3.5 hPaidPC
  15. Project Zomboid art: Spiffo, the game's raccoon mascot, holds a weapon in the rain with zombies reaching up behind him SurvivalProject ZomboidYou survive in the small towns of the Knox Event exclusion zone, such as Muldraugh, Rosewood and Riverside. 94% on Steam (489,804 reviews)PaidPC, Mac, Linux
  16. Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper key art: the hooded kidnapper in a stitched rabbit mask beside the Horror Tale title on a dark purple background EscapeHorror Tale 1: KidnapperSet in Lakewitch, a small 1990s American town of farms, a sawmill and a school. 94% on Google Play (74,000 ratings)about 1 hFree with adsAndroid, iPhone, PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Browser
  17. 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 ForIt begins with disappearances in your rural hometown of Sacramen-Cho, whose people seem under Rhok'zan's spell. 95% on Steam (1,363 reviews)about 5 hPaidPC
  18. Withering Realms key art: the pale doll guardian with one red eye and crooked teeth, with Clover's face behind its shoulder, beside the gothic title Action horrorWithering RealmsThe town of Penwyll sits at the centre of the map, with shops, townsfolk and a dark secret to uncover. 97% on Steam (437 reviews)PaidPC
  19. Who's Lila? key art: a dithered Polaroid of a young woman lies beside a fountain pen and a notebook with the number 3816, in dark red and off-white PsychologicalWho's Lila?Much of the game takes place in a surreal, Lynchian town reached from a town map. 94% on Steam (3,887 reviews)about 2 hPaidPC
  20. Days Gone key art: Deacon on his motorbike in silhouette, kicking up dirt over still water ZombiesDays GoneYou search small rural towns and abandoned camps for parts, fuel and supplies 93% on the PlayStation Store (180,338 ratings)38 h or morePaidPC, PlayStation
  21. 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 LovePart of the story is set in Fulu, a small town near Moshui village 93% on Google Play (29,438 ratings)about 6 hPaidPC, iPhone, Android
  22. Killer Frequency key art: a gloved hand holding a bloody knife outside the neon-lit KFAM radio station at night, with a missing person poster on the wall Multiple endingsKiller FrequencySet in Gallows Creek, a small American town where the police chief has just been killed. 93% on Steam (6,286 reviews)about 5 hPaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, VR
  23. Comatose key art: a figure and a small dog on a path face a foggy village with a church steeple and bare trees, under the white title PsychologicalComatoseLaura's unconscious takes the shape of a deserted town with a chapel, a bar and a waterfront street, and monsters around every corner. 96% on Steam (414 reviews)about 3.5 hPaidPC
  24. Crowscare cover art: the scarecrow boy Ryo in a straw hat, red scarf and overalls, half his face black with glowing yellow eyes, beside the title on red 2D horrorCrowscareSet in Ryo's hometown as its townsfolk prepare the square for the Harvest Festival 96% on itch.io (400 ratings)about 1.5 hPay what you wantPC, Mac, Linux
  25. Iron Blight key art: a hooded man in a green coat at a wooden doorway, grabbed by pale, bloodied hands SurvivalIron BlightThe story is set in Prasnova, a forgotten town of the former Eastern Bloc after the state has collapsed. 94% on Steam (1,148 reviews)about 4 hPaidPC
  26. Slender Threads key art: a frightened Harvey by a campfire in a night forest, masked hooded figures behind him and a mustached man aiming a revolver near a red-lit totem Puzzle horrorSlender ThreadsHarvey wanders Villa Ventana, a quiet seaside town of four streets with a town hall, a pizza place, a casino and shops you can enter 94% on Google Play (1,710 ratings)about 5 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, Switch, iPhone, Android
  27. Days Without Incident key art: the title on a grey sign over a dark industrial hall of pipes and railings SurvivalDays Without IncidentYou come to the town of Ebenflow, whose people live in the shadow of a tragedy and will not drink the water 94% on Steam (698 reviews)about 50 minFreePC
  28. 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 2FBI agent Saga Anderson investigates a string of ritualistic murders in the small town of Bright Falls. 92% on the PlayStation Store (68,381 ratings)16 h or morePaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox
  29. Little Misfortune key art: a little girl in a red beret and green coat looks back over a golden autumn hillside, with a fox holding a crackling staff and a Missing poster on a tree PsychologicalLittle MisfortuneSet in 1993 on the outskirts of Openfields, a made-up Swedish town. 92% on Steam (14,397 reviews)about 3 hPaidPC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, iPhone, Android
  30. The Outlast Trials art: three test subjects with night-vision goggles strapped to their faces, one screaming with an arm raised, in a murky olive tint SurvivalThe Outlast TrialsOne trial takes place in a staged mock town at night, with its own police station, a burning car and a cut-out family billboard 92% on Steam (120,983 reviews)13 h or morePaidPC, PlayStation, Xbox

To play with friends

14 games

Short enough for one evening

Done in an hour or so

Free to play

19 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
Every game, A to Z