An incredible video game soundtrack is arguably one of the most important factors in creating an excellent game. Making something memorable is already hard enough, but throwing horror into the mix presents a set of unique challenges. Not only are people afraid of vastly different things, but composers are tasked with capturing and expressing the essence of horror through nothing but sound.
There have been countless classic horror games throughout the decades, all with their unique music styles. Some games aim for a more ambient horror soundtrack, while others make their soundtracks as pounding and stress-inducing as possible. Whatever your preferred horror soundtrack style, there are plenty of tracks to explore.
Updated December 28, 2022, by Dominic Allen: The horror genre of gaming has so much incredible music that there had to be more than ten entries. Not all of this music is the scary kind you initially think in your head. They can be grandiose or straight-up boppers. The same thing applies to movies. Arguably the most famous piece of horror movie music from the 2000s is Hello Zepp from Saw. Listening to it raw, you wouldn't think it came from a horror movie, but it did. Music in horror media doesn't have to be confined to one strict style, and that's what makes it so special.
13 Silent Hill 3
Silent Hills 2 and 3 are so neck and neck in quality when it comes to various aspects, including the soundtrack. Silent Hill 2 is more of an emotional score, but SH3 feels grandiose and larger than life compared to what came before. As SH3 has a sense of finality to it, it fits great. It's the first in the series to have vocals for both the main theme and credits song, which would become common in the series going forward.
The score has great variety, with spooky, atmospheric, and chill tracks used in cutscenes. The final boss music is quite out-there, and the results screen music is the best yet. Overall, the complete score is probably the best in the series, but SH2 offers some of the best tracks. It's tough to call.
12 Resident Evil Outbreak
One of the more underrated scores in the Resident Evil series has to be the Outbreak games. Composed in part by Tetsuya Shibata, who made the music for Devil May Cry 3 and 4, there's one word to describe the music, epic. It felt the most cinematic yet in the series, and while the OST isn't very large, the quality definitely makes up for it. The final boss theme is one of the best tracks in the series, bar none.
It could have worked great for trailer music if Capcom ever did it. The epic music was something that Outbreak definitely needed, especially now since the online servers are shut down, which was the main hook of the title. Even now, in the whole series, only Resident Evil 5 feels like this score, making it all the more unique.
11 Parasite Eve
The classic PS1 horror RPG hybrid, Parasite Eve, has an excellent soundtrack for the era, like many of Square Enix's games. It's not the traditional horror fair, but it feels right for this type of title. A good battle theme is almost a necessity in games like Parasite Eve, and it delivers.
Some of the best music, though, comes from the exploration segments. Out of Phase is a perfect background piece for a YouTube video. What also makes the score special is that it's frankly the only great soundtrack of the trilogy. Parasite Eve 2 and The 3rd Birthday both have a pretty weak score, but the first game still holds up.
10 Left 4 Dead 2
The Left 4 Dead franchise is a fan-favorite survival horror FPS series of games. Many people may not think of music when they remember their time with Left 4 Dead 2, but the soundtrack is among the best in the horror genre. With a great mix of eerie and heart-pounding tunes, the entire listing is a great listen.
While it may be a relatively simple soundtrack, there’s no denying how far the simple and creepy tunes go. The way every instrument sounds familiar but yet not quite right really blends well into the post-apocalyptic world. The music is also incredibly helpful in finding out about enemies, as most of the special infected will have some sort of audio cue to them.
9 Silent Hill 2
The Silent Hill games are a perfect combination between atmospheric terror and anxiety-inducing gameplay. While the soundtrack may not be the first thing you think of when you want to be scared stiff, its unique feeling makes it a stand-out.
Combining ethereal jazz and light pop for many of the more human scenes, the game does a full turn into horror with its screeching industrial tracks whenever it can. The balance between these two styles makes the heavy industrial songs even more impactful throughout the horrors of Silent Hill 2.
8 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent changed how many people think about horror games, and while its music may not be especially unique, it’s sure to put you on edge. Rather than balancing lighter tracks with darker tracks, the entire experience is a spooky one.
Maybe it’s the low and foreboding tunes buzzing around you as you explore in a semblance of safety that creeps you out. If atmospheric tracks don’t do it for you, the sweat-inducing tracks that play as you’re being hunted through the darkness absolutely will.
7 Resident Evil
While Resident Evil wasn't the first survival horror game, it did coin the term. A tense, atmospheric title filled with tight corridors and tough enemies is all blended with an excellent soundtrack for any genre.
This soundtrack balances something as simple as a droning hum with bombastic drum-filled pieces. While the game’s music could be considered a relic of the past, many players will be surprised by just how much it adds to the experience of the original game. The dev team may have been stuck with less powerful hardware when compared to what we have today, but they created something truly eerie.
6 Dying Light
Dying Light is a game that stands out for putting a unique twist on a standard concept, and the soundtrack is no different. While many horror soundtracks give players a sense of dread, Dying Light instead strives to provide players with a sense of agency. You have to be running all over, so why not have the soundtrack reflect that?
The tracklisting is packed with synths, horns, and strings that are all combined in such a way that many players will find themselves enjoying the feeling of being afraid. Running away from the hordes of the infected is a frightening prospect, after all.
5 Alien Isolation
Few game soundtracks capture the feeling of, well, isolation as well as the terrifying Alien Isolation. The subtlety of many tracks goes a long way in reminding you that a xenomorph could be around every corner.
Plenty of the pieces within the soundtrack feature low sounds that either drone or repeat in a way that reminds you just how alone you are. That’s not to say that the soundtrack doesn’t pick up at all — when things go wrong, the music becomes a frantic combination of strings and drums that’ll beat right along with your heart.
4 Outlast 1 & 2
One of the creepiest gaming experiences any player can find comes courtesy of the Outlast franchise. Whether you pick up the first or second entry, you’re in for some scares. A great way to describe the soundtracks for these games would be 'classic horror.'
When you imagine a horror track in your head, it's likely that you can find something similar within one of the Outlast games. Every single track feels like it’s building to something horrifying, whether or not it actually is. With strings and moans or erratic drums, one of the series tracks is bound to spook anyone.
3 Eternal Darkness
The focus on unique gameplay features within Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem only adds to its already eerie soundtrack. More than many other horror games, Eternal Darkness makes repeated and excellent use of low chanting and moaning. While most of it is unintelligible, that inability to understand what is being said adds to the creep factor.
The tracks also delve into the realm of the weird, much like the gameplay. Some songs sound almost alien compared to even the strangest horror tune. The strange and flexible music on offer helps perfect the atmosphere of the game.
2 Soma
Being from the same team behind Amnesia: The Dark Descent, it’s no surprise that Soma oozes a scary atmosphere. Mikko Tarmia, Soma’s composer, created a soundtrack that won’t just scare an unprepared player but one that will actively change their mood.
Soma is a dark, miserable, horrifying game, and the lovingly crafted music is a reflection of that. The use of bright piano throughout the soundtrack may be something that many would think wouldn’t work for horror, but it does create a certain sense of levity, which is important in any horror game.
1 Dead Space
One of the most unique horror franchises in recent memory, Dead Space stands as one of the creepiest gaming experiences horror enthusiasts can find. This soundtrack is absolutely packed full of memorable and unique horror pieces.
Whether it’s the creepy strings that play upon your arrival to the Ishimura at the start of the game or the horrific industrial ringing that blares when you first come into contact with the necromorphs, every player is sure to find a track they’ll love. To this day, Dead Space has a soundtrack that can hang with the greatest songs from any medium.