Outlast breathed new life into the horror genre when it was first launched. The game was an excellent marriage of the visceral appeal of found footage horror films and the claustrophobia of games like Amnesia. The result is one of the scariest games of the last decade.

Related: Best Horror Games For Beginners

Outlast puts players in the shoes of Miles Upsher, an investigative journalist who breaks into the Mount Massive Asylum armed only with a battery-hungry video camera. Though it wasn’t the first to master first-person horror, Outlast and its sequel raised the standard for what the genre was capable of. Already beat Outlast and its sequel? Play these games!

8 Amnesia: The Dark Descent

A monster from Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Frictional Games almost single-handedly revitalized the first-person horror genre when it released Amnesia: The Dark Descent in 2010. The game had you constantly on the defensive against otherworldly monsters and your own sanity.

Like Outlast, offensive tools are almost nonexistent, and hiding is often your only defense. Though its sequels didn’t quite live up to its high bar, Amnesia: The Dark Descent still remains a classic.

7 Resident Evil 7

Resident Evil 7 Jack Baker Swings Shovel At Ethan Holding A Handgun

Taking cues from games like Outlast and Amnesia, Resident Evil 7 took the venerable series in a new direction of first-person horror. The slower pace and renewed emphasis on survival elements was a welcome change from the bombast of Resident Evil 6.

The Baker family stands out among the series' best villains, and they also serve one hell of a dinner. The popularity of its follow-up, Resident Evil Village, proves that the new claustrophobic direction was the right one.

6 Dying Light

Dying Light 2 Combat Skill Air Kick Hitting a Zombie

Though sprinting through a ruined city is more than a slight change of pace from slowly sneaking your way through a dilapidated asylum, Outlast and Dying Light still share a great emphasis on immersion.

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Dying Light allows players to parkour their way through a zombie-infested city, and the player is given a sizable arsenal to fend off the ghouls. It’s a great pick if you love Outlast’s immersion but not its pace. Dying Light 2 continued to build off the original's formula, giving players even more time to dropkick zombies.

5 Dead By Daylight

Dead By Daylight Mori Doctor Shock

Tired of being on the defensive? Dead by Daylight allows players to step into the bloody shoes of a playable killer to hunt down a group of hapless victims. The asymmetric game was an easy hit among horror fans and fans of unique multiplayer offerings.

Dead by Daylight’s formula was adopted by a number of licensed games, including the smash hit Friday the 13th: The Game. If you're craving some unique four-vs-one multiplayer gameplay with a horror twist, then pick this up!

4 Half-Life 2

Half Life 2 Episode 1, Alyx holding a pistol with Citadel in the background

There are plenty of reasons to replay Half-Life 2 and its episodes, because, well, they're a masterpiece. While it’s remembered for its achievements in physics and storytelling, Half-Life 2 also had some excellent survival horror moments.

Related: Best Zombie Survivors In Gaming

The Ravenholm section in particular dialed up the dark atmosphere and included some genuinely good scares. The general eeriness that comes from early 2000s Source engine games can make for a fun horror aesthetic on its own.

3 The Forest

Player holding head of enemy towards cannibals in The Forest

Like most survival crafting games, The Forest tasks players with gathering resources, building shelter, and eventually escaping the island they are trapped on. The twist? Players aren’t alone. In fact, the island is well-populated by a tribe of cannibalistic mutants.

As in Outlast, enemies can spend just as much time observing you as they do trying to kill you, which can be just as frightening. Ingenuity is your main line of defense, and you'll build fortifications and weapons to defend yourself.

2 Phasmophobia

phasmophobia-screen-blue

Taking elements from Outlast, Left 4 Dead, and a healthy serving of ghost hunter shows, co-op horror game Phasmophobia allows players to bring their friends on a survival horror adventure.

Each map sees players attempt to complete a series of objectives while attempting to avoid a range of different specters. Instead of guns, players fight ghosts with communication, various ghost hunting tools, and sheer luck.

1 Alien: Isolation

The Xenomorph faces the player in the space station as surrounding lights shine from behind it

Like Outlast? Like Alien? Then you’ll love Creative Assembly’s Alien Isolation. Instead of exploring the Mount Massive Asylum, you’ll explore the Sevastopol space station.

Your main concern is the Xenomorph stalking you throughout much of the game, but there are other threats, including rogue androids and the crumbling station itself. Players are given a wide array of tools to aid in their survival, along with a very handy flamethrower.

Next: Outlast: The Creepiest Location