Most gamers associate point-and-click adventure games — where you use a mouse or onscreen pointer to interact with objects and solve puzzles — with meditative gameplay, more focused on helping you relax than on scaring the life out of you. But the modern survival horror game's focus on smart inventory usage and puzzle-solving can be traced directly back to point-and-click, so perhaps it's no surprise that there are a ton of brilliant point-and-click horror games out there.

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Though the 90s heyday of the genre has long since passed, developers both small and large have scored commercial hits and critical success by mixing the slow-paced vibe of point-and-click with the pulse-pounding power of horror. Here are just a few of those games.

Updated September 25, 2023, by William Quick: During the early days of gaming, the point-and-click genre dominated the industry. This style of gameplay allowed designers to focus a lot on writing to really draw you into the world since you'd be spending so much time wandering around it looking for important objects and puzzles. While not as popular as it once was, the pacing of point-and-click games helps the atmosphere to build as you get further into the experience. As a result, the horror genre sank its claws into it making for some very scary experiences that will stay with you if you're brave enough to pick them up.

18 The Hex (Surreal)

The Hex Steam Going Down The FPS Path

The idea of video game characters being sentient and going through many of the issues that we go through in real life has been explored before, but not always in a scary way. Well, that has changed with The Hex, brought to us by the same guys who made the horrific arcade game Pony Island.

The game has you overseeing a bunch of patrons at a bar who seemingly have nothing in common. However, as you play you'll soon realize that each one of them is a main character in a different genre of gaming that has hit a low point in their careers. Each one takes you on a personal journey where you get to experience the highs and lows of their video games, slowly drawing you into their reality with the goal of breaking free of their predicament.

17 Papers, Please (Harsh)

Papers Please Steam Reviewing An Entry Permit

You could argue that no one likes bureaucracy, not even those who make money off of it. It's been referred to as the "science of wasting time" that's used both by industries and government bodies. You can see the true dark side of it in the harsh reality of Papers, Please.

This game takes place at an unknown point in the past during a time of political and social tension. You're working as a border control person whose job it is to review the application of every person who approaches your station. As time goes on, you have to use even more scrutiny and invade even more privacy to determine whether you should let them cross. To top it all off, you have a family that you need to support and bills to pay with money that only comes from doing a "good" job.

16 Night In The Woods (Existential)

Night In The Woods group of friends sat together

When you're a kid, you can't wait to grow up but the moment you grow up, you realize just how great it was to be a kid. Growing up is never easy with each year bringing more responsibilities and concerns, all of which can be felt by experiencing a Night In The Woods.

In a world of anthropomorphic animals to soften the blow, you play as Mae the Cat who has recently returned to her childhood home in the small and fading town of Possum Springs. After dropping out of college, Mae is constantly reminded of her past and her missed opportunities from her family, neighbors, and even close friends. Not to mention that there's also some scary conspiracy stuff going on in the town that she once thought was safe.

15 Strange Horticulture (Twisted)

Strange Horticulture Steam Looking At The Plant Shelf

There are so many hobbies but one of the most relaxing is gardening. Plants can be delicate and some can be demanding, but if you put in the time and effort, you'll be rewarded with peace and freshness. It stands to reason that running a gardening business can be relaxing, but Strange Horticulture begs to differ.

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As the proprietor of a horticulture shop, things take a turn when you realize that the town of Undermere isn't as harmless as it seems. Your plant business starts to draw all sorts of unusual and creepy characters to your store who'll want your plants for wild rituals and will even ask you to join them. You're free to join any covens and participate in any cult activities that you want but do so at the risk of your plants and your own sanity.

14 Oxenfree (Gloomy)

Oxenfree The Siblings Investigate A Communications Room

Olly Olly oxen free. Spend the night on an island plagued with supernatural beings with dark motives. Edwards Island was meant to be the place for a big party for Alex and company, but things take a turn early in the evening.

The group is haunted by the supernatural entities of the island, and the worst part is that everyone is stuck on the secluded rock. If you are in the mood for some scary fun on a gloomy night, Oxenfree is an excellent choice.

13 The Medium (Sinister)

Marianne interacts with both the real world and the spirit world in The Medium

The newest game on this list, The Medium was developed by Bloober Team, who is responsible for the hit indie title Layers Of Fear. The Medium's main gameplay hook is that it takes place both in the real world and the spirit world simultaneously; as you control the main character, the screen will split, and you'll interact with both worlds at the same time.

This leads to interesting puzzles and immersive, eerie storytelling. It's one of the best horror games you can get on your shiny new PS5.

12 Five Nights At Freddy's (Terrifying)

Five Nights At Freddy's Freddy Looking At Security Monitors

Five Nights at Freddy's is an exciting treat that is full of tricks in the form of jump scares. The iconic point-and-click horror game is simple but effective in getting the heart racing. Spending the night secluded in a dark Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria surrounded by killer animatronics can spark the holiday spirit in gamers.

No matter which installment you play in the series, you will be scared in the best way possible. There is a reason this franchise has spawned a legion of fan games - you haven't lived until you've felt your left side threatened by an animatronic bear.

11 Sanitarium (Uncanny)

Max investigates an angel statue in Sanitarium

A mark of Sanitarium's quality is that, when it was released in 1998, it was considered comparable to one of the undisputed masterpieces of point-and-click adventures, Grim Fandango. In Sanitarium, you play as Max, a man who awakens from a coma only to find that he's in an asylum, with no memory of how he got there or what his life was like before being institutionalized.

The story here is as compelling as it is uncanny. The game is available on Android and iOS devices, so you have no excuse not to check it out.

10 The Cat Lady (Unsettling)

The Cat Lady Investigating A Blood-Covered Room

The Cat Lady is a shocking nightmare of gore and panic. The evils that reside in the world are enough to make us fearful of the outside, and the haunting scares waiting in this game rank with the freakiest of all.

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Susan Ashworth is a middle-aged woman who finds herself in a bad mental state. Eventually, she is led down a path that requires her to take action against five vile people. As if one playthrough wasn't unsettling enough, the game has several different endings depending on the choices you make, so be wise when you play.

9 Murdered: Soul Suspect (Chilling)

Murdered Soul Suspect The Hero At A Crime Scene

Salem, Massachusetts is an excellent place to spend the Halloween season. Throughout the years a serial killer has targeted women in the town, and it can all be traced back to the Salem Witch Trials.

Murdered: Soul Suspect follows the recently deceased Ronan O’Connor as he tries to find peace by finding his killer. Going through purgatory, referred to as Dusk in the game, O'Connor runs into other ghosts and some demons. There are plenty of scary twists and turns along the way that will stick with you.

8 Detention (Disturbing)

Detention The Student Flees A Demon

Taiwanese horror is perfect for giving you nightmares. Detention drags Fang Ray-shin through purgatory to face ghosts, demons, and other dark entities. The use of Chinese/ Taiwanese culture and religious themes makes for an amazing experience that leaves players engrossed.

Furthermore, the incredible revelation at the end of the game is more than a little alarming. Halloween lovers will appreciate the haunting atmosphere and the overall dark weight of the game as it creates a horrifying impression.

7 Still Life (Creepy)

Still Life Talking To A Character By A Fridge

Take in the somber Halloween night with the retro somber of Still Life. Still, Life follows FBI Agent Victoria McPherson in her hunt to find a notorious serial killer. While she tracks down her killer, she also learns of similar cases taking place years prior in Prague, which were investigated by none other than her grandfather.

The retro feel created by the jumps between the present and the past adds to the game's creepy atmosphere.

6 Dark Fall: The Journal (Haunting)

The deserted hotel bar in Dark Fall: The Journal

Dark Fall: The Journal was a word-of-mouth indie success on its original release in 2002. It's even more impressive knowing that this haunting adventure game was created top-to-bottom by a lone developer, Jonathan Beakes.

Dark Fall: The Journal takes place in a haunted hotel, as you explore the grounds to find your missing brother. You soon discover that all the guests disappeared mysteriously in 1947 and that the grounds are host to a terrifying cosmic force.

5 I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream (Nightmarish)

The five player characters ponder an altar where AM has left a message in I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream

Though it was a commercial failure on release, I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream has gained notoriety in the years since for its terrifying atmosphere and bleak, nightmarish story. In this game based on a short story by famed author Harlan Ellison, you play as five different characters who are kept alive by an angry supercomputer after the end of the world named AM.

AM plans to torture the five with visions of their greatest fears and personal failings, and it's your job to stop it. But the game's psychological horror underpinnings mean that even if you're successful, it's likely to haunt you long after you finish it.

4 Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure (Ooky-Spooky)

Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure The Characters Meet A Pirate Figure

For those seeking a more light-hearted horror, try Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure. It's a point-and-click comedy-horror game that focuses on evil cults, eldritch horrors, and unspeakable acts. You know, the usual themes.

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The fun twist at the beginning of the game reveals that gamers will not bet following the story of an old detective but an unsuspecting librarian and his cat. Players will take on the roles of Buzz Kerwan and Don R. Ketype in navigating a creepy world. Face off against a violent cult, powerful voodoo, and the monster Cthulhu himself.

3 Sally Face (Macabre)

Sally Face Sally Face Runs Down A Corridor

Five horror-packed episodes of Sally Face will surely make a spooky evening even more terrifying. Sal Fisher, known by his nickname Sally Face, has a haunting past and there is no stopping it from appearing in the present.

The presence of murders, ghosts, and demons is sure to put most people on edge, and that is what you want for a day of frights. Sally Face can leave gamers shaken after a full playthrough as it touches on some evil elements. If a player is looking for a point-and-click game that delivers a fright, this is a good option.

2 Clock Tower (Heart-Pounding)

The Scissorman from Clock Tower.

Clock Tower isn't just one of the progenitors of modern horror gaming, but it's also one of the best horror games ever made. You play Jennifer Simpson, who is adopted by the mysterious Barrow family. When she visits the Barrow mansion, she is attacked by a killer with a giant pair of scissors, forcing you to guide her through the mansion to uncover the family's secrets and get out alive.

The game's point-and-click interface works against its real-time gameplay — it's one of those horror games that completely disempowers you — making the Barrow mansion even more foreboding.

1 Fran Bow (Gut-Wrenching)

Fran Bow In A Red Aura Corridor With Red Markings

Fran Bow takes the cake for point-and-click horror games. This indie gem sounds innocent and precious, following a young girl desperately searching for her cat, but don't be fooled. As you guide her on her search, you uncover more and more layers of horror and trauma.

Since you're playing as a child, the horror is even more gut-wrenching, which makes Fran Bow perfect if you're looking to get terrified.

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