The best games based on horror movies that you should play today

There are more and more video game movies coming out; however, we don't talk nearly enough about the best games based on horror movies. That's right, Hollywood may be turning to gamers for their new blockbusters (just look at the recent release of the latest Resident Evil flick), but gaming also has a long tradition of turning some of the best horror movies around into fun experiences.

For years, developers have given us stealth classics, first-person scares, and even some of the best horror games around based on iconic films. Asymmetrical multiplayer is currently the most fashionable horror movie game trend, and it largely works thanks to minute-to-minute drama with friends that perfectly recreates the panic of the greatest slashers. However, in our list rounding up the top horror movie games, we've made sure to give you some variety in your next stabathons.

So whether you want pixelated Metroidvanias, some gory Cenobite exploring, or to play hide-and-seek with a Xenomorph, it's all here in our top picks of the best games based on horror movies. And, after you've explored our list, head on over to our picks of the best Halloween games for even more thrills and chills.

The best games based on horror movies to play today

Halloween: The Game

I've been waiting for a game version of John Carpenter's 1978 masterpiece Halloween. And now I finally have one. Halloween: The Game lets you step into the murderous shoes of Michael Myers, or as a Haddonfield teen trying to survive if that is more your speed. Coming from IllFonic, who bought us other horror movie games such as Friday the 13th: The Game and Predator Hunting Ground, the title really does feel like it was made for film fans, as it faithfully captures the vibes and kills from the iconic slasher.

If you are a massive enjoyer of all the best Halloween movies, the game's single-player mode takes you through the events of the first film via Michael's perspective, and it is very well done. Sure, Laurie Strode looks nothing like Jamie Lee Curtis and Dr Loomis' voice isn't great, but the kills and iconic scenes are all there. It's a good time, but it is buggy, so keep that in mind before you buy this one.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead

The A Quiet Place franchise just keeps on growing, and really, it seems like we just can't get enough of those faceless aliens who are just waiting for a floorboard creak to give us away. So, of course, an instant fail survival game that forces you to be as quiet as possible or risk certain death has to make our list of the greatest games based on horror movies out right now.

Developed by Stormind Games, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a single-player stealth title that forces you into an auditory cat-and-mouse game with a monster. It's an incredibly stressful time playing this one as you must make you're way out of a hospital to an offshore safe haven. Flashbacks with other characters get you invested in keeping yourself alive, and while it is very straightforward, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a great recreation of the essence of the film franchise.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Although the game is no longer supported and isn't getting any more updates, no one can deny that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was a blast. It's one of those few games that actually delivered what they promised on the tin, and really put you into the movie, without adding a ton of strange bells and whistles that fundamentally change its source material. Players get to choose whether they take on the role as one of the murderous family members or as a trapped survivor who has to escape the home before they get turned into head cheese.

Each choice has its own abilities and responsibilities, and the killers do need to work together and coordinate if they plan on winning the day. At times, it can get frustrating, as we point out in our The Texas Chain Saw Massacre review. But this game still captures the fear from slashers in general, and looks great on top of that fact. If you are a fan of Tobe Hooper's masterpiece, trust us, you'll enjoy this as well.

Friday the 13th: The Game

Whisper it with us.. ki ki ki ki ki… ma ma ma ma… The Friday the 13th franchise has a very specific, not to mention delightfully gory, tone, and the good news is that the official asymmetrical multiplayer game hits it on the head (and then dangles it over a campfire in a sleeping bag). Developers Illfonic are so in love with masked ultimate mummy’s boy Jason Voorhees that every detail of every map feels true to the movies.

The iconic score comes from original series composer Harry Manfredini, Jason himself, Kane Hodder, who performed every kill in motion capture, and there are multiple iterations of Jason, each with different weaponry and abilities. Add in the range of counsellors - all with their own trope-led strengths - and trying to fix the car or running to the police is a perfect Friday night horror experience. It should be noted, though, that you can no longer play this game online. Sad times, we know!

Evil Dead: The Game

Because we just can't get enough of asymmetrical multiplayer horrors, we can now get groovy with Evil Dead: The Game. Once again, authenticity is key as we either grab boomsticks and chainsaws as Ash and co, or play as a choice of demon trying to end their lives. One thing worth noting is that while there is a single-player mode available, it's exceptionally frustrating thanks to a complete lack of checkpoints.

The first time you're in the infamous cabin, complete with a chained trap door, it feels amazing, but it's remarkable how fast the sheen comes off a deadite after a return trip or six. Thankfully, the multiplayer offering makes up for the misery with a sprawling map and some ludicrously fun kill animations and the ability to possess trees or even cars, Christine-style. Bruce Campbell on voice duties is the gooey red icing on the cake. You can no longer buy the game through Steam, but if you grab a copy from somewhere, you can still play it, as the servers are still up and running. Check out our Evil Dead: The Game review for more details!

Blair Witch 

If the purity of the threat of a constantly unseen force is what scares you about The Blair Witch Project, then Bloober Team's Blair Witch might not be the game for you (as we point out in our Blair Witch review). But what is here is an atmospheric and often terrifyingly disorienting experience as we head into the Burkittsville woods with only a trusty dog for company. Playing as ex-police officer Ellis, who has enough of his own demons without bringing in any new ones, we're on the hunt for a missing child.

And of course, it's not long before we find sticks in iconic shapes dangling from trees, videotape puzzles, and are under attack from the Witch herself. Layers of Fear dev Bloober Team does a neat job of bringing in more found footage elements, and there's a real sense of menace lurking in Blair Witch. Fans of the movie definitely shouldn't miss the trip to that house, handprints and all.

The Mummy: Demastered 

Don't let it put you off that The Mummy: Demastered is officially licensed to the Tom Cruise movie that managed to single-handedly unravel Universal's entire Dark Universe before it even properly began. This is a brilliantly solid metroidvania and, unlike every other game on this list, feels nothing like the movie and is all the better for it.

A gorgeously pixelated Princess Ahmanet has unfortunately set her legions of zombies, swarms of insects, and endless rats on the world, and as an elite monster-hunting agent, we're tasked with tackling them in 16-bit. There's a solid sense of progression - not to mention a risky reclaiming of all of your gear if you die - and the environments feel like a genuine retro treat. Add in the roaring chip tune soundtrack, and this almost undoes the hurt of the movie. Almost.

Dead by Daylight 

Truthfully, this list could just be populated with official Dead by Daylight add-ons. Plenty of the DLC packs now available for the stratospherically successful asymmetrical multiplayer game are tied into horror movies. So far, we've seen Sadako Rising with Ringu's long-haired nightmarefest, we've also had A Nightmare on Elm Street, Saw, Halloween, Leatherface, and even Hellraiser. Scream's Ghost Face has even paid a visit after their successful Halloween season on Warzone.

If you've never played Dead by Daylight, the formula is strikingly simple. Each bout sees survivors desperately repairing enough electricity generators to power the gate to escape, while a Killer has other ideas and would rather hang them on hooks and sacrifice them to a higher power. Go figure. Each DLC means different killers, locations, and abilities, but we can't help but feel we'd like to see standalone experiences for all of them, too.

Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival

Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival captures the aesthetic and pure brutality of the Hellraiser movies so perfectly that when I played it, I felt downright queasy at all the gore and "good suffering" on display. While the game is incredibly faithful to the lore of Hellraiser and Hellraiser 2, it does tell a brand new story. We follow Aiden Lynch, who, after his girlfriend gets taken by the Cenobites, makes a deal with Pinhead to bring her back from the Labyrinth's clutches.

In a similar setup to Frank in the first movie and then Julia in the second, you'll need to feed your girlfriend blood in order for her to get her body back. The story is very cool, and seeing Leviathan as well as a bunch of Hellraiser Easter Eggs is a blast for big horror fans. Of course, paired with constant action, there are also some puzzles with the Lament Configuration as well. This is a full Hellraiser experience and honestly the best game based on a horror movie that I've played in years, folks. For more details, you can read our Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival review.

Alien: Isolation 

If The Cabin in the Woods taught us anything, it's that horror monsters are tiered, ranging from 'quite scary' to 'never sleep again, someone please hold me'. Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation ensures that the xenomorph is firmly in the latter camp. Although it escalates over a surprisingly long campaign, this masterpiece is at its best when we play as Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda, slowly exploring the Sevastopol space station.

Every step is a risk as we pore over the iconic tracker, pleading silently that nothing will be around the next corner and for those agonizing bleeps to disappear. Spending hours frozen and hiding in one spot is entirely forgivable as Alien Isolation is positively dripping with tension (and probably acid spit). Play this for the first time at your peril. Everyone will hear you scream. Not only is this the best game based on a horror movie, but it's also just one of the best horror games ever made, which you can read more about in our Alien: Isolation review.

For more spooks, check out our list of the best horror games of all time.