Is it the music in ahorror gamethat gives you the chills? Or maybe it’s the overwhelming darkness so many of them have? Perhaps jump scares are what keep you up at night? Some horror games take the eerie atmosphere a step further by making your mic a part of the experience.

10 Best Horror Games Of All Time

This is our list of the best horror video games ever made!

In some cases, it’s based on communicating with friends, with many titles relying on proximity chat for more immersion. Then some make it clear that if you can hear yourself, so caneverything elsein the game. Terrifying? Of course. But when a horror game uses your mic, it only makes it more exciting.

The covers of Dead Space, Alan Wake 2, and Alien Isolation blended together in one image

Being quiet is a necessity to live in some of these horror games, while others utilize your mic more for talking with friends to nail the overall atmosphere. Because of this variety, the games are not ranked in any order.

10Alien: Isolation

The Xenomorph Can Hide Anywhere

Alien: Isolation

Xenomorphs are frightening enough, but inAlien: Isolation, the violent creature can listen in to track you down. The mic feature was only designed for consoles, and if used, tends to be rather sensitive. So, do your best to control your breathing and try not to scream.

Easier said than done as you’re stalked across an empty spaceship. It’s nerve-wracking without the mic feature. Butwith it, you’ll see just how terrifying the horror game is when you’re hiding and think you’ve made it, only for the xenomorph to turn around because you coughed too loudly.

Close up of the xenomorph in Alien: Isolation

9Don’t Scream

A Scream is a Death Sentence

Digital Cybercherries

July 28, 2025

In Don’t Scream, the plot of the horror game is tight there in the title. A mic is required. You must wander through the woods, examining things you come across, and survive for 18 minutes. The only catch is that youcannot make loud noises no matter what. The moment you do, the game ends, and you must start all over.

It’s an interesting experience as the gameplay itself isn’t very intense or long. It’s even described as a “scare simulator,” relying heavily on jump scares intensified thanks to the VHS, found footage-like style. The game’s still in early access though, so there are plenty of updates that might add more to it.

Woods in Don’t Scream

8The Backrooms: 1998

Unravel the Nightmare in the Backrooms

Steelkrill Studio

July 26, 2025

Another found footage horror game that uses your mic, The Backrooms: 1998 can keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s as violent and gore-filled as any other Backrooms game, but the noise detection takes things a step further.

Take care of your hot mic. If you scream, the monsters are sure to find you with ease. But that’s not all. As you navigate around, take care not to knock into any items or step on broken glass. Any little noise can propel you to an abrupt and painful end.

A room in The Backrooms 1998

7Welcome to the Game

Scour the Dark Web at your Own Risk

Reflect Studios

June 17, 2025

It’s no secret the dark web hosts disturbing content, and Welcome to the Game places you in the shoes of a character willing to go through it in search of a specific site. This horror game proves though that when you peek behind the curtain, someone’s always peeking back.

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Much like a great horror movie, there’s one thing that separates an excellent horror game from all the rest: a captivating story.

Both your headset and mic come into play here. There’s noise detection, so the wrong person can find you if you’re not careful. And you’ll need to listen in too; you never know when you’re not alone anymore.

Website browsing in Welcome to the Game

Where Horror Meets Echolocation

For horror fans desperate for a unique scary game that uses your mic, Stifled more than lives up to the task. You’re dropped into the POV of David Ridley, a man whose mind is steadily breaking. It turns his world dark, soyourview is dark. You primarily see via echolocation.

Sounds may give you a better idea of any approaching monsters, but if you make noise, you’ll quickly gain the attention of these creatures. It can be played standard or in VR for a deeply (and horrifying) immersive experience.

This Monster Feels Unstoppable

ZTEK Studio

August 11, 2025

In Panicore, you have the usual horror game story where a group sets off to search inside an abandoned area. However, deadly monsters lurk around. When they find you, they arerelentlessin their pursuit. Worst of all, they hear everything.

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From 2009’s long-forgotten Saw: The Video Game to 2023’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre, games based on movie titles have unfortunately been far and few.

Your footsteps can give away your location, but your voice can kill you. Be sure to stay quiet on the mic or meet a quick end. It’s a game that’s perhaps best played with a group of friends.

4Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike

A Deadly Game of Hide and Seek

Fears to Fathom

Fears to Fathom is a horror anthology that tells different short stories with a more psychological thriller aspect to them. In Norwood Hitchhike, you play 19-year-old Holly Gardner who’s forced to make an unexpected stop at a motel. The eeriness only amplifies from there.

The miconly comes on during the hiding scene. There’s no warning it’ll happen either. Once you hide from your pursuer in the closet, you see the mic and sound gauge on the side of the screen.

3Escape the Ayuwoki

Stealth is Vital to Escape this Mansion

DeadlyCrow Games

July 31, 2025

Escape the Ayuwoki is a heart-racing horror game that stems from a creepypasta. The main goal in this horror game is to escape the mansion. It’s not just running around though. There are several puzzles you must solve to get out. But you must stay quiet.

As the horror game picks up your mic, it’s easy for the creature to discover you running about. So, as you scramble to live another day, do so as quietly as possible. Otherwise, that mansion will become your tomb.

2In Silence

Hunt or Be Hunted

In Silence

An exciting multiplayer game, In Silence is the perfect opportunity to get scared with your friends. One person takes on the monster role while the others are survivors. You must try to find your way out of the woods before the creature kills you.

The mic is important for both sides. For survivors, you can communicate with each other. But take care as the creature has terrible eyesight, but immaculate hearing.

1Phasmophobia

These Spirits Can Kill

Phasmophobia

Out of the horror games that use your mic, this the rare case where youneedto use it. As the purpose of the game is to figure out various hauntings solo or with your team,there are some ghostswhere talking is mandatory.

Sometimes you’ll need to say the name of the spirit ortalk to a Ouija board. Another cool (or creepy?) part of the mic use is that there’s proximity chat. Nothing’s scarier than hearing your friend’s faded, dying scream as they’re hunted down in another room.

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Every step you take in these horror games takes you closer to the jaws of death and every victory feels like a badge of honor.