10 of the Best Retro Survival Horror Games You Can Play Right Now

The timeless appeal of horror has helped survival horror games experience a bit of a renaissance in the last decade, which has been primarily characterized by a return to the old-school visual aesthetic and classic mechanics of the genre’s forebears. Games that harkened back to PS1-era classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill were once a novelty that have now become commonplace within the survival horror genre, and many of the best new games to scare ourselves silly with are retro experiences that blend the look and feel of those iconic titles with modern gameplay design flourishes and quality of life enhancements that merge the best of both worlds.

As a reminder, PC storefronts like CD Projekt RED’s Good Old Games and the PlayStation Store have made some of the PS1-era classics available on modern hardware, meaning players can actually go back and play the “true” retro survival horror games depending on their platform of choice. As of the time of writing, the following classics are available on modern hardware configurations:

• Resident Evil (GOG)
• Resident Evil 2 (GOG)
• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (GOG)
• Resident Evil Director’s Cut (PSN)
• Dino Crisis (GOG, PSN)
• Dino Crisis 2 (GOG)

• Release Date — May 13, 2025
• Developer — J. R. Hudepohl
• Publisher — Top Hat Studios
• Review Aggregate Score — 71% (Mixed or Average)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

First-person horror game and dungeon crawler Labyrinth of the Demon King came practically out of nowhere this year to immediately establish itself as one of the best retro survival horror games. Initial impressions compared it largely to FromSoftware’s King’s Field thanks to its first-person swordplay and emphasis on methodical dungeon exploration, but in practice, it’s actually closer to a mix between Silent Hill and underrated first-person horror game Condemned. Labyrinth of the Demon King is a little tough at first, but once you get used to its combat, its atmosphere will pull you in and refuse to let go.

• Release Date — March 21, 2025
• Developer — Francis Coulombe
• Publisher — Devolver Digital
• Review Aggregate Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 98% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC

Another newer retro survival horror game that’s already being touted as one of the best in the genre is Look Outside. This horror RPG takes things full circle by utilizing some of the same mechanics and elements that were present in one of the very first survival horror games, Capcom’s Sweet Home on Famicom. Sweet Home was actually a horror-puzzle RPG, and Look Outside takes a similar approach to the genre, albeit with a strong cosmic horror lean that helps it be incredibly effective at getting under the skin. Look Outside‘s use of pixel art visuals does little to take away from the mind-bending horrors that lurk just beyond the apartment’s door.

• Release Date — October 31, 2023
• Developer — Spiral Bound Interactive
• Publisher — Spiral Bound Interactive
• Review Aggregate Score — 61% (Mixed or Average)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC

A bit lesser-known than some of the other games on this list, You Will Die Here Tonight is an obvious homage to the original Resident Evil. The setup is almost exactly the same, and the game even embraces the comparison to be a little self-aware, mixing both horror and meta commentary on the survival horror genre as a whole. One of the more interesting elements of You Will Die Here Tonight is how the game combines third-person exploration with first-person puzzle-solving and shooting. If you’re itching for a Resident Evil fix and don’t have a way to play that Capcom classic, You Will Die Here Tonight is a great substitute.

• Release Date — July 23, 2024
• Developer — Jordan Mochi, Catchweight Studio
• Publisher — Team17
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Solo developer Jordan Mochi spent nearly 11 years developing World War I horror game Conscript, and that passion and effort shine through in how polished and well-researched it is. It also happens to be an unabashedly fantastic retro survival horror experience that, for better or worse, directly replicates the mechanics of the genre’s classic games. There’s a lot of backtracking and inventory management that players will need to balance in Conscript, but the game’s incredible story and surprisingly visceral combat make the more outdated aspects of its gameplay not matter all that much.

• Release Date — October 21, 2022
• Developer — Airdorf Games
• Publisher — New Blood Interactive
• Review Aggregate Score — N/A
• Steam User Score — 95% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, Nintendo Switch

For one of the most “retro” of all the retro survival horror games out there, look no further than FAITH: The Unholy Trinity. Rather than call back to the low-poly visuals of the early PS1 era, FAITH takes its retro inspirations further, utilizing a super rudimentary 8-bit aesthetic that looks like it was pulled directly from a forgotten classic on the Atari 2600. Despite its simplistic visuals, FAITH uses both excellent writing and truly unnerving sound design to get under players’ skin, and it’s short enough that you can complete the entire trilogy in a single sitting (provided you have the stomach for it).

• Release Date — November 14, 2024
• Developer — á la mode games
• Publisher — Akupara Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 98% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC

Another retro survival horror game to blend third-person exploration with some great first-person combat is Sorry We’re Closed. This esoteric trek through a demon-infested underworld is as much an introspective look at discovering one’s identity as it is a phenomenal survival horror game. Imagine Silent Hill-meets-Celeste and you’re not too far off, but don’t expect any of the “feel good” revelations of Extremely OK Games’ precision platformer. Instead, Sorry We’re Closed isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions and pose some thought-provoking subject matter pertaining to love and obsession, and it also totally nails its gameplay elements.

• Release Date — September 12, 2024
• Developer — Headware Games
• Publisher — Headware Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 74% (Mixed or Average)
• Steam User Score — 87% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC

Headware Games’ Hollowbody is yet another game that skews closer to Silent Hill than Resident Evil, but it’s also one of the few retro survival horror games to take place in a sort of dystopian cyberpunk future. That sci-fi lean helps Hollowbody stand out from the pack and assert itself as a worthwhile experience in the genre, even if its gameplay elements admittedly play it a bit safe when it comes to survival horror conventions.

• Release Date — July 31, 2025
• Developer — Vincent Adinolfi
• Publisher — DreadXP
• Review Aggregate Score — 72% (Mixed or Average)
• Steam User Score — 93% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC

Heartworm is one of the more highly anticipated retro survival horror games, and it’s already carving out a reputation as one of the best just a week after its release. Solo developer Vincent Adinolfi originally released a demo for Heartworm two years ago that helped the game generate a decent amount of hype and land a publisher, and it’s apparently only gotten better as it’s grown into a full experience. In terms of its gameplay, Heartworm blends elements of both Silent Hill and Fatal Frame (owing to the main character’s use of a camera), but it’s also got its fair share of Resident Evil homage — just look at that safe room!

• Release Date — May 9, 2024
• Developer — SFB Games
• Publisher — SFB Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 84% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 98% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S

There are a few retro survival games that transcend being some of the best titles in the modern retro revival of the genre to become some of the best survival horror games, period. One of them is Crow Country, which is every bit as essential for genre fans as the original Resident Evil trilogy or first two Silent Hill games. On top of its excellent grasp of the fundamentals of what makes a good survival horror game (exciting combat, challenging and enjoyable puzzles, a pervading sense of dread), Crow Country is packed with a sort of Are You Afraid of the Dark-style charm that makes it feel like a true unearthed hidden gem from the 5th generation.

• Release Date — October 27, 2022
• Developer — rose-engine
• Publisher — Humble Games, Playism
• Review Aggregate Score — 81% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 96% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

If there’s one game that outdoes Crow Country to become one of the best survival horror games, modern or otherwise, it’s Signalis. This mind-bending psychological and cosmic horror game is a one-of-a-kind experience that might even be better than the games it so clearly takes inspiration from, delivering an unforgettable story and some truly frightening moments that will stick with you long after the credits roll. When a game has entire essays devoted to deciphering its complex and gripping narrative, you know you’re in for something special.