Which Independent Horror Games Genuinely Scared You the Most?

I’m looking for recommendations on indie horror titles that actually managed to frighten you or at least left a lasting impression. On the flip side, which ones felt like they relied too heavily on cheap scares or just weren’t effective at all?

I’m also curious about any horror games you enjoy mainly because of nostalgic memories.

Personally, I recently played through Night in the Woods which had some genuinely creepy moments that stuck with me.

The Puppet Combo series caught my attention too. Sure, some of the jump scares felt a bit forced, but they really nail that retro VHS aesthetic and create solid atmospheric tension throughout.

I also tried Amanda the Adventurer recently. It was decent but nothing groundbreaking in my opinion. Feel free to change my mind if you think I missed something important.

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog and Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion are brilliant examples of how creative indie developers can be with limited resources.

As for nostalgia picks, Yume Nikki, SCP Containment Breach, and Amnesia Custom Stories definitely take me back to discovering horror gaming.

UPDATE: Just finished a demo called Bloodwash and it absolutely destroyed my nerves. Highly recommend checking it out.

Little Nightmares had me genuinely unsettled for days after finishing it

Dredge really got under my skin even though it’s more atmospheric than scary. Something about being alone on that boat at night just hit different.

Phasmophobia with friends was complete chaos, but solo? Genuinely terrifying. That ghost AI gets way too real sometimes.

The Stanley Parable messed with my head way more than any jumpscare ever could

Visage absolutely destroyed me. It’s basically PT but complete and somehow way more disturbing. The house feels genuinely alive and malicious in a way most horror games can’t pull off. Mad Father’s older but still great if you want pixel horror that actually has a solid story backing up the scares.