GameCentral prepares for the launch of Directive 8020 by listing some of the best sci-fi horror video games ever made, from big publishers and indie devs. Having taken a crack at ghosts, witches, vampires, and serial killers, horror anthology series The Dark Pictures is making its long-awaited return, after 2022's The Devil In Me, with a full-on sci-fi flavoured entry called Directive 8020, which is out later this month on May 12. We have high hopes for this one, as The Dark Pictures' games have gradually improved with each entry, although it also has us thinking about what other sci-fi horror games we would recommend, should Directive 8020 leave you hankering for more. So we have put together a list of what we consider the best sci-fi horror games of the modern era, all of which are easily available right now, across consoles and PC.
Alien: Isolation
Let us get the obvious out of the way first. Alien: Isolation is one of the most effective movie adaptations of all time, perfectly replicating the aesthetic and atmosphere of the original Alien film. It could have done with a stronger narrative, and it drags itself out for far too long, but it is suitably and effectively scary. With very few ways of defending yourself, you truly feel helpless as the titular alien stalks you through an abandoned space station. Since there is room for improvement, the promise of a sequel means we are very excited to see what developer Creative Assembly is cooking up next. A purposefully vague teaser was shared recently, but hopefully it is just setting the stage for a proper reveal trailer later this year. Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android.
System Shock 1 and 2
Long before AI technology threatened to take away developers' jobs and make graphics look worse, SHODAN was many players' introduction to how villainous AI could be in video games. The original System Shock (which was remade in 2023) holds up well despite being over 30 years old, with an impressive degree of non-linearity as you navigate a space station to thwart SHODAN's plans, whose constant and chilling presence throughout the game makes her one of gaming's best villains. Thankfully, everything great about System Shock is still present in its sequel (which saw a remaster just last year) alongside newly incorporated role-playing elements that incentivise multiple playthroughs. A System Shock 3 is apparently still in the works (or at least there is no official word on its cancellation), but if it ever does see the light of day it has a lofty legacy to live up to. Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC.
Dead Space
The original Dead Space maintained a cult following even after the series strayed from its horror roots and was eventually abandoned by EA. Sadly, Dead Space has now died a second death, with EA reportedly putting the series on ice, which is a shame as developer Motive Studio proved it was perfect for taking over stewardship of the franchise with the 2023 remake. While it did not fix all of the original game's issues, it strode the fine line between being a faithful remake and a modernised update, with very natural feeling new elements. It is not necessarily the scariest horror game ever, but it is still a very tense and atmospheric adventure. Spiritual successor The Callisto Protocol tried to fill the void Dead Space left behind (it was even directed by Dead Space's creator Glen Schofield), but it is difficult to recommend and you are much better off sticking with the remake. Available on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC.
F.E.A.R.
Before it worked on the Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor games (and eventually got shut down), Monolith Productions created horror themed first-person shooter series F.E.A.R. It is more action-focused than most survival horrors, with plenty of weapons and means of dealing with enemies, and was noted at the time for its state-of-the-art enemy AI. The whole series could do with a modern re-release on consoles as the two sequels maintain the enjoyable shooting and foreboding atmosphere. The third one even had John Carpenter, director of The Thing and Halloween, help out with the script and cut scenes, as he is a self-professed fan of the games. You can get the series on current Xbox consoles through backwards compatibility, but the first F.E.A.R. still requires a physical copy, while the second and third games can be purchased digitally. We also want to give a quick shout-out to Monolith's two Condemned: Criminal Origins games, which seem paranormal at first but are gradually revealed to have more sci-fi elements than expected. A planned movie tie-in would have even involved aliens. Available on: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC.
Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl
Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl is certainly one of the more unique entries on this list as it is a hybrid of first person shooter, survival horror, and role-playing game; one that sees you exploring a more fantastical depiction of the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl power plant. The survival part is especially emphasised, as you need to contend with both hunger and exhaustion as well as the horrific mutants that stalk the Zone and the bizarre anomalies that can kill you if you get too close. It is consistently compelling thanks to its non-linear progression and engaging open world, and while its primary focus is not horror it certainly does make you fear for your life when you are low on resources. Now is a good time to check it out since its first DLC expansion is scheduled to launch later this year, which will add two new areas and new story content. Available on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC.
SOMA
Like many, we did not fully appreciate SOMA when it launched in 2015, but the 2017 revamp helped propel it to new highs, ironically by adding an optional Safe Mode that makes it so you cannot die. The clumsiness of dealing with enemies is one of SOMA's weakest aspects, so removing that helps you better appreciate the writing and puzzle-solving, although the atmosphere remains chilling throughout, proving games can be scary even when the dangers are purely mechanical. SOMA is still guilty of indulging in some horror game cliches, like audio logs filling you in on the backstory, but it is a fantastic sci-fi sister title to developer Frictional Games' more supernatural flavoured Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC.
Signalis
Another indie gem, and so far the only release by two-person German studio rose-engine, Signalis is a deliberate throw back to the early days of survival horror. There is a satisfying clunkiness to it all, with Resident Evil style fixed camera angles, deeply interactive puzzles, and resource management, though its anime-inspired visuals and stylish presentation help keep it feeling modern. Its biggest downside is that it is too easy, with enemies rarely posing that much threat and generous amounts of healing items. Thankfully, Signalis' setting of an underground lab on an alien world makes up for that with its atmosphere. Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC.
Routine
Routine only launched last December, following a 13-year development cycle, but it absolutely deserves its spot on this list alongside older games, with small indie team Lunar Software delivering something on par with Alien: Isolation (which it clearly takes some inspiration from). Stuck on a moon base with a malfunctioning security system, your job is to fix it while avoiding the patrolling Terminator-like robots. This is a welcomingly unkind game, leaving you to figure out how to progress without any helpful icons or yellow paint to guide you, which makes the whole experience incredibly immersive. Combined with the impressive graphics and excellent sound design, Routine is perfect for those who truly want to feel helpless in their horror games and are frustrated by intrusive hand-holding. Available on: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC.
Doom 3
In a way, the Doom games have always been survival horrors... except you are the big scary monster mowing through hordes of demons from Hell. Doom 3, though, is a more traditional stab at horror gaming. You are still armed to teeth, as you fend off Hellspawn and mutated zombies, but some levels are cloaked in darkness, forcing you to choose between lighting your way with a flashlight or aiming your weapon – which does not make much sense but is very atmospheric. The updated re-release made it so you can have a flashlight and gun out at the same time though and it also comes with the fun The Lost Mission DLC, although that is more of a straight shooter, like the original Doom. Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC.
I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream
Before SHODAN, there was AM, the AI mastermind responsible for wiping out most of humanity, leaving only five survivors – for the express purpose of torturing them for eternity. Such is the basis for the short story I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison. Cyberdreams, a developer well versed with psychological horror thanks to its Dark Seed games, later adapted I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, with Ellison's assistance, into one of the most acclaimed and disturbing point and click adventure games ever made. Given how it tackles adult themes such as mental illness and the Holocaust, forcing you to partake in extreme ethical dilemmas, it is no wonder it flopped when it launched in the 90s. It is thankfully not faded into obscurity and persists through a very affordable remaster. Fittingly enough, the remaster was handled by Nightdive Studios, which is also responsible for the aforementioned System Shock remake and System Shock 2 remaster. Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android.
Resident Evil 2
While the sci-fi genre tends to be associated with outer space, aliens, and futuristic settings, it technically also includes Resident Evil, where the monsters are not otherworldly but manmade scientific creations that highlight humanity's hubris and science gone awry. Most Resident Evil games end up with you exploring an underground lab, including Resident Evil 2, which kickstarted the modern run of remakes and emphasised that the zombies and biological weapons are entirely man-made. Its success led to other remakes, such as Dead Space and the purely supernatural Silent Hill 2. We would be remiss not to also shout out Capcom's other survival horror classic Dino Crisis, which traded mutant zombies for time-displaced dinosaurs and is in desperate need of a remake itself. Furthermore, Square Enix's Parasite Eve, which was an early attempt by Square Enix to tap into the success of Resident Evil, is also technically sci-fi, with its biological monstrosities, complete with disturbing Thing-like transformations. Sadly, it has not been re-released though and remains locked to the PlayStation 1. Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS.
Bloodborne
On a surface level, there is nothing obviously sci-fi about Bloodborne, especially given its Gothic Victorian-inspired setting. However, it is heavily inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, with its Great Ones clearly based on the eldritch Great Old Ones. Although their origins are open to interpretation, especially in Bloodborne, Lovecraft's Cthulhu is an alien, not a demon or supernatural entity. Bloodborne is even classified as a game about alien invasions on Wikipedia, even if that is not how most people think of it. So-called cosmic horror is difficult to make work outside of prose but arguably the first Alien movie, and by association Alien: Isolation, is part of the genre, with its unknowable horrors and descents into madness. The excellent Look Outside is a more traditional portrayal of the concept, while the recent Saros, and its predecessor Returnal, are filled with Lovecraftian themes – even if they are not strictly horror games. As for Bloodborne, it is genuinely baffling that Sony and FromSoftware have not done anything with it, since its release over a decade ago – not even a PlayStation 5 patch, let alone a remaster. Although an animated movie adaptation was announced last month. Available on: PlayStation 4.
