10 Horror Games Worth Playing on Switch 2

I’ve gone from someone who couldn’t handle horror at all to a fan of the things that curdle my blood. Most especially videogames, since that extra level of immersion makes it all the more horrifying. And while many gamers enjoy super realistic horror, I find that visuals don’t have to be hi-res or even modern to be terrifying.

Which is why I love playing horror games on Switch 2. It probably doesn’t hurt that the first horror games I played were the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill when they first released. As such, this list of horror games on Switch 2 ranges the gamut from old school to new school, experimental and everything in between.

That said, I did factor in critical reception when arranging these horror games, with my own preferences and tastes playing a role in splitting a three-way tie. So please, get ready, cuddle up under the covers with your giant handheld, and let’s get terrified together with this list!

10

Little Nightmares III

Scary Little Kids

While it’s true that Little Nightmares III wasn’t by the same team that made the first two games, it’s still quite scary. Pretty much any time kids are placed in a horror setting, they add to the terror, even if they turn out not to be possessed or demonic.

Here, those two kids are named Low and Alone. The first is a boy in a raven mask, and the other is a girl wearing a green jumpsuit. Despite very different senses of fashion, they also have different abilities, such as firing a bow and arrow or using a wrench to manipulate objects.

Either way, you’ll want to team up with an AI ally against the nasty critters populating Little Nightmares III. You’ll have to evade grasping hands, demented janitors, nightmarish puppeteers and much more to get to the end of this fever dream. Thankfully, it runs quite well on Switch 2, and even got an enhanced edition to make the experience that much more creepy.

9

The Coma 3: Bloodlines

Korean Horror

For those of you who don’t know, let me say that South Korea has really brought some amazing horror to the industry in recent years. But for me, the game I had to include on this list was The Coma 3: Bloodlines. Not only does it culminate the series that I first played on the original Switch, but it provides unrelenting scares in a nightmare reality.

If you find yourself in the Coma, you’re instantly prey to the monstrous predators that lurk there. Worse yet, if they manage to defeat you, your spirit and body will be forever split asunder. If that wasn’t enough to get you spooked, how about the fact you can’t actually fight back, and instead have to avoid several truly unsettling and intelligent bosses?

It’s all brought together by the lush artwork of Dvora Studio, equal parts beautiful and deeply unwell. But given the short runtime and mission-based exploration in The Coma 3: Bloodlines, I find it’s best played handheld on my Switch 2.

8

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

Back on Nintendo

I didn’t play the original Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, for one simple reason – I didn’t have enough memory on my Wii U to actually install it. It wasn’t a system that really offered a lot of third-party games, which makes sense. But I was beyond pleased when it got remastered on modern consoles, including the Switch 2.

While the game looks and plays fine on the original hardware, I really appreciated the visual overhaul it got in the remaster. Little touches like the photo mode also didn’t hurt. None of that was strictly necessary, but it helped provide moments of calm after running screaming from angry spirits.

As for the horror, it remains quite creepy in this remaster of Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water. Best of all, you can sort of utilize your Switch 2 like the Wii U gamepad as you fight ghosts, which only immerses you further in this fantastic spooky adventure.

7

Tormented Souls

Twin Troubles

Even though it was originally released a few years ago, Tormented Souls feels a lot like a classic horror game. There’s a claustrophobic sense of terror after you get kidnapped, and wake up with your eye surgically removed. Things only get more hectic from there, with lost memories, religious cults and time-traveling VHS tapes.

Further adding to that retro horror vibe in Tormented Souls were tank controls and third-person camera placement. And while there aren’t zombies running around, there are mutated freaks that might as well be the walking dead. And by the end of the game, you’ll encounter a truly horrific monster that brings the whole experience together.

I personally find this style of horror is perfect for a console like the Switch 2, since it can immerse you in the terror on the screen without having to be super realistic. And sometimes, the true terror isn’t what you see, but in what you discover along the way…

6

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD

Weegee is Terrified

Luigi and I have a lot in common. While I’m not as tall as the lanky brother, nor able to do a super high wobbly jump, we get scared very easily. But instead of giving into the terror, we push past it to do what’s necessary. And in Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, that means fighting ghosts to save your brother.

While I had my issues with the original GameCube adventure, I felt that the sequel did a fantastic job of immersing us in the story, with plenty of spooky specters keeping Luigi busy. With Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, they basically made everything a bit shinier and more atmospheric than the original 3DS version, even though I’m fond of that one as well.

Sure, Luigi’s escapades might not be as spine-tingling as others on this list. But what it lacks in gore, it makes up for in pure fun, which is something you can usually count on with any Nintendo adventure.

5

Alisa: Developer’s Cut

Don’t You Love Dolls?

I don’t know what it is, but there’s something deeply unsettling about Victorian dolls. Double that sense of unease when you find yourself in a Victorian mansion, dressed up all pretty, fighting for your life against mechanized dolls. That’s the basic premise of Alisa: Developer’s Cut, and it’s a wild ride.

Further making the game spooky, the different dresses you can wear provide various benefits and stats. Meaning you’ll have to keep playing dress up in order to increase your chances of survival. When that doesn’t work, use a blade and gun against these nightmare creatures.

Perhaps best of all for this list, Alisa: Developer’s Cut features lots of retro flair, including tank controls and pre-rendered backgrounds. All of which run quite well on any Switch console, but especially the Switch 2.

4

Crow Country

One Vicious Amusement Park

Mara Forest wanders into a rural amusement park in Georgia called Crow Country, and things become completely unhinged from there. She discovers sneaky traps, covert dealings and monstrous entities referred to as Guests.

While Crow Country does utilize old-school horror controls, it makes things even more tense by forcing you to sit still while you shoot the Guests in their horrible faces. This is exacerbated by low health and a ton of tight areas to navigate safely.

By the end of the game, you’ll discover some huge twists, as well as the true nature of the monstrous Guests. If you’re lucky, you might just save the day before everything in Crow Country manages to totally fall into chaos.

3

Dredge

Reel in an Elder God

Usually, fishing is a relaxing activity, with you just unwinding and giving into the rhythm of the water and the creatures beneath. But when said creatures are Eldritch horrors, things get a lot more interesting, and a lot more creepy. That’s what you’ll encounter in the horror game called Dredge.

While the daytime sections of the game are still pretty idyllic, the night is another thing entirely. You’ll find your sanity taxed by horrible visions, with crows trying to steal your catch, and perhaps something worse than a regular fish hunting you instead.

Mix in a lot of unique characters and quirky lore, and you’ll probably find Dredge is the perfect mix of cozy and horrifying. Better yet, if you need more than the original endings, you’ll find a couple of great DLC packs available to expand your supernatural horizons.

2

Signalis

Replikas, Love and Death

Though almost all the games on this list are about supernatural horrors, Signalis breathes rarefied air. You play a synthetic Replika fighting against corrupted nightmares, while trying to recover your memories and eventually reunite with your beloved. It’s trying to accomplish a lot, and thankfully it succeeds wonderfully.

While Elster is more than human, she’s still held back by horror conventions, such as a very limited inventory. Thankfully, you’ll occasionally find merciful safe rooms to save your progress and catch your breath. Because the Corrupted aren’t slow and menacing like a zombie, but fast and brutal like in Blade Runner.

Sure, the game is dealing with robots and advanced human entities, but that doesn’t mean Signalis isn’t scary. It’s quite creepy, and manages to immerse players in a winning indie horror adventure.

1

Resident Evil Requiem

Hail to the King

For me, horror in gaming started with Resident Evil, so it’s perhaps fitting that we end this list with one of the best entries in the long-running series, Resident Evil Requiem. Not only does this game effortlessly juggle two very different main characters in Leon and Grace, but it also plays quite well on the big screen of the Switch 2.

Whether you want claustrophobic horror or action-packed fare, you’re in luck. Leon is a straight-up action hero by now, while poor Grace has to hide and run from truly horrific entities like the Girl. Get ready to get stalked ruthlessly, and separated from what you need to survive.

Even in handheld mode, Resident Evil Requiem runs quite well on the Switch 2, though you might prefer to play docked and benefit from big screen scares. Either way, this is one spooky adventure that shows why Capcom is still a leader in the horror landscape.