With so many Creepypasta Horror Games out there, where do you start? Creepypasta Horror Games have been around for many years with the likes of Slenderman and Jeff the Killer. However, most are either cheesy, poorly made or overwhelm the player with terrible jumpscares. There are not many Creepypasta Games out there that perfectly execute the original horror of the written story. With the rise in popularity of Liminal Space Horror and new Creepypasta figures such as Siren Head, it is difficult to know which is the best to play. Therefore, here is our list on our top recommendations of the Best Creepypasta Horror Games to play in 2023.
Creepypasta Horror Games: Liminal Space Horror
Liminal Space Horror is currently riding the horror train, being the most popular form of creepypasta at this current moment in time. There have been many installments on the concept of liminal space and specifically the Backrooms. This type of horror focusses more on the unknown, uncanniness of being lost in a familiar looking place, but it being somewhere in between the reality we know and somewhere more supernatural or artificial (crafted by extraterrestrial life). Liminal Space takes the uneasy feelings of being alone in a school, water park, fairground, supermarket etc. Where this areas are normally full of life. But in a liminal space, there is only yourself and your own imagination.
Anemoiapolis
Anemoiapolis is the first Liminal Space Horror game we recommend. Created by Andrew Quist, Chapter 1 is set to release very soon, however the release date is not available on Steam. After falling through a hatch placed in the middle of nowhere, our protagonist ends up in a anxiety inducing Liminal Horror world, taking place in an underground water park. Explore the confusing and strange architecture of the water park. Solve puzzles and try to escape the pools. Nothing about this water park makes sense. Its designed to hold many people at once and yet the pools are built deep underground. What human would create something like this?
Similar to our other Liminal Space recommendations, Anemoiapolis plays with your mind. It does not through monsters at you or overused, repetitive jumpscares. Anemoiapolis does what Liminal Space horror should, it makes you feel as though someone is always there, watching you nearby. Keep your eyes on every corner as you progress through the underground maze system. The sound design is what makes this game. Is your mind playing tricks on you or is there something else down here with you?
Lost in The Backrooms
There are so many Backroom video games but the one we recommend to play is Lost in the Backrooms on Itch.io. Lost in The Backrooms is an early access game with 5 levels to its name. The idea of the Backrooms does not have to take place in the same unit as seen in pretty much every single Backrooms game found on Steam. Instead, Lost in The Backrooms takes place inside a never-ending structure which appears like a house. Its labyrinth changing with walls moving and gates opening. The player must delve deeper into the Backrooms and listen to audio files for the story. Unsure of how you got here, your only option is to explore the Backrooms and find as many audio logs as you can. Lost in the Backrooms is a more psychological take on the concept.
Jamathan’s Lost in the Backroom does not have any unnecessary cheesy jumpscares or stock images from forgotten creepypasta past. Such as Jeff the Killer or SCP 087. Instead, Lost in the Backrooms focusses on the atmosphere and in typical survival horror game fashion, the act of finding tapes to gain meaning on its story. Unfortunately, this game cannot be updated due to a corruption error so treat what you experience in the game as a one time adventure, into the endless place between of the Backrooms.
The Complex: Found Footage
The Complex is the next Backrooms game and is the most realistic looking one yet. For those who want true horror experience inside the Backrooms that we have all grown fond of seeing on the screens, then the Complex is the one to place. The Complex is a fantastic short horror experience which does Kane Pixel’s horror movie justice. It is the most “accurate” representation of the Backrooms and is visually fantastic. The Complex is also free-to-play on Steam. What makes the game create is its level design. There are many narrow pathways that you can miss which take you to other parts of the game, where some end in you clipping out of the map.
The atmosphere is tense throughout, feeling as though you are not alone in here. The use of audio and well placed shadows moving in the corner of your eye makes for a horrifying experience. There is no chase sequence, you never see the monsters of the Backrooms and that makes for a scarier experience. The fear you experience of the unknown is far greater than that of seeing the monster. This has been shown time and time again in games such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent and many Backrooms games. Find the elevators to get to the next level but beware, you are not the only living thing in the Backrooms.
The only downside to this game is whilst it is incredibly realistic for a found footage game, the motion of screen can be quite nauseating. We do not recommend this game for people who easily feel nauseous through playing these types of games.
Creepypasta Horror Games: The SCP Foundation
The SCP Foundation is a fictional organisation created in 4chan in 2007. With the original entry of SCP-173, an inhuman hostile creature which will attack anyone who blinks, made SCP stories started to follow afterwards. Now, 15 years later the SCP Foundation has nearly 6,000 SCP objects, both harmless and harmful. The SCPs are separated into categories telling us, the reader, how dangerous they are. Whilst some are harmless, they must be contained due to their existence in our world. There have been many SCP games over the years but nothing comes close to the original full-length gaming experience of Containment Breach.
SCP Containment Breach
Containment Breach will remain as the best SCP game to ever be made. It is free-to-play on Steam and has been remastered from the original, made in 2012 by Joonas Rikkonen. Yes this game does not look particularly amazing, but do not let the visuals put you off what is a truly amazing game. For those who have not played or heard of SCP, Containment Breach is the one to start with. Introduce yourself to the many contained objects. As the title suggests, the facility has had a security breach. You play as a D Class Personnel who is tasked with containing the infamous SCP-173. However when the breach hits, SCP-173 is loose, alongside many other terrifying and hostile enemies.
Your goal is to escape the underground Containment. Find important resources to get you through the facility. From gas mask to batteries and important notes on SCPs you will meet to higher level key cards. There are multiple endings to SCP Containment Breach too. Find out who initiated the breach, letting out all the SCPs. How long will you last?
SCP Containment Breach also has a multiplayer version available of the same game on Steam. Developed by Fusion Creators Studio. Play the same game but with the company of your friend. Be aware that although you may feel safer in numbers, you do not start in the same cell as them. Good luck out there.
SCP: Secret Files
Whilst there have been many installments of specific SCP short Horror Games such as SCP-087 of the endless stairway. Nothing has come close to the greatness of SCP Containment Breach. That is until SCP: Secret Files. Released September 13th, 2022 by GameZoo Studio on Steam. SCP: Secret Files is another full-length installment of their version of the SCP Foundation. Play as an assistant researcher, Karl, working alongside a team in researching the various SCPs that are being contained as we speak.
What is brilliant about this game is it shows us the in-depth characteristics of specific SCP. All we have never encountered in SCP Containment Breach. Every story has a different horror to the SCP inside, where you will play as different protagonists telling their story of their encounter with an SCP. As you read through the stories of these SCPs, the game takes us into the story being told by the reports we are reading and processing. Through experiments or containment missions, play as different characters and their experience with the now contained SCPs.
The only downside to this game is how short it is. However, by the level of detail and different gameplays/genres you experience in this game, it is understandable that its length is on the shorter side. SCP: Secret Files is one of the underrated game of 2022 and should definitely be played for those who have a general understanding of the SCP Foundation.
Creepypasta Horror Games: Famous Monsters
There is no monster more iconic than that of Slenderman. This monster, created by TV Writer, Eric Knudsen saw its first game release in 2012, titled Slender: The Eight Pages by Parsec Productions. Although this game has not aged well, there is a new version releasing on February 23rd, 2023 by Skatoony. For those who played The Eight Pages when it originally came out cannot deny the effect that this installment had on gamers in 2012. Slenderman has recently been forgotten, replaced by the new monstrous entity, Siren Head.
Siren Head, created by Artist, Trevor Henderson was inspired by Slenderman. This new monster, made in 2018, would become the face of creepypasta Horror Games. This fleshy and mechanical abomination taunts and manipulates its victims using its two speakers that make up its head. Similar to Slenderman at its most popular time, there have been many Siren Head games. In the recent years however, Siren Head has been at the forefront of creepypasta Horror Games. However, most unfortunately are average in its horror as a lot focus on a more Action-style Horror Game like Resident Evil rather than one to terrify its audience.
Slender: The Arrival
The best Slenderman Game is Slender: The Arrival. This is a full-length game which takes the original gameplay concept of collecting eight pages but adds more gameplay and a storyline to accompany it. Developed by Blue Isle Studios, working alongside the original creator of The Eight Pages (Mark Hadley), The Arrival brings back the 2012 Slenderman horror and improves on it greatly. The Arrival takes the horror of The Eight Pages and gives it a polished narrative. We have reason to be in the woods alone this time around.
With the increasing amount of survival horror made popular from the likes of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The Arrival throws you into a dark and terrifying experience of being stalked by the powerful Slenderman. He cannot be stopped, you can only evade him. You have no means of fighting him. The worst of all? It is not just Slenderman out there for you to run away from.
Siren Head: Southpoint
There are so many Siren Head Horror Games. A lot either focus on the short experience of the initial meeting of Siren Head, whilst others look at players using guns against the horrifying creature. Siren Head: Southpoint takes the best parts of all of the previous installments and polishes them into a well-made Horror experience. You play as a teenager looking for his friends who went camping in the woods. In true horror fashion, you are not alone in these woods. Siren Head watches you from afar, taunting you with his creepy radio communication.
There are multiple endings to this game. Developed by UndreamedPanic, Southpoint is available to play on Itch.io. This time round however, arm yourself with a sniper and defend yourself against the creature who took your friends. Fight or flight, it is up to you.
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