The scariest horror games of all time, according to science
Watching a horror movie is one thing. Being the one in the dark, with a monster hunting you down, is another. So which is the scariest video game ever made?
The Science of Scare Project
Since 2020, the Science of Scare Project has measured how our bodies react to horror to find the scariest movies ever made, according to science.
But the only thing scarier than watching a horror movie, is being part of one. That’s why for 2026 we’ve turned our attention to video games, to find out which games get hearts pounding hardest on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, and crown the scariest video games, according to science.
Science of Scare 2026 games quick facts
MADiSON is the scientifically scariest video game of all time, with a Game Scare Score of 91.
MADiSON and Amnesia: The Bunker raised players' heart rates by 32 BPM on average – more than any film we've ever tested.
MADiSON also delivered the biggest jump scare of any ranked game, sending heart rates up to 131 BPM.
Frictional Games and Capcom are the only studios with two games in the top 10.
Silent Hill has more games on the list than any other franchise (five).
How do we measure the scariest games?
Our panel played a set section of each game while wearing heart rate monitors, with their heart rate tracked throughout. We then compared the results against our panel's average resting heart rate of 65 BPM.
Each game receives a Game Scare Score out of 100, based on two measures:
Average heart rate rise (BPM): how much the game raised our players' heart rates across the whole session, an indicator of sustained tension and fear.
Peak heart rate (BPM): the highest point our players' heart rates reached, a good indicator of each game's biggest jump scare or highest-octane moment.
Unlike our movie study, we don't use heart rate variability (HRV) for games. That’s because playing a game involves concentration, quick reactions and physical input, all of which can affect HRV even when someone isn’t scared. For games, heart rate gives us a fairer measure of how strongly players are reacting.
What is the scariest video game of all time?
According to science, Bloodious Games' 2022 indie hit MADiSON is the scariest video game ever made, with a Game Scare Score of 91 out of 100, beating established franchises like Resident Evil and Silent Hill.
The first-person psychological horror puts you in the shoes of Luca, a teenager drawn into a sinister ritual through a demonic instant camera linked to a serial killer.
With relentless tension and more scares than you can shake a stick at, MADiSON raised our players' heart rates by 32 BPM, from 65 BPM to an average of 97 BPM, peaking at 131 BPM during its most terrifying moment.
The Science of Scare 2026 games top 10
An equals sign (=) denotes a tied ranking. Rankings use unrounded scores.
Amnesia: The Bunker is a very close second with a score of 89, matching MADiSON's 32 BPM average rise as players hide from the monster stalking its First World War bunker.
Alien: Isolation is third (87), with its unpredictable, AI-driven Xenomorph cementing its 'must-play' status. Paranormal horror Visage completes the top four (84).
Completing the top 10 are Resident Evil VII: Biohazard (77), Outlast 2 (77), Amnesia: The Dark Descent (75), Resident Evil Requiem (74), the Silent Hill 2 remake (74) and The Mortuary Assistant (74).
Franchise frights
Silent Hill has the most games on our list of any franchise, with five entries, including latest release Silent Hill: Townfall.
However, it was the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2 that had the biggest impact on players, ranking 9th overall, with the original version still holding on to a top 30 spot, despite its dated visuals and controls, something other older games struggled with in our study.
Resident Evil follows with four entries, led by Resident Evil VII: Biohazard (5th), with the latest entry to the series, Resident Evil Requiem, close behind in 8th.
A matter of perspective
Generally speaking, our panel reacted more strongly to first-person horror titles, with nine of the top 10 titles putting players in the heart of the horror, through the character’s eyes.
Top ranking third-person titles included Silent Hill 2 (2024) (9th), Resident Evil 2 (15th) and Dead Space (16th).
It’s worth noting that Resident Evil Requiem does put the player in both first and third-person perspectives. However, the section of the game played was from the first-person perspective of Grace Ashcroft.
What about P.T.?
The mystery around Hideo Kojima's ‘P.T.’ and unreleased Silent Hills game has added to its legacy of the scariest game never fully realised, and spawned dozens of copycat titles, shaping the horror genre without ever being fully realised.
P.T. isn’t eligible for our ranking because it is a playable teaser rather than a full game and is no longer available to buy. However, a previous sister study tested it with a smaller panel and recorded frighteningly strong results. Players’ heart rates rose by 34 BPM on average and peaked at 135 BPM, the highest spike we’ve recorded across any film or game. That would give P.T. a Game Scare Score of 96, enough to top the list. It earns an honourable mention - and adds another ‘what if’ to its legacy.
However, with Kojima’s new horror title OD currently in development at its new Xbox Studio home, could the king of Tactical Espionage Action be set to take over horror next?
How we choose games
With publishers and indie studios releasing new horror games every year, we can’t test them all. Instead, we build our shortlist using critics’ best-of lists, community favourites from forums such as r/HorrorGaming, expert recommendations and lesser-known gems.
To keep the ranking as accessible as possible, games must be available to buy on PC, PlayStation or Xbox. That’s why P.T. sits outside the main ranking.
The study also includes some games from our 2022 sister study, which we retested for this year’s ranking.
Is your broadband ready for a horror marathon?
There's nothing scarier than lag just as something comes round the corner. If you're planning a horror gaming session this Halloween, use our broadband speed checker to make sure your connection can keep up with online play and big game downloads.
And if it can't, you could find a faster, better-value deal by comparing broadband deals with MoneySuperMarket.
Author
Alan Cairns
Senior Content Editor
Alan breaks down money, home, and energy topics into plain English to help you save money. Ask him about pound cost averaging or Balkonkraftwerk.
