6 Recent Free-to-Play Horror Games That’ll Give You Nightmares!

One of my favorite hobbies back during the age of the “old” internet was spending hours searching for creepy flash games on shady websites. Free titles like LIFE and Free Icecream became some of my most treasured memories in gaming despite being brief experiences that didn’t cost anything to play. That’s why I mourned the end of Flash-based browser gaming back in late 2020, though I appreciate that some online communities are doing their best to preserve this strange era of internet entertainment.

Thankfully, the rise of online distribution has made it much easier for developers to share new forms of interactive horror at no cost to the player. And in honor of these budget-friendly titles, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six recent free-to-play horror games to give you nightmares! After all, not every genre experience has to be locked behind a paywall.

For the purposes of this list, we’ll only be considering complete games that were intentionally made available for free online, which means that we won’t include demos or unlicensed abandonware. That being said, don’t forget to comment below with your own free-to-play horror favorites if you think we missed a particularly memorable one.

With that out of the way, onto the list.

6. I Work as an Exorcist (2024)

Airdorf’s Faith games are some of my favorite indie horror projects in any media, and we even featured the first one on a previous list recommending free horror games. Of course, such an influential series was bound to inspire a slew of similar titles, though not all of these copycats are created equal. Pigdeons’ I Work as an Exorcist manages to stand out from the crowd by bringing religious horror to the third dimension in a first-person pray-‘em-up with a unique collection of antagonists.

The retro visuals and episodic story may seem simple at first, but everything ultimately clicks together into an undeniably freaky experience – which is likely the reason why there are so many YouTube videos featuring gamers reacting to the title’s unpredictable demons.

5. [Nightmare Files] Clap Clap (2024)

I’m a big fan of the recent trend in gaming where horror releases disguise themselves as harmless job simulators, and Raycastly’s Clap Clap is a prime example of this trope done right. In this retro title, players take on a job as a house-sitter during the 1980s, with the twist being that this is actually a prototype Smart House with a dark past.

Of course, it’s the titular clapping lights that provide the most memorable scares here, with the game constantly toying with the player character as you attempt to perform household chores and snoop around to uncover more information about the house’s sordid history.

And if you enjoy this retro adventure, the developer also has another entry in the Nightmare Files set to release later this year, with the humorously titled Stoned promising to deliver a compelling mystery draped in nautical terror.

4. The Flayed Man (2024)

I’ve always felt that less is more when it comes to point-and-click adventure games, and Snoring Dog Games’ The Flayed Man is the perfect example of a horrific adventure title that lasts precisely as long as it needs to. Putting players in control of the titular Flayed Man as he explores an atmospheric otherworld and uncovers the truth behind his hellish punishment, this grisly retro title isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

And while the fascinating psychosexual story was my favorite part of the experience, the game’s memorable soundtrack and terrifying visuals will also stick with you long after you unlock one of its many alternate endings. That’s why I can’t wait to see what kind of psychological terror the folks at Snoring Dog Games come up with next.

3. Don’t Feed It (2025)

The PSX-inspired survival-horror aesthetic has made a huge comeback in the past few years, and we can trace this welcome trend back to the success of indie developer Puppet Combo. Unfortunately, quite a few of these titles end up feeling like retreads of PC’s ideas, though I’m pleased to announce that this isn’t the case with CapCrowGames’ excellent Don’t Feed It.

It may be a short experience, with the entire game clocking in at about 15 minutes (though there are multiple endings), but the title’s simple setup is more than enough to provide you with lasting chills as you go about feeding the hole that inhabits this dilapidated house. I also appreciate the game’s subtle nods to Silent Hill 4 – my personal favorite entry in that franchise.

2. Beautiful Escape Dolls (2024)

I’m a huge fan of Brazilian developer Calunio and his controversial indie classic Beautiful Escape: Dungeoneer, so I was stoked when I heard that he’d been working on a spiritual sequel to his original lo-fi commentary on “Torture Porn.” Inspired by disturbing online urban legends about living slave dolls that could be purchased on the dark web, Beautiful Escape Dolls is a feature-length dive into creepypasta depravity.

BED is undoubtedly the most disturbing game on this list, with the title putting players in control of a traumatized surgeon as he prepares “dolls” for his deranged customers. That being said, novice players should be aware that the narrative isn’t the only extreme element here, as you’ll also have to deal with a difficult learning curve as well as a healthy dose of jank if you want to witness the gruesome end of this story.

1. The Children of Clay (2025)

Cosmic horror and archeology go together like peanut butter and chocolate, so it stands to reason that Balazs Ronyai’s terrifying point-and-click adventure manages to be one of the most compelling genre experiences of the year despite only lasting about 20 minutes. In this Hungarian-Mythology-inspired research simulator, players attempt to study a mysterious artifact only to discover that it may in fact be cursed.

I won’t go into specifics in order to avoid spoiling this clever little gem, but suffice to say that the excellent atmosphere and eerie stop-motion visuals make The Children of Clay a must-play for discerning horror fans on a budget.

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