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Horror Games are a core part of the mainstream gaming experience, with multiple sub-genres to explore.
From Amnesia: The Bunker to BioShock, the gaming industry offers a wealth of unforgettable experiences that linger long after gameplay ends.
Whether it's a psychological horror game or a survival horror game, post-war games explore various themes related to trauma, guilt, and the fight to survive.
Listening to horror games immediately brings to mind scenes where players are either trying to escape from an invisible evil power, or zombies are chasing them throughout. While jump scares make games terrifying, the gaming world has different sub-genres to explore that have multiple hidden gems that shouldn't be missed.
When historical settings intertwine with horror, it always creates something scary. Now, World War I and II are the background of numerous FPS games. Still, some developers have reimagined these global conflicts with a darker lens to create some of the most dreadful experiences, including psychological dread, supernatural phenomena, and survival horror.
Some of the best horror games combine terrifying visuals with gripping narratives that keep players on edge. Psychological horror games like Silent Hill focus more on mental tension than jump scares, leaving a lasting impact. If you are looking for games that blend historical tension with fear, below are the most unforgettable experiences one can have through a virtual journey:
Few titles truly explore games set in WW1, but those that do often blend history with haunting storytelling. Amnesia: The Bunker takes players to a desolate World War 1 bunker, and offers a survival horror experience that will last even after the game ends. Players take the role of a French Soldier, who’s trapped in a bunker, and stalked by aggressive creatures that react to light and sound.
This semi-open world structure of the game, with limited resources and a real-time progression system, enhances the sense of fear in gamers. This game is not only about the monster, it’s about fighting the claustrophobic isolation of war.
Ad Infinitum blurs the line between trauma and reality. Set in the context -of World War I, specifically after WWI, this game takes players on an unforgettable psychological horror experience. Players will roam around and experience the dreadful consequences of the war: The trenches, bombed-out villages, and gothic interiors.
These not only infuse terror, but also a sense of guilt in the mind. This 2023 game has no jump scares, but it relies more on existential fear and the grotesque memories of war to create an immensely disturbing experience.
Very few games can embrace absurdity like the Zombie Army Trilogy did. This third-person tactical shooter game throws out historical accuracy and focuses on Nazi zombie mayhem.
Set in an alternate WWII universe, this game makes players experience a chaotic and destroyed world where Hitler unleashes undead armies to finish off mankind. The co-op shooter combines horror elements with intense battles against giant skeletons, necromancers, and undead super soldiers.
Also Read: Face Your Fears: The Top Horror Games to Play in 2025
Being a hardcore psychological horror game lover, it’s almost impossible not to know the name BioShock. This game isn’t set during any of the two World Wars, but the WW2-era ideologies, technology, and aesthetics heavily inspire it.
The portrayal of Rapture, the underwater city, highlights the post-war disillusionment and the dangers of unchecked power. From splicers to Big Daddies, the horror this game presents goes beyond physical; they are philosophical, which makes this game a chilling game rooted in the ethical aftermath of war.
Another psychological horror game set in post-war Poland that players shouldn’t miss out on is The Medium. This game explores the theme of post-war trauma through a distinctive dual-reality mechanics. Played from a third-person perspective, as Marianne, who can navigate both the physical and spiritual world, the game presents themes like grief, genocide, and repression.
Martha Is Dead, set in 1944 Italy, this game combines realistic wartime storytelling and psychological horror to create an unforgettable experience. The story of the game revolves around twin sisters, Martha and Giulia, and the grief, mental illness, and hallucinations Giulia suffered after Martha’s death.
With its photorealistic visuals and disturbing interactive scenes. With photorealistic visuals and disturbing interactive scenes, this game challenges players to confront the horrors of identity, trauma, and loss in the backdrop of war.
Though primarily set in 2003 Iraq, House of Ashes takes players to a broken world of World War 2, and explores the themes of military excavation and supernatural activities that are rooted in ancient Sumerian curses.
These historical fragments offer a unique twist to the plot by linking military aggression to timeless evil. This narrative choice is unique and elevates the plot.
Also Read: Best Free Horror Games of the Year
All the above-mentioned games suggest one single idea: that war is immensely horrifying, and horror starts from where humanity collapses. These titles have monsters to fight, but they offer more than regular battlefields; they explore the internal and external consequences of global conflicts. The fear of the unknown, the hunger to survive, and the trauma of violence are integrally woven into each of the narratives.
Top horror games WW2, like Return to Castle Wolfenstein, deliver an intense mix of war action and supernatural horror, unlike standard Survival Horror Games that focus on isolation and resource management.
Whether it’s a psychological horror game or a survival horror game, what makes them unique is how the exploration is designed in a war-torn world. The most interesting part is that all these games have a common underlying theme: the greatest horror is not supernatural but human.
1. What are the best horror games set during World War I and World War II?
Ans: The best horror games set during WW1 and WW2 include Amnesia: The Bunker, Ad Infinitum, Trenches, Conscript, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. They combine historical war settings with psychological and supernatural horror elements for immersive experiences.
2. Which horror games effectively use WWI or WWII settings to create atmosphere and story?
Ans: Horror games like Amnesia: The Bunker and Ad Infinitum effectively use WW1 and WW2 settings by recreating authentic atmospheres, focusing on psychological tension, wartime trauma, and eerie environments rooted in historical conflicts
3. Are there any horror games based purely on the real historical horrors of World War I?
Ans: Some horror games, such as Trenches, base horror exclusively on WW1’s brutal reality, portraying the terrifying life in the trenches without supernatural elements, emphasizing survival, fear, and psychological horror through authentic experiences
4. What are some recommended survival horror games set in WWI trenches?
Ans: Recommended survival horror games in WW1 trenches include Trenches and Ad Infinitum. These games highlight claustrophobic trench warfare, dark atmospheres, and mental anguish, blending historical accuracy with intense gameplay and psychological horror themes.
5. How do games like Amnesia: The Bunker and Return to Castle Wolfenstein blend horror with WWII themes?
Ans: Amnesia: The Bunker and Return to Castle Wolfenstein blend horror with WWII by integrating suspenseful storytelling, eerie atmospheres, and supernatural or monstrous enemies within authentic war settings, amplifying fear and adventure.
