10 Best Teen Horror Video Games
The best teen screams you need to play.
From genre-defining classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Scream to revolutionary modern gems such as It Follows and The Cabin In The Woods to the timeless cult slashers of Sleepaway Camp and Friday The 13th, teen horror films are a prevalent feature within the horror landscape and a frequent favourite of horror fans.
Populated with hundreds of frisky teens ready to be slaughter for the sake of our entertainment, this genre is known for being as schlocky as horror can get. But while not every teen horror is praised for its highbrow artistic merits, even the most bottom of the barrel contenders can make for some highly entertaining popcorn flicks perfect for any rainy afternoon.
Given just how prevalent teen horror is, it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that these unfortunate teens have made their way into video games too. Much like their film counterparts, teen horror games aren’t the most sophisticated horror titles out there, but that's all part of their charm.
Whenever they lean into and embrace the numerous clichés even teen horror is required to have the result is a surprising amount of fun.
Here are just some examples of the best teen horror outings that gaming has to offer.
10. Until Dawn
The perfect example of what happens when a game embraces teen horror genre tropes to delightful effect, Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn encapsulates everything about what you imagine a teen horror game should be and amplifies it tenfold.
Set in an isolated cabin on top of a snowy mountain, this game sees players take control of a group of high schoolers settling in for what should be a weekend of partying. Unfortunately for them, though, it doesn’t take long for carnage and murder to ensue, transforming their annual getaway into a nightmare experience as you explore deeper into the mountain to uncover its dark secrets.
While the writing and characters are the stereotypes we’ve seen dozens of times from every slasher movie, performances from the likes of Hayden Panettiere, Meaghan Martin, and the Oscar-winner Rami Malik ensure the impressively animated characters feel as real as possible, which means a lot when each decision you make has real consequences on how each character acts and whether they live or die.
A fun tribute to the genre with some genuinely disturbing death scenes, its biggest strength is its multiple branching narratives which essentially let you direct your own teen horror experience.
What's not to love?