IGN picks the 25 scariest video games of all time - Silent Hill 2 tops the list

The portal IGN has published a ranking of the 25 best video games in the horror genre, where the iconic Silent Hill 2 took the top spot. The list also includes new titles such as Alan Wake 2.

According to IGN's journalists, Konami's Silent Hill 2 (2001) best captures the essence of true horror and its consequences. It is described as a "psychological journey through the suppressed thoughts of the protagonist and the tormented souls he encounters along the way." The editorial team highlighted its masterful exploration of themes such as personal tragedy, guilt, and cruelty.

“However, there’s something about the PS2 version that makes us return to the slightly pixelated fog and the unique atmosphere that haunts us. It’s safe to say we’ve seen this restless town in our dreams since we first stepped into it in 2001. 23 years later, nothing has become more horror-inducing,” notes IGN about Silent Hill 2.

The second place went to the remake of Resident Evil 2, which the editorial team also recognized as the best entry in the series. The original 1998 game refined the horror genre formula: the locations became spookier, the enemies more menacing, and with the introduction of legendary monsters such as Lickers and Mr. X (the Tyrant), the level of fear reached new heights. The adventures of Leon and Claire in Raccoon City set a standard not only for the Resident Evil series but for the entire genre.

In third place is Amnesia: The Dark Descent from 2010, which "radically changed the survival-horror genre." The game tells the story of Daniel, who wakes up in the dark Brennenburg castle with no memories of his past. A key innovation of Amnesia was the complete absence of combat with monsters—the player can only escape and hide in the dark. However, the developers introduced a unique "sanity level" mechanism: staying in the dark slowly drives the protagonist insane, requiring players to balance the need to hide from monsters with the necessity of maintaining the character's mental health.

Here is the complete list of the top 25 horror games according to IGN:

1. Silent Hill 2
2. Resident Evil 2 (2019)
3. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
4. P.T.
5. Dead Space
6. Alien: Isolation
7. Outlast
8. Left 4 Dead 2
9. Resident Evil 4
10. Five Nights at Freddy's
11. Resident Evil (1996)
12. Forbidden Siren 2
13. Clock Tower
14. Soma
15. Alan Wake 2
16. Until Dawn
17. Dead by Daylight
18. Phasmophobia
19. Visage
20. Inside
21. Manhunt
22. Condemned: Criminal Origins
23. The Evil Within
24. Slender: The Eight Pages
25. Stay Out of the House

If you love horror, do not miss Variety's list of the top 100 films in this genre.