There’s some strange, primal urge within all of us to test ourselves through fear. Often, there’s a certain thrill that accompanies the anxiety and tension we feel as we watch a scary movie or, perhaps, play our favorite horror video game. As far as the horror genre is concerned, there are plenty of options on the market.
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With the advent of machines like the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck, we can take our games with us on the go, or play them underneath our sheets with the lights turned off. While there’s a massive list of horror titles to send shivers down your spine, there are particular titles that work best when played on a smaller scale.
8Little Nightmares 2
InLittle Nightmares 2, you are taken on a platforming horror journey full of terrors and puzzles as a small boy named Mono. You must traverse the little cracks and crevices of a darkly horrifying world.
Playing this title on the handheld only brings the claustrophobic world that much closer to you as the player. It’s all about marrying up the setting of this title with the smaller platform, a combination that seemingly elevates immersion.
7Outlast
InOutlast, there’s no chance for you to defeat the terrors that lie in the darkness waiting to gut you.Your only hope is to run for your life and hide, hoping that the rabid human element won’t sniff you out. The monsters in Outlast are, indeed, human. But their minds are lost and their completely bloodthirsty.
One of the game’s primary mechanics is the use of a video recorder to see in the darkest areas of this terrifying asylum. It’s a mechanic that suits a handheld platform nicely, giving you the sensation of treading the halls of the Mount Massive Asylum for real.
6Resident Evil 4
Leon Kennedy is tasked with retrieving the President’s daughter. Finding himself in a remote village in Spain, Leon relives the horrors he endured in Raccoon City.Resident Evil 4’s bold take on the series puts you right behind Leon as if you’re on the journey alongside him.
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It’s a thrilling ride that is potentially even more potent on a handheld device than the TV in your living room. Just make sure your stock up along the way. You’re going to need all the ammo you may get.
5Alien: Isolation
Fans are keenly aware that solid games based on the Alien franchise are few and far between. Sure, they exist. But they’re not always good.Alien: Isolationis a game-changer for the license giving you an up close and personal look at a Xenomorph intent on hunting and killing you.
Like Outlast, running and hiding are (mostly) the name of the game. Though, other offensive actions eventually enter the mix. Once again, the game is all about exploration, derelict and claustrophobic spaces, and, of course, isolation. A handheld is perfectly suited for player immersion in this horror.
4Fatal Frame: Maiden Of Black Water
This title originally launched on the Wii U in 2014. It was later ported to various platforms, including the Nintendo Switch. Like the game’s predecessors in theFatal Frameseries, you are tasked with traversing spooky environments and contending with ghosts using a camera to dole out damage to the disembodied.
Originally, the Wii U GamePad was used for the camera. Now, players can simply use the Switch during their journey. With an undocked switch in hand, it almost feels like you’re wielding a camera against hostile specters making this an obvious choice for this list.
3Layers Of Fear
Layers of Fear is a psychological horror game that features puzzles as you, the player, focuses on taking your avatar, a disturbed painter, on a journey to uncover his past and complete his final masterpiece. The game is set in a Victorian-style home where you explore its rooms from the first-person perspective.
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This more subdued realm of psychological horror plays nicely while you are laying in bed or relaxing in a dark or dimly lit room. The game is available on most platforms, including the PC. The Nintendo Switch port is titled, Layers of Fear: Legacy, which includes the DLC and support for the Nintendo Switch, including touchscreen features.
2Limbo
This Microsoft-published indie title was originally released way back in 2010. But it has since become a classic after receiving deserved critical acclaim for its thrilling gameplay loop and artistic design.Limbo is a side-scrollingpuzzle platformer that follows a boy who searches for his sister in a forest filled with horrors, including a giant spider.
Limbo is the type of game easily experienced on the go. And despite its black and white tones, it is even more visually stunning on a smaller scale.
1The Quarry
Supermassive Games is famous for its cinematic horror stories.The Quarrytransports you into the shoes of camp counselors who are relishing the last bit of their time at Hackett’s Quarry in the waning days of Summer. Of course, there’s definitely something sinister crawling around in the woods.
The Quarry is almost like an interactive movie making it perfect for a rainy day adventure in your favorite recliner. In fact, once you unlock the feature, you can viewthe entire storyline as a film using movie mode.
