27 Best Xbox Series X/S Survival Horror Games Available Now

Life’s no fun without a good scare and Microsoft’s ninth-generation console has plenty of sinister stories and eerie experiences waiting for you. Survival horror is more than just jump scares (although a few don’t hurt) encompassing everything from action titles to psychological thrillers. Without further ado, here’s our list of the best Xbox Series X/S survival horror games on the market. Don’t worry if you need to hide behind the sofa when playing any of the following games…we won’t tell.

#27 Alan Wake 2

Platform : PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: October 27, 2023

Epic | PlayStation | Xbox

It’s hard to believe we have a sequel to the Alan Wake video game. This is a title installment that Remedy Entertainment has been working to bring out for several years now. So, odds are there were a few adaptations and takes for Alan Wake II. The installment that finally arrived to the public is different from what we initially got with the first game. Alan Wake always had a horror element, but the gameplay leaned heavily into an action-adventure experience. With this sequel, we’re getting a straight-up survival horror title. That means limited resources with a focus on the storyline and atmosphere. Alan Wake II is about Alan’s attempt to escape the Dark Place. Meanwhile, we get a secondary protagonist named Saga Anderson in the real world. Saga is an FBI agent sent to Bright Falls, Washington, to uncover a series of ritualistic murders. You’ll need to play the game to see how these two storylines intertwine.

#26 Dredge

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S Switch 
Release Date: March 30, 2023

Steam | Playstation | Xbox | Nintendo

What does it mean to survive out on the high seas? Many will say it takes a strong will. Others will tell you that it requires a strong boat. No matter what you believe, you’ll find out the answer when you play Dredge.

When you’re sent to an island chain to fish, you’ll soon discover that there’s more going on here than meets the eye. A dark history must be uncovered, and that only speaks to the horrors on land.

When nighttime falls, so too does the fog around the depths. If you sail in, you might not sail out, as massive creatures come up at night and won’t be afraid to tangle with you and your boat.

#25 Resident Evil 4 Remake

Developers: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: PC PS4 PS5 XSX|S
Release date: March 24, 2023

Steam | Playstation | Xbox

Why should you want to get Resident Evil 4 on Xbox Series X/S? If you liked the previous remakes from the franchise, why wouldn’t you want to complete the set? But it goes beyond that, we assure you.

One of the biggest things that the remake did was overhaul the graphics in meaningful ways. As you wander through a very secluded part of Spain, you’ll see details that make you feel like you’re really there and feel like you’re in a very dark place.

The Xbox Series X/S will make you feel the terror as you fight the various monsters of the title, and you’ll want to push through to see things to the end.

#24 Dead Space Remake

Developer: Motive Studio
Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc.
Platforms: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release: January 27, 2023

Horror games in the video game space are notorious for their inconsistent natures. But with the Dead Space Remake, you’ll get the horror feeling that the original game delivered, but with a new coat of paint that makes it all the more special.

Specifically, they upgraded the visuals and the audio to deliver a truly terrifying experience as you wander around the ship you were brought in to help fix. But things can only get bad when you never know what lies around every corner.

So be smart, pay attention to what’s around you, and figure out the truth. If the truth is worth finding, that is.

#23 The Callisto Protocol

Developer: Striking Distance Studios
Publisher: KRAFTON
Release Date : December 02, 2022
Platfrom: PC PS4 PS5 XSX|S Xbox One

So you were one of the lucky ones to get an Xbox Series X/S, congrats! Now you probably want a deep game to play on it, one that may be rooted in the horror genre! If so, The Callisto Protocol is one to check out.

The game focuses on Jacob Lee, a prisoner on a remote colony on Jupiter’s moon. But his “stay” is interrupted by an outbreak.

That outbreak causes the rise of monsters and terrors that will make your skin crawl. You have one job when everything goes south: survive. So do your best to get off the moon and not succumb to the darkness around you.

#22 Maid of Sker

• Release date: July 28, 2020
• Developer: Wales Interactive
• Publisher: Wales Interactive
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5

Set in 1898 on the fictional Sker Island, Maid of Sker is a first-person psychological horror game based on the lore of the real-life Sker House in Wales. When Thomas Evans receives a letter from his girlfriend, Elizabeth, telling him that she is trapped in her family’s island hotel, Thomas immediately travels to Sker Island. However, things have gone horribly wrong at the hotel, and Elizabeth has locked herself in the attic to escape her family. As Thomas, players must communicate with Elizabeth via telephone as they explore the hotel and look for a way to stop the horrors inside.

#21 Chernobylite

• Publisher: All In! Games
• Developer: The Farm 51
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
• Release Date: September 28, 2021

If you’ve ever found your survival horror games to be lacking in the romance department then Chernobylite is the title for you. The science-fiction survival game takes place in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and follows physicist Igor Khymynuk in search of his missing wife Tatyana. Spurred on by visions of Tatyana in his dreams, Khymynuk goes looking for his former partner 30 years after her disappearance. Along the way, you’ll meet potential allies you can team up with and assign jobs to. Depending on your choices, friends can quickly become enemies as you try to maintain peace in your makeshift squad.

#20 Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

• Publisher: Koei Tecmo
• Developer: Koei Tecmo
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, PC
• Release Date: October 28, 2021

The fifth title in the Fatal Frame series, or Project Zero as it’s known in Europe, was originally a Wii U exclusive. Thankfully for Xbox Series X/S players, however, the game was later released for Microsoft’s home consoles in 2021 to celebrate the series’ 20th anniversary. Maiden of Black Water is set on the mysterious Hikami Mountain where supernatural events are said to be occurring. The game sees you take on ghosts and other haunted presences by photographing them. Lining up the perfect shot for maximum damage to repel your foes away.

#19 Tormented Souls

• Publisher: PQube Limited
• Developer: Dual Effect & Abstract Digital
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: September 7, 2021

An old-school-style survival horror game inspired by the original Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark games, Tormented Souls ditches the first and even third-person camera angles we’ve come to expect in modern gaming, opting for an at times claustrophobic feeling fixed perspective instead. Corridors can feel tight and narrow as you slowly advance, unaware of what’s waiting around the corner. If not an enemy, it’s likely to be a puzzle instead as you’ll encounter plenty of well-thought-out escape room-like challenges as you explore a gothic mansion in search of missing twins.

#18 Observer

• Release date: August 15, 2017
• Developer: Bloober Team
• Publisher: Aspyr
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5

In the near future in Poland, a digital plague has resulted in the megacorporation Chiron taking control of the country. Daniel Lazarski is an Observer, a detective who can hack into people’s minds to help him solve cases. After a phone call from his estranged son leads him to a murder scene, Daniel follows a trail of dead bodies while uncovering dark secrets about Chiron and his family. In this first-person psychological horror game, players will investigate the environment and interact with objects of importance to look for clues, and player choice will determine how the story plays out.

#17 The Medium

• Publisher: Bloober Team SA
• Developer: Bloober Team
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC
• Release Date: January 28, 2021

If you’re looking for a game that showcases the power of the Series X/S then look no further. The Medium’s dual reality mechanic sees you explore two worlds at the same time–the physical and the spirit world. Solving puzzles in one reality can unlock solutions in the other in a mechanic that simply wouldn’t have been possible on older hardware, hence why the psychological horror game was one of the first Xbox Series X/S exclusives that couldn’t be played on Xbox One.

#16 Resident Evil: Revelations

• Publisher: Capcom
• Developer: Capcom
• Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, PC
• Release Date: August 29, 2017

Originally a 3DS exclusive, this 2012 title pushed the hardware of the time and remains one of the best-looking experiences on the handheld system today. Fortunately for Xbox players, Resident Evil: Revelations looks even better on the Series X/S. Swapping the series’ traditional haunted mansion and burning city settings for the tight corridors of an abandoned ship, you follow Jill Valentine as she attempts to thwart a plan that would see the ocean infected with a deadly virus that mutates people into zombie-like creatures. All aboard!

#15 The Dark Pictures Anthology

• Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Developer: Supermassive Games
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
• Release Date: October 22, 2021

What’s better than one survival horror game? Three of course, and that’s exactly what The Dark Pictures Anthology offers, giving you access to Man of Medan, Little Hope & House of Ashes. Each title has its own unique story that can play out differently depending on the choices you make whilst playing. The decision of who lives and dies is quite literally in your hands. The Dark Pictures Anthology is also a rare example of a horror game that can be enjoyed with friends, be it locally or online. So, pass the spare controller and try to at least not get everyone killed.

#14 Outlast

• Publisher: Red Barrels
• Developer: Red Barrels
• Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: June 19, 2014

Outlast sees you take on the role of investigative journalist Miles Upshur as he explores a remote psychiatric hospital. Naturally, the hospital has seen better days and is mostly plunged into darkness. You’ll have to use the night vision of your camcorder in order to explore but be warned, as this uses precious battery power. Unlike most titles on this list, Outlast doesn’t feature any combat. Instead, you’ll have to rely on stealth to survive, hiding in lockers and sneaking past enemies when their backs are turned. If sneaking isn’t for you, you can alternatively try and just run away from enemies and hope for the best.

#13 Amnesia: Collection

• Publisher: Frictional Games
• Developer: Frictional Games
• Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android
• Release Date: September 28, 2018

Amnesia: Collection is a trilogy of games from the acclaimed survival horror series. Most well-known is Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The original game started it all and follows protagonist Daniel as he wakes up in an aging castle with no memory of his previous life. Also available as part of the collection is Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Amnesia: Justine. All three have plenty of scares to offer and physics-based puzzles to solve, so you can’t go wrong with whichever game you decide to play first.

#12 Dying Light

• Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Developer: Techland
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: January 27, 2015

Dying Light is a game of two halves. During the day it’s a game all about parkour, killing zombies, and more parkour, but it’s when the sunsets and the moon rises that the game really comes alive. At night, the undead have had enough of your free-running skills and are much more aggressive. It’s up to you whether to brave the night and reap the rewards of extra experience points or play it safe by hiding out in a safe house. If things get too much, you can also tackle the open world with up to four friends in co-op.

#11 The Evil Within

• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
• Developer: Tango Gameworks
• Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PC
• Release Date: October 14, 2014

Developed in response to the action-heavy mainstream horror games of the time and with a survival horror pedigree behind it, The Evil Within had all the elements to be a recipe for success, and it was. Directed by Resident Evil co-creator Shinji Mikami, The Evil Within aimed to bring survival horror back to its roots, at a time when Mikami believed the genre was relying more on all-out action than survival. The result is an atmospheric and moody title that will keep you on your toes. Ammunition is scarce, so you’ll have to decide when to fight and more importantly when to run in order to survive.

#10 Darkwood

• Publisher: Crunching Koalas
• Developer: Acid Wizard Studios
• Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: May 17, 2019

Darkwood is a top-down survival horror game that promises to scare you through its dark tone and atmosphere rather than jump scares. With an in-game day and night cycle, Darkwood starts by placing you in a randomly generated forest and has you scavenge for goods during the daytime. Come night you’ll turn into a defender as you work to hold down your base from attacking forces and attempt to survive till morning. Every day survived is a day closer to uncovering the mystery of the forest and just why its inhabitants are turning hostile.

#9 Outlast 2

• Publisher: Red Barrels
• Developer: Red Barrels
• Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: April 25, 2017

If you liked Outlast then you’ll likely enjoy its sequel too, as the game’s core formula remains largely unchanged. Again, you play as an investigative journalist, but this time as Blake Langermann, who, along with his wife is investigating the murder of a pregnant teenage girl. Outlast 2, like its predecessor, doesn’t feature combat, meaning you’ll have to stay hidden to survive. One area that has seen a big improvement however is your camera, which now offers the ability to zoom in and out as well as use the in-built microphone to listen out for footsteps and other noises from afar.

#8 Alan Wake Remastered

• Publisher: Epic Games
• Developer: Remedy Entertainment
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: October 5, 2021

Alan Wake Remastered is, unsurprisingly, a remaster of the 2010 original. Playing on an Xbox Series X/S, the game now offers 4k support and upgraded visuals and textures, though the game does still run at only 30 frames per second. It is its story where Alan Wake shines though, as you try and uncover the truth behind your wife’s disappearance. The experience has been likened to watching a thriller tv show, as the game is split up into episodes. Each contains plenty of plot twists and cliffhangers to keep you in suspense. There’s even a handy ‘previously on Alan Wake’ style recap at the start of each new episode to keep you in the know.

#7 Alien: Isolation

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Creative Assembly
• Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android
• Release Date: October 7, 2014

Fans of the films will find a lot to love about Alien: Isolation. Set 15 years after the original movie, Isolation sees you play as Amanda Ripley (daughter of film protagonist Ellen Ripley) as she boards a space station in search of her missing mother. There’s just one issue, as the station in question has been taken over by an Alien. A big step up from previous Alien video games, Isolation relies less on the all-out-action of the now infamous Aliens: Colonial Marines and instead focuses on stealth gameplay. The alien on the loose can’t be defeated through combat and so instead must be avoided and most importantly outsmarted.

#6 Dying Light 2 Stay Human

• Publisher: Techland
• Developer: Techland
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: February 4, 2022

The original Dying Light was praised for its fluid movement and parkour which has only gone and seen further improvement in the sequel. Free running feels even smoother thanks to quite literally thousands of different parkour animations. With a map four times the size of its predecessor, you’ll need all the help you can get to traverse around. Thankfully, there are plenty of new toys available to help you explore too, including a paraglider. Of course, the map is still full of zombie threats, so there’s plenty more undead slaying action to be had as well.

#5 The Evil Within 2

• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
• Developer: Tango Gameworks
• Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
• Release Date: October 13, 2017

Tango Gamework’s second attempt at survival horror improves upon its first in every way. Industry veteran Shinji Makami may have stepped down as director for the sequel, serving as a producer instead, yet none of the magic of the original is lost. Weaving its psychological horror moments into a more open world. Environments are expanded upon allowing for more exploration and scavenging of vital resources. Just don’t expect to be too well equipped, though, as the emphasis on ammo scarcity that made the original so intense and popular with fans is still fiercely present.

#4 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

• Publisher: Capcom
• Developer: Capcom
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date: January 24, 2017

Now Xbox Series X/S enhanced, there’s never been a better time to play Resident Evil 7. Ditching the more action focus of its predecessor, the 2017 title is a return to the series survival horror roots. Swapping the third-person camera the franchise was known for over the past 10 years for a bold new first-person perspective. Resi 7 has a more intimate feel as you cross paths with a murderous family intent on holding your wife captive and generally making your life a misery.

#3 Visage

• Publisher: SadSquare Studio
• Developer: SadSquare Studio
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
• Release Date: October 30, 2020

Visage is an indie psychological horror game. Its development was heavily inspired by P.T., a now unavailable demo of Silent Hills that started development under Kojima Productions before later being canceled. The result is an atmospheric first-person experience through a maze-like house as you try to escape whilst maintaining your sanity. Staying in the dark too long, hearing doors slam in the distance, or even seeing lights flickering are all paranormal events that can impact your ability to survive. At the time of writing, Visage is also on Xbox Game Pass and is well worth checking out to those subscribed to the service.

#2 Resident Evil 2 Remake

• Publisher: Capcom
• Developer: Capcom
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
• Release Date: January 25, 2019

This modern retelling of the 1998 original follows golden retriever energy and general Resident Evil best boy Leon Kennedy’s first day on the job. Which just so happens to be the day a deadly virus is sweeping the city. Teaming up with fellow protagonist Claire Redfield, the two have to uncover clues and find evidence to expose the corporation responsible for the outbreak. This has all got to be done whilst outrunning the infamous Mr. X, a towering and indestructible force who stalks you throughout and is the leading cause of most of the tension and stress you’ll feel whilst playing.

#1 Resident Evil Village

• Publisher: Capcom
• Developer: Capcom
• Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
• Release Date: May 7, 2021

The latest and one of the greatest installments in the Japanese survival horror series for showcasing the power of your ninth-generation machine. A direct sequel to Resident Evil 7, Village keeps the at times claustrophobic first-person camera introduced by its predecessor but adds a bit more action to the mix too. Enemies are much more agile and thanks to some handy off-screen military training, protagonist Ethan Winters is more than up to the challenge–the challenge being the antagonist and popular internet tall woman Lady Dimitrescu of course.